MP user, new M6?

[lekitr]

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1 hour ago, 250swb said:

Pages 78 and 79 from the (old) Leica MP owners manual. It seems everybody has already had their chance to emulate a new M6 and missed it.

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If I remember well, it was called the M7 type (rewind crank)

[Anbaric]

The MP was designed 20 years ago, when iPods had hard disks, 6MP dSLRs were state of the art, and we were using Windows XP and flip phones. It wouldn't be surprising if Leica wanted to rethink the electronics to use modern, easier to source components. Even the M6 Classic meter evolved during the lifetime of the camera. If they have a new design, hopefully they've taken the opportunity to consider backwards compatibility with the current MP (it might just be a drop-in replacement). Perhaps they even have something for the original M6 (someone claimed a while back that Leica were working on a solution for the lack of replacement M6 circuit boards, which aren't compatible with the current MP boards).

[kivis]

Do you we really think the photo results would be different between the new M6 and the MP? So it is really done to aesthetics. Anyway bravo Leica.

[Huss]

3 hours ago, kivis said:

Do you we really think the photo results would be different between the new M6 and the MP? So it is really done to aesthetics. Anyway bravo Leica.

I am going to shoot my M6 side by side with my MP, at the same time, using the same film and lens and exposure settings.  And I guarantee that we will be able to see a massive difference. Because one pic will be intentionally out of focus.

[Topsy]

I had an M6 (with a Black Logo), what I didn't really like about it was the film advance and rewind.

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I sold it to fund an MP.

I am happy with my choice and the new M6 isn't changing that, however, if I liked the M6 adv/rew over the MP and still had that M6 I might be tempted, might.

[Huss]

The best film rewind mechanism by far is on the M5.  The M3, MP, M-A have the rewind knob which doesn't spin back if you accidentally release it - cool.  But it is a little slower to use.  The M4 through M7 have the angled crank, which is quick but can spin back if you let it slip.

The M5 - rewind crank that is ratcheted so if you let go, it stays in place.  Perfect.  It's ironic that the technically best M camera was the one least accepted. But I get it, I find the regular Ms more pleasant to hold and use than my M5.  They just fit better in the hand and on the face, because the viewfinder is perfectly located, whereas with the M5 it is slightly further to the middle.

[colint544]

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I'm curious to know if they've carried over the plastic frame counter gears from the MP to the new M6. They were made of metal in the original M6.

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[smkoush]

8 hours ago, Anbaric said:

The MP was designed 20 years ago, when iPods had hard disks, 6MP dSLRs were state of the art, and we were using Windows XP and flip phones. It wouldn't be surprising if Leica wanted to rethink the electronics to use modern, easier to source components. Even the M6 Classic meter evolved during the lifetime of the camera. If they have a new design, hopefully they've taken the opportunity to consider backwards compatibility with the current MP (it might just be a drop-in replacement). Perhaps they even have something for the original M6 (someone claimed a while back that Leica were working on a solution for the lack of replacement M6 circuit boards, which aren't compatible with the current MP boards).

I find it surprising that the electronics of the new M6 could be so vastly different that wouldn't be possible for an MP to share. Perhaps harder to do so with an old M6, but given that they MP and the new M6 share the same components (brass gears), presumably same shutter mechanism (I didn't hear otherwise) and similar meter and viewfinder indicators, I'd be surprised if new MPs wouldn't come with the same electronics.  

[Jacobjuul]

1 minute ago, smkoush said:

I find it surprising that the electronics of the new M6 could be so vastly different that wouldn't be possible for an MP to share. Perhaps harder to do so with an old M6, but given that they MP and the new M6 share the same components (brass gears), presumably same shutter mechanism (I didn't hear otherwise) and similar meter and viewfinder indicators, I'd be surprised if new MPs wouldn't come with the same electronics.  

Doesn’t the MP have steel gears?

[Gobert]

10 hours ago, MarkP said:

I want a black chrome MP as I really like how black chrome gently silvers with wear.
Was never keen on black paint brassing but I'm obviously in a minority.

Not completely….

[smkoush]

4 hours ago, Jacobjuul said:

Doesn’t the MP have steel gears?

No. MP has brass gears. 

[smkoush]

To me the most important aspect of the MP is that I could have a 0.58x viewfinder. It's a pure joy using 35mm (and 28mm) lenses with it. And I never had trouble focusing the f/1 Noctilux either. I don't understand why they stopped having these options (the 0.85 is equally enjoyable with a 50mm or longer lens).

