Shot my first Film in M6 TTL

[donz]

Hi gents & ladies,

I just bought a roll of film and test drive for the first time my leica M6 TTL which I bought last week on flebay..

I enjoyed the whole process of putting the film roll inside the body..
and the sound of the shutter release.

but I realise I could not see any LED Red indication in my viewfinder ,as mentioned in the M6TTL manual I read.
I did put new battery just now after I put the film.

is this mean the metering is F#@$? or i dont know how to on it? well this is not a digital camera and I could not see any button. LOL

from my reading of the manual, i should see the LED when I press the shutter a little bit.
now im curious, and maybe I got con 🙁🙁 I thought everything is working perfectly for this camera...


and yes, I met up with my friend who is also a photographer ( his hobby currently) using Nikon D700...he was so shocked and could not believe I got with a film camera.
He said i make a mistake by buying a film camera. He said it will cost me more money in the long run.

Now he make me thinking if this is my right choice...LOL..

thats my rant of my experience for the first day 🙂

 

[anjoca76]

Whether or not it's a mistake is something only you can determine for yourself. There are expenses in photography regardless of digital or film. If used properly, with a good lens, and the negs/slides are processed correctly, an M6 is a fantastic camera that can make wonderful images. But yes, you should definitely see the meter's lights in the viewfinder anytime you have cocked the shutter and press the shutter release button halfway. If you are sure you have the right batteries installed and you do not see the indicator lights, then there is a problem with your M6 and you should return it asap. The M6 can be used as a meterless camera, but if you splurged on an M6 in working order, that's what you should have.

 

[robinsonphotography]

Eh I just bought an M9 and the viewfinder was misaligned after shipping--life happens, digital or film. I like my film Ms more than any camera I've ever shot, don't fret the decision just yet.

 

[thegman]

Try taking the batteries out, and putting them back in again. Make sure they are in the correct way round, and the battery compartment is tightly sealed. I have found that if the battery cover is even a little loose, it does not work.

 

[donz]

Thanks guy, I already send the message back to the seller. The seller asked me if i get the right batteries.
the best part is I bought the battery today at Michaels Camera Shop in Melbourne , which have the Leica Boutique inside it. Hopefully the staff dont F@!# up and give me a wrong battery. The staff gave me the 2x MAXELL Alkaline Battery A76/ LR44 - 1.5Volt each.

True, maybe I should hang it for a while LOL..just the excitement to use Film again..but the hard part is I could not see all the pictures straight from my computer at night 🙂 ..

damn Leica M9...make me want digital now

 

[Moriturii]

Yes, you are right, AFTER YOU HAVE COCKED THE SHUTTER and you half depress the shutter button you will see a red > or <. If you have "correct" exposure, you will see >< at the bottom part of your viewfinder. If you haven't cocked the shutter you will NOT see any light metering readout (> or <) when you half depress the shutter button.

If it's not so, dead batteries or dead circuit. Make sure you get the correct voltage batteries.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

The mistake that your friend made was to compare a Nikon D700 to a Leica M6. It is not a true comparison. He probably has a large zoom lens and multiple programs on his computer and an expensive printer. The comparison is an M9 to a D700 because you need to take into consideration the lenses. If he was using Zeiss lenses on his D700 it would change the comparison factors.
As far as the meter when proper exposure is attained there is a red dot between the two arrows on the M6ttl.
Let us know how this issue works out.

 

[maddoc]

LR44 can be used but are not recommended, better use SR44. The shutter has to be cocked and another shutter-speed than B to be selected to be able to activate the meter.

 

[ThangNguyen]

I made mistake one. Just reverse the battery.

 

[gavinlg]

The mistake that your friend made was to compare a Nikon D700 to a Leica M6. It is not a true comparison.

LOL yeah the d700 is a piece of crap in comparison to the m6! Your friend is probably jealous 😛

 

[Range-rover]

With a Leica you could never make a wrong choice, your friends camera even thou
it's great has been replaced already with a D800 even my Canon 5d has been replaced
2 times already, but a film camera is everlasting.

rover

 

[Marel]

The meter also doesn't come up if you've got the lens cap on… 😀

 

[daninjc]

Congrats on your camera - the M6 is awesome!

Yes you should see the LEDs when the shutter is cocked and the speed wheel is not on OFF - maybe something is faulty with the batteries or the electronics? But you'll be able to use it too in the meanwhile!

My suggestion would be to develop the film yourself - then shooting film becomes incredibly cheap.

Oh you probably may want a scanner too.

Hi gents & ladies,

I just bought a roll of film and test drive for the first time my leica M6 TTL which I bought last week on flebay..

