Leica Fanatic Posted July 17, 2014 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'm on the verge of possibly chopping the M2 in for an M6. Sunny 16 or a pocket meter are fine in small doses but a meter especially can be a bit slow. I don't fancy a Leicameter plonked on top. An MP would be the holy grail but I don't have £2.5k burning a hole in my pocket. Which comes to my dilema. Two M6's. One is a 1987, which is fully working according to the dealer advert. No major dents and dings but some scrapes on the edges here and there. The black chrome has gone the 'flat and dull' route. Cosmetic condition isn't a problem for me. Price £599. The other is a 1995, from another dealer. Cosmetically superb, again black chrome and fully working. Price £699. Should I spend the extra £100 and get the later model? Any technical, material or reliability improvements over the 8 year difference? Would like to hear your thoughts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 17, 2014 Posted July 17, 2014 Hi Leica Fanatic, Take a look here Which M6? - The agony of choice.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
xalo Posted July 17, 2014 Share #2 Posted July 17, 2014 Hi, nice dilemma. But keep the M2 if even possible, or you will buy one again, later... First I'd make sure the technical condition and the dealers' guarantees are really the same. Have them tell you about and look at finder, shutter times and dial clicks, curtain, pressure plate etc. Then, an older camera is likely to have seen more action, dust, moisture etc. leading not necessarily to critical wear but possibly to diminished user comfort, less precise adjustments and further lowered re-sale value. One hundred pounds seems not so much cheaper to me given the differences you describe — especially because the younger M6 really is a late one. I'm not aware of all the changes, but an important one is the better finish, doing away with the corrosion pocks that plagued the earlier models. In short, if dealers are equally trustworthy, either try to lower the price of the older (if money is an bigger issue) or take the more recent one, which will also ensure you a higher resale value. (This, in turn, may also lead to more inhibited use, defeating the initial purpose of the camera and thus leading to yet another dilemma Check the cameras out again, in the end, the body that fits will tell you so. Alexander 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colmac Posted July 18, 2014 Share #3 Posted July 18, 2014 I’d buy the newer M6 for £100 more which in Leica terms is hardly worth the debate. Hang on to the M2 if it’s in good nick. Agree with you on the Leica Meter - would need recalibrating for 1.5 Volt anyway. See thread on this subject. I replaced my MR with a little Gossen Digisix. Magic! Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted July 18, 2014 Share #4 Posted July 18, 2014 I'd get the older one and put the £100 towards a cla Pete 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted July 18, 2014 Share #5 Posted July 18, 2014 I'd get the older one and put the £100 towards a claPete That's exactly what I would advise, too. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalHeMan Posted July 18, 2014 Share #6 Posted July 18, 2014 (edited) Do both M6s have the same viewfinder magnification? That is worth checking before you choose as well. Personally I would go for the newer model as it is late in the lifetime of the M6 and will have benefitted from Leica's experience during that time period. Edited July 18, 2014 by DigitalHeMan Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ansel_Adams Posted July 18, 2014 Share #7 Posted July 18, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Keep the M2 and learn how to meter a scene quickly using a small incident meter. The inbuilt meter of the M6 is no faster and will give your inferior readings. The M6 finder will be a lot darker compared to your M2. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalHeMan Posted July 18, 2014 Share #8 Posted July 18, 2014 Keep the M2 and learn how to meter a scene quickly using a small incident meter. The inbuilt meter of the M6 is no faster and will give your inferior readings. The M6 finder will be a lot darker compared to your M2. Worth pointing out that there are apps such as Pocket Light Meter for the iPhone that would help here as well without the expense of a full light meter Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted July 18, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted July 18, 2014 Cheers for all the replies and advice guys. Unfortunately, some little (insert suitable expletive) has gone and purchased the '95 one, so that's out but maybe a blessing in disguise? Which at the moment leaves the '87. There's something about it that makes me not want to buy it. Maybe it's the large amount of dust I can just makeout in the viewfinder, or the fact the dealer hasn't replied to my questions sent yesterday. I already have a Sekonic 308 meter and the more I think about it and shoot the M2, it is really a superb camera and a joy to use. It has a certain mojo and seems to track down great pictures of its own accord, well great to me at least. Maybe I should do what I've been wanting to do for a while, which is ditch the Jupiter 8 and buy a decent CV 50mm f1.5 instead? 