New Leica M6 Film Camera

[ianman]

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56 minutes ago, Big John said:

And can anyone help me find a comparison of M film cameras pls?  Thanks. 

I would suggest the “Leica M: Advanced Photo School” by the late Gunter Osterloh. It has all the info you’d ever need.

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[atournas]

39 minutes ago, jaapv said:

So what should be different or new? An M6 classic in up-to-date materials and with modern electronics is as close to a perfect product as you can get. 

A thrill for 500 prospective owners---or more?

Edited October 20, 2022 by atournas

[Antonio Russell]

I guess the new M6 has the anti-flare rangefinder patch? Not like the old one....

[Dennis]

First, please excuse my ignorance; I'm not a film camera expert. But which M6 version (w/o limited editions) do you think will retain more value in the future? For collectors or just excited buyers interested in a long-term investment. I would guess the first M6, cause it's an almost 40-year legacy. But I have no idea. But I'm curious. 

[UliWer]

1 hour ago, Anbaric said:

It's the most expensive in the official UK shop, £100 more than the MP:

You may expect a price increase for the MP soon. In Germany the "new" M(P)-6 has the same price as the MP: 5050,-€.

[JohnFM]

The key (for me)  is whether this new M6 is as smooth and buttery as an MP.  I have an M6 from the 1980s (with upgraded viewfinder) and I do find it a little easier to use than the MP that I regrettably sold.  The MP, however, was buttery smooth and exuded a sense of mechanical quality that the old M6 can't quite match.  The black paint was also beautiful but not for everyone.  So if the new M6 is the mechanical equal of the M6, I could see it appealing to those who want a slightly more ergonomic MP with a more durable finish.

 

[maxfairclough]

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31 minutes ago, atournas said:

A thrill for 500 prospective owners---or more?

Leica has said it is not limited.

[UliWer]

1 hour ago, madNbad said:

Now the MP is reconfigured as the new M6 Classic. As many post have suggested, this will be the film body offering and the MP being discontinued.

I see no reason for this assumption. The "new" camera is technically an MP with some changes of the outward appearance. There is no reason to ditch the MP production as long as there is demand for it - and the mixed reactions here show there still will be demand for the original MP. the "new" one is just a "special" edition of the MP. We have seen approx. a dozen "special" editions during the times of M6 production, and are still seeing them for the digital bodies. They didn't and still  don't say anything about discontinuing the original model. 

[thrid]

I wonder what frame line mask this new M6 uses.... The original had 0.7 m framelines for the 50mm, which are pretty inaccurate compared to the 1 meter mask of the previous M bodies up until the M4-P cameras. I ended up shooting 28/35 on the M6ttl and the 50 on M2/M4. I'm guessing the new M6 uses whatever mask is in the current MP and I'm not sure what distance they are dialed in for.

Anyhow, why purchase this one over a genuine M6 for less money? Let's face it, the collectors are going to swoop in and scoop these up in no time. Nothing wrong with that and if it keeps the lights on at Leica I'm all for it.

My first M was a M6ttl that I purchased some time in the late 90's. The dealer gave me 15% off because it was a store demo unit and had a small ding in the baseplate. Even with the discount the purchase still managed to clean out my savings account, but I never regretted it. That TTL has been all over the world with me and in over 20 years of use has never really given me any serious trouble. Looking forward to may more years of use from the old girl. 

 

 

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[plaidshirts]

2 hours ago, 69xchange said:

So they basically made the M-A and MP the “cheaper” film camera 😂

In the USA it's a few hundred $$ cheaper than those two. It's interesting how they''re pricing it in different regions. For example in GB it's a 100# more than an MP and in Japan, it's a lot more expensive, apparently.

[madNbad]

13 minutes ago, Dennis said:

First, please excuse my ignorance; I'm not a film camera expert. But which M6 version (w/o limited editions) do you think will retain more value in the future? For collectors or just excited buyers interested in a long-term investment. I would guess the first M6, cause it's an almost 40-year legacy. But I have no idea. But I'm curious. 

Having owned a early Wetzlar M6, it was a nice camera especially with the addition of the built in meter. Is it more valuable than later versions, only to someone actively looking for one. M6 production is second to the M3 with both having runs of about fourteen years. With the M6 it really is about the special editions, those are the versions the collectors are after. If the new M6 is the model for the future, it will be the special editions that will be collectible.

[ktmrider2]

I don't have any need for another film camera but like most people in the cult of Leica, there is a desire.  I have been using Leica's since the CL in 1974 and have owned both the original M6 and the TTL.  I never understood the nostalgia for the rewind knob which Leica put on the MP vs the M4 tilted crank.  I would buy the new camera for that feature alone.  The film loading and rewind is why I use an M4 over the M2 which is the best camera Leica ever produced.  Nor do I regret selling my M6 or M6TTL back in the 1990's.

For all those who were looking for better technology in the new camera, I think Leica made the correct decision.  Look at how the M5 was greeted when it was introduced and remember it was the first rangefinder with through the lens metering and it was the result of ten years of development by the engineers at Leica.  If we are brutally honest, there has not been much in the way of technological improvement over the original M3 (which was quantum leaps ahead of other rangefinders when it was introduced in 1953).  I mean, yes film loading has changed and Leica added a meter but not much else is different.  They tried an electronic shutter but discontinued the M7 even though the Minolta CLE had it years before.