I enjoyed the whole process of putting the film roll inside the body..
and the sound of the shutter release.

but I realise I could not see any LED Red indication in my viewfinder ,as mentioned in the M6TTL manual I read.
I did put new battery just now after I put the film.

is this mean the metering is F#@$? or i dont know how to on it? well this is not a digital camera and I could not see any button. LOL

from my reading of the manual, i should see the LED when I press the shutter a little bit.
now im curious, and maybe I got con 🙁🙁 I thought everything is working perfectly for this camera...


and yes, I met up with my friend who is also a photographer ( his hobby currently) using Nikon D700...he was so shocked and could not believe I got with a film camera.
He said i make a mistake by buying a film camera. He said it will cost me more money in the long run.

Now he make me thinking if this is my right choice...LOL..

thats my rant of my experience for the first day 🙂

 

[donz]

Nice one guys! Thanks for the advised! Yes im waiting for the RED dot to come out! LOL...but im just waiting...

So today I went back to the Leica boutique at Michaels Camera Shop in Melbourne CBD, the one that sell me the LR44 battery which should be SR44 ( thanks for your adviced). They didnt event mentioned to me about the LR44, what they did was just change me to a new battery LR44, but still its not working. So the staff at the Leica Boutique told me that the meter is not functioning and need a service to check them. So I asked how much, guess what ? around AUD$400-$500 ..I was so shocked...and I said I will think about it if I should return to the seller and get my full refund.. ( oh yes...all the staffs that talked to me, out of 6 people, only 2 is sincerely and politely want to help me..I would never ever buy anything from them! thats for sure..even they have the biggest camera shop in the Melbourne CBD and a Leica boutique on Level 1)

So I walk down to Camera Lane shop ( best authorised Leica dealer here in Melb). Alan the owner is good, very helpful and friendly. Even his staff, is good and friendly too. So they help me to put a brand new 1x 3V lithium CR 1/3N inside my M6 TTL and tested it for a few times, they confirmed that there might be an issue to my metering/wiring/ or what ever inside the body. Only thing they can help is give me the address to the only Leica Authorised Service centre in Melbourne which is Camera Clinic. But I will have to pay maybe around AUD$90 to check what is the issue and maybe another $400-600 to service repair it. Now thats 2 different Leica Authorised dealer asked me to send to the same Service Centre. LOL

So I with full confident can declare that the metering system is DEAD! LOL what a lovely experience for a first timer of Leica M.

I know the metering is not important for some who used this Leica M6/M6 TTL, but if you paid AUD$1300 for the TTL and expect it to work properly, as advertised by the seller, now thats totally very sad experienced.

When I got it the first time last week, I dream to used it, and hunt for the best lens for my budget to use it. Once I got the lens and wanted to shoot it yesterday for the first time, the meter is not functioning. ARghhh what a stressful experience. You know your M6 TTL is not working properly eventhough you still know that you can use it for sure.

WOW this post is quite long..sorry... but yes...thats one issue for the camera

Now the issue to process the negative on my own....
the issue of good Epson Scanner LOL
to make sure the budget is still there to take up this film as a hobby..


For my friend D700 yes...that is so true not to judge it to M6..what can we do...different people have different opinion and interest. 🙂

I will stick to rangefinder...

PS - I alraedy send a message to the seller in ebay for the refund..will find out later what will he/she reply 🙂

I enjoy this forum! Looking forward to learn from you guys/ girls

 

[robinsonphotography]

Don't think an M9 is a film M either. For shooting pleasure, I prefer my M2 & M3 to the M9 any day. Simple, clear, uncluttered viewfinder. I hate having the blinking red crap in there--I'm used to it on my D700 (I've got two of those, and they are great at what they do, so no bashing, those cameras do almost all my paid work), but on an M9, I wish I could turn off the LEDs. And even still, the shutter sound is different, body feel is thicker, only a film M is a film M. I don't say it out of snobbery, but just as somebody who really cares about the camera feeling like a part of you when you shoot, that's what makes Leicas different. Sorry to hear about your bad ebay experience though, buy your next one off RFF! Great cameras always listed here.

 

[donz]

Looks like your M9 experienced not so good and you dont really enjoy them ? 🙂

I wanted to get my M6 from here RFF, but nobody from AU is selling them. All I can see from USA/EU countries.

The one I got from an AU seller and it showed up at the right time I want to buy it. I actually hunt them down every where on the net for the last 3 months. A lot from overseas, but not Australia locally. So when this one turn up with all the pictures and descriptions, I was so happy to bid for it. Its just Im not lucky enough I think...