M6 light meter question - NOT about the new one!

[Mikep996]

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With all the BruHaHa about the "new" M6, I pulled my old (1985) M6 out yesterday.  Last time I shot with it was probably around 2001, just prior to selling all my other camera gear/going digital.

Anyway, when fooling around I noticed that the two LEDs would light up properly (under/over/ both on) but if I was in a fairly dark area, they would not illuminate at all.  I can't recall but I thought they came on regardless of how underexposed and simply showed "underexposed" regardless of how dark the setting was. In a dim (not dark) setting  the "underexposed" LED stayed on until the lens was stopped down to around F8 and then turned off as I continued to stop down the lens.   Is this normal?  I honestly can't remember.  Admittedly, when it does this, it is much too dim for me to see to focus anyway but I'm trying to figure out if the camera is working properly.

Or do I need a new M6?  😂

Edited October 21, 2022 by Mikep996

[grahamc]

8 minutes ago, Mikep996 said:

With all the BruHaHa about the "new" M6, I pulled my old (1985) M6 out yesterday.  Last time I shot with it was probably around 2001, just prior to selling all my other camera gear/going digital.

Anyway, when fooling around I noticed that the two LEDs would light up properly (under/over/ both on) but if I was in a fairly dark area, they would not illuminate at all.  I can't recall but I thought they came on regardless of how underexposed and simply showed "underexposed" regardless of how dark the setting was. In a dim (not dark) setting  the "underexposed" LED stayed on until the lens was stopped down to around F8 and then turned off as I continued to stop down the lens.   Is this normal?  I honestly can't remember.  Admittedly, when it does this, it is much too dim for me to see to focus anyway but I'm trying to figure out if the camera is working properly.

Or do I need a new M6?  😂

What have we started - You clearly need the new, improved one ! 

But, more seriously, the light meter doesn't work properly a certain amount of stops under (and presumably over also).  I don't recall if there is supposed to a particular indicator for this (for instance a flashing dot), but mine just tends to just completely wig out in such conditions, with each arrow randomly lighting but it never settling.  You've actually just reminded me that if I continue to not let light in I think it does eventually switch off and stop trying  

But is fine otherwise ( in normal conditions ).

How does it perform in normal light . ?   I presume you have another M camera to compare a meter reading with ?

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by grahamc

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[Anbaric]

1 hour ago, Mikep996 said:

With all the BruHaHa about the "new" M6, I pulled my old (1985) M6 out yesterday.  Last time I shot with it was probably around 2001, just prior to selling all my other camera gear/going digital.

Anyway, when fooling around I noticed that the two LEDs would light up properly (under/over/ both on) but if I was in a fairly dark area, they would not illuminate at all.  I can't recall but I thought they came on regardless of how underexposed and simply showed "underexposed" regardless of how dark the setting was. In a dim (not dark) setting  the "underexposed" LED stayed on until the lens was stopped down to around F8 and then turned off as I continued to stop down the lens.   Is this normal?  I honestly can't remember.  Admittedly, when it does this, it is much too dim for me to see to focus anyway but I'm trying to figure out if the camera is working properly.

Or do I need a new M6?  😂

https://www.cameraquest.com/m6dif.htm

'The Early M6 strangely indicates underexposure by NOT lighting its LED's. The Later M6 indicates underexposure by a blinking LED. If the lens cap is on, the Early M6 LED's do not light at all while the Later M6 blinks a LED as a warning. The Later M6 blinks to indicate its light level limits while the Earlier M6 strangely turns off its LEDs under the same circumstances (until it is within 1/2 stop of correct exposure.)'

[a.noctilux]

Not answering the OP question, but in my long time user of many M6 from different periods.

 

Over it's long life productions almost two decades, some components were added/modified in "regular" M6s.

- base plate omission of "cartridge opener" device while closing/turning

- the Leitz logo replaced and M6 only naming at front in place of LEICA M6

some markings on the top changed

- with or without lateral wear protections

- strap eyelets fixed with screws (on my M6 HM, 0.85 vf ) comparing to my "old batch" 1985's M6

- better low light metering and different LED lighting behaviors :

a. the old original type, no LED glow when it's outside the metering possibility (too dim)

b. new type, LED flashing in same situation

- and maybe more ...

 

 

[Mikep996]

Thanks, Anbaric/a.noct!  Your info explains that it is operating correctly for an early M6!  

As far as exposure, using the same 50mm Summicron lens I checked the M6 against my M10R set at the same ISO/shutter speed. The cameras pretty much agreed.

Thanks guys! You saved me 5000+ USD!!!  

[jakontil]

21 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

Thanks, Anbaric/a.noct!  Your info explains that it is operating correctly for an early M6!  

As far as exposure, using the same 50mm Summicron lens I checked the M6 against my M10R set at the same ISO/shutter speed. The cameras pretty much agreed.

Thanks guys! You saved me 5000+ USD!!!  

Have ur m6 bubbled? The new one is brass though 😝

[Mikep996]

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No bubbles at all - top and all other metal surfaces are perfectly smooth.

[Matlock]

39 minutes ago, Mikep996 said:

No bubbles at all - top and all other metal surfaces are perfectly smooth.

Along with 99.9% of Zinc Leicas.

[Pyrogallol]

My M6 must be rare then and worth a lot more? It has bubbles on the top plate.

[Anbaric]

36 minutes ago, Pyrogallol said:

My M6 must be rare then and worth a lot more? It has bubbles on the top plate.

For what it's worth, I looked at a handful in adverts this week and found one that was affected, and noticed 4/20 when I looked carefully in adverts earlier this year. We can't get a reliable statistic without a large random sample, but I suspect it's a lot more common that we'd like to believe.

Edited October 22, 2022 by Anbaric

[Pyrogallol]

My specialist Classic camera dealer said it was common when I told him about mine.

[madNbad]

7 hours ago, Matlock said:

Along with 99.9% of Zinc Leicas.

The best thing about my bubbly TTL was it happened at the height of the Great Recession (2012) combined with the great analog sell off. I traded the bubbly M6 TTL and six hundred USD for a Millennium.

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Edited October 22, 2022 by madNbad