 And you can still buy a meterless Leica film body called the MA at almost the same price as one with a meter (not even a 2% difference according to my math).  And I can already imagine the posts if Leica had dared to put an electronically controlled shutter into the new camera (batteries you know) or changed their primitive metering system.

I wish Leica would return to the "a la carte" program.  I would order a black paint camera with a meter, modern film loading/rewind, and 35/50/90 frame lines identical to the M2.  It would be great if the custom camera would be the same price as their production models.  I guess I will have to suffer as I keep using my mint 1975 anniversary M4. I wish I was motivated enough to remove the 135 frame lines as that just ruins the whole Leica experience.  

Excuse the bit of sarcasm at the end after reading all the posts about the new camera.  If you like it, buy it.  If not, don't.

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by ktmrider2

[Dennis]

6 minutes ago, ktmrider2 said:

 

I wish Leica would return to the "a la carte" program.  I would order a black paint camera with a meter, modern film loading/rewind, and 35/50/90 frame lines identical to the M2.

+1

Single frame lines ... always 🏆

Edited October 20, 2022 by Dennis

[plaidshirts]

23 minutes ago, JohnFM said:

The key (for me)  is whether this new M6 is as smooth and buttery as an MP.  I have an M6 from the 1980s (with upgraded viewfinder) and I do find it a little easier to use than the MP that I regrettably sold.  The MP, however, was buttery smooth and exuded a sense of mechanical quality that the old M6 can't quite match.  The black paint was also beautiful but not for everyone.  So if the new M6 is the mechanical equal of the M6, I could see it appealing to those who want a slightly more ergonomic MP with a more durable finish.

 

I've owned several copies of M6, TTL, M4-P, etc. and have a modern MP now. None of them were as smooth as my M2 or M3.

I had sold the M3 a couple years back (lost my mind for a moment...) but recently acquired another and nothing has changed - It's velvety smooth.

[Crem]

16 minutes ago, UliWer said:

I see no reason for this assumption. The "new" camera is technically an MP with some changes of the outward appearance. There is no reason to ditch the MP production as long as there is demand for it - and the mixed reactions here show there still will be demand for the original MP. the "new" one is just a "special" edition of the MP. We have seen approx. a dozen "special" editions during the times of M6 production, and are still seeing them for the digital bodies. They didn't and still  don't say anything about discontinuing the original model. 

It's not really a MP. Confirmed by Jono it's a new camera. Lots of new parts. Different light meter circuit board, mechanicals, etc.  Details here: 

 

[wizard]

vor 6 Minuten schrieb ktmrider2:

I wish I was motivated enough to remove the 135 frame lines as that just ruins the whole Leica experience.  

Come on, the 135 "frame lines" are merely four little corners, no lines. How can those inconspicious little corners ruin the Leica experience? I was, however, motivated enough to have the 75mm frame lines removed from my M7, as those 75mm frame lines are too close to the 50mm frame lines, and they did in fact ruin the 50mm Leica experience for me. At the time, those kind of options were still available, don't know about today.

[Danner]

43 minutes ago, Antonio Russell said:

I guess the new M6 has the anti-flare rangefinder patch? Not like the old one....

The M6 Reissue seems to include a brass top plate, the anti-flare finder glass, MP electronics (meter and battery condition), and matte black paint, all improvements over the M6 Classic.

Sounds like a winner to me...

[Muso]

I guess I'm weird, but I would have liked the M6ttl style shutter speed knob.  It would be nice to have the exact same function / direction as my digital M.

But that's OK - I'm not in the market for this anyway.  I love my M4 and I'm used to switching back and forth between it and my M10P.  

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Anbaric]

29 minutes ago, thrid said:

Anyhow, why purchase this one over a genuine M6 for less money?

I guess:

(1) The meter can still be serviced.

(2) No risk of zinc bubbles.

(3) Less risk of patch flare.

(4) You have money to burn!

I'd say it is a 'genuine' M6 despite the 'MP' innards. After all, the TTL is still an M6, and so are the variants with brass top plates like the M6J and the Titan, as well as the exotic special editions, etc. And what is an MP after all, if not a refined M6 with some retro furniture?

Edited October 20, 2022 by Anbaric

[thrid]

43 minutes ago, plaidshirts said:

I've owned several copies of M6, TTL, M4-P, etc. and have a modern MP now. None of them were as smooth as my M2 or M3.

I had sold the M3 a couple years back (lost my mind for a moment...) but recently acquired another and nothing has changed - It's velvety smooth.

Brass vs steel gears. The softer brass gears give the feeling of running smoother and apparently mold to each other with use.

If I remember correctly Leica switched to steel gears starting with the M4-P (M3->M2/M4/M5/M4-P/M6/M6ttl/M7/MP).

It took many rolls for my M6ttl to really smoothen out. Don't get me wrong. The steel geared cameras don't feel like a coffee grinder. They are very precise and smooth, especially once they are broken in.

I would say that the steel gears feel more rigid and precise, like they are running on high precision ball bearings. where as the brass units feel more like a fine watch? 

Edited October 20, 2022 by thrid