New Leica M6 Film Camera

[Mr.Prime]

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I have registered my email with Leica, for news of any stock. I don’t need one, I’ve had no issues with my M3 and M4, so there’s really no rush or desperation. I can’t possibly justify it, so I won’t even attempt to do so, it’s simply a case of the heart wants what the heart wants 😐

 

But once you’ve made the decision to buy, it all of a sudden becomes urgent and quite disheartening to see a lack of a a reliable timeline from the manufacturer; It naturally creates doubts.

Edited November 25, 2022 by Mr.Prime

[Huss]

On 11/8/2022 at 12:58 PM, logan2z said:

Ok, so how long before the privileged few are flipping these on eBay for a profit to impatient buyers who want the camera in time for the holidays? 

No-one wanted my spare new, unused, never opened M6 at MSRP!!

Edited November 25, 2022 by Huss

[shootinhd]

1 hour ago, Huss said:

No-one wanted my spare new, unused, never opened M6 at MSRP!!

You still got it? I’ll pick it up as I’m local to South Bay too

[Huss]

2 hours ago, shootinhd said:

You still got it? I’ll pick it up as I’m local to South Bay too

I sent it back to leicausa last Monday.

[cj3209]

On 11/8/2022 at 7:30 PM, mshchem said:

Reminds me a bit of the newest Corvettes, people flipping and making a bit extra. Sounds like a way to get audited. 

 

We shall see. MP with a tilted rewind. Still, a darn beautiful camera. 

You should see how people buy rolex watches...either spend tens of thousands of dollars with an authorized dealer (you can't just buy the one you want, they expect you to buy multiple other models in addition) or pay over MSRP with a rolex 'middle dealer' (essentially someone who buys rolex watches to resell) by around 30-50%...it's a racket but it is what it is...

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by cj3209

[wattsy]

On 11/8/2022 at 8:04 PM, Danner said:

I was also told that the demand for the M6 Reissue is 'unprecedented'.  Strangely, this makes me happy (about the future of film photography).

It's certainly good news from the point of view of Leica being committed to building and repairing M film cameras (and, as a film M user, that's something worth having) but the number of cameras involved means it has no bearing on the future of film photography more generally (labs, lab equipment, chemicals, film manufacture, etc.).

[LocalHero1953]

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I suspect the limited availability of the M6 is attributable to Leica's staff capacity, not scale of production facilities. Assembling and testing the M6 is surely still a craft and skill based activity, not a simple production line. Of course Leica can take on new staff and train them up, but the trend of the last couple of decades has been for young employees to move from job to job rather than staying in a job for life. I'm sure that an apprentice at Leica would be highly valued elsewhere. This must make for slow progress in increasing capacity for the M6. I wonder how many staff Leica has with the skill to do the critical assembly elements. (What would they be? rangefinder? shutter?)

Armchair CEO (retd).

Edited November 26, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[jukka]

1 hour ago, wattsy said:

It's certainly good news from the point of view of Leica being committed to building and repairing M film cameras (and, as a film M user, that's something worth having) but the number of cameras involved means it has no bearing on the future of film photography more generally (labs, lab equipment, chemicals, film manufacture, etc.).

Yup, due to large volumes of manufacturing in past decades, there is no shortage of film bodies at the moment. However, if no other manufacturer, in addition to Leica, starts producing them again, there might not be analogue photography in fifty years time.

[Matlock]

16 minutes ago, jukka said:

Yup, due to large volumes of manufacturing in past decades, there is no shortage of film bodies at the moment. However, if no other manufacturer, in addition to Leica, starts producing them again, there might not be analogue photography in fifty years time.

I don't think you have cause to worry as I have just shot a roll of 120 film in a 1916 camera. We have a little while yet 🙂 .

[jukka]

6 minutes ago, Matlock said:

I don't think you have cause to worry as I have just shot a roll of 120 film in a 1916 camera.

Don't see hipsters in fifty years shooting anything from 1916  

7 minutes ago, Matlock said:

We have a little while yet 🙂 .

