To get an MP or not?

[ianman]

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16 minutes ago, Nick_S said:

You could just sell the M6TTL and replace it with an M6 classic which will provide a metered M that complements the other cameras well, as the shutter speed dial rotates in the same direction.

That's a good point....but still, why keep any M6 when you have (or want to get) an MP?

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[twogun]

2 hours ago, Nick_S said:

You could just sell the M6TTL and replace it with an M6 classic which will provide a metered M that complements the other cameras well, as the shutter speed dial rotates in the same direction.

Hi Nick ..this is definitely an option - its just that if I ever decide to let go of it would be to replace it with an MP

[Downhill Specialist]

I have been looking for a nice MP over the last few days, although my head tells me I shouldn't as I already have too many cameras. My only Leica is an M3 which I have just spent three weeks shooting in Vietnam with and really embraced it. I would love a black MP and just missed one for a decent price. I prefer the all metal controls over the plastic tipped ones of the M6 and those seem to be increasing in price also at the moment!

[twogun]

10 minutes ago, Downhill Specialist said:

I have been looking for a nice MP over the last few days, although my head tells me I shouldn't as I already have too many cameras. My only Leica is an M3 which I have just spent three weeks shooting in Vietnam with and really embraced it. I would love a black MP and just missed one for a decent price. I prefer the all metal controls over the plastic tipped ones of the M6 and those seem to be increasing in price also at the moment!

Sounds like we are both trying to justify to ourselves as to why we should get an MP  - M3 is a great camera. I was loaned one by a friend a week to test it out. Great viewfinder and solid body. I'm just not a 50mm guy to fully appreciate what it offers. 3 weeks in Vietnam  photographing must have been an amazing experience!

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by twogun

[Downhill Specialist]

1 minute ago, twogun said:

Sounds like we are both trying to justify to ourselves as to why we should get an MP  - M3 is a great camera. I was loaned one by a friend a week to test it out. Great viewfinder and solid body. I'm just not a 50mm guy to fully appreciate what it offers. I haven't seen/found any "decent price" for an MP yet....:)

 

By decent I mean I was offered one boxed for £2,250 and said no. Regretting that now. 

I have a 35mm Summicron with goggles for the M3 as well as 50mm so both focal lengths covered (I don't use any others). 

Good luck with. your search!

[earleygallery]

2 hours ago, twogun said:

The M6TTL light meter repairability has always been a conflicting thought in my head.

Of course the camera would still work as a meterless camera if it did fail but it would be worth much less then, so given that you have the urge to buy an MP it seems a sensible one to let go now. 

[Guest]

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vor 9 Stunden schrieb twogun:

The M6TTL light meter repairability has always been a conflicting thought in my head.

The light meter replaceability of the M6TTL with the one of the MP is not a problem. In the distant and unlikely case this might happen to your camera, that gives you well exposed photos at no cost.

The notion, that the pricey MP is the only Leica M film camera with a built-in meter, is questionable imo.

Edited September 4, 2019 by tri

[earleygallery]

2 hours ago, tri said:

The light meter replaceability of the M6TTL with the one of the MP is not a problem. In the distant and unlikely case this might happen to your camera, that gives you well exposed photos at no cost.

The notion, that the pricey MP is the only Leica M film camera with a built-in meter, is questionable imo.

Have you had this done? Just that Leica are turning away faulty M6 TTL’s as not repairable.

Please share info of who can do this repair.

[wattsy]

5 hours ago, earleygallery said:

Have you had this done? Just that Leica are turning away faulty M6 TTL’s as not repairable.

To be fair, James, you are just parroting stuff you have read here and probably have no direct experience of Leica refusing to repair an M6TTL.

For what its worth, Leica themselves were recently quite happy to sell a used M6TTL and offer a 6 month warranty. I have no idea whether that warranty was wishful thinking or if the communication from the service department (that the M6TTL is not repairable) failed to reach the retail store in London.

[earleygallery]

1 hour ago, wattsy said:

To be fair, James, you are just parroting stuff you have read here and probably have no direct experience of Leica refusing to repair an M6TTL.

For what its worth, Leica themselves were recently quite happy to sell a used M6TTL and offer a 6 month warranty. I have no idea whether that warranty was wishful thinking or if the communication from the service department (that the M6TTL is not repairable) failed to reach the retail store in London.

You're right, I don't have an M6 TTL and haven't had a direct response from Leica but I have read at least two reports here of others being told by Leica that the TTL cannot be repaired and has different circuitry to the standard M6. 

Are you saying that information is wrong? 

Lots of dealers sell gear with warranty that can't be repaired. I've been thinking of buying another R3 for example. The warranty in such cases means a replacement or refund if a fault is not repairable or uneconomical (often the small print on dealer websites says stuff to this effect). 

[wattsy]

38 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

Are you saying that information is wrong? 

