M6 or MP??

I am no Leica expert but it seems to make sense to buy the most expensive Leica you can afford. Since you will do it anyway sooner or later :)
 
I can second the vote of confidence in bluemooncamera.com, very good people. If you send them an inquiry they will have photos to you in 24hrs or less and are very accomodating. I just bought a mamiya lens & compendium hood from them.
 
I had an MP (0.72x) and the camera was smooth and quite but not worth the difference in dollar compared to an M6 or M6 TTL. I now use an M4-P (which I kept in favor of the MP) and wait for an M6 TTL (0.85x) to arrive. If I were you, I would upgrade the finder of the M6 and have it serviced, still cheaper than buying an MP and you already know that the camera you now have works.
 
If the camera doesn't matter why doesn't everyone who says this just shoot a Bessa? There is a real difference in the handling/feel between an M6 and an MP. Anyone who tells you otherwise probably wouldn't notice any difference between an '82 VW Rabbit and a '08 Passat either. Having shot both M6's and MP's I for one find some difference there. The MP is a better built, better operating camera. Sure they do the same thing, but in the hand the MP has a smoother wind on & rewind, is quieter and simply feels more solid. I also can't help but think that the MP will last longer. I always thought the MP was touted as the Leica M Leica users had been waiting years to cre@m their pants over? As to the shutter speed dial- why does this always have to come up? I shoot both an M7 and MP side by side and have no trouble with the dials (and I'm no rocket scientist). The Leica lenses apeture rings go the opposite direction of the Nikon SLR's I shot for years too. If you've got that much trouble making a shutter speed dial work get an M7 and shoot in AUTO.
 
Bravo Sepia,
Everyone feels the need to justify their choices form some reason. There is a bit vicarious living....but that does make it fun.
 
you could do what I did and got a beater M6, sent it off to DAG, installed all chrome M2/3 levers, buttons, M4 top plate, rewind and speed dial, flare free optics upgrade. It's still cheaper than an MP and is pretty much the same thing.

check out the last couple of pages on "let's see your leica M" thread if you want to see how it turned out.
 
I shoot with an M6 and an MP. The MP is nicer. I would rather shoot with two MP's then two M6's. I just can't.
Do what fits you the most. The MP and M6 do the same thing, very well mind you, but does that extra little bit count enough to justify the premium of the MP?
 
petebarker said:
Get a finder upgrade for your M6 if it bothers you that much and forget about all this smoothness crap everyone goes on about.

At the end of the day a camera body is a camera body and leica ones (especially the M6 and MP) are very similar.

Go and make photos of stuff instead of worrying about how smooth you camera is.
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Broadly I agree, except that the stuff about smoothness not actually crap. I've owned (and used -- look at www.rogerandfrances.com) quite a few Leicas, and the smoothest I've owned have all been M3s; the roughest is my M4-P, my first new Leica. Most people who've owned or used several M-mount Leicas will tell similar stories, usually about old ones being smoother.

But I use MP, M4P and M2 for several reasons other than smoothness, which I agree can be overestimated in importance. I don't want to live without the 35mm frame line, and I am especially fond of the Leicavit on the MP and Tom's Rapidwinder on the M2.

Cheers,

R.
 
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Just to add to the mayhem, I think you should keep the M6-ttl. I have owned the M6 classic and currently own an MP, and while the MP is slightly smoother, it's not enough to justify the price difference. I only bought the MP b/c I got a good deal on one and could not pass it up. I also have it on high authority (very well respected tech) that other than the flare-free finder, the M6 is just as robust and well-built a camera as the MP. Remember also that the M6 eye-piece is better sealed, check that when buying a used MP.

I agree w/ others that a CLA'd classic like an M2, M3, M4 (and MPs as they age) will be smoother b/c of the brass gearing. And to follow up on the VW analogy, I owned an '01 Passat and an '04 Passat simultaneously--same engine w/ slightly diff. gearing and horse power tweaks. Well, I could tell the differences between these engines far more readily than I could distinguish between an M6 and an MP in actual use.

No denying, MP is gorgeous, do what's right for you.
 
Roger Hicks said:
...I've owned (and used -- look at www.rogerandfrances.com) quite a few Leicas, and the smoothest I've owned have all been M3s; the roughest is my M4-P, my first new Leica. Most people who've owned or used several M-mount Leicas will tell similar stories, usually about old ones being smoother....
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I was surprised at how individual my M's are. I shot Nikon F4S's for years, and even though I shot them nearly every day I had to color code them to be able to tell them apart. My M7's feel different, the MP feels different than the MP3. They are each unique, I can tell which is which by the wind-on. Overall, the MP's are without a doubt smoother in wind-on, I don't know how else to say it.
 
save your money, shoot the m6 and buy some amazing glass. An mp would be bonerific if i could justify the cash, but i have never had a problem or complaint with my m6. It is quiet enough, and you can't complain about it not being smooth enough, right?
 
I have a 96 M6 with flare-free finder and the M2 CLA'd last august. If the MP is merely the smoothness difference between the M6 and the M2, I'd say it's a huge waste of cash. When I'm walking around, focusing my next subject, an M is an M in my hands.

get the finder upgrade and be happy!

Actually the biggest difference between the M6 and the M2 for me is incredible and organic experience of making photos without a meter. No way the MP will solve that matter.
 
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kipkeston said:
If the MP is merely the smoothness difference between the M6 and the M2, I'd say it's a huge waste of cash.
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Keston, this is often the sentiment of M6 owners until they use a MP and experience its build quality and finish. That experience is rarely counted as a huge waste ;)
 
Much as I don't like to admit it, I prefer using my MP more than my M6ttl. No great differences though, an M is an M. It just has a different tactile feel to it. Finder is better and is the one thing that is worth having. I'd say like others have, get the finder and buy a lens with the saved cash. This rational thought didn't stop me buying one though! Get what you really want then you will be happy!
 
Get a M6. Save the extra cash for extra stop of Leica lens like a summilux or maybe a Noctilux(before Leica officially announces discontinue it).
 
petebarker said:
But wanting to change a perfectly good camera for one that will do exactly the same thing (at a big cost) when a (relatively) cheap upgrade will suffice seems stupid and even more so if someone is doing it in the name of 'smoothness' and nothing else.
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Dear Pete,

We are in very substantial agreement about this. In fact I think you will agree with the following, in which case we are in complete agreement:

For anyone who can easily afford it, the MP is almost certainly the best bet as a 'user' (as distinct from 'fondler') Leica. For anyone who has to think about the money at all, the analysis you give is absolutely right.

Cheers,

Roger
 
thomasw_ said:
Keston, this is often the sentiment of M6 owners until they use a MP and experience its build quality and finish. That experience is rarely counted as a huge waste ;)
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That's quite possible. I was commenting based the the 2 to the 6, but actually using the P might change that ;)
 
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