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Taken in the Soho area of London in 1999 and just discovered whilst trawling through my negatives. It would have been Leica M6 and is Tri-X. Gerry

Another from my first visit to Italy in March 1999. This was taken in Montepulciano (Tuscany/Toscana) using a Leica M6 with Tri-X film but I have no other details recorded. Looking at the image I would assume 50mm Summicron f2. Gerry

Taken in 2002 using a Leica M6 but I am afraid I have no further details as i have mislaid the negative: Gerry

I took this in the Louvre in Paris in 2002. I have just scanned it to add it to my archive. The camera was certainly the M6 and probably the lens was the 35mm Summicron I had back then. It was taken on Agfa Vista 800 colour film, which I have no rational explanation for now because I can't imagine me ever using it. The grain is pretty big, but through judicious use of LRCC I think I have gotten away with it at this size, or at least I hope so! I do like the result. Gerry

Two small Berber childen, one shoeless, and wearing dirty dresses sit outside their cave home in Tunisia. This is from 2002 when North Africa was a safer place to visit. I wonder where they are now? I used a Leica M6 and I think this was taken using the 50mm Summicron f2. Gerry

I purchased in January my first Leica camera after using M mount lenses with adapter for several years on my mirrorless camera. Since I am more leaning towards B&W photography, I wanted to try a Leica rangefinder camera. I pretty quickly decided to go for a film-based M camera since I still have my own darkroom and can develop my own B&W film. I further narrowed down my choices by deciding for an in-camera light meter. Full manual was fine for me, and a camera which does not rely to work with a battery plus the well established reputation of the series made me choose the M6 (the non TTL model since I don't do a lot of flash photography). I purchased an used black M6 in very good shape manufactured in 1995 with 0.72x viewfinder. Since then I have used this camera very often - upfront I really like to work with it. There are some pros and cons which I thought are worthwhile to share from my experience. PROS + Great to see more than just the 100% view in the viewfinder. I find it easier to compose with the M6 than with any of my (D)SLRs or mirrorless cameras mostly due to seeing around and outside the framelines. + Focusing: Coming from (D)SLR and mirrorless, I needed first to get used to focus on the small focus rectangle in the middle of the frame - of course I overlooked it a few times in the beginning and forgot to focus accurately, but lesson learned! I am using my M6 mostly between 21 and 50 mm focal length - the focusing is very precise and indeed faster compared to using the same M lenses on my mirrorless Sony A7R body where it takes me longer to focus with the magnification tool in EVF. + Use of color filters for B&W photography: something which really annoyed me with SLRs and mirrorless cameras that I had to look through the lens with a dark yellow or red filter attached or remove the filter first, compose, and then re-attach the filter. With the rangefinder camera, it doesn't make a difference, I only see the difference in the exposure value. The viewfinder stays clear as always. For B&W film photography, this is a huge advantage! + Overall camera size: The M6 with M lenses is a very inconspicuous looking setup. During my shootings with this camera, only very few people asked me about the camera but more in the context of shooting film. The camera blends well in and does make it look like a P&S camera. + Built style of the M6: It is extremely well built. I like the full metal body with limited amount of plastic parts. Well balanced weight-wise with my M lenses, too. + Very silent shutter: at least compared to all of my other cameras which all have a mechanical shutter. Adds nicely to the silent and inconspicuous work possible with this camera. + External viewfinder: some might rather add this point into the cons section, but I see it as a positive for me so far. I am often using my 21 mm lens on the M6, so I bought the newer Voigtlander 21/25 external viewfinder. It is very bright, allows quite accurate composition. I even use the 21/25 external viewfinder with my CV 12/5.6 lens - using the hard borders of the viewfinder instead of the 21 mm frame lines, gives by accident exactly the view of the 12 mm lens. I got very quickly used to focus and expose through the regular camera viewfinder and then compose by looking through the external viewfinder. In dim light, the bright 21/25 viewfinder is really an advantage. + Film frame exposures: Since everything is done manually, I was always able to get 38-39 frames with a commercial 36 exposure film. Not bad! + No battery changes: sure, at some point the batteries also need to be changed to allow the light meter to function, but compared to my other digital cameras this is nothing. No need to be afraid to have Li batteries drained quickly in the cold etc.....you simply shoot and shoot with the M6. CONS (not only M6 related but also M rangefinder in general): - Comparing the film roll insertion with my older Canon FTb SLR, it still takes me longer to do this with the M6. I find the tricky part is to get the film straight laid out from left to right after it is inserted. The manual states that the user shouldn't be too picky about this, so I once added the film more quickly without doing those precautions. After I developed the film, the first three frames had a slight diagonally angled bent because the film wasn't winded straight between cassette and roller. Nevertheless, the film was moved correctly, so the rolling mechanics worked reliably as promised. But I still find the film change harder to do with the M6 compared to my film SLR cameras - especially in the field. I might simply need more time to get fully used to this. - I am often rolling my own film from a 100 feet roll which means that I have to precut the corner of the film to make it work with the roller mechanism. Here the M6 is a bit picky I found - if I cut the edge too much or too less, the camera didn't wind the film correctly from the beginning. After some try and error I found now the "best" size for the film cutout, now it works smoothly. - A stupid error, but it still happened to me several times - leaving the lens cap on the lens and not realizing that it was still on. You get the idea if the light meter always shows an underexposure... . As (D)SLR/mirrorless user, I am so used to look through the lens directly. - Using polarizer filter: Tricky but workable. I adjusted to imagine the desired effect with the polarizer filter by turning it into a position where the camera light meter shows a 1 stop underexposure (fully closed polarizer). Then the effect is strongest, by turning the filter a bit out of this position, I got the desired moderate polarizer effect in the photo. - The rangefinder patch blank-out: In another post here I described my homemade solution to overcome this issue. I personally found it quite annoying when the focus rectangle suddenly shifted into a reddish color in the viewfinder and focusing was blanked out. You need to compose into another area and recompose, or roll the camera to make it work again. - Fingerprints: again something simple but worthwhile mentioning. I normally grab the camera on the top when I take it out of my camera bag. On the M6, I often directly touch with my finger(s) the viewfinder window on the upper left camera side. The rangefinder view is very sensitive to smudge on this window. I got used to always carry a clean microfiber cloth with me to clean this window if needed. - Dual/multiple exposure: I got it to work with the M6, but it is a fairly cumbersome procedure, and you will lose about two frames before and after the double exposure to allow for the correct film winding. And even then, it is sort of luck to overlay two frames fairly accurately onto each other. I only tested this once so far and maybe it is getting better by doing it more often. I really enjoy my rangefinder experience so far! Down to the basics and makes me more to focus just on the compositional aspect. Would you agree - what was your experience with the M6 (and maybe other M cameras according to the context above)? Martin

