New Leica M6 Film Camera

[madNbad]

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4 minutes ago, jukka said:

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.

Leica was one of the first to offer a camera that used 35mm film and may be the last to continue making one. Nikon had Cosina making the FM-10 for them and apparently production has come to an end. Leica was uniquely positioned by being one of the remaining manufacturers to have a film camera available and still being made. The Japanese manufacturers are struggling with soft sales of digital cameras plus continuing to lose consumers to the cell phone cameras. Film is not going away but the new M6 has set the price for admission if you want a new camera to use it

[Overgaard]

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[madNbad]

40 minutes ago, Overgaard said:

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Great lens! Have fun! Let us know when you buy a 400' roll of 5222!!

[Mikep996]

Actually, it's not too bad.  Most modern watches can get by without a CLA for 5+ years unless you bang it around. 

Dang, I guess the Rolex GMT Master that I bought new in 1982 is way overdue for its first service.   Hmm, I suppose my 1984 M6 shares that status!  😂

Edited November 27, 2022 by Mikep996

[Huss]

14 hours ago, Overgaard said:

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Very nice.  The 28mm frame lines in the M6 are hard to see, and really hard to see if you are an eye glass wearer, which I think you are.

Add to that the massive vf blockage from the Summilux 28, I’m not sure this is a good combo.

[IkarusJohn]

2 hours ago, Huss said:

Very nice.  The 28mm frame lines in the M6 are hard to see, and really hard to see if you are an eye glass wearer, which I think you are.

Add to that the massive vf blockage from the Summilux 28, I’m not sure this is a good combo.

I don’t have an M6, but I do have the 28 Summilux - never bothered by blockage with any lens (I think my 0.95 Noct blocks the most) as it’s easy enough to check what’s behind the lens.  It goes with using a rangefinder, in my view.  As to the framelines, if they were at all accurate, I’d be bothered - they are, at best, a distraction and a vague guide.

I appreciate that everyone’s per ception of these issues varies, but to me the quality of the image is the determinative factor in lens choice, and the 28 Summilux is sublime …

[Huss]

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8 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

I don’t have an M6, but I do have the 28 Summilux - never bothered by blockage with any lens (I think my 0.95 Noct blocks the most) as it’s easy enough to check what’s behind the lens.  It goes with using a rangefinder, in my view.  As to the framelines, if they were at all accurate, I’d be bothered - they are, at best, a distraction and a vague guide.

I appreciate that everyone’s per ception of these issues varies, but to me the quality of the image is the determinative factor in lens choice, and the 28 Summilux is sublime …

Why bother having any frame lines then?…

Not saying the 28 lux is not an excellent lens, just the vf blockage may be bothersome to many.  It’s why I don’t use my ZM 35 1.4 Distagon. It is optically superior to my 35 Lux FLE, but I absolutely hate the VF blockage so don’t use it.

The hook of using Leica rangefinder cameras is being able to see the composition come together as your subject may be moving into your frame.  It’s how you time a shot to capture that moment. For that to work, you need not have your VF blocked!  Sure for static photography it doesn’t matter as you can move the camera to see what is being blocked, then recompose.

[Huss]

As an example, this pic would have been impossible to take w a 28 Lux.  I was focused on the umbrella and had it perfectly centered.  Then waited for the other subjects to enter the scene, creating a layering effect as well as adding conflicting points of interest.  The two parties coalescing into the center, with the walker on the left and the father and daughter cyclists on the right.

The Summilux 28 would completely block the right lower third of the VF so this shot would never have happened as I would not be able to see them enter the scene!  It is a great lens.  But not at all useful for what I do.

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Edited November 28, 2022 by Huss

[IkarusJohn]

19 hours ago, Huss said:

Why bother having any frame lines then?…

 

Because it’s a useful guide.  Not sure if you’ve noticed, but they are hopeless i you’re looking for accurate framing.  For that, and to avoid  blockage, the EVF is a better bet.

Why avoid some of Leica’s best lenses?

[lmans]

On 11/26/2022 at 11:44 AM, madNbad said:

Leica was one of the first to offer a camera that used 35mm film and may be the last to continue making one. Nikon had Cosina making the FM-10 for them and apparently production has come to an end. Leica was uniquely positioned by being one of the remaining manufacturers to have a film camera available and still being made. The Japanese manufacturers are struggling with soft sales of digital cameras plus continuing to lose consumers to the cell phone cameras. Film is not going away but the new M6 has set the price for admission if you want a new camera to use it

I think the prices for admission on the M6 is too high for the majority. Now… if Nikon or Canon bring back their basic film cameras from 80’s…. I bet if they could keep price around a $1000-2000 US dollars, they would sell, especially the AE-1.

the younger crowd are more into sub $100 type point and shoot film…. 

[Huss]

16 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Because it’s a useful guide.  Not sure if you’ve noticed, but they are hopeless i you’re looking for accurate framing.  For that, and to avoid  blockage, the EVF is a better bet.

Why avoid some of Leica’s best lenses?

Perhaps you forgot this thread is about the M6 - a film camera.  EVF?

My photo above was taken on Fuji C200.