No, but I think we need to be careful about extrapolating from those quite specific reported issues to a more general claim that "Leica are turning away faulty M6 TTL’s as not repairable". I might recall incorrectly but I seem to remember that the first reports of "non-repairable" came from third party repairers (not Leica Wetzlar) and related to a circuit board that controlled the TTL flash circuitry and not the ambient light meter (the unrepairability of which now seems to be the received wisdom on the internet). A statement from the Leica service department would be helpful to clarify the situation.

Edited September 5, 2019 by wattsy

[earleygallery]

5 minutes ago, wattsy said:

No, but I think we need to be careful about extrapolating from those quite specific reported issues to a more general claim that "Leica are turning away faulty M6 TTL’s as not repairable". I might recall incorrectly but I seem to remember that the first reports of "non-repairable" came from third party repairers (not Leica Wetzlar) and related to a circuit board that controlled the TTL flash circuitry and not the ambient light meter (which now seems to be the received wisdom on the internet). A statement from the Leica service department would be helpful to clarify the situation.

I'm only referring to the metering, of course the rest of the camera - being mechanical - is repairable. I'm sure that one of the reports on here was someone who had asked Leica directly about it and they confirmed that they no longer have the necessary parts, and that it was an integrated unit. 

[wattsy]

40 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

Lots of dealers sell gear with warranty that can't be repaired. I've been thinking of buying another R3 for example. The warranty in such cases means a replacement or refund if a fault is not repairable or uneconomical (often the small print on dealer websites says stuff to this effect). 

Yes, of course, I wasn't suggesting that Leica in London selling an M6TTL was proof of anything other than not everyone is as cautious about the future of the M6TTL as many are in this forum. A £2000 asking price too – WTF? 😮

[harmen]

I bought an M6TTL as new from a Leica store. When the meter started having issues (not working at some shutter speeds), I was given the choice of an M-A or MP as replacement.  I’m very happy with the MP.  (Had an M-A already.)  I found the interpretation of the guarantee impressive to say the least.  It must not have been easy to repair.

[wattsy]

6 minutes ago, harmen said:

I bought an M6TTL as new from a Leica store. When the meter started having issues (not working at some shutter speeds), I was given the choice of an M-A or MP as replacement.  I’m very happy with the MP.  (Had an M-A already.)  I found the interpretation of the guarantee impressive to say the least.  It must not have been easy to repair.

Wow, that was a good deal and might explain the £2000 asking price at the London store (includes a hedge against the future exchange for a new MP). 😁

Edited September 5, 2019 by wattsy

[Mute-on]

M6 TTL meter not repairable by Leica, according to this thread ...

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/270500-help-no-one-can-fix-my-leica-m6-ttl-light-meter-not-even-leica/

[Paulus]

Am 3.9.2019 um 18:46 schrieb twogun:

Over the years I have been fortunate to be able to work and save some extra money to pursue my serious hobby of photography. During this time I've acquired an M2, M4 Black Chrome, M4-P and M6 TTL. All bodies are in excellent condition and used regularly on rotation. 

But now .....I'm lusting after an MP Black Paint since I prefer to have a meter - - It's is not a logical thought process. Why get an MP when I already have the combined functions of an MP in all my current bodies? .......and If I decide to get it I will have to sell a few bodies to fund it fully.  So at the end would it be worth it going with an MP and sacrificing the older bodies for it?  I know this is such an objective question - and everyone's circumstances are different and I might be going thru an episode of "GAS" but looking for opinions to keep me out of it or going thru with getting an MP .

There's nothing logical at buying an MP.( It's pure emotion and afterwards trying to rationalize the great buy.)  But it certainly is fun to do it! If you have the money, go for it, you will not regret it. ( At least I didn't...) 

[JBurkhard]

On 9/3/2019 at 9:31 PM, ianman said:

In that case it may be worth getting a different viewfinder magnification.

 

On 9/3/2019 at 9:17 PM, twogun said:

Thanks yes - I use 28 + 35 and sometimes a 50mm - I don't intend to use anything with a longer focal length. Majority of my M mount lenses are 35mm. I was already leaning to your thoughts here to keep my M2 and the M4 (if possible) and find a new home for the m4-p and M6 TTL.

Actually, the M5 is def. what u r looking for: This Rangefinder is the 35-wonder with full view. As you know the M3 is for 50.
Besides: The M5 has for a fact the most accurate metering of all the M models (1 needle for aperture and one for shutter-speed show exactly when the metering is on center-spot)
Plus: You can see the shutter-speed too in the viewfinder.
Plus: I do find the M5 being the most beautiful M of all time (your mileage may vary).

What you think?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[a.noctilux]

👍

Good suggestion, M5 and some of lovers

but not the best (or best looking) M for some people who never use one M5

[M9reno]

If the M6TTL is unrepairable in certain cases, and thus prices go down, then one might logically choose to take the risk, in the knowledge that one could buy a cheap replacement if needed in the future.  Just as with, for example, an R3.