New Leica M6 Film Camera

[Al Brown]

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4 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

Maybe Leica marketing really DOES know what they're doing!

You bet your sweet M10 they do. 

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Huss]

6 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

I ordered the new M6 from Leica Miami with the trade in of my M10 as part of the deal.  They did not ask for any up-front money, advising that they will contact me when they receive stock and we'll proceed with the purchase/trade at that point.  I did not ask about when that might occur; it's not critical at all since I'm using my perfectly functional "real" M6!  

FWIW, I was out busking (street-performing) yesterday and saw a young lady - I'm guessing early 20's- taking photos with a Pentax film SLR.  When she walked up to drop some money in my basket, I asked her about her interest in film.  She said she loved shooting film as opposed to digital and hoped one day to buy a Leica!  

Maybe Leica marketing really DOES know what they're doing!   🤔

 

You should have told her she needs to busk to make that dream come true!

(please tell me your act does not involve silver paint and pretending to be a robot)

 

[Huss]

Ok, as for delivery… I contacted my selling dealer and they said:

1. Overwhelming demand for the new M6 so this is a home run for Leica

b. No idea when Leica will ship customer’s cameras.  They contacted Leica and have not had a reply.

iii. They expect their allotment to be a fraction of what they need to fulfill orders.

 

So… it looks like this thread should easily hit 100 pages before anyone here gets one.  They have no idea when I will get mine even though my card has been charged.  The silver lining for me is it locked in the facorable exchange rate.

And not sure what the November 3rd release date was about, as many Leica dealers did not even have a display M6, and no shipments to customers.  This is all so strange because weren’t we told it was using “all new parts due to supply chain issues”?
It seems like the new M6 is affected by the same issues preventing MPs from being delivered.  Weird…

[logan2z]

28 minutes ago, Huss said:

This is all so strange because weren’t we told it was using “all new parts due to supply chain issues”?
It seems like the new M6 is affected by the same issues preventing MPs from being delivered.  Weird…

Shocking  

Mr. Goldberg, tear down this M6!

Edited November 4, 2022 by logan2z

[Al Brown]

Delayed in Paris as well, eta November 15-ish (another EU dealer said they will ship in EU on week 48).

[Mikep996]

(please tell me your act does not involve silver paint and pretending to be a robot)

LOL!  No, I'm a singer/instrumentalist - mostly pop/rock/country songs from the 50's, 60's, 70's.  We do have a silver painted "statue" among the regular performers here in town!  

 

[Huss]

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It seems that Leica makes its cameras in batches.  So it does not build the different models concurrently.  If it does that, how can it increase its total sales numbers if people are always waiting?  For example, they built the batch of black paint MPs - sent to the dealers.  And stop making BP MPs because they are now building M6s.  Which means the now sold MPs (they go quickly) are now no longer available and people are waiting for M6s, as Leica can't build them until they finish with the previous batch.

So actual camera production volume has not been increased, but spread out over more camera models.  Or has Leica actually hired more people and opened a production line specific for the M6?  Currently it is the same people making the M-A and the MP.

[Huss]

4 minutes ago, Mikep996 said:

 

(please tell me your act does not involve silver paint and pretending to be a robot)

LOL!  No, I'm a singer/instrumentalist - mostly pop/rock/country songs from the 50's, 60's, 70's.  We do have a silver painted "statue" among the regular performers here in town!  

 

You must have a youtube link to share so we can see your performance!  Puhleeeeeeeze?

[Al Brown]

21 minutes ago, Huss said:

It seems that Leica makes its cameras in batches.  So it does not build the different models concurrently.  If it does that, how can it increase its total sales numbers if people are always waiting?  For example, they built the batch of black paint MPs - sent to the dealers.  And stop making BP MPs because they are now building M6s.  Which means the now sold MPs (they go quickly) are now no longer available and people are waiting for M6s, as Leica can't build them until they finish with the previous batch.