Hallo zusammen, ich schau mich grad nach einer M6 um. Hab dazu nur eine Frage, kann es sein, dass es auch Modelle (80er und früher) gibt, die keine Sucher-Kennung haben, also die kleine Zahl in der rechten unteren Ecke? Ist das dann immer ein 0.72 Sucher? Vielen Dank für eure Hilfe und beste Grüße vom Bodensee

I shot this in Beijing in 1998 using a Leica M6 and 50mm Summicron f2 lens. The film was Tri-X. I have just got around to scanning it as part of my efforts to digitise many years of film images. I guess these streets have disappeared now since the rebuilding for the Olympics. I have just started shooting film again with a M7!

Back in 1998 I went on a package tour to Beijing with my wife, but the images have lain pretty dormant in my filing cabinet since. I am now going through some of my older work and scanning it, and I was particularly pleased with this one which was shot on Fuji Provia using an M6 and Summicron-M f2. The exact details have been lost in the annal of time, but I think it was taken in the Forbidden City and shows a man who has brought his caged crickets out to enjoy the winter sunshine. I remember reading that Marc Ribaud )Magnum) had gone to China to photograph the Tiananmen Square 'happenings' in 1989 but had been so fascinated by people in the cafes with crickets he missed the main event. This then I guess is a sort of tribute to him.

Taken back in 1998 using a Leica M6 with 50mm Summicron-M f2 and Fuji Provia film. Recently scanned and post-processed in LRCC Gerry

I have just posted a new blog post at https://gerrywalden.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/just-one-roll-of-film/ which sabot a roll of film I shot in 2003 using a Leica M6 and (I think) a Summicron f2. It features 9 images in mono of a Mela in Southampton. Please take a look. Gerry

einsam liegt es in der See M6, Makro-Elmar 90mm, Fuji Reala

Habe mir vor wenigen Tagen eine gebrauchte M6 günstig gekauft und gestern den ganzen Tag mit wachsender Begeisterung ausprobiert. Obwohl die Kamera über 20 Jahre alt ist, funktioniert alles ganz prima. Nur eine Frage habe ich: ist es normal, dass der Hebel zur Rückspulfreigabe nicht einrastet? Beim Rückspulen muss ich ihn von Hand auf der "R"-Position halten. Da dies meine erste M-Leica ist (bisher habe ich nur mit Schraub-Leica's gearbeitet, dort rastet der Hebel natürlich immer sauber ein...) bin ich mir nicht sicher. Kein großes Problem sicherlich, aber ich würde es im Zweifel richten lassen. Vielen Dank! rk-elektroniker

hallo liebes leica forum, ich bin erst seit ein paar tagen leica besitzer und habe heute die ersten filme entwickelt. mit erschrecken habe ich feststellen müssen, dass auf jedem bild schlieren/ verzeichnungen abgebildet sind. sie befinden sich immer am oberen rand des bildes und sind die exakt die verlängerung der filmtransport löcher des films. was ist das? hat der verschluss ein problem oder habe ich den film falsch eingelegt? würde mich über hilfe sehr freuen. (film: kodak trix; nicht gepushed) vielen dank im voraus!

