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Hello I am looking at getting my first leica! I am looking at getting a m6 classic I just have a few questions. I wear glasses and I hear that people who wear glasses should get a .58 magnification is this true? Would I be fine with .72 magnification? Another question is are the m6 classics as reliable as people say they are and how much money should I set aside for a service? Also what should I look over when looking at a m6? Thank you so much for help I appreciate it! This is the one I am looking at   http://philadelphia....5216118730.html

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I've had my M6 classic since around 1998, and it has not yet required any service. Last time I checked (a couple of years ago), a CLA was around $250. With reasonable care, there's not much that can go wrong with the M6. The meter, being electronic, may be the most vulnerable part, but even if it goes, the M6 just reverts to being basically an M4.

Edited by Trivette
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The camera in the link seems OK, some paint bubbling on the rear door by the looks of it, so you should check for any bubbling under the black chrome on the top and bottom plates as well, both cosmetic but could drive the price down in negotiations. The price is about right for a very good quality camera (no bubbling), but I wouldn't put any money aside for a service, it shouldn't need a service, and that is the advantage of buying from a dealer who can give a six month warranty. So don't be fooled by sellers claiming it's an old camera so it will need a service, they are really saying 'I haven't had any faults rectified'.

 

Steve

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I've had my M6 classic since around 1998, and it has not yet required any service. Last time I checked (a couple of years ago), a CLA was around $250. With reasonable care, there's not much that can go wrong with the M6. The meter, being electronic, may be the most vulnerable part, but even if it goes, the M6 just reverts to being basically an M4.

since you have owned the camera have you gotten a cla on it? Are there any signs a camera is in need of a cla?
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I bought my M6 new in 1985, and by about 2000 it sat unused for a few years. I had left the battery in it, which leaked and caused problems to both the meter and the shutter (curtain brake). The shutter issue caused a light leak that would fog the last shot if left before advancing the film. Such problems are hard to detect without some extended use.

The usual signs of issues needing a CLA are uneven exposure across the frame at high shutter speeds, and incorrect speeds (either too slow or too fast). Except for shooting and processing some test rolls this is hard to detect, unless you have a shop with a shutter tester for film cameras, or have an old analog (CRT) television to use for a visual check looking at the screen through the shutter (the TV shutter test you can find described by web search). With experience the sound of the shutter at various speeds can tell some issues.

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It looks like a nice camera.  I bought my M6TTL new in 98 or 99, it has never had, or needed a service.  Mine is a .85 and I also wear glasses. I only use a 50mm lens and have no problem seeing the frame lines, but I can imagine any of a wider lens would give me a problem.  I think you will be happy with this one too. 

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I always tell newcomers, buy your first Leica from a dealer who gives at least 6 months warranty. 

 

I gave this advice to someone on the forums recently. They didn't listen and as a result their first experience of using Leica is a spoilt roll of film and searching for someone who can fix their light leak issue!

 

The M is a simple camera but it's also prone to a number of quirky issues which seem to manifest themselves  if not used regularly - at least a dealer should sell you a camera that has been checked over, and if there is a fault it will be resolved at no cost to you. 

 

The M6 you're looking at looks a clean one, apart from the rear door corrosion, but it's over priced IMHO, especially when you consider you have no warranty and you're buying a camera which you're not familiar with so might be buying someone else's problem. 

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I always tell newcomers, buy your first Leica from a dealer who gives at least 6

 

I gave this advice to someone on the forums recently. They didn't listen and as a result their first experience of using Leica is a spoilt roll of film and searching for someone who can fix their light leak issue!

 

The M is a simple camera but it's also prone to a number of quirky issues which seem to manifest themselves if not used regularly - at least a dealer should sell you a camera that has been checked over, and if there is a fault it will be resolved at no cost to you.

 

The M6 you're looking at looks a clean one, apart from the rear door corrosion, but it's over priced IMHO, especially when you consider you have no warranty and you're buying a camera which you're not familiar with so might be buying someone else's problem.

can you recommend a leica dealer I live in nj Edited by tedsiciliano
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The price seems reasonable since it includes the grip, but I agree the slight bit of visible bubbling may give you some room for negotiating.  I wear glasses and I found I could see the 35mm framelines on my .72 with a little bit of hunting around the edge.  The 28mm framelines were basically impossible for me to reasonably see.  I only have one lens at the time and it is a 50mm so I actually ended up buying the Leica 1.25x magnifier and that works perfect for the 50mm framelines.  I know some people who automatically send these in for CLA even before they've tested it.  This seems silly to me.   If you end up buying it I would just start shooting and then look at your film to see if there are any light leak issues or anything.  I probably wouldn't send it in for CLA unless you find a problem.  I think the most common things to go wrong with these older M's are the slow shutter speeds (which often you can diagnosis by just listening). 

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Another one I found for close to the same price 

http://www.collectcamera.com/products/object_details.php?object_ID=3682&ocat_ID=1&ocat_ID2=&pos=&action=&act=search&search=ob3682&lang=eng

 

Does anybody know anything about this website? I am willing to pay $100 for piece of mind but if this guy isn't reputable or it is too much to ship I'll stick to the one on craigslist

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My first M camera was a 2003 MP with a 0.72 viewfinder.  Although I wear glasses, the 0.72 viewfinder was not that much of a problem, especially with a 50mm or longer lens.  A 28mm lens was a bit of an issue, but was nothing I could not live with and get accustomed to. 

 

If you buy an M6 with 0.72 magnification and discover that it just doesn't work for you, Sherry Krauter can easily install a 0.58 viewfinder.

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Same as above, my MP has a .72 finder and I wear glasses, and I adapt. I'm not saying you can see all the 28mm frameline in one go all the time (unless pressing my glasses very hard into the finder window) but you can learn to see around the viewfinder with a quick rotation of the eye to see the edge frames, and you do learn to anticipate a slightly wider view than you can physically see. I have had a .58 finder camera and I wouldn't go back to that even as a glasses wearer, everything looks like a pea on a plate and not nice.

 

Steve

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