M6 TTL Thoughts

[mrcwinn]

My wife is a professional photographer currently shooting on a Canon 5D3. She's in need of some creative time and has mentioned wanting to return to film.

Then I saw an M6 TTL ... There is one that is limited edition titanium with brown leather. Is this a silly idea? Is a collectors item meant to sit on a shelf? Could she really travel and shoot with this thing? It's beautiful but I'm worried I am lusting a bit too much here.

Maybe this is a question that has no answer.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Leica made a number of M6 and M6TTL special editions that are marketed for collectors. That doesn't mean they cannot be used. They can (and should). The titanium one is a pretty camera... and should be used. It's not exactly the rarest of the bunch, but it's not that exotic.

However, if I were in your shoes and were shopping for a camera for your better half, I'd go for a regular M6TTL. If she wants it for travel and actual use, it's a better tool. The titanium body was meant to be tough... and it's certainly tough, but it's also more expensive. Is this one being sold along with a lens or just the body? Curiousity... Years ago I was pretty close to buying a titanium Summilux and, although never regretted letting it go, occasionally comes back to mind and I wonder what it would be like to shoot with such a relatively rare lens.

Hope this helps! 🙂

 

[Pioneer]

My wife would prefer a Leica X Vario, until she seen the price, and then she would have a fit. The point is she is more interested in using a camera with a few more automatic features then your typical M would have. I am sure there is a film equivalent to this like the Contax T2.

 

[thegman]

My wife is a professional photographer currently shooting on a Canon 5D3. She's in need of some creative time and has mentioned wanting to return to film.

Then I saw an M6 TTL ... There is one that is limited edition titanium with brown leather. Is this a silly idea? Is a collectors item meant to sit on a shelf? Could she really travel and shoot with this thing? It's beautiful but I'm worried I am lusting a bit too much here.

Maybe this is a question that has no answer.

Sounds like a fantastic gift. The only concern I'd have is if it's too perfect to be used. I know some people will use a collectable like it was any other camera, but many others won't want to knock value off it, or damage it beyond repair etc. Depends on what sort of person your wife is.

 

[Godfrey]

My wife is a professional photographer currently shooting on a Canon 5D3. She's in need of some creative time and has mentioned wanting to return to film.

Then I saw an M6 TTL ... There is one that is limited edition titanium with brown leather. Is this a silly idea? Is a collectors item meant to sit on a shelf? Could she really travel and shoot with this thing? It's beautiful but I'm worried I am lusting a bit too much here.

Maybe this is a question that has no answer.

Cameras are meant to be used, limited editions or not. If you're always thinking about how rare a camera is, or how expensive it is, that will get in the way. It's a distraction. So, if you think she'd like it and use it, get it for her. If you think she'd be distracted by its rarity or value, pick something else.

As a photographer, I presume she wants to do photography, of course.

G

 

[sc_rufctr]

The TTL M6 is a brilliant little gem. I'm sure you wife would enjoy it but going for a Titanium one is probably not the most economical thing to do.
Even a standard one is not cheap. Then you have to look at appropriate lenses $$$ 😱

Has she considered an older Nikon, Canon or Pentax SLR?

It's great that you're Lusting but what about your wife? What does she lust after?

 

[Takkun]

Cameras are meant to be used, limited editions or not. If you're always thinking about how rare a camera is, or how expensive it is, that will get in the way. It's a distraction. So, if you think she'd like it and use it, get it for her. If you think she'd be distracted by its rarity or value, pick something else.

As a photographer, I presume she wants to do photography, of course.

G

Agreed. I've acquired a number of oddball cameras over the years that I've been reluctant to take out and use, and had to let go of them.

 

[lawrence]

Then I saw an M6 TTL ... There is one that is limited edition titanium with brown leather. Is this a silly idea? Is a collectors item meant to sit on a shelf? Could she really travel and shoot with this thing? It's beautiful but I'm worried I am lusting a bit too much here.

I have two M6 TTLs and it's worth bearing in mind that both have needed servicing. Even if this one's sat on the shelf since new the meter could still need to be serviced, so the cost of a service should be factored in.

Personally, unless I had heaps of spare cash, I'd go for a standard model because you need to think about insurance/replacement costs as well.

 

[Dralowid]

I have two M6 TTLs and it's worth bearing in mind that both have needed servicing. Even if this one's sat on the shelf since new the meter could still need to be serviced, so the cost of a service should be factored in.

Personally, unless I had heaps of spare cash, I'd go for a standard model because you need to think about insurance/replacement costs as well.

Can I ask why they needed servicing? I've had mine from new and it has not needed anything apart from film and occasionally batteries, dunked, shaken and dropped yes but no need for anything else...