Hi All, I'm embarrassed to say that I have a Leica M6 with a 35mm aspeherical lens that I've used less than 10 times! I bought it about 10 years ago. It's in perfect condition and I'm thinking of selling it on eBay. Before I do, I want to get it inspected and certified that it's in perfect working order. Do you have any suggestions on how much this would cost? Also, where would be the best place to have this done? Leica USA Headquarters? Thanks in advance for your help. Reading this forum makes me want to keep the camera and start using it! If I decide to keep it, I still want to have it inspected.

Second shot from my dust ridden Chinatown series. A little bit cleaned up on this occasion. Strangely (I thought) a Sushi bar hiding amongst the traditional Chinese bakeries and restaurants.

My first upload here - be as honest as you like. Leica M6 w/ Jupiter 8, Kodak BW Professional C41 400ASA

I'm new to the forum. I've been shooting Leica for just under a year now and I'm loving it! I wanted to share a few images and get some feedback. I was assisting on a wedding in the Bahamas and had a bit of a break to shoot some personal work. We ran across this guy taking the horses for a swim to cool off after riding. The way these horses were playing in the water you would swear they were dogs. Here are a few from that afternoon. Leica M6 | 28mm Voigtländer | Illford HP5

I am new to the forum and looking to make the plunge into a film camera to keep me on my toes when I am out on my own. I normally shoot a 5D MK2 and I have a GF1 too. I work professionally on all kinds of jobs but am more concerned with how lazy digital has made me - and from what I have read on other sites, others too! I am aware of the size and weight issues with the RF vs the SLR in the M6, R9 debate, BUT, I can't decide as they are vaguely the same in price at the moment for a 2nd hand model. I would most likely have 21mm, 35mm and 50mm lens on either. If I was to go for the M, Carl Zeiss would have to be the lenses due to budget. I have never used a RF but I am keen to 'go right back' to the traditional stuff and I think there is more nostalgia attached to them - I think I would feel better 'inside' using one. Does anyone who has used both, have any advice.

Liebe Leute, ich hoffe, folgendes ist in diesem Forum erlaubt (Verweis auf einen Text "draußen"): Ich habe aus einer Art innerem Bedürfnis heraus zusammengeschrieben, wozu ich Leica tatsächlich brauchen könnte, mal abgesehen von der Tatsache, dass ich seit dem ich 22 war einfach eine haben wollte ;-) Das ganze ist ein ziemlich langer Text geworden, der sicher noch geschliffen werden kann. Ich habe ihn dennoch in mein "Blog" geladen: fototofu: Wozu leica m? Für Kommentare bin ich sehr dankbar. JM