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ansel_Adams Posted July 18, 2014 Share #10 Posted July 18, 2014 Maybe I should do what I've been wanting to do for a while, which is ditch the Jupiter 8 and buy a decent CV 50mm f1.5 instead? Sounds like a much more sensible idea 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJH Posted July 18, 2014 Share #11 Posted July 18, 2014 Its worth taking your time as there are some great cameras out there. I paid £700 for an M6 about 8 months ago that was described as mint but with a scuff along the edge of the top plate. I was stunned when I received it, it was like a new camera, box papers strap the whole lot. No dust in the viewfinder and the pressure plate had that finish to it which looks like it couldn't have ever had more than a handful of rolls though in its lifetime. I was glad it had that scuff otherwise I would have felt worried to just get on and use the thing. Someone must have had the thing sat around pretty much unused for a very long time. I think I have put 26 rolls through her now and she just feels like a camera for life to me. I used to think ppl were a bit daft saying things like this but when you find the right one you just know it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobin Posted July 19, 2014 Share #12 Posted July 19, 2014 Here is a great talk on choice. Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice | Talk Video | TED.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 19, 2014 Share #13 Posted July 19, 2014 Keep the M2 and learn how to meter a scene quickly using a small incident meter. The inbuilt meter of the M6 is no faster and will give your inferior readings..... Sorry, but that is just plain wrong! The M6 meter is light years faster than any hand held meter technique. Just think about the ergonomics to start with. As for accuracy, it is every bit as good as a hand held meter, noting that both techniques rely heavily on user skill. Errors will nearly always be 'user error'. Qualification: I use both techniques (hand held v's built in) for different reasons and have done for 50+ years. I do know what I am talking about. For absolute accuracy, both fail in favour of a good spot meter, properly used. Again, a slow technique. I am noting that the OP favoured something faster than hand held metering. In many cases I agree with his leaning. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Posted July 19, 2014 Share #14 Posted July 19, 2014 The M-6 happens to be Sherry Krauter's favorite....and, I do believe she knows her Leicas! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaphilia Posted July 19, 2014 Share #15 Posted July 19, 2014 The M-6 happens to be Sherry Krauter's favorite....and, I do believe she knows her Leicas! The M5 is Sherry's favorite. She told me so!:cool: And I agree with her. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leica Fanatic Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share #16 Posted July 19, 2014 The M5 is Sherry's favorite. She told me so!:cool: And I agree with her. Had an M5 before and do remember reading many mentions of Sherry and her favorite M5's. Superb camera and another of many 'why did I sell that' moments. An absolute beaut'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 19, 2014 Share #17 Posted July 19, 2014 I respect Sherry and her opinion(s) but one must remember, she is first and foremost a mechanic. Her natural bias is towards such things, whereas 'we' are user's with somewhat different priorities. Of course there must be some overlap. A mechanic that services one of my cars won't touch the other, a 1989 Saab Aero. He says it is too complicated and expensive to work on. I love driving that car and have another mechanic who thinks it is a dream car. They can't both be right but I don't care. I get the service I want on the car I enjoy. I think cameras are not too different. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ansel_Adams Posted July 20, 2014 Share #18 Posted July 20, 2014 In my opinion and experience the M6 is a nice enough camera. Its just feels like a Japanese copy of a Leica when you compare it to one of the classics like the M3, 2, 4 or 5. You can tell it was made to a price point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 20, 2014 Share #19 Posted July 20, 2014 Calling the M6 like a Japanese copy I think is overstating it and pejorative to the Japanese copies, if I understand the intent of your remark. Have you ever tried the Canon and Nikon RF copies? Personally I would like to have either of them. I already own The Canon lenses from the era of those copies. Very respectable performers IMO. AS for the M6. I have two and find no fault with them. They did provide my entire source of income for about ten years. I still have them and despite their work, are beautiful performers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ansel_Adams Posted July 20, 2014 Share #20 Posted July 20, 2014 I think you know what I mean... Remove Japanese and just leave it at *copies* then. Anyway, that is just my experience/opinion. You are free to disagree. :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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