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M6 viewfinder upgrade worth it?


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Was it worth it? For me it was. On the other hand if you position your eye a bit differently you can usually overcome it when the flare does happen. That sometimes can be too inconvenient but each person's irritation threshold will be different. Leica sold a lot of M6s over those years with many happy users.

 

I did mine with DAG. Although I waited until it needed a CLA. The finder upgrade was discounted since he had to already open up the camera for the CLA.

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From personal experience I would not worry about it, I had an M6TTL .85 that was supposed to be the worst offender found it to be nowhere near as bad as you may be led to believe. Unless you can find a low cost option it's just not on. I have also had two M4-2's an early and a late model and found very little between them as the removal of the small condensor lens was one of the mod's to distiguish the differences. Again very little to choose between the two finders.

 

Best,

 

normclarke.

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I've got an M3 and an M6 TTL. Whenever I was shooting with both cameras on a job, the difference in the viewfinders was stark. Finally broke down and had Don (DAG) do the MP upgrade to the M6 TTL. Really made a big difference (at least to my eyes). Not so much for the flare issue (which is also better) but for the added contrast.

 

I would recommend having Don do the conversion for you.

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DAG upgraded my M6 when it was in for a CLA a couple of years back. After its upgrade it has been a pleasure to use. Prior to the upgrade it was flaring often enough that I found it annoying. Especially after I got an M8 and saw how well the upgraded VF works. In my oppinion it is very well worth it.

Carl

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On the first roll I put through my M6, several frames were out of focus. I had not had such enormous difficulty in focussing with the M3 and M2 I had had earlier. After finder work (by DAG, although others do essentially the same thing), the camera is no longer practically unusable but completely dependable. But CalArts 99 is right in saying that there are many happy users of un-modified M6 cameras. The finder flare problem is not a problem for all.

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  • 2 months later...

Call me crazy, but I have never seen the "flare" thing as described by those experiencing the pre-MP M finder phenomena. And I've been shooting M cameras for 30 years.

 

But when I had my M6 into Sherry for other work, I had her install it. It is definitely improved, but I would describe it as having the RF patch having increased contrast in general, which leads to easier focusing. I do recommend the upgrade, but it is not a revolutionary thing...

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The cost of the upgrade seems to increase each year (even in this year, the current price for the vf upgrade quoted to someone in the German forum was 50€ higher than what I paid 4 months earlier).

 

Therefore, I'd recommend to go for the upgrade now if you are even remotely contemplating it. Who knows what it will cost 2-3 years from now if you decide to revisit the subject.

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I guess it depends on how you define "worth it". There's a cost involved, of course, and it varies between outlets.

 

But "worth it" can also be defined from a usage point of view. Before I had my TTL upgraded the white-outs and flaring patch would make me miss shots because I had to move my eye around, aim the camera at a different point or even move around myself. This really was in my face (or, well, eye) annoying.

 

After the upgrade the patch just works. I don't even think about it. So I can wholeheartedly say it was worth it. On my camera and to my eyes and style of shooting it is a night and day difference.

 

Philip

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am considering this upgrade myself. I am the previous owner of an M6 0.72 and I did occasionally have an issue with patch flare. I now use an M6 0.85 as my main body and I feel it will stay with me for the long haul so I want to get it as good as it can be. I recently chatted with Sherry on the phone and she definitely poured it on thick about getting the upgrade. In the use of my M6 0.85 so far, I've not noticed the flare much, perhaps even less than the 0.72 but I haven't had it all that long.

 

Does anyone feel comfortable mentioning how much Don asks for the finder upgrade? Sherry quoted me $330, Youxin shows $320 on his site. I'm assuming Don is in the same ballpark. Also, I noticed Youxin offers multi-coated finder windows as an upgrade. Do Don and Sherry also offer this? Is it even worth considering for the M6?

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I am considering this upgrade myself. I am the previous owner of an M6 0.72 and I did occasionally have an issue with patch flare. I now use an M6 0.85 as my main body and I feel it will stay with me for the long haul so I want to get it as good as it can be. I recently chatted with Sherry on the phone and she definitely poured it on thick about getting the upgrade. In the use of my M6 0.85 so far, I've not noticed the flare much, perhaps even less than the 0.72 but I haven't had it all that long.

 

Does anyone feel comfortable mentioning how much Don asks for the finder upgrade? Sherry quoted me $330, Youxin shows $320 on his site. I'm assuming Don is in the same ballpark. Also, I noticed Youxin offers multi-coated finder windows as an upgrade. Do Don and Sherry also offer this? Is it even worth considering for the M6?

 

Brad,

 

Your price quote makes it almost worth shipping across the pond for me.

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I am considering this upgrade myself. I am the previous owner of an M6 0.72 and I did occasionally have an issue with patch flare. I now use an M6 0.85 as my main body and I feel it will stay with me for the long haul so I want to get it as good as it can be. I recently chatted with Sherry on the phone and she definitely poured it on thick about getting the upgrade. In the use of my M6 0.85 so far, I've not noticed the flare much, perhaps even less than the 0.72 but I haven't had it all that long.

 

Does anyone feel comfortable mentioning how much Don asks for the finder upgrade? Sherry quoted me $330, Youxin shows $320 on his site. I'm assuming Don is in the same ballpark. Also, I noticed Youxin offers multi-coated finder windows as an upgrade. Do Don and Sherry also offer this? Is it even worth considering for the M6?

 

About one year ago, I had Don upgrade the finder on a M6 classic (Solms version.) He charged 200 USD but that was with a CLA at the same time. And the finder is indeed multicoated (although I think it was like that already? I can't remember...) I imagine he is competitive with Sherry's pricing for doing it without a CLA.

 

What I like about Don is that he never seems to require payment before sending the camera back. He'll just email: "I just sent your camera out, mail me a check for xxx." :)

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About one year ago, I had Don upgrade the finder on a M6 classic (Solms version.) He charged 200 USD but that was with a CLA at the same time. And the finder is indeed multicoated (although I think it was like that already? I can't remember...) I imagine he is competitive with Sherry's pricing for doing it without a CLA.

 

What I like about Don is that he never seems to require payment before sending the camera back. He'll just email: "I just sent your camera out, mail me a check for xxx." :)

 

That is sweet, but many people do it here in Germany, too.

Don knows you for how many years now?

:)

 

It's (still) that way in many lines of business.

With most customers.

 

If you can't remember, it's not a bold statement, I'm afraid.

But let me please understand: what is the difference between the M6 and the MP viewfinders? The multicoating?

 

Best regards,

Simon

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