Hallo Forum. Hier bin ich. Bisher habe ich mich nur im Unsichtbaren aufgehalten. Musste nie ein Thema erstellen um eine Frage beantwortet zu bekommen. Ich habe viele Stunden hier bei Euch gelesen. Vielen Dank für dieses tolle Forum. Es ist wahrlich eine ungewöhnlich reichhaltige Quelle für Informationen. Ich habe lange gewartet und abgewogen um mir endlich eine M6(classic) mit einem 50er Cron zu kaufen. Sie liegt nun neben mir auf dem Schreibtisch. Vor einem Jahr hätte ich nicht gedacht irgendwann mal wieder analog zu fotografieren. Aber mir ist klar geworden, dass ich die Film-Ästethik liebe. Vor allem wusste ich nicht was für Kontraste in der Diafotografie erreicht werden können. Atemberaubend meiner Meinung nach. Mit meinen gerade 23 Jährchen bin ich nun stolzer Besitzer einer tollen Kamera. Ich beschäftige mich seit ein paar Jahren mit Fotografie, aber bis jetzt haben eigentlich meine Automatikkameras meine Bilder gemacht. Nun wollte ich richtig manuell fotografieren lernen. Zurück zu den Ursprüngen. Ich habe schon einiges gelesen. Zum Beispiel "Richard Hünecke - Leica M6" und gerade gestern "Adrian Bircher - Belichtungsmessung". Unzählige Fotografen angeschaut. Soweit so gut. Nun hätte ich nicht mein erstes Thema erstellt wenn ich schon perfekt fotografieren könnte. Im folgenden hätte ich eine Frage, die mir wahrscheinlich jeder Leica Kenner beantworten kann. Und dann habe ich noch einige Fragen, die mir wahrscheinlich nicht unbedingt jeder beantworten kann, da ich denke, dass es sich um Profiwissen handelt. Beide Fragen drehen sich um Belichtung und wie man sie misst (leider bin ich aus Bircher nicht sehr schlau geworden). 1. Das folgende Bild ( siehe Anhang) stammt nicht von mir. Ich weiß nicht wer es gemacht hat. Ich weiß nur dass es saugut belichtet ist. Es gefällt mir total. Mit meinem bisherigen Wissen würde ich die Belichtung im gekennzeichneten Kreis messen. Wäre das richtig? Wo denkt Ihr hat der Fotagraf die Belichtung genommen? Wie entsteht diese tolle Ästhetik? Könnte das Velvia gewesen sein? 2. Kennt Ihr Joakim Eskildsen? Ich habe mir vor 2 Wochen seine Romareisen gekauft und bin absolut hingerissen. Bitte schaut Euch mal diese Bilder an: Worte zu Bildern - Joakim Eskildsen Hierbei geht's für mich ums absolut eingemachte. Eine bekannte Fotografin aus Berlin konnte mir meine Fragen nicht ausreichend beantworten. Ich habe bezüglich seiner Bilder noch folgende Infos zu geben. Er hat diese Bilder mit einer Pentax 6x7 Mittelformatkamera gemacht. Filme waren Kodak Potra 400 und Fuji NPH 400. Nun meine Fragen: a) - Kann man solche Bilder mit einer Leica+Summicron erreichen? Mir geht es nicht um die Brennweite sondern um die Bildästethik und Licht. - Oder können nur Mittelformatkameras und deren Optiken solche Bilder hervorbringen. Wenn ja warum und warum unsere Leica nicht. c) - Wie bekommt der Kerl diese Kontraste hin? oder - Wie misst der die Belichtung? Mit welcher Messmethode? d) - Wie zaubert der Kerl diese Farben auf den Film? Es kann doch nicht sein, dass diese Filme immer so aussehen. Ist da Photoshop am Werk? e) - Oder glaubt Ihr, dass der Herr egal mit welcher Kamera, egal mit welchem Film diese Bilder machen kann. Er also eine von Gott gegebene begnadete Fähigkeit hat, ungewöhnlichste Lichtsituationen zu erkennen und diese schon fast märchenhaft abzubilden? (Die Bilder auf der Website sind erst der Anfang, Ihr müsstet mal das Buch sehen). Ich studiere Design und nehme zur Zeit an einem Fotoseminar teil. Nächstes Jahr bin ich in diesem Rahmen eine Woche in Budapest und will Reportagen machen. Ich bin für jeden kleinen oder großen Tipp dankbar um annähernd solche Bilder zu machen wie es Joakim E. beherrscht. Um Komposition, Nähe zu den Menschen oder anderen inhaltlichen Dingen geht es mir in dem Artikel nicht. Gerade zählt für mich nur die Ästhetik. Die anderen Dinge sind im Endeffekt zwar wichtiger, aber das überlasse ich meinen Augen und meiner Kreativität. Ich habe hohe Ansprüche für mein Alter, dem bin ich mir bewusst. Liebe Grüße lux

Dear Forum, After years of hesitation and even more years of using digital, I purchased an M6 with a 50. One of the reasons is that I want to take more time to make the photograph and put in more thought and care to it. I feel like digital makes it so easy to make an image that sometimes quantity takes over quality. I think I will pay a lab to develop film and then I want to scan film myself and pick only the best for print. Could anybody please suggest a good scanner that does not cost thousands? Greatly appreciate your advice.

I have been looking around for some Leica M Rangefinders. I have narrowed it down to a few: M4-2, M4-p, m6, m7. Which one would you suggest? I am leaning more towards the M4 options but i do knot know the difference between the two, nor the others for that matter. Thanks in advanced for your help. Edit: What are your thoughts on the Voigtländer 15mm, for landscapes and such. I am also considering a summicron 50mm f/2. Any other thoughts of good lenses, not too expensive.

Hi, ich habe die Möglichkeit ein Voigtländer Color Skopar 2,5/35 Typ PII günstig zu kaufen. Kann jemand sagen wie gut die Qualität gegenüber einem Summarit 2,5/35 (neu) zu bewerten ist. Ich habe zwar einige Hinweise im Web gelesen, diese sind aber meist etwas "schwammig" und wenig praxisnah. Ich bin ein typischer "Straßenfotograf" der mit einer M6 auch gerne in SW Fotografiert.Gut finde ich an den Objektiv neben dem Preis die sehr kleine Bauform und das Gewicht von unter 140 g.

Hallo hat jemand eine Ahnung was den Effekt in den angehängten Bildern verursachen könnte? Undichte Stelle auf der Rückseite oder Verschluss Problem? Das Problem tritt bei etwa 2/3 der Bilder des Films auf und bis jetzt bei 2 Filmen die gerade hintereinander gemacht wurden. Besten Dank und Gruss grose