what are the specific differences....

B

BigSteveG

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between the M6 (pre-ttl) and the MP? I'm asking in terms of operation and dimension. Still trying to decide on which M body I'll be buying.
 
Hi, Steve,

What do you mean by operation and dimensions? They're basically the same camera, with the shutter release dial turning the same exact way. The only difference is that the MP has the old-fashioned rewind knob, while the M6 has a crank, just like the M4.

Now... apparently, the meter in the M6 can be less sensitive than the one in the MP (which is, of course, newer). Another point to consider is that the M6 has the flare-prone viewfinder which was, supposedly, "fixed" in the MP, which, in turn, has a VF piece that lets dust in (as some owners say). Apart from these little differences, you're simply debating between looks with the MP, and price on the side of the M6. In fact, they're not even different in terms of VF magnification, because most of these camera bodies have the 0.72 viewfinder. That's what my cameras have, and I find it useful and versatile enough.

I know you're not asking this but... I'd take the M6 if I were you.

Happy shopping! :)
 
thanks...

thanks...

you have reminded me the only realy difference is looks. i know the m6 is a better buy. but, you know......
 
:rolleyes: Everybody knows that the MP takes better pictures. :rolleyes:

Seriously, I think the M6 is the way to go if your primary interest is in taking pictures. If you get rangefinder flare (oh the horror!) simply put a finger in front of the framelines illumination window. No big deal.
 
Erwin Puts has an interesting article on the MP, with a comparison with M7.

His conclusion: "The MP will suit the photographer who as a first step mentally creates the images and then starts to implement them in the physical world. The M7 is for the photographer who with intuition will react spontaneously to the dynamics of the environment and creates when taking the pictures. "

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/MP.html
 
ChrisN said:
Erwin Puts has an interesting article on the MP, with a comparison with M7.

His conclusion: "The MP will suit the photographer who as a first step mentally creates the images and then starts to implement them in the physical world. The M7 is for the photographer who with intuition will react spontaneously to the dynamics of the environment and creates when taking the pictures. "

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/MP.html
Click to expand...

Paraphrased, the M7 has AE. :)
 
ChrisN said:
Erwin Puts has an interesting article on the MP, with a comparison with M7.

His conclusion: "The MP will suit the photographer who as a first step mentally creates the images and then starts to implement them in the physical world. The M7 is for the photographer who with intuition will react spontaneously to the dynamics of the environment and creates when taking the pictures. "

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/MP.html
Click to expand...


That's not entirely true if you like to shoot as wide open as possible :) Since the M7 peaks at 1/1000s, I often find myself having to close down the apeture... So many times that I question the usefulness of having AE... I know, I know ... this could be jolly-well just me :(
 
Many have commented on the smoother advance lever actions due to the use of bass gears vs steel gears. I can't comment on the M6, but I found this to be true when comparing to the M7.

Also, I think the MP's VF is different from those upgraded ones. My M7 has the VF factory-upgraded, but is not as flare-free as the one found in the MP.
 
ChrisN said:
Erwin Puts has an interesting article on the MP, with a comparison with M7.

His conclusion: "The MP will suit the photographer who as a first step mentally creates the images and then starts to implement them in the physical world. The M7 is for the photographer who with intuition will react spontaneously to the dynamics of the environment and creates when taking the pictures. "
Click to expand...
All due respect to Mr. Puts, here's a quote from Alice in Wonderland which makes more sense: "Be what you would seem to be -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."
 
I can't stop laughing, excellent thread!

Good luck with your decision, Big. One thing is certain: this forum will produce more entertaining opinions that any other ...
 
Yesss.....

Yesss.....

richard_l said:
All due respect to Mr. Puts, here's a quote from Alice in Wonderland which makes more sense: "Be what you would seem to be -- or, if you'd like it put more simply -- Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was thinking...or maybe I just imagined myself thinking it...or not...
 
thanks for the input guys...my intention is to put togther a low light kit w/ a 35 or 50 AND a 75 'lux. My thinking is that AE will not be so important as long as I can shoot at 1/15 to 1/30 in low light. I have another 35mm camera system for most other uses.
 