Sure we do, but if no new ones are made, sooner or later the old ones are going to run out.

[a.noctilux]

What will be precision camera without trained repairers ?

Trained repairers like in mechanic watch world desappeared but watch companies  trained them for future.

This was some decades ago.

Precision mechanic can be handle by machines, but so many jobs must be worked out by human's hands.

I hope that young people can be trained for camera repairs.

Why not by Leica factory  as the only present mechanical camera maker.

 

Even if they quit the Leica factory, the craftmanship can be valorized as individual or as repair company.

 

My thinking is that the new release M6 could be new manufacture method to be used now and in future.

Happily Leica Camera believe in film.

[Matlock]

1 hour ago, jukka said:

Don't see hipsters in fifty years shooting anything from 1916  

Sure we do, but if no new ones are made, sooner or later the old ones are going to run out.

I'm 77 years old so will probably see me out 🙂 

[lmans]

2 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

.

My thinking is that the new release M6 could be new manufacture method to be used now and in future.

Happily Leica Camera believe in film.

Explain your thinking here…. New manufacture method…. And what that means in long run…?

[cj3209]

2 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

What will be precision camera without trained repairers ?

Trained repairers like in mechanic watch world desappeared but watch companies  trained them for future.

This was some decades ago.

Precision mechanic can be handle by machines, but so many jobs must be worked out by human's hands.

I hope that young people can be trained for camera repairs.

Why not by Leica factory  as the only present mechanical camera maker.

Even if they quit the Leica factory, the craftmanship can be valorized as individual or as repair company.

Being a camera technician is not as sexy as a tik-tok/youtube influencer or real estate/investment professional (ie., bitcoin) - that's whats going on with young people (I have a young adult son).  With time, repairs for items like cameras, watches, etc. are going to be more expensive (a watch CLA/repair can easily go for $400+, and that's now).

[cj3209]

23 minutes ago, lmans said:

Explain your thinking here…. New manufacture method…. And what that means in long run…?

ie., automation

[a.noctilux]

21 minutes ago, lmans said:

Explain your thinking here…. New manufacture method…. And what that means in long run…?

I can not.

Just guessing 😉 in fact, nothing precise.

 

In long run, or short run good for film user that Leica launched in 2022 new film camera.

Sorry.

[a.noctilux]

5 minutes ago, cj3209 said:

Being a camera technician is not as sexy as a tik-tok/youtube influencer or real estate/investment professional (ie., bitcoin) - that's whats going on with young people (I have a young adult son).  With time, repairs for items like cameras, watches, etc. are going to be more expensive (a watch CLA/repair can easily go for $400+, and that's now).

Mechanical watch is very expensive to maintain.

Last time I wanted a "watch maintenance" for one of my mechanical chronograph, it was about 1,000 + € 😝.

 

Happily, I sold some chronographs, many years ago.

Edited November 26, 2022 by a.noctilux

[cj3209]

Just now, a.noctilux said:

Mechanical watch is very expensive to maitain.

Last time I wanted a "watch maintenance" for one of my mechanical chronograph, it was about 1,000 + € 😝.

Actually, it's not too bad.  Most modern watches can get by without a CLA for 5+ years unless you bang it around.  I only do a CLA on my watches if they start really slowing down or speeding up.

[a.noctilux]

Yes it's not too bad, just saying that Leica M maintenance can be seen as mechanical watch's.

Training persons only can cope with, no automation can replace them.

 

Not too far from new M6, this thread,

I can say that the old original M6 I use since 1985 can be very reliable and don't need to be CLAed often.

Now I have other Ms to use, I don't use them as much as many decades ago.

Edited November 26, 2022 by a.noctilux

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jukka]

2 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

In long run, or short run good for film user that Leica launched in 2022 new film camera.

Absolutely - Let’s hope the success of the new M6 will encourage others to do similar moves.

Nikon could bring back the FM3a, which I would buy. The Bessas might have demand and so on and so forth.