M6 - paint with bubbles...

[-vin-]

Hi!

I recently found an m6 (non-TTL) at an interesting price, but I've noticed that it has some bubbles on the paint near the right rangefinder window. But they are very small bubbles... Will they have some effects in the future? Should I buy the camera or not?

 

[Al Kaplan]

Keep the M2. It's a much nicer and better constructed cameras than the M6. Maybe buying a nice pretty new skin from Cameraleather would aleviate some of your GAS pains.

 

[johannielscom]

Keep the M2. It's a much nicer and better constructed cameras than the M6. Maybe buying a nice pretty new skin from Cameraleather would aleviate some of your GAS pains.

I second that, Al. Get the Grip-Tac, it looks the real deal and sticks like glue, improves handling 200% on a not-too-bad camera in the first place. 🙂

 

[javimm]

Seems a good price with the CLA. My M6 has some little bubbles too, hardly noticeable. I found surfing the web that some M6s had this, and then I looked at mine and found very tiny ones in there. If I hadn't spent my time reading about the M6, I wouldn't have noticed it even 😀 .No problem for me.

Before buying my M6 I held a M3 and a M6; call me crazy, but I liked the M6 better than the "better made" "cream of Leica craftmanship" M3.

 

[ferider]

I think the price is a bit steep. Occasionally, you'll can find a clean M6 in our classifieds for about that price or less (around 1k US today), without the bubbles.

Note that my most frequently used camera is an M6 like that. The bubbles don't hinder use or function at all, and they don't seem to get noticably worse, but it should have a stronger effect on price.

Not that the M2 is a bad camera. But the M6 is more robust, is easier to load, has 28 and 75mm framelines and a good meter, of course. There is a reason that the most sold Leica models in history are M3 and M6 🙂

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[-vin-]

I bought it! Let's hope the price was right... I thought that, being recently serviced, it would be in good working order. Now I'm waiting its arrive. 🙂

 

[Ronald M]

The bubbles are internal corrosion of the zinc top plate, cost saving measure, from contaminents in the zinc alloy.

This type of corrosion is possible to get worse. You can`t stop it as it works from interior out.

Keep your M2.

 

[Rob-F]

Don't do anything impulsive that will make you sad. Keep the M2. If you want an M6, you will get one soon enough. Never, never sell a piece of Leica gear unless you absolutely hate it!

 

[maddoc]

Don't do anything impulsive that will make you sad. Keep the M2. If you want an M6, you will get one soon enough. Never, never sell a piece of Leica gear unless you absolutely hate it!

Well ... in the end it is only a light-tight film-box, right ? 😀😉

 

[gcsk76]

So I'll probably have to end buying it! That's sad, because I'll have to sell my beloved M2, the first (and only) leica I've ever had... Oh, choices!

I had this idea since last month, the other way. I have sold my M6 non-ttl black and got myself an M2 with Ostrich skin.

If I have seen this earlier, we could have made a swap:angel:

 

[-vin-]

Don't do anything impulsive that will make you sad. Keep the M2. If you want an M6, you will get one soon enough. Never, never sell a piece of Leica gear unless you absolutely hate it!

too late! i bought it... now i have to decide: should i sell the m2, a couple of lenses or a kidney?

 

[-vin-]

The bubbles are internal corrosion of the zinc top plate, cost saving measure, from contaminents in the zinc alloy.

This type of corrosion is possible to get worse. You can`t stop it as it works from interior out.

Keep your M2.

ooops...😱
you're scaring me! should i be worried?

 

[-vin-]

ok, now the m6 is arrived...







and it's the moment to choose! 😢

 

[3dit0r]

I just bought an M6 with the same problem. I spoke to a well respected repair agent and he told me it's usually acid from sweat (nice!) which penetrates micro-holes in the black chrome and then causes reaction with the zinc in the metal. Apparently this was only a problem on early M6, they changed the process/formula slightly and cured it on later bodies.

Mine is a bit worse than yours sounds, but the guy has some 'used' top covers/rear covers (the bottom plate is different and doesn't have this problem) so when he CLAs it he's offered to swap them over for ones in similar condition without bubbling. I didn't want brand new ones as I like my bodies to show a bit of wear, but I do find the bubbling is not wear, that's just unsightly, like rust...

 

[samoksner]

too late! i bought it... now i have to decide: should i sell the m2, a couple of lenses or a kidney?

sell the kidney!

 

[Fuchs]

It is due to corrosion under the chrome plating. I have had an M6 with these bubbles, as well as some R4's and R6's, both black and chrome. Don't even mind it. It will not affect your picture taking.
As for what you'd sell, sell the kidney, but please keep both Leicas...
🙂