M6 vs. M6 TTL vs. M7

After yesterday I've officially started down the path to owning my first Leica. I bought a LTM Jupiter-8 lens, and will be getting an M-Mount adapter for it. As I'm finding I'm more price conscious than when I started this thread, I am now leaning towards a M6 Classic.

While it no doubt seems like a strange choice, I think the Jupiter-8 makes a lot of sense for me. I'm a 50mm junky, and would no doubt get one at some point anyway. This makes my choice of my first Leica lens easy, it will be a 35mm f/2 Summicron, followed at some point by a 50mm f/1.4 Summilux.

Of course having a lens capable of working on a Leica is a dangerous first step as I see a fair number of Leica bodies available for sale locally. Especially at my favorite local camera store where they had 6 bodies the last time I was in there. I don't plan on buying the body before summer, but who knows what will happen! :D
 
I agree with Peter N in that I don't think that the color of the camera (black v chrome) really attracts attention so much as the behavior of the photog (although of course something small and quiet helps a great deal, which is a reason why some of us shoot Leica to begin with). I have a chrome M4 and it gets a lot of glances from people (I think mostly because it just looks a lot like a funny old camera, probably like any M, black or chrome would look) but I definitely don't think it's hindered my ability to shoot - quite the contrary, I don't think people are intimidated by it or take it very seriously. I'm still far more anonymous than with any "serious"-looking camera, I think.

I might in fact prefer chrome to black because I think it wears better, but if it came down to it and the price is right I would be happy with either one.
 
Part of the reason why I asked about the Chrome attracting more attention than Black is I have a Chrome Hasselblad 500CM. It is impossible to go anywhere with it without attracting attention, and having people come up and start talking to me. Yet I love the look of both the Hasselblad and Leica camera's in Chrome.
 
Well the Hassy is pretty huge as well as very distinct-looking, and is likely to attract attention either way - much more imposing than a chrome M. Leicas are also conversation starters, amongst photogs you might run into, people familiar with the brand, or just anyone curious about film cameras. Proportionally, there just aren't as many film shooters roaming the streets these days.
 
Going to bump this thread I am having M dilemmas. As mentioned above I have a black Hassy and I get some very funny looks!

Time for a new M and cannot decide between M6TTL or M7, I shoot predominantly at night, in clubs and more often than not use a flash. I rarely use B&W preferring chrome, though I am considering Tri-X after seeing Shaped By War!! (was not a fan of DM before but am now!) I have been through quite a few digital this last 6 months with many reliability issues so this is a key point for me, how reliable is the m7 with its electronic shutter, I imagine very, but I do not have infinite funds for backup cameras and cannot afford weeks away at Solms for repair, longevity is also important and I do not want to be caught up in a similar scenario to the 3 year sensor cycle, will the M7 hold its value so when I sell it to fund the MP alc dream will I take a big whack? Thanks in advance.
 
IMO M6 is the best option for many reasons, since you know how to meter a manual camera. Besides, becoming dependent upon AE has usually led to inaccurate exposures. AE cannot replace the human brain.

The other main reasons being that, not only are the TTL and M7 more expensive up front, they cost more to maintain and repair b/c of the extra electronic doo-dads, in addition to being more prone to failure. I also like the M6 size better, a little smaller than the other too, and this is why I go to RFs in the first place, smaller and discrete body.

And the money you save by buying an M6 rather than the other 2, you can put toward buying quality (Leica) glass. If you put the same Leica glass on a Leica or a Bessa/Ikon, its impossible to tell the difference in IQ. If you take the same picture with Leica vs Voigtlander glass on the same (Leica or Bessa) body, you CAN tell the difference in IQ.

This choice is a no-brainer for me.
 
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M6 for just a couple of reasons. It's the least expensive of the three metered body choices and it's the only one of the group that will allow the frame counter to be exchanged for a far better made, more reliable M4 version if the M6 frame counter acts up and fails to reset. Not a common malfunction but that not rare either. The M5 is a great choice too selling for about the same price of an M6.
 
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Steve M. said:
If it were my decision, and I was going to spend that sort of money, it would have to be an M7. AE means all the difference in the world for accurate, fast exposures, especially when you go from sun to shade.
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For fast street shooting the M7 is the way to go. You can also shoot it in manual if preferred.
 
