dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
Hello gentle RFF members and guests.
In the immortal words of Bobby Bittman, "HOW ARE YA !!!!!!"
You'll probably remember my recent unscientific non-Irwin Puts-ian report on playing around with the M3 entitled "My M3 Experience" and in that report you'll note that I was waiting on my M6 from "deep in the heart of Texas" (insert the three claps here).
Well, it arrived about a week ago now and I took it out for its first spin last weekend.
Again, I'll present my report in a completely unscientific way. Think of it as "The Leica M6 For Dummies Who Have Wads Of Cash To Spend On Photographic Toys (But Not Much Photographic Sense)" OR "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My Second Mortgage"
I'm not going to go into the aesthetics of this piece of equipment. As most Leica owners or admirers will tell you, there's just some sort of weird "charisma" that these cameras have (at least to me they do); perhaps because I don't recall seeing any other cameras like them since I've been doing photography (some 25+ years now...... man.. I'm getting old).
I will tell you what I liked about it compared to the M3 though.
Here's what I liked about the M3 more than the M6
I can't get over the M6's metering system. I was lucky and the M6 I got came along with the original instruction manual. The manual does describe Leica's metering system and how it meters a scene based on lens choices etc. I can now sort of understand why Voigtlander's metering system is the "down and to the left" type of metering (I can't remember who's post it was but this info is up on Stephen Gandy's website). In my outing on Saturday I did do a lot of hand metering but I also let the M6 tell me what it thought the exposure should be and it never failed me.
I've uploaded photos from the M6 - all taken with Tri-X developed in Xtol and scanned via the Minolta Scan Elite II, downsized and then run through a nice "converter" to get that duotone look. The very last shot of a Kiln from the Toronto Brickworks building was metered entirely by the M6, as you can see, the focus point was deep in the kiln and it was pretty dark over all. The aperture was f2 and the shutter was 1/8. There's more detail on the neg than is shown in this craptacular scan
Needless to say, I'm now fully engulfed in "Dark Side Mysticism" - there's no turning back now... tell my parents and my brother that I'll miss them; wish my friends well for me.. and tell work that I now report to a new boss...
Guten Tag Herr Leitz !!
Cheers
Dave
In the immortal words of Bobby Bittman, "HOW ARE YA !!!!!!"
You'll probably remember my recent unscientific non-Irwin Puts-ian report on playing around with the M3 entitled "My M3 Experience" and in that report you'll note that I was waiting on my M6 from "deep in the heart of Texas" (insert the three claps here).
Well, it arrived about a week ago now and I took it out for its first spin last weekend.
Again, I'll present my report in a completely unscientific way. Think of it as "The Leica M6 For Dummies Who Have Wads Of Cash To Spend On Photographic Toys (But Not Much Photographic Sense)" OR "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My Second Mortgage"
I'm not going to go into the aesthetics of this piece of equipment. As most Leica owners or admirers will tell you, there's just some sort of weird "charisma" that these cameras have (at least to me they do); perhaps because I don't recall seeing any other cameras like them since I've been doing photography (some 25+ years now...... man.. I'm getting old).
I will tell you what I liked about it compared to the M3 though.
- it's a wee bit lighter imho than the M3. Still feels awfully sturdy though.
- easier/faster to load than the M3. No removeable take up spool to worry about or lose
- black, totally (this one is) so it's a bit more "stealthy" per se than the M3. Mind you.. for anyone that knows cameras, how "stealthy" can you be with that red dot on the black body.. sheesh..
- quieter shutter than the M3. Not by much mind you but it is a bit quieter.
- excellent internal metering - I thought the Bessa R3A was pretty much bang on but whoa.. the M6 is ahead in this department imho.
- more framelines to choose from and therefore less "cumbersome" when it comes to using external viewfinders.
Here's what I liked about the M3 more than the M6
- it's a wee bit heavier than the M6. SUPER sturdy and built like a tank.
- classic chrome/brushed metal look - suits the old skool collapsible cron and other older lenses perfectly
- no meter at all - perfect to take out in the worst conditions and not have to worry about ANY battery compartment getting fried or such
- nice, big, bright viewfinder - mmmm.... almost as nice and big and bright as the R3A
- not as much RF flare as the M6 (not that there was a lot but still.. )
I can't get over the M6's metering system. I was lucky and the M6 I got came along with the original instruction manual. The manual does describe Leica's metering system and how it meters a scene based on lens choices etc. I can now sort of understand why Voigtlander's metering system is the "down and to the left" type of metering (I can't remember who's post it was but this info is up on Stephen Gandy's website). In my outing on Saturday I did do a lot of hand metering but I also let the M6 tell me what it thought the exposure should be and it never failed me.
I've uploaded photos from the M6 - all taken with Tri-X developed in Xtol and scanned via the Minolta Scan Elite II, downsized and then run through a nice "converter" to get that duotone look. The very last shot of a Kiln from the Toronto Brickworks building was metered entirely by the M6, as you can see, the focus point was deep in the kiln and it was pretty dark over all. The aperture was f2 and the shutter was 1/8. There's more detail on the neg than is shown in this craptacular scan
Needless to say, I'm now fully engulfed in "Dark Side Mysticism" - there's no turning back now... tell my parents and my brother that I'll miss them; wish my friends well for me.. and tell work that I now report to a new boss...