 

[Dralowid]

Sorry, I forget a fault...the black paint in the lettering (its chrome) melts with suntan cream...but who cares?

 

[mrcwinn]

I only went down this Leica trail after hearing her mention she'd love to have a Leica. She mentioned she didn't really enjoy her old Mamiya very much, but wanted to get back into film. That's when I found the limited edition brown leather. These cameras really cause a lot of trouble!

 

[mrcwinn]

Thank you!

Thank you!

I really appreciate your answer and everyone's answers so far. It's really helped me a lot. I've decided to let go of the special brown leather TTL and focus on a normal M6 TTL. Even beyond the cost of the brown+titanium, I just worry she'll think it's such an expensive collector's piece it'll never see the field - and the whole point is for her to go out and use the thing.

The one I had found was body only. A lot of the postings on eBay say "from Japan." Not sure if that's different or some kind of disclaimer, or if a bunch of Leicas just find their way to Japan for some reason. I'm going to keep researching a bit before making the leap.

 

[Timmyjoe]

The Leica M6 TTL is a wonderful film camera. And wonderful to use. My wife bought me one for a wedding present and we took it on our honeymoon through Europe. Couldn't say enough positive about it.

Good luck.

 

[Landberg]

I really appreciate your answer and everyone's answers so far. It's really helped me a lot. I've decided to let go of the special brown leather TTL and focus on a normal M6 TTL. Even beyond the cost of the brown+titanium, I just worry she'll think it's such an expensive collector's piece it'll never see the field - and the whole point is for her to go out and use the thing.

The one I had found was body only. A lot of the postings on eBay say "from Japan." Not sure if that's different or some kind of disclaimer, or if a bunch of Leicas just find their way to Japan for some reason. I'm going to keep researching a bit before making the leap.

Where are you from? There are a lot of great Leica Dealers around the world.

 

[ssmc]

The M6 TTL is a fine camera, and an extremely "painless" way back into film IMO. I found it really intuitive to use after decades of nothing but SLRs of one kind or another, 35mm and digital. The metering pattern needs to be learned but it works great. It's actually about the same size as the 35mm SLRs I was using at the time (Minolta X-700/570) minus the prism hump but that slight difference seemed to make it feel far more compact, no doubt a large part of the reason it went everywhere with me, including work (!) besides being truly fun to shoot. I actually expected to have to spend more time acclimating to the RF way of doing things but this was not the case with the M6 TTL.

I took it on several camping/hiking trips (in a couple of cases to locations I did not expect to return to) and it performed wonderfully; the only gotcha I can think of (and I'm struggling here) is having to remember to turn it off lest it eat the meter battery.

I still kick myself for selling it! I'm sure your wife would be stoked to get her hands on one.

 

[presspass]

I have two standard M6TTLs, a .85 and a .58. After a decade of use, they went to DAG for cleaning and now are smoother than new. They have become my most-used film Leicas. Keep in mind they are not battery-dependent, but if your wife uses flash, that won't work if the battery goes flat. Otherwise, wonderful cameras.

 

[lawrence]

Can I ask why they needed servicing? I've had mine from new and it has not needed anything apart from film and occasionally batteries, dunked, shaken and dropped yes but no need for anything else...

The problem I have at the moment is to do with the metering, as explained here, (see second to last post on page 1). Haven't yet sent it to be fixed.

The other problem, explained by someone else here was to do with winding on. I had that fixed by CRR Luton and it's been fine since.

 

[seakayaker1]

I have had a M6TTl .085 Chrome and it is a beautiful camera and have not had any issues with it at all. I also have a Black MP .72 and carry the two together when shooting film.

There are usually M6TTLs for sale around the usual Camera Store web sites and forums.

Good luck with your decision.

If your wife wants a Leica, you should take care of the request, is she does not like it you most likely will recoup your investment.

 

[MCTuomey]

I have two M6 TTLs and it's worth bearing in mind that both have needed servicing. Even if this one's sat on the shelf since new the meter could still need to be serviced, so the cost of a service should be factored in.

Personally, unless I had heaps of spare cash, I'd go for a standard model because you need to think about insurance/replacement costs as well.

True in my case. I bought a shelf queen hesitantly last year that sure enough needed service immediately, and this from a well-regarded seller. Even though the M6 ttl is fairly recent vintage in Leica years, it's plenty old enough to require repairs. Very nice M body in any case, worth the trouble.

 

[judsonzhao]

The titanium version is the most common "limited" edition, no way near to a collectible yet, if you like the look, just buy one and shoot it. Travel with a Leica is a pleasure.