I use a Leica M6 classic and a Hexar RF for its AE. It is a great pair of cameras.
The Leica M3 is simply a camera that a Leica user has to have too.
 


Clearly the answer is YES :D to all of the above. In truth I don't think it matters one bit what body you get because they're all fantastic. You're taking the pictures, not the camera :D. If you're shooting in a club with flash then I guess TTL would be nice. Unless your subjects are wearing black, and then TTL is useless. It's better to shoot with a Vivitar 285 HV and know your distance aperture ASA settings and shoot manual. Even picking one of the coloured auto settings will give you decent results. What lenses are you going to use? Getting a second M body loaded with B+W if the other is chrome would be my choice. I've done quite a lot of shooting in bars and a fast wide and an ultrawide if you're shooting flash is a workable solution. Are you shooting groups/couples/candids? Be safe out there, and have fun.


Gregory
 
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I've bought and sold two M7s with .58 finders. I liked the AE to some extent, but note the caveats about the importance of human thought, emphasized by Roger, et. al. I didn't like the busy finder with numbers blinking--especially that stupid comma that flashes if you set the ISO to anything but the box speed. And I didn't like the bumpy, notchy feel of the shutter release. I miss the M7 at times, but have not seen fit to go back to it--so far.
 
Hello guys...quick question about the M6. Is there some particular range of serial numbers that I should be aiming for (or even avoiding)? I ask because it's all a bit confusing since there are so many to choose from here in Tokyo. Some pieces have S/Ns starting around the 150... range, others in the 170..., then yesterday I spotted one starting with 199... Obviously, the last one would be of recent vintage, so I suppose that'd be the best choice, right? Or maybe it's not so simple.

Thanks a lot.

Oh, btw, I'm not fussed about TTL and non-TTL.
 
Sherry Krauter believes the earliest production M6 classics are the best built with many cost cutting measures coming in later batches. But there were some important improvements later including light meter (sensitivity and display) and paint (early batch M6's have been known to have deteriorating paint in the form of paint bubbles).

I would personally go for a later one because I don't think the cost cutting measures are a big deal and the deteriorating paint can be bad. I think some of the early classic M6's don't have a rubber eyepiece either for eyeglass protection.

RFluhver said:
Hello guys...quick question about the M6. Is there some particular range of serial numbers that I should be aiming for (or even avoiding)? I ask because it's all a bit confusing since there are so many to choose from here in Tokyo. Some pieces have S/Ns starting around the 150... range, others in the 170..., then yesterday I spotted one starting with 199... Obviously, the last one would be of recent vintage, so I suppose that'd be the best choice, right? Or maybe it's not so simple.

Thanks a lot.

Oh, btw, I'm not fussed about TTL and non-TTL.
Click to expand...
 
I had a meter problem with an M6TTL purchased on Ebay. Sherry remarked to me that meter issues were more common with the M6 and that the M6TTL had a superior meter...TTL aside.
 
Thanks very much boys. It's just that I am a bit worried with certain production irregularities, if any. I also read something about 'brass tops' vs 'zync tops'. However, except for a very, very few late production runs, it looks like virtually all M6's had zync tops.

As an example of what I've been looking at, here's one at Map camera. I think that this was a Japan only release, hence the Leica script printed on the top plate. Notice also the silvering on the edges near the RW.

I think I'm gonna go for a late production TTL one.

Thans again.
 
Given that you are thinking of TTL... If 28/35/50 are your thing, give some thought to a 0.58 finder, especially if you wear glasses. I did and am rather happy. Use an M3 for 50/90...mostly 90mm.
 
I have an M6 with 0.85 and the M3, where both cameras are good for my favorite focal length; 50mm.
 
I think my advice would be to worry less about the serial number and worry more about the history and state of the individual camera. Any M6 has the potential to be the best camera you've ever owned, even if it comes from a maligned production cycle, and it could also go the other way. If the camera seems to work fine and had a user who took care of it, then I think you will not regret it. There is much less potential for a bad purchase when it comes to Leica M6's of any year (TTL or non) than for many things in life.
 
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