TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 11, 2022 Share #1 Posted April 11, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hey folks, The light meter on the M6 TTL was flickering over the weekend and it stopped working altogether. I tried the following so far with no success: changed the battery, inserted a new one changed the lens changed the values on the ISO dial multiple times cleaned the contacts changed the film, shot a few frames, changed the shutter speed and aperture turned the camera off and on multiple times wore contact lenses as the triangles and dot can sometimes be a challenge to see with spectacles on 😂 shutter half pressed, full pressed and due to no luck, now I am depressed Will take it to Wetzlar this week, anything else I can try in the meanwhile? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 11, 2022 Posted April 11, 2022 Hi TheGodParticle/Hari, Take a look here Black paint M6 TTL 0.85 Dragon: light meter failure? 11 April 2022. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Anbaric Posted April 11, 2022 Share #2 Posted April 11, 2022 Ouch! Sounds like you've tried everything. Hopefully it's one of the easy fixes. The worst possibility is that it's the circuit board that even Leica can apparently no longer replace. I've seen a claim that this failure also kills flash operation - does the hotshoe still work? Either way, best not to assume anything until Leica have had a look. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share #3 Posted April 11, 2022 8 hours ago, Anbaric said: Ouch! Sounds like you've tried everything. Hopefully it's one of the easy fixes. The worst possibility is that it's the circuit board that even Leica can apparently no longer replace. I've seen a claim that this failure also kills flash operation - does the hotshoe still work? Either way, best not to assume anything until Leica have had a look. Tried all the suggestions, sadly it doesn’t seem to work I rarely shoot with a flash, unfortunately I am not able to confirm or deny if the hotshot still works. I can try on a flash when I’m at Wetzlar for the sake of the science Off to Wetzlar tomorrow then, hoping it’s not the dreaded circuit board failure. The camera is too beautiful to be relegated to sunny 16 and passed over, for bodies that still meter 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anbaric Posted April 11, 2022 Share #4 Posted April 11, 2022 Just to check, when you say contacts did you also give the rear door contacts a wipe? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madNbad Posted April 11, 2022 Share #5 Posted April 11, 2022 From what I understand, when the integrated circuit board fails, most of the loss is the TTL flash circuitry. Since you are taking to the factory, hopefully they can keep the meter functioning. I had a Millennium, which was sold for other reasons but I understand your concerns about loosing the meter in such a special camera. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted April 12, 2022 Share #6 Posted April 12, 2022 (edited) I hope you can fix it, please do keep us updated. My TTL had some issues with the contacts under the shutter speed dial - meaning that the light meter worked smoothly if you used aperture on the lens to change your exposure, but if you used the shutter dial it was all over the place (literally) and giving false 'ok' readings It was fixed by cleaning the contacts under the SS dial and replacing something there also (I want to say 'washer' but I don't think that was necessarily what was replaced) But mine never gave up completely it was just extremely erratic when I had this problem. So probably different Keep us informed please and best of luck Edited April 12, 2022 by grahamc 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted April 12, 2022 Share #7 Posted April 12, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) If it is the circuit board (being pedantic, there are apparently two circuit boards in the camera associated with the metering), a replacement from a donor M6TTL with a working meter could be sought (an expensive solution but I think the OP is a man of means😂). Alternatively, I'm sure someone somewhere could cobble up a replacement or repair the existing one. It's not as if the M6TTL requires a super powerful DSP or some other fancy electronics. The camera design dates from the late 1990s so, knowing Leica, the electronics probably date from the 1980s. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 12, 2022 Author Share #8 Posted April 12, 2022 17 hours ago, Anbaric said: Just to check, when you say contacts did you also give the rear door contacts a wipe? Good point, no I had not Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share #9 Posted April 13, 2022 On 4/12/2022 at 1:27 AM, madNbad said: From what I understand, when the integrated circuit board fails, most of the loss is the TTL flash circuitry. Since you are taking to the factory, hopefully they can keep the meter functioning. I had a Millennium, which was sold for other reasons but I understand your concerns about loosing the meter in such a special camera. Wtf 😳 I replied to this comment but my reply seems to have disappeared Here we go again, copying the reply this time before hitting submit reply Im not much of a flash user so I won’t miss it, but I would loathe to use an external light meter on such a lovely body 😄 Dropped the camera off at Wetzlar yesterday, let’s see what they come back with Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share #10 Posted April 13, 2022 22 hours ago, grahamc said: I hope you can fix it, please do keep us updated. My TTL had some issues with the contacts under the shutter speed dial - meaning that the light meter worked smoothly if you used aperture on the lens to change your exposure, but if you used the shutter dial it was all over the place (literally) and giving false 'ok' readings It was fixed by cleaning the contacts under the SS dial and replacing something there also (I want to say 'washer' but I don't think that was necessarily what was replaced) But mine never gave up completely it was just extremely erratic when I had this problem. So probably different Keep us informed please and best of luck It’s a pity there appear to be issues with the electrical for the TTL models, the black paint body with a large shutter dial is the whole appeal for me. Thank you for sharing your experience with it, did you get it fixed in the end? I dropped the body off yesterday at Wetzlar, waiting for the analysis. Will keep updating the status here. Thank you for wishing me luck, I need it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share #11 Posted April 13, 2022 19 hours ago, wattsy said: If it is the circuit board (being pedantic, there are apparently two circuit boards in the camera associated with the metering), a replacement from a donor M6TTL with a working meter could be sought (an expensive solution but I think the OP is a man of means😂). Alternatively, I'm sure someone somewhere could cobble up a replacement or repair the existing one. It's not as if the M6TTL requires a super powerful DSP or some other fancy electronics. The camera design dates from the late 1990s so, knowing Leica, the electronics probably date from the 1980s. The donor body may well be the salvation … I wonder if we can frankenstein m7 innards into the m6 TTL? I have two and they have been very reliable. Wouldn’t mind getting a third if it’s possible to transpose with some compromises. If not, then another TTL it may have to be. I dropped the camera off yesterday, waiting for the analysis from the technicians. The analog revival has made itself felt, not too many technicians with the required skill set are around. Most of them retired. New ones are being trained, but it will take some time before they’re up to speed. But, good to see they are getting new folks onboard for analog stuff! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madNbad Posted April 13, 2022 Share #12 Posted April 13, 2022 (edited) 32 minutes ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said: Wtf 😳 I replied to this comment but my reply seems to have disappeared Here we go again, copying the reply this time before hitting submit reply Im not much of a flash user so I won’t miss it, but I would loathe to use an external light meter on such a lovely body 😄 Dropped the camera off at Wetzlar yesterday, let’s see what they come back with It’s not just you.. I’ve had entire post disappear when all I wanted was spell check. Many may not agree but I feel the M6 TTL’s were a high point for the film M. bodies. Like the M5 it was designed as a user’s camera. Adjust the shutter speed with the camera at eye level and the meter arrows followed the same direction as the shutter speed dial. Once I had a 45 2.8 Super Choyoko mounted on my M6 TTL Millennium. The lens had no click stops and it was fun just to be able to dial in the exact exposure. I hope Wetzlar can solve the meter problem. My Millennium made the long trip from Portland, Oregon to Solms and it was something special when it returned.Good luck with the Dragon. Edited April 13, 2022 by madNbad 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGodParticle/Hari Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share #13 Posted April 13, 2022 17 minutes ago, madNbad said: It’s not just you.. I’ve had entire post disappear when all I wanted was spell check. Many may not agree but I feel the M6 TTL’s were a high point for the film M. bodies. Like the M5 it was designed as a user’s camera. Adjust the shutter speed with the camera at eye level and the meter arrows followed the same direction as the shutter speed dial. Once I had a 45 2.8 Super Choyoko mounted on my M6 TTL Millennium. The lens had no click stops and it was fun just to be able to dial in the exact exposure. I hope Wetzlar can solve the meter problem. My Millennium made the long trip from Portland, Oregon to Solms and it was something special when it returned.Good luck with the Dragon. Agreed! I love the M5 with its oversized shutter dial, as well as the shutter speed display in the OVF. Strap lugs on the sides is also brilliant to wear the camera sideways. I like each M for its own qualities. And am fortunate to have a nice collection, but the M5, M6 TTL and the M7 are my most used bodies. I’m still on the lookout for the M3J to complete my analog collection, hopefully in the next few months I’ll get a boxed sample. Which lens(es) are you using on the Millennium? If it’s not a bp lens, it doesn’t seem right to use it on a bp body 😄 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madNbad Posted April 13, 2022 Share #14 Posted April 13, 2022 The Millennium, a M2 and five lenses were sold in 2018 to fund some much needed home repairs. I owned it for several years and it was my companion or a trip around the United States in 2014. I’m glad to have owned one but have moved on to a M4. No meter to worry about. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted April 13, 2022 Share #15 Posted April 13, 2022 1 hour ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said: New ones are being trained, but it will take some time before they’re up to speed. But, good to see they are getting new folks onboard for analog stuff! thats good news 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted April 13, 2022 Share #16 Posted April 13, 2022 3 hours ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said: It’s a pity there appear to be issues with the electrical for the TTL models, the black paint body with a large shutter dial is the whole appeal for me. Thank you for sharing your experience with it, did you get it fixed in the end? I dropped the body off yesterday at Wetzlar, waiting for the analysis. Will keep updating the status here. Thank you for wishing me luck, I need it! Hi Hari Yes, thankyou - luckily was an easy fix and something related to contacts under the SS dial rather than the light meter electronics as a whole. I really do like my TTL , it's the limited Titanium one so I do feel your pain here I hope it can be resolved 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted April 13, 2022 Share #17 Posted April 13, 2022 3 hours ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said: Wtf 😳 I replied to this comment but my reply seems to have disappeared Here we go again, copying the reply this time before hitting submit reply Im not much of a flash user so I won’t miss it, but I would loathe to use an external light meter on such a lovely body 😄 Dropped the camera off at Wetzlar yesterday, let’s see what they come back with weird - I saw that reply yesterday ! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted April 13, 2022 Share #18 Posted April 13, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, madNbad said: It’s not just you.. I’ve had entire post disappear when all I wanted was spell check. Many may not agree but I feel the M6 TTL’s were a high point for the film M. bodies. Like the M5 it was designed as a user’s camera. Adjust the shutter speed with the camera at eye level and the meter arrows followed the same direction as the shutter speed dial. Once I had a 45 2.8 Super Choyoko mounted on my M6 TTL Millennium. The lens had no click stops and it was fun just to be able to dial in the exact exposure. I hope Wetzlar can solve the meter problem. My Millennium made the long trip from Portland, Oregon to Solms and it was something special when it returned.Good luck with the Dragon. If I went on an extended trip (we are planning one) I think it would be the TTL that gets taken. It's slightly larger form (than my M6J, MP) gives it a bit of a tank-like feel in comparison. While I don't always enjoy that aspect it does mean it's probably turned out to be my most used body - Because it gets taken anywhere where I'm not able to be careful with the camera....eg at gigs. I'm really enjoy the TTL flash also . Great all-rounder and think it would be the best one to take - also my cheapest if anything went wrong, which is also probably why it gets a lot of daily use. Edited April 13, 2022 by grahamc Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted April 13, 2022 Share #19 Posted April 13, 2022 6 hours ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said: The donor body may well be the salvation … I wonder if we can frankenstein m7 innards into the m6 TTL? The bodies are physically the same size but there are some small differences such as the locking shutter button which might necessitate modifications to the top plate. It would presumably be easier to put the dragon top plate (including the VF), rear door and bottom plate onto the M7 body than shoehorn the latter's innards into the M6TTL? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmknoble Posted April 13, 2022 Share #20 Posted April 13, 2022 I have had old Nikon F2’s completely overhauled (1970’s bodies) and one common issue there is the contact plate under the shutter dial. It gets moved so much that the contacts wear and the most used shutter speeds don’t meter all the time, or intermittently. I would think a well cared for body that is used a lot in it’s life would have reasonably sound circuit boards, but contacts that wear out. It will be interesting to see what the techs say. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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