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New M6 Ein Stuck or MP


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I was planning to purchase an MP when I discovered that a reputable local dealer has a brand new M6 Ein Stuck, never sold. The camera of course comes with a matching 35mm summilux. As well as a fancy box etc which I am not really interested in. I also have a 35mm summicron which I am entirely satisfied with so getting the "better" lens isn't particularly important to me.

 

I don't want an M7. I want a camera that will work without a battery. So that really leaves the MP until I discovered this. I like to buy new where possible.

 

The Ein stuck set is selling for$ 10,500.00 ( Canadian) which is about $9600 US. A dealer in Hong Kong is also selling a brand new Ein stuck set for 8800 USD. No way I am going to buy something sight unseen from such a distance, I was just interested in the price comparison.

 

Question for people:

 

Will the M6 actually work after sitting for 18 years in a dealers showcase?

I am worried that the lens curtain will have atrophied, the shutter speeds will be off, lubricants dried up etc. Similar concerns about the lens of course.

 

Not much point in spending that much money if I immediately have to ship it to Leica or Kindermann in Ontario to be completely overhauled at a cost of who knows what.

 

Note that I would not be buying this as a " collectible" which is how it was originally marketed but to use it, I use my cameras.

 

I will add that I wanted an M6 back in the 80's but couldn't afford one then.

 

Feedback would be most welcome. Should I carry on and get the MP as I planned, or should I grab this M6. And if I do what can I expect vis a vis it's workability and state of tune?

 

Thanks

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I don't know what an M6 body cost new in 1996 ( I imagine more than 800) but I can tell you a new M7 or MP body in Canada is $6000.00, and a 35 summilux 1.4 asph lens is over $5000 new at the Leica boutique.

That's why the economics make sense.

As for the pattern I don't care if it has it or not. It's about getting a new mechanical Leica film body. Only other choice is the MP.

I am not looking to buy a used body, too many bad experiences in the past with used equipment and so I buy new.

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Read the threads about M6 rangefinder flare. Also Leica made changes to the shutter at the end of the M6 production run. Consider if the extra expense is worth it to upgrade a limited edition camera or spend less for a new MP.

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My new MP with an Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 was about $7,200. The body was $4995, and the Elmarit 28mm 1:28 lens $2195. A Summicron would add about $2,000 to that.

 

It's the last film camera I will ever own. I have no plans to add any additional lenses. It's a complement to my digital system, targeted specifically for B&W street photography.

Edited by Berth
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Bear in mind that you are getting an older Summilux, not the new FLE version which does not exhibit the famous focus shift.

 

As for the body, for a few years I owned 3 limited edition M6 cameras (A Bruckner, a Traveller set, and a Danish Royal Wedding). All remained boxed and 'unused', although I did occasionally exercise their shutters. An investment or so I thought.

 

Anyhow, when I came to sell them, the Bruckner in particular needed a CLA because the frame selector had seized. The lever moved but nothing happened to the frames.

 

The other 2 were fine.

 

Just something to bear in mind with old lubricants etc, but I guess nothing that a few $ wouldn't fix. And anyhow, the dealer should sort that. Just check it out fully.

 

As you know there are 1000s of LTM cameras & M3s etc out there still going strong.

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I went through much the same experience when I was debating buying an MP two years ago. I found an new M6TTL Millennium body for less than what a black MP a la carte would have cost.

 

I am not a collector, but was enthused about the history of that particular collectors' edition and it's design. Even the number of my particular camera, engraved in the shoe as X of two thousand in the series, pointed to a year in history that had meaning to me. And, I repeat, it cost less than a black MP a la carte..

 

So I plunked down for the Millennium, and (your fears realised) it was not perfect. There was some electricical fault in the meter that required returning it to the seller, who had it fixed. And I later had to have the flare corrected in the rangefinder patch. Everything else on the camera was fine.

 

Finally, however, I had what I wanted, a camera to use, and a camera that has some personal meaning to me beyond the parameters of the a la carte program. If the Ein Stuck does something similar for you personally, I think it's worth considering,

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If you don't want the Summilux lens and the 'collectible' status (and top plate engraving) of the M6 add no value to you, I don't see any sense at all in buying the Ein Stück set. Nor do I see any economic case for buying it. The (previous version) ASPH lens will be worth less than the difference in cost between a new MP and the cost of the M6+35 set. At best you may break even which will leave you owning a new-old-stock M6 for the cost of a new MP.

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Guest Ansel_Adams

There are plenty of regular M6's around in mint/excellent condition. And even if you budget for a full CLA and finder upgrade you are looking at a very big saving over a new MP your the special edition you are looking at. Unless you have money to burn I would pick up an M6 Classic and have it CLA\d and spend the rest on film, travel, whatever.

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If I were the OP I'd look into buying this one from site sponsor Red Dot.

 

Leica M6 0.72 TTL ,35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 Millennium Set

 

It's not too common to find the full set in this condition.

 

But then I am partial to the Millennium. I sent mine to Leica for the MP finder upgrade and it is now a perfect camera.

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Can't tell 96 prices, but in 98 my M6 TTL sold for a few dollars under $2,000 for the body, and just under $1,000 for a 50mm f2 Summicron. I would rather find a nice used one for much less and have it cleaned. Never understood the collecting of cameras that are meant to be used, although I do have a few old ones I keep just because they are old.

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If I were the OP I'd look into buying this one from site sponsor Red Dot.

 

Leica M6 0.72 TTL ,35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 Millennium Set

 

It's not too common to find the full set in this condition.

 

But then I am partial to the Millennium. I sent mine to Leica for the MP finder upgrade and it is now a perfect camera.

 

That's a nice set... :)

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If I were the OP I'd look into buying this one from site sponsor Red Dot.

 

Leica M6 0.72 TTL ,35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 Millennium Set

 

It's not too common to find the full set in this condition.

 

That is a nice set. Any idea what is the round lens hood mounted on the 35mm Summicron ASPH and does it have notches like the standard rectangular one to keep the hood from rotating?

 

Nick

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...<snip>:

 

I was planning to purchase an MP when I discovered that a reputable local dealer has a brand new M6 Ein Stuck, never sold.

 

Question for people:

 

Will the M6 actually work after sitting for 18 years in a dealers showcase?

I am worried that the lens curtain will have atrophied, the shutter speeds will be off, lubricants dried up etc. Similar concerns about the lens of course.

 

Not much point in spending that much money if I immediately have to ship it to Leica or Kindermann in Ontario to be completely overhauled at a cost of who knows what.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

...get an MP.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update: sourced a new M6 on eBay in Germany. Won the auction. eBay wouldn't let me pay because it was not listed internationally. Seller asked me to agree to cancel and he would re-list on international listings, then I could buy it. I agreed to this. He re listed it . However he decided to jack up the price 500 euros, which was not what I agreed to. So I told him to pound sand and ordered a new black MP from B+H.

Problem solved. :)

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Update: sourced a new M6 on eBay in Germany. Won the auction. eBay wouldn't let me pay because it was not listed internationally. Seller asked me to agree to cancel and he would re-list on international listings, then I could buy it. I agreed to this. He re listed it . However he decided to jack up the price 500 euros, which was not what I agreed to. So I told him to pound sand and ordered a new black MP from B+H.

Problem solved. :)

 

Good move. I've had my MP for 3 weeks now, beautiful piece of precision machinery. As madNbad knows, i've had some learning curve issues which will be overcome.

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