Guten Tag Herr Leitz !!
Cheers
Dave
FrankS
Registered User
Great work, Dave! Glad you like both the M3 and M6. Great combo, eh?
dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
FrankS said:
Hey Frank
Ya.. I don't want to admit it.. but you were absolutely correct.
Consider me Darth Maul to your Emperor Papatine
Cheers
Dave
FrankS
Registered User
Just don't call me Jabba the Hut to my face! Wouldn't steer you wrong, buddy!
CZeni
DaDa is everywhere.
dcsang said:Hey Frank
Ya.. I don't want to admit it.. but you were absolutely correct.
Consider me Darth Maul to your Emperor Papatine
Cheers
Dave
Welcome to the High Dollar Dark Side. There is no logic to it. There is no reason to it. There is no explanation for it. It just is. Give in to it. And get good at covering your tracks to keep your spousal unit from killing you
Honus
carpe diem
CZeni said:And get good at covering your tracks to keep your spousal unit from killing you
This is an art form that I need to work on. It's not just the M body on the horizon, but all that M glass that goes with it
If someone knows how to explain Noctilust to their spouse I am all ears!
Honus
carpe diem
By the way, Dave, nice pics. Your M6 story is tugging at my heartstrings nearly as hard as it is my wallet :bang:
richard_l
Well-known
Now a different breed of chicks will start chasing you, the kind with dark eye shadow and black lipstick and silver nose rings and pentagram tatoos in various places. Be afraid. Be very afraid.dcsang said:
Richard
S
suzums
Guest
Very nice work!
Oh my, you must publish this
.Or, let Jorge add it as a subtitle to the Forum.
I too enjoy the M3/M6 combo and I have to agree with most that you say. My M3 was CLA'd 3 years ago or so, so she is silky smooth, more so than my M6. But my M6 gets more time out to play because of the meter, and yes, it is very accurate. Like any internal meter you have to learn how to use it and have a general knowledge of good metering practices, but it is great.
So cheers, enjoy your cameras. You will twitch a little at the end of each month when paying the rent, but hey, it is worth it.
Hektor
Leicapile
M3's have brass wind on gears, - silky smooth.
M6's have steel wind on gears, - feel a bit harsher, but much stronger for the motor winders etc.
Regards John C.
p.s. I like double wind M3s - even smoother !
M6's have steel wind on gears, - feel a bit harsher, but much stronger for the motor winders etc.
Regards John C.
p.s. I like double wind M3s - even smoother !
ywenz
Veteran
I like the M6 better too. THe meter is a big deal. WHo cares about gear smoothness? My Yashica electro and Minister D are probably 3 times smoother than the M6... but do you see me still using the Yashicas?
Ben Z
Veteran
dcsang said:
There's four claps.
PS, I've got M3, M4 and M6. I use the quick-load kit in place of the regular spool, and an add-on rewind crank, and it's still slower and more awkward than the other models. The fact it has no 35mm framelines relegates it to occasional use with the rigid chrome 50 Cron that lives on it. The M3 is an icon of photographic history, I'm glad I've got one but for my shooting I go with one of the others. The meter or lack thereof is a non-issue for me.
MP/CLE
Established
CZeni said:Welcome to the High Dollar Dark Side. There is no logic to it. There is no reason to it. There is no explanation for it. It just is. Give in to it. And get good at covering your tracks to keep your spousal unit from killing you
Covering tracks is a necessity with regard to my noctilust... Dark Side components not kept in the same place at the same time works fairly well...the wife-acceptance-factor can accept one body and up to five lenses at a time... or two bodies with a max of four lenses can also work. Beyond these formulas and I am forced into a corner of spousal disdain and contempt, powerless to defend my unusual proclivity.
(I did just win an auction for the elmarit-m f2.8 90 and I'll update how it fits with the CLE upon my receipt and excercise of same.)
markinlondon
Elmar user
Dave, I know just how you feel about the move from Bessa to Leica. My Bessa R's days were numbered from the moment I first fondled an M. I hated myself for letting her down, but that's just how it was.
Now, anything but an M feels cheap and insubstantial. I'm ruined, I tell you (there's no symbol for maniacal laughter here).
Mark
Now, anything but an M feels cheap and insubstantial. I'm ruined, I tell you (there's no symbol for maniacal laughter here).
Mark
macmac
Member
Ben Z said:
vincentbenoit
télémétrique argentique
macmac said:
Fred
Feline Great
Nice one Dave, I know exactly how you feel. Once a 'modern' Leica M is fondled and finally used, it's only a matter of time before the rest of your kit starts to draw it's pension.
Mt DSLR gathers dust unless the phone rings for a job, the Bronica sits and waits for trips out when walking is no issue, the film SLR's well that's another story.
The Leca M is my main shooter, anywhere I get the chance to take a shot.
Mt DSLR gathers dust unless the phone rings for a job, the Bronica sits and waits for trips out when walking is no issue, the film SLR's well that's another story.
The Leca M is my main shooter, anywhere I get the chance to take a shot.