Edited November 29, 2022 by Huss

[Huss]

7 minutes ago, lmans said:

I think the prices for admission on the M6 is too high for the majority. Now… if Nikon or Canon bring back their basic film cameras from 80’s…. I bet if they could keep price around a $1000-2000 US dollars, they would sell, especially the AE-1.

the younger crowd are more into sub $100 type point and shoot film…. 

The last 'cheap' film SLR sold was the miserable Nikon (Cosina) FM10.  That was $700 at the end of its run.

The majority of kids I see shooting film are using Japanese SLRs with 50mm lenses.  Stuff that is still pretty cheap.  The p&S craze seems to be driven by more trendy types (I am not going to use THAT word!) and only for very specific models.  Regular p&s cameras - excellent ones at that - are still very affordable.  Usually the most expensive item on them are either the battery or the roll of film!

[madNbad]

41 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Because it’s a useful guide.  Not sure if you’ve noticed, but they are hopeless i you’re looking for accurate framing.  For that, and to avoid  blockage, the EVF is a better bet.

Why avoid some of Leica’s best lenses?

OVF would be a better choice for this thread. Not a Summilux but no framelines. 

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Edited November 29, 2022 by madNbad

[Anbaric]

On 11/29/2022 at 12:54 AM, Huss said:

The last 'cheap' film SLR sold was the miserable Nikon (Cosina) FM10.  That was $700 at the end of its run.

It's not up to the standards of the 'real' FM series, though there's a decent enough Cosina under the plasticky styling, which was in various forms the basis of more expensive late models like the Voigtländer Bessaflex and (without the mirror box) the Bessa rangefinder series and their posher cousin, the Zeiss ZM. I had wondered if Cosina might develop an interest in reviving this chassis, but I read recently that the Copal shutter they (and other manufacturers) bought in is no longer available. I suppose the problem is that if you wanted to reissue some classic film camera, you'd not only have to resurrect your own assembly line, but those of the suppliers you depended on. Leica, on the other hand, have probably always done more in-house than most other manufacturers and (of course) never stopped.

[lmans]

21 hours ago, Anbaric said:

It's not up to the standards of the 'real' FM series, though there's a decent enough Cosina under the plasticky styling, which was in various forms the basis of more expensive late models like the Voigtländer Bessaflex and (without the mirror box) the Bessa rangefinder series and their posher cousin, the Zeiss ZM. I had wondered if Cosina might develop an interest in reviving this chassis, but I read recently that the Copal shutter they (and other manufacturers) bought in is no longer available. I suppose the problem is that if you wanted to reissue some classic film camera, you'd not only have to resurrect your own assembly line, but those of the suppliers you depended on. Leica, on the other hand, have probably always done more in-house than most other manufacturers and (of course) never stopped.

I think the key is resurrecting the assembly line. In leicas case… the line is essentially in place, never strayed to far… so just a matter of updated parts, be it what they may. In other camera makers, well… it would be quite the process I bet. 

[Danner]

4 hours ago, lmans said:

I think the key is resurrecting the assembly line. In leicas case… the line is essentially in place, never strayed to far… so just a matter of updated parts, be it what they may. In other camera makers, well… it would be quite the process I bet. 

I believe that Canon or Nikon could quickly develop and build an SLR if they chose to.

[Huss]

26 minutes ago, Danner said:

I believe that Canon or Nikon could quickly develop and build an SLR if they chose to.

The problem is that Canon and Nikon are both phasing out their digital SLRs in favour of their mirrorless cameras.  This means they are also phasing out their SLR lenses.  Neither is going to keep producing SLR lenses to go with a niche SLR film camera that they have not yet developed.

And that is Leica’s advantage.  With the M line they made sure that 1. they kept building them and b. they never stopped making M mount lenses.

[madNbad]

52 minutes ago, Danner said:

I believe that Canon or Nikon could quickly develop and build an SLR if they chose to.

Nikon spent a lot of money on the reissue of the S3 and SP in 2000 only to be left with soft sales and not a lot of interest from other than the hard core fans. The idea of retooling to enter the film market while your current camera sales are slumping isn't likely to happen. Leica has a loyal base for it's film cameras and the M6 is to attract the next generation.

[Anbaric]

The trouble with cameras like the M6 is that Leica are serving a niche within a niche. There are a lot more people interested in shooting film than will ever consider forking out for a current Leica and its lenses. The next generation of new film camera users is going to be very small unless someone else steps up at a more reasomable price point. Luckily there are a lot of old cameras around, many of which remain serviceable (at least for now) and most of which are affordable.

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[madNbad]

20 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

The trouble with cameras like the M6 is that Leica are serving a niche within a niche. There are a lot more people interested in shooting film than will ever consider forking out for a current Leica and its lenses. The next generation of new film camera users is going to be very small unless someone else steps up at a more reasomable price point. Luckily there are a lot of old cameras around, many of which remain serviceable (at least for now) and most of which are affordable.

Who is going to step up? Cosina seems to be moving on from making camera bodies so who's next? TT Artisans? Light Lens Lab? There was mention somewhere in this thread Light Lens Lab was working on a version of a Leica 1F but that's a long way from a functional SLR. The target should be the K1000 in a polymer body. We would all like to think film  is going to last far into the future but no company seems to be sure enough about it, other than Leica, to introduce a new product.