So actual camera production volume has not been increased, but spread out over more camera models.  Or has Leica actually hired more people and opened a production line specific for the M6?  Currently it is the same people making the M-A and the MP.

Nobody hired more people. They have been known to outsource certain production phases though. I know for a fact that black paint on the M10-R has been applied by a company in Austria. This is not crucial to production numbers anyway.

 

Edited November 4, 2022 by Al Brown

[Huss]

7 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Nobody hired more people. They have been known to outsource certain production phases though. I know for a fact that black paint on the M10-R has been applied by a company in Austria. This is not crucial to production numbers anyway.

 

Don't tell me they are using the notorious Dinglehoffer bruders aus Bregenz?  This may explain some of the 10-R BP issues.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[BradS]

47 minutes ago, Huss said:

It seems that Leica makes its cameras in batches.  So it does not build the different models concurrently.  If it does that, how can it increase its total sales numbers if people are always waiting?  For example, they built the batch of black paint MPs - sent to the dealers.  And stop making BP MPs because they are now building M6s.  Which means the now sold MPs (they go quickly) are now no longer available and people are waiting for M6s, as Leica can't build them until they finish with the previous batch.

So actual camera production volume has not been increased, but spread out over more camera models.  Or has Leica actually hired more people and opened a production line specific for the M6?  Currently it is the same people making the M-A and the MP.

 

25 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Nobody hired more people. They have been known to outsource certain production phases though. I know for a fact that black paint on the M10-R has been applied by a company in Austria. This is not crucial to production numbers anyway.

 

It has been posited that Leica have re-assigned the people who formerly built the APC-C digital Leicas.  Significantly more importantly,   the factory floor space previously used to make those tidy little digital toys may have been allocated to making the new M6.  It is conceivable, therefore that they may have actually expanded production.

Bringing up production of a new product, in a new area of the factory, with new workers? Early demand far outpacing expectations? In a glbal environment where "supply chain issues" are the new normal?

I am shocked! Shocked, I say, to find production delays going on here!

Edited November 4, 2022 by BradS

[Al Brown]

Just now, Huss said:

Don't tell me they are using the notorious Dinglehoffer bruders aus Bregenz?  This may explain some of the 10-R BP issues.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Somebody here said that they are using Portuguese fishermen to assemble the M6. Sounds very legit re: speed.

[Mikep996]

"You must have a youtube link to share so we can see your performance!  Puhleeeeeeeze?"

Sorry, no I don't have a channel;  I'm too lazy to set it up/shoot the videos.  But I'm usually on the street 3-4 times/week in Bath, UK  between 1st part of June and the end on Nov! So if you're in town...

Re my new M6, whenever it becomes actually available, I think as part of the trade-in deal I'm going to trade my Tri Elmar 28/35/50 toward a 50mm Sumilux to replace my 50 Summicron.  I thought about maybe a 35 since I don't have one nowadays but, unlike nearly everybody else it seems, I have never cared for a 35mm lens - it always struck me as not wide enough for a wide angle and too wide for "normal."  My M carry lenses (digital as well as film) have always been 28 and 50.  I have a 90 but almost never use it.  I also have a 21 but don't think I have ever shot it other than "testing it."

My M10 has had the 28 on it so much of the time that I often think of it as a Q with a broken autofocus!  

[earleygallery]

I've heard that the new M6 is actually being made for Leica by Zenit in Russia and due to the political situation and sanctions there are now delays in getting cameras out of Russia. A large quantity of Zorki parts from the 1970's was found a couple of years ago and they've done a deal with Leica to make 'new' Leicas with them, hence the M6.

True story!

[lmans]

1 hour ago, Huss said:

It seems that Leica makes its cameras in batches.  So it does not build the different models concurrently.  If it does that, how can it increase its total sales numbers if people are always waiting?  For example, they built the batch of black paint MPs - sent to the dealers.  And stop making BP MPs because they are now building M6s.  Which means the now sold MPs (they go quickly) are now no longer available and people are waiting for M6s, as Leica can't build them until they finish with the previous batch.

