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Leica M6 Reissue: Return to Film


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The brochure from 1984 must have been in the attic for at least 37 years, I obtained it during a visit to Leitz in 1985 or so. On the backside:

Fotografieren -- mit Leica

Projizieren -- mit Pradovit

Vergrössern -- mit Focomat

How things have changed.

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Edited by Edax
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Still have my grandfather’s 1954 M3 and my own M6 TTL 0.85. Don’t really use film though - still have a roll in the M6 TTL and should use it on something I want a classic rendering for, perhaps with my 35mm f/2 RF Summicron from 1959. Digital is just too immediate (M10, M10-R, SL2) and I hate using a wet darkroom.


I won’t be interested in the reissue. It’s good to see Leica responding to market trends, but 5000 Euros? 

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The technical data sheet (https://leica-camera.com/sites/default/files/pm-84280-EN_Datenblatt_M6.pdf) says that the viewfinder magnification is 0.73 (instead of 0.72). Is it a mistake due to copy-paste from the M10 (likely, as it says “at 2 m: the exact sensor size of approx. 23.9 x 35.8 mm“), or we have the first film M with 0.73?

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5 hours ago, Jeremy Bunting said:

Plustek puts out an impressive image at a ~$500 price point, though the device itself is plasticky. 

Both of the below were taken with my M2 and the Noctilux f1.2 reissue, Portra 400 scanned at 6000 dpi on a Plustek 8300i. I'm quite happy with the color and resolution. The files are around 100 megapixels each, but terabyte drives are cheap these days, so it's not an issue.

 

 

Here's one with the 35mm Summilux FLE v2, less "character-y" than the Noctilux. Looks good to me. 

 

These are nice enough and all but I still see the sort of chunky, flattish color that came from epson/nikon scans that you could avoid with a good drum scan. Couple that with not being able to assess sharpness and resolution compared to drum scan it's hard to know. I think these are fine for web or whatever but with a drum scan you could make a really wonderful 20x30 (or even larger) print where grain is visible in a really pleasing way. It enlarged more in that sort of elastic way film enlargements feel compared to digital. I know these are imprecise words, apologies. You could always tell when someone did a show of flatbed scans and it just didn't compare next to a drum scan. An imacon/flextight is the next best thing but this doesn't look to approach that even, but again hard to know at this size without a raw scan. 

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50 minutes ago, Markie said:

Forgive me if I’m missing something… I don’t believe that Leica ever left film. With two analog cameras previously available (MP and M-A), why was there a need for the M6? What gap does this version fill?

Absolutely none! But it generates interest and there'll be plenty of people who will want/buy one just because.

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41 minutes ago, pgh said:

These are nice enough and all but I still see the sort of chunky, flattish color that came from epson/nikon scans that you could avoid with a good drum scan. Couple that with not being able to assess sharpness and resolution compared to drum scan it's hard to know. I think these are fine for web or whatever but with a drum scan you could make a really wonderful 20x30 (or even larger) print where grain is visible in a really pleasing way. It enlarged more in that sort of elastic way film enlargements feel compared to digital. I know these are imprecise words, apologies. You could always tell when someone did a show of flatbed scans and it just didn't compare next to a drum scan. An imacon/flextight is the next best thing but this doesn't look to approach that even, but again hard to know at this size without a raw scan. 

If you click on the images, you'll be taken to Flickr, where you can view or download them at 6000dpi.

I would certainly hope a drum scanner would do a better job! They're insanely expensive and what, like 500 pounds? If I ever wanted to get one of my shots blown up to 20x30 I'd take the negative to a lab and have them do it the right way.

But my photos live on the web, as I suspect most of ours do these days, and the results I get from the Plustek are quite pleasing to me, even compared to my M11. Do they approach the level of resolution or realism as my M11? No, of course not. But they've got a texture and character to them that I enjoy, which I suspect is why any of us are still using film in 2022.

Edited by Jeremy Bunting
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5 hours ago, pacovarela said:

Dusted off the M6 Classic and started shooting film again a couple of years ago. Surprised but pleased Leica is resurrecting this analog beauty. Hope it isn't just hipsters who buy this as a fashion accessory.

Agree. I put in a pre-order because I have always regretted selling my Leitz M6, and like the updates to the design. I love the M6 photos in my library. I aim to get out and shoot it....a LOT.

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