If the M-A or the new M6 could come with 0.58x viewfinder then I would have no problem choosing any one of the three (MP/M-A/M6.2). 

[jakontil]

6 hours ago, colint544 said:

I'm curious to know if they've carried over the plastic frame counter gears from the MP to the new M6. They were made of metal in the original M6.

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Did a millennium M6 boast a metal counter? Or when was the last time being used before using the plastic?

that plastic have not been consistent with my MP before

[Huss]

13 minutes ago, smkoush said:

To me the most important aspect of the MP is that I could have a 0.58x viewfinder. It's a pure joy using 35mm (and 28mm) lenses with it. And I never had trouble focusing the f/1 Noctilux either. I don't understand why they stopped having these options (the 0.85 is equally enjoyable with a 50mm or longer lens).

If the M-A or the new M6 could come with 0.58x viewfinder then I would have no problem choosing any one of the three (MP/M-A/M6.2). 

Yeah the .58 is the most versatile of the magnifications, as added a 1.4x magnifier lets u easily handle the long lengths.  But for 35 (and 28) it is much nicer to use than the .72.

Some people think it is mainly for the 28, but the 35 frame lines are perfect with it.

[ktmrider2]

Not to start an argument or debate but I find the 35 frame lines in the M2's viewfinder about as good as Leica has ever done.  I have a mint 50th anniversary black chrome M4 but have always wanted a black paint version.  The M4 was the Leica I could not afford in college when I was actually working as a newspaper photographer so I admit to a bit of nostalgia in my choice.

Shooting with either the MP or new M6 would seem to be an almost identical experience except for the film advance/rewind so it does come down to aesthetics.  I would not mind a built in meter but the double frame lines in either viewfinder would probably keep me from getting either and if I needed a second M body, I would pick up an M2, perhaps the M2R.

We each have our preferences which allows forums like this to exist.

 

[smkoush]

5 minutes ago, ktmrider2 said:

Not to start an argument or debate but I find the 35 frame lines in the M2's viewfinder about as good as Leica has ever done.  I have a mint 50th anniversary black chrome M4 but have always wanted a black paint version.  The M4 was the Leica I could not afford in college when I was actually working as a newspaper photographer so I admit to a bit of nostalgia in my choice.

Shooting with either the MP or new M6 would seem to be an almost identical experience except for the film advance/rewind so it does come down to aesthetics.  I would not mind a built in meter but the double frame lines in either viewfinder would probably keep me from getting either and if I needed a second M body, I would pick up an M2, perhaps the M2R.

We each have our preferences which allows forums like this to exist.

 

> but the double frame lines in either viewfinder would probably keep me from getting either

This is why I think it is sad Leica stopped the  al la cart program. When I got my 0.58x MP, I ordered it with frame lines for only the lenses I use, 28/90, 35 and 50, i.e., single not double lines for the 35 and 50. So that, together with the 0.58x makes the use of a 35mm lens a pure joy to use. My 0.72x silver MP also has only 28/90, 35 and 50, but I still find the 0.58x more enjoyable to use.

 

[Huss]

I sent my m7, mp and m-a to DAG to mask off the 75mm frame lines.  So the 50 view is perfect, just like my m4-2, with no other frame lines.

[madNbad]

5 hours ago, jakontil said:

Did a millennium M6 boast a metal counter? Or when was the last time being used before using the plastic?

that plastic have not been consistent with my MP before

Other than the return of the brass top plate and fancy paint, the Millennium was just a regular M6 TTL with a finder that would flare and the old felt shutter seals. If the counter gears were plastic on a TTL, they were plastic on the Millennium. 
For all its shortcomings, it still had one of the best black paint finishes.

[plaidshirts]

14 hours ago, smkoush said:

No. MP has brass gears. 

Since a motor winder can be used on the MP, I thought the gears had to be steel? I see conflicting information online.

When advancing film my MP feels rougher than my M2 and M3. 
 

To the OP’s questions, no and MP.

Edited October 23, 2022 by plaidshirts

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[Jacobjuul]

15 hours ago, smkoush said:

No. MP has brass gears. 

Do you have a source on that? So are you saying you can’t use motor drives on the MP?

I think there is a thread on this forum somewhere, where a technician took the MP apart and it showed steel gears.