So actual camera production volume has not been increased, but spread out over more camera models.  Or has Leica actually hired more people and opened a production line specific for the M6?  Currently it is the same people making the M-A and the MP.

Leica has seriously hit a Homerun with the new M6.... It will be driving the production line (in batches)for quite sometime. Given the closeness to the MP in the basic features (cosmetically different and improved inners though), it makes one wonder 'if' this homerun of a M6, will push the MP out of production permanently ?

What is the benefit to Leica to have both the MP and the M6? Really? It would have made much more sense to keep the M7 in the current lineup as opposed to two 'like cameras'.

The MA is here to stay.....it is the camera that best connects to Leica's rich history with the M3 and sale numbers on the MA I bet are very strong even though it is more a niche camera.

The current crop of digitals are here to stay with the new M11's....maybe an improved M11 Monochrom but that won't be for awhile... The SL2 is solid. The Q is solid (although dropping the Q Monochrom). And now with the addition with the new film M6 plus the pure mechanical filmMA, I believe you have Leica's production selection. 

[Danner]

2 hours ago, Huss said:

You should have told her she needs to busk to make that dream come true!

(please tell me your act does not involve silver paint and pretending to be a robot)

 

LULZ, I photographed that guy with my M6 in Sandy Monica.

[Daniel Behrens]

I picked mine up yesterday and immediately took it out in the rain with some Tri-X. It’s such a sweet piece.. I got myself on the local branches order list the minute that the announcement was made. I know others did the same so I’m not sure why they haven’t gotten theirs, but I’m sure I’m not the only one out here with a new m6. 

[Huss]

3 minutes ago, lmans said:

Leica has seriously hit a Homerun with the new M6.... It will be driving the production line (in batches)for quite sometime. Given the closeness to the MP in the basic features (cosmetically different and improved inners though), it makes one wonder 'if' this homerun of a M6, will push the MP out of production permanently ?

 

But if the end result, no matter how popular the M6 is, is that Leica does not actually see an increase in volume of sales, does it matter?

If they cannot meet the demand for the MP, introducing the M6 which just means they cannot build other film cameras while they are building this one, how does that help satisfying consumer demand or Leica's bottom line?

If Leica has not increased their ability to produce film Ms, then for better or worse, the new M6 just draws attention to the brand but does not increase the volume of film cameras it can deliver.

Remember we were relayed the message that the M6 had all new parts due to supplier issues?  Well, apparently the new suppliers are having supply issues as the November 3rd release date has come and gone, with dealers not knowing when they will get cameras.

Again, all conjecture, but that is all we have when we are not given straight answers!  Honestly I wouldn't care if Leica said 'you'll get you camera 1st week of February".  A real and actual date instead of saying the release date is Nov 3rd, which is not, because nothing was released.

I've paid for my camera, so I'm fully supportive of Leica.  In return though I'd like some transparency.

[BradS]

10 minutes ago, lmans said:

...

What is the benefit to Leica to have both the MP and the M6?

...

The benefit is that they are able to sell to more people - a bigger potential market. The two cameras are different. They have different aesthetics and different ergonomics. They each appeal to different buyers.  Some will prefer the M6 some will prefer the MP and some will prefer the M-A...having a broad product line-up allows them to sell to a larger set of consumers.

Why does VW offer both the Golf and the Jetta?

Why does Subaru offer both the Impreza and the Crosstrek (aka XV)?

Why a Honda Civic and an Accura Integra?

[Huss]

Just now, Daniel Behrens said:

I picked mine up yesterday and immediately took it out in the rain with some Tri-X. It’s such a sweet piece.. I got myself on the local branches order list the minute that the announcement was made. I know others did the same so I’m not sure why they haven’t gotten theirs, but I’m sure I’m not the only one out here with a new m6. 

 Strange that Leica dealers have no idea when they are shipping and you have yours.  What shop did you get it from?

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