seems to be a run on m6s...

back alley said:
i feel the urge for film lately but am much too lazy to start developing my own again...would love an m6 or even a 5!
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I'm quite happy developing B&W and taking C-41 to the lab. I don't have to spend time developing 100% of my film and I don't shoot so much color for development to be expensive. Maybe you can find a good balance with developing at home and at the lab? Time spent with film really does pay off.
 
surprised to hear people have had issues with the m6, for over a quarter of a decade, I have put litererally miles of film through my 1984 m6, In some pretty extreme weather and rugged locations, It is my workhorse, never fails.
 
My M4-P had its first CLA, ever, about a month ago since I bought it new in 1985 or so. 28 years old!

Not bad when you consider that the thing has rattled around in a backpack during some really damp weather, some really hot (for Canada) weather and some really cold weather. I don't think it really needed the CLA but the rangefinder seemed a little cloudy.

When I compare it to my M2, yes there is a difference in the mechanical feel when I wind on the film. M2 brass gears, M4-P steel gears....I suppose.

I'd replace my M2 as well if I lost it. A really tough little camera.

I did have an M3, but it didn't take the 35mm lens without a external finder so I sold it to buy my M4-P.
 
The M6 is different to the older Ms in a lot of ways but it is very, very good. I do like how easily the lenses rotate on the mount flange, easier than my older film Ms and the M9-P. Mine has never malfunctioned in 20 years, except for the frame counter seizing up. It still worked. Most of them must be very good work horses.

The M4-P is nothing like an M6, and is more like a professional hybrid M4/M4-2 in my understanding. It came out before the M6.
 
Plus plus plus positive for the M4-p..... one of the cameras I truly regret selling.... it was the smoothest film camera I have ever handled. And the shutter sounded like a leaf shutter.....never a problem either.
 
When I went to the SVA*, The teacher had a M4-P, that's the first
time I saw a Leica and held one and it started my Leica quest, even
now that I took a different path I still think of getting one from time
to time. On a side note about the M5 didn't that have problems with
the lollie pop sensor getting stuck sometimes.

Range

* School of Visual Arts
 
I was also interested in the M4-P. I was a little surprised to notice that it does not have a self -timer.
The M5 looks great and tempting too. I did not get my first Leica yet. i played with an M2 once and it was so nice, so smooth and with a great viewfinder/rangefinder. I might start from the M2 when I will decide to jump in.
 
Vince Lupo said:
I'm in the market for a film M, but I guess due to previous experience, I wouldn't buy another M6. I didn't feel that they were made with the same degree of quality as, say, an M2 (which I owned concurrent to the M6). I actually called Gerry Smith at Kindermann (Canadian Leica importer) and had a good long chat with him about how crappy I thought the M6 was (or at least my particular M6). Screws coming loose, and just a general feeling that the camera was just not ready for prime time. Had to send the camera to him twice to resolve some really unnecessary things. And I felt bad about it at the time, because not only did I buy it from Keith Matson at Gallery Cameras in Toronto (THE best Leica store in Toronto at the time, or even in Canada for that matter), but I really like Gerry and I hated dumping on him like that about this camera.

Of course I say that, and right now I have an M4-P on my mind. Quite likely going from the frying pan into the fire!
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Lots of M6 and M4-P bodies have survived "prime time" just fine.
 
CosmicCharlie said:
surprised to hear people have had issues with the m6, for over a quarter of a decade, I have put litererally miles of film through my 1984 m6, In some pretty extreme weather and rugged locations, It is my workhorse, never fails.
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I couldn't agree more ! This is the 2nd M6 I have owned since the 90s, and they have never failed me.
The one i'm selling in the ads, is both, beautiful, and solid. I'm still not sure that selling it is the right thing to do- but I had promised myself, that I will sell one of my 2 metered bodies. I decided to keep the M7 because it is 0.85, and I shoot 50mm lens more than 35mm.
 
A quarter of a decade is only 2.5 years, I've been using my original pair of M6 Classic bodies (1 x 0.72X & 1 x 0.85X vf's) for 10 times that long. Each went to Sherry Krauter two years ago for the MP finder upgrade and thorough overhaul.

They are the best film Leicas I have ever owned which includes the M2, M3, M4, M4-2 & M4-P. Ditto for my workhorse and never failing.

YMMV

CosmicCharlie said:
surprised to hear people have had issues with the m6, for over a quarter of a decade, I have put litererally miles of film through my 1984 m6, In some pretty extreme weather and rugged locations, It is my workhorse, never fails.
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JSU said:
A quarter of a decade is only 2.5 years, I've been using my original pair of M6 Classic bodies (1 x 0.72X & 1 x 0.85X vf's) for 10 times that long. Each went to Sherry Krauter two years ago for the MP finder upgrade and thorough overhaul.

They are the best film Leicas I have ever owned which includes the M2, M3, M4, M4-2 & M4-P. Ditto for my workhorse and never failing.

YMMV
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I meant century, not decade my mind not as sturdy as my m6.

My 1938 iii f has been a delicate flower in my Chewbacca sized hands, body been to Oleg and Youxin for repair, both guys excellent, Elmar lens went to Sherry she did a great repair, then got loose inside and Dag made it like new! It has spent more time in rehab than Lindsey Lohan. Despite all that, I love that rig and odds are we will all be dust someday and it will still be functional.

The M6 is like Keith Richards, been beat up but perfoms when needed. Check out the m6 love at JCH.
 
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