Well Ben didn't turn up but what he did was sell his MP either for an M6 and a stack of lenses or two M6's and a lens or two, I can't remember which. As you can imagine he comes down hard on the side of the M6... ;)

 
More from Mr Puts:

"When you take the MP in your hands, there seems to flow an emotional charge through your hands to your brain and heart that forces you to take your photography to a higher level. The camera handles and functions so well mechanically, that pressing the shutter is such a conscious act of capturing the exact moment, that you are very eager to equate the excellence of your photographs to the excellence of the mechanixs. Such is the power of using an exquisite tool that you feel a certain deception when your photos are not good enough to be taken with such a camera. And a drive to improve your photography at the same instant.! "

:D
 
Well, we had this a couple of times. As always, M6 users prefer their M6, MP users prefer their MP. I bought my MP used and paid about 700 Euro more for it than for a M6 in similar condition (read mint). From my point of view that's not too much difference for a camera which is on average at least 10 years younger and has some additional small improvements. I am also waiting for Ben Z to disagree :) Also I simply prefer the looks of the MP. While this will not improve my pictures it contributes to the fun.
 
peter_n said:
Well Ben didn't turn up but what he did was sell his MP either for an M6 and a stack of lenses or two M6's and a lens or two, I can't remember which. As you can imagine he comes down hard on the side of the M6... ;)

Click to expand...


My MP was a $2000 demo, I used it for a year, had to buy the rewind crank so that was another $180. I sold the camera for the same $2000, the crank for $150. Bought one M6 Classic for $880 and another for $900, and a Voitlander 28/1.9 for $265. After all the shipping I had enough change left for a couple bricks of film.

First of all, the MP was and is a fine camera, but it wasn't anywhere near "Mechanical Perfection". Mine, ostensibly having passed not only the original QC in Solms but also Leica USA's demo inspection, had to be sent back immediately for a shutter problem. Then there was the way they redesigned the way the eyepiece attaches to the body, sacrificing (for no understanable reason) the threaded boss that worked perfectly since 1954, for a truly embarrassing (for German engineers especially) kludge that requires caulk sealing to keep massive amounts of dust out (if the camera gets used, that is). Leica seems to have begun caulking them at the factory, but AFAIK the design hasn't changed back.

The black paint on mine did not wear to a brass "patina" at all. What it did was get ugly scuffs and spider-web marks in the paint. Anyone who's owned a black car knows what I'm talking about, except that those can be buffed out but these one wouldn't recommend doing that!

I used my MP for a wedding, which is where I realized that the rewind knob is much slower than the crank, whereupon I had to buy one. There was a reason all sorts of aftermarket cranks existed for the M2-M3, and the pros were responsible for begging Leica to change to the crank in the M4. Other than to appeal to collector sentimentality (and to reap another $180 from anyone who used the camera seriously), I have no idea why they reverted to the knob for the MP.

To me the only place where the MP has a palpable claim to being an improvement over the M6 is the rangefinder non-flare optics. I am one of those who is not hardly afflicted by the dreaded rangefinder patch white-out/flare, but if I was, having DAG modify an M6 would still be an option. The only other thing is the 3-LED meter display of the MP vs the 2-LED display of the M6. The MP's is slightly more intuitive but it's really a minor thing.

My MP was a demo, but a new one at the time was selling for $2450. With the current price of $3395 and supposedly going up to $4000 soon, to me it's a no-brainer that the M6 is as good and in many ways (those that count in real photography) better than the MP, and even factoring in the viewfinder upgrade and a full overhaul would still come in at more than $2000 savings. For most people, that's a lot of money...certainly a lot to pay for estoteric things that have nothing to do with it's function as a picture-capturing device. Do my M6s feel as "buttery smooth" as my MP did? Honestly, I never thought to check, I could care less.
 
Ben, you showed up after all....

Ben, you showed up after all....

Thanks for the DAG modification idea.....it hadn't occured to me....
 
M6 is prettier than M7.
M7 is prettier than MP.
M4-P( red dot up front ) is prettier than M6.
M4 is prettier than M3.
M7 is electronic....Capa killed in Vietnam by land mine(?), if he used a M7, he would also be killed by land mine looking for battery( yeah yeah... a couple mechanical speed).
MP is expensive and pain in the butt to rewind.
All take M lenses, so the image quality is the SAME in the end.
 
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