M6 vs M3

M6 vs M3

  • M6

    Votes: 363 61.0%

  • M3

    Votes: 232 39.0%
  • Total voters
    595
kshapero said:
Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?
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I think they mean that B&W film has a rather large latitude. You don't need a light meter, but you do need a brain. One with some knowledge of the Sunny 16 rule. And one that knows how to put that knowldge into use with various ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures. Me, I prefer to let the electronic brain in my metered cameras do the work. But understand when I need to adjust based on backlighting and such.
 
segedi said:
I think they mean that B&W film has a rather large latitude. You don't need a light meter, but you do need a brain. One with some knowledge of the Sunny 16 rule. And one that knows how to put that knowldge into use with various ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures. Me, I prefer to let the electronic brain in my metered cameras do the work. But understand when I need to adjust based on backlighting and such.
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When using my M3, I use an external light meter about a third of time, BTW it is much more specific than a built in meter. The rest of the time I either work off the previous reading or guess.
 
i really like "the feel" of an m3...it is a mechanical and tactile marvel and joy...

...but after learning to adapt to some quirks of the m6 metering - my ineptitude, ten thumbs and glacier-speed thought processes being the culprits - it gets my nod.

never got to handle one, but i wonder if the m6J which has some of the m3 looks has the feel of an m3?

breathe, relax and enjoy.
smiling gecko, aka kenneth
 
kshapero said:
Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?
Click to expand...

Personally I dont agree with that statement. Even though BW film has a great latitude but NOT unlimit. If you didn't take correct exposure you could get manageable output only, not the optimum. I tried Tri-X at 250 and 400 (2/3 f-stop) and the difference is noticeable.
 
kshapero said:
Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?
Click to expand...

Personally I find colour negative to have more forgiving latitude than B&W. Portra 400, I really think you barely have to meter at all. I shot a couple of rolls at a wedding, outdoor, blazing sun, indoors quite dim, guessed the exposure for both, was pretty much fine. I've not managed that for any B&W film with the same level of success.

I think colour negative *needed* to have this latitude as a lot of it was shot in disposable cameras, with no ability to adjust exposure at all. They are just fixed shutter and aperture, so the film was *required* to be be forgiving.
 
Had an M6TTL for over a decade. Very nice camera. Haven't been using it so much. Picked up an M2-S (which has the same loading as the M6) and I like it much better than the M6TTL. It's a bit shorter and feels a bit smaller in my hands. I love the solid advance lever better than the plastic tipped one on the M6TTL. But the thing I like about it the most is the lack of internal meter, and therefor the lack of those damn red LED arrows in the viewfinder. Been shooting for almost forty years and have a good understanding of exposure. I know my exposure before I bring the camera up to my eye (either by experience, sunny 16, or hand held meter in difficult situations, and an incident meter will give you far more accurate exposure in most cases than a reflective meter like the ones in the M6 cameras). When I am focusing, framing and chasing that decisive moment (the only things I want to be doing when the camera is up to my eye), I find it highly annoying and distracting to have those red LEDs flashing or blinking in my peripheral vision.

Just my 2¢ worth.

Best,
-Tim
 
segedi said:
I voted M6. While you'll get a lot of push to get an M3, what you really need is a lens. Save for that and keep the bodies you have.
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thats true. If you are good with the sunny 16 rule. I would sell both m6s and get an m2 at about 800 dollars.

then use the rest of the money to get a good used lens.
 
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I have to say I do like having the exposure meter in the camera as in my MP but, my M3 has a better feel in hand and sweeter shutter actuation. It's really something! The MP is no slouch though and I have no desire to sell it.
 
I have one black M6 non TTL and one M3 from 1960 and I love both but if I have to choose one of them I prefer the M3, why? because I shoot mostly with the 50mm and if I want to shoot with a 28mm/21mm lens I have only to attach a external viewfinder and also the M3 is stronger (I don't mean a M6 is a bad camera)

Regards,
Ibon.
 
I'm fixing to sell both an M6 and an m3 to pay for some glass to use on other M cameras 🙂 but I have both and love both but reach for the M6 more. the finder is much clearer on the M3 but is limited to 50mm frame lines at its widest so if you want to shoot 35 you need a separate finder. Also removing the spool to load film is not a big deal but the simple slide in loading of the M6 is nice. Also there's the lack of meter in the m3, also not a big deal but those things keep me reaching for the M6. since have two m6's though... i would get the m3, it's still fun to shoot, there's just something about it. 😀 however if you only had one M6 i would say keep it.
 
I usually use them together in the camera bag. I meter with the M6, but may shoot with the M3 or the M6, depending on the circumstances. Usually, I have the Rigid Summicron on the M6 and the goggled Summicron 35mm on the M3.
 
I got the M3 with these lenses in like new condition (with receipt from Germany) from an old gentleman many years ago. It is a beautiful classic set-up.
 
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