If you'd need to pick today: 2022 Leica M6 or latest Leica MP (both new)

[hansvons]

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11 hours ago, lmans said:

How do I shoot...oh no, the sky is falling. 

We clearly come from different schools. I learned exposing film as a cameraman, and early on understood that a successful career must be built on mentally creative freedom and precise craftsmanship. The first is one’s talent and boldness, the latter the proof of the first. 

Light meters, no matter what, have a right of existence like the rangefinder for focusing. You are free to handle your photography in any way you like but advocating for your way of doing things by labelling a light meter as a "crutch" is a disservice to the beginners who want to learn and visit this forum. 

A similar story is the "street" mantra of zone-focusing. It's a great recipe for soft shots and gives the beginner a false impression of how photography with a range finder works.

There will be at some point freedom in one’s work, a flow so to speak, where exposure and focusing will happen almost unconsciously. But this takes time and hundreds of rolls. A light meter will bring you faster to that state because the learning curve will be flatter. The results will be more consistent and you'll learn the shortcomings of your light meter, as it only brings you in a ball park. In the end, the light meter won't be a tool that slavishly "instructs" you but will give you valuable data for an informed decision. 

Of course, as always, YMMV. 

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[lmans]

On 4/26/2024 at 10:47 PM, jukka said:

I know I'm beating a dead horse, and I get that this is a Leica forum and that nostalgia is the vibe here. But, I had a look at your stuff and it feels to me that you don't personally need that accurate of exposures to achieve your esthetic vision.

This leads me to think that maybe being nostalgic works well for you in the technical sense, but may not work for others who potentially want something else and thus choose the "crutch"? Am I on the right track here?

I am not doubting that many need the 'crutch' of a light meter and I am not saying it is bad for them....if they need it, use it. 

[Anbaric]

Leica should release a special edition M-A and matching lens with no numbers or click stops on the shutter speed dial or aperture ring and market it as the pure essence of manual photography, adjusted by vibe and intuition alone. Someone would buy it, get decent enough results because of the vast latitude of modern negative film (as with disposable cameras) and come on this thread to tell us we should free ourselves from the tyranny of numbers and cast aside our crutches...

[Mute-on]

11 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

Leica should release a special edition M-A and matching lens with no numbers or click stops on the shutter speed dial or aperture ring and market it as the pure essence of manual photography, adjusted by vibe and intuition alone. Someone would buy it, get decent enough results because of the vast latitude of modern negative film (as with disposable cameras) and come on this thread to tell us we should free ourselves from the tyranny of numbers and cast aside our crutches...

Precisely. Why be exact when you can get ‘close enough’, and then mock those who seek a little more precision. 

[Fotoklaus]

Yeah. For a lot of new users the pure essence stops already when trying to load a film properly. So underexposure or being out of focus may be the next great steps.

   

[Danner]

On 1/24/2023 at 9:19 PM, Crem said:

I’d just pre-order both and take whichever comes first. You might be waiting a very long time if you want a new one. Personally I prefer the BP MP, but both look great to me. Also dealers will have no problem selling them if you change your mind. 

Interestingly, BH Photo currently has five versions in stock; M-A black & chrome, MP black & chrome, as well as a black M6.

[Crem]

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3 hours ago, Danner said:

Interestingly, BH Photo currently has five versions in stock; M-A black & chrome, MP black & chrome, as well as a black M6.

The market has definitely changed since I wrote my original comment a year ago. When I got my BP MP in mid 2021 they were very difficult to find. I'm wondering if Leica is producing more film bodies or the demand for film bodies has stabilized. Any thoughts on what has changed? Kodak also made a significant price cut on Tri-X in 35mm which I greatly appreciate. 

[pippy]

On 4/27/2024 at 10:47 AM, hansvons said:

...I learned exposing film as a cameraman, and early on understood that a successful career must be built on mentally creative freedom and precise craftsmanship. The first is one’s talent and boldness, the latter the proof of the first.

...A light meter will bring you faster to that state (of getting exposure correct) because the learning curve will be flatter. The results will be more consistent and you'll learn the shortcomings of your light meter, as it only brings you in a ball park. In the end, the light meter won't be a tool that slavishly "instructs" you but will give you valuable data for an informed decision...

Absolutely agree with all the above.

Apparently HCB didn't often (ever?) use a meter. He also frequently got his exposures incorrect. Happily, though, he had top-class printers working with him to cover-up these errors of judgement.

Light meters are very useful tools to have at one's disposal. It might not be needed for every shot and it might not even be needed very often but there will be occasions where it can be extremely helpful to have as a yardstick by which the photographer can rely on their experience and, subsequently, can make any adjustments deemed neccessary in order to get the exposure Spot-On. Sometimes 'Close Enough' simply isn't 'Close Enough' and that is especially true for a Professional who earns their living by using such skills.

To use (or not to use) a light meter is not an essential part of being able to expose a piece of film correctly, so much is plainly true, but to denigrate its use by any photographer - hobbyist and professional alike - smacks of the ill-informed advice of the ignorant amateur'.

Just my opinion, of course.

Philip.

Edited April 29, 2024 by pippy

[Torontoamateur]

I am torn between a new M6 or the MP in Black Paint.  I think the MP Black Paint will have more value in the future?   What do you think?

 

I know the wear of the paint and patina will be beautiful

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2024 by Torontoamateur

[mangas_binges]

On 5/10/2024 at 2:09 PM, Torontoamateur said:

I am torn between a new M6 or the MP in Black Paint.  I think the MP Black Paint will have more value in the future?   What do you think?

 

I know the wear of the paint and patina will be beautiful

 

 

 

If Leica stops production of new M6 for whatever reason prices would skyrocket immediately while MP has had many units in the wild and might be seen as a budget version. Since it’s hard to predict the future it’s better to just buy what you would enjoy shooting now instead of chasing some imaginary future resale value.

Edited May 27, 2024 by mangas_binges