Sales of New M6?

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I'm curious if anyone has a good idea of the sales of the new M6? Is Leica getting the younger generations demographic numbers that they were hoping for, or is it Leica fanatics? For myself I have my original M6. I realize that most owners of the original are concerned about compatibility of electronics between old and new models. Everything I read says all the electronics are new designs. That would seem to preclude any interchange.

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[Mikep996]

I have no idea what is actually happening but the concept that a $5000+ M6 is some sort of "gateway camera" for young people getting into film seems rather far-fetched to me.    I know of a few young folks who are shooting film and Pentax K1000s seems to be the most common camera for 35mm.  Interestingly, film-wise there seems to be a good bit of young-person interest in 120 as opposed to 35 based on talking to a few people around here when out doing casual shooting.  One day I was out with my M6 and my Bronica SQAi and there was a lot more interest in the Bronica than the Leica.

I suspect they won't be selling many M6s to young folks who want film cameras...until they become older folks with money to burn...

 

 

 

 

[erl]

If any young'un would like to buy my two original M6's, I would jump for the new model in a heartbeat. 😇 LOL

[28framelines]

14 hours ago, Mikep996 said:

I have no idea what is actually happening but the concept that a $5000+ M6 is some sort of "gateway camera" for young people getting into film seems rather far-fetched to me.    I know of a few young folks who are shooting film and Pentax K1000s seems to be the most common camera for 35mm.  Interestingly, film-wise there seems to be a good bit of young-person interest in 120 as opposed to 35 based on talking to a few people around here when out doing casual shooting.  One day I was out with my M6 and my Bronica SQAi and there was a lot more interest in the Bronica than the Leica.

I suspect they won't be selling many M6s to young folks who want film cameras...until they become older folks with money to burn...

 

 

 

 

As somewhat who is a bit younger in the Leica crowd (early 30’s), I can say that the draw to 120 for people in their mid-20’s that I’ve spoken to at local photography meetups is that it’s available (the film itself - 135 sells out instantly) and the cost of a medium format camera is still far less than a Leica, and you get stunning results. That being said, everyone I’ve spoken to would sell it all when they can afford the Leica haha.

[Mr.Prime]

Perhaps also, most young folk have a hybrid workflow and it's easier to get good results scanning 120 roll film with an affordable flat bed scanner (which is useful for non film scanning duties) whereas 35mm film scanners are either cheap shit items or hard to find items.

 

I'm not a young person but I do like my 'affordable' Minolta X500 SLR, and the price was HUGELY superior to any Leica M6. I can afford a new M6 but the price is just not attractive. My M3 and M4 are perfectly serviceable and the lack of built in reflective light meter is not holding me back (if I wanted a built in meter I do have my Minolta.  I also have a TLR and enjoy using roll film with it but it doesn't get used as much as it used to on account of the cost and limited availability of colour slide film.

Edited March 9, 2023 by Mr.Prime

[Huss]

I ran into a kid - I'd guess in his early 20s - who was using a Nikon F3.  He saw my Leica (M7) and told me he was saving for an M6.  This was before the new M6 was announced but it does show the aspirations of many keen young shooters.  It's why those youtubers who pump the M6 are so popular.

But saving up for a used $2500 M6 is very different than that for a new $5500 one.  And they do look near to identical.

[erl]

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Yes, but the new one is shinier! Get thee behind me satan. 🤑

[28framelines]

9 hours ago, Mr.Prime said:

Perhaps also, most young folk have a hybrid workflow and it's easier to get good results scanning 120 roll film with an affordable flat bed scanner (which is useful for non film scanning duties) whereas 35mm film scanners are either cheap shit items or hard to find items.

 

I'm not a young person but I do like my 'affordable' Minolta X500 SLR, and the price was HUGELY superior to any Leica M6. I can afford a new M6 but the price is just not attractive. My M3 and M4 are perfectly serviceable and the lack of built in reflective light meter is not holding me back (if I wanted a built in meter I do have my Minolta.  I also have a TLR and enjoy using roll film with it but it doesn't get used as much as it used to on account of the cost and limited availability of colour slide film.

What’s funny is I bought an MP, thinking I needed “the best of the best!” And now I’m looking at an M2 like “I should have bought it when it was $1k cheaper! I would have been just as happy” because when it comes to the 28mm framelines, well, I don’t really see them with glasses anyway haha. It’s mostly an approximation!

[grahamc]

4 hours ago, 28framelines said:

What’s funny is I bought an MP, thinking I needed “the best of the best!” And now I’m looking at an M2 like “I should have bought it when it was $1k cheaper! I would have been just as happy” because when it comes to the 28mm framelines, well, I don’t really see them with glasses anyway haha. It’s mostly an approximation!

With glasses, Do you just use the whole view  ? 

[28framelines]

2 hours ago, grahamc said:

With glasses, Do you just use the whole view  ? 

Yep! That’s basically the framelines (honestly). If I’m really careful about framing I have to kind of look around the viewfinder to see the framelines. To be honest, I think it would be better to get the external finder for 28mm framelines and just put it on an M2 if I was really concerned.

[grahamc]

Just now, 28framelines said:

Yep! That’s basically the framelines (honestly). If I’m really careful about framing I have to kind of look around the viewfinder to see the framelines. To be honest, I think it would be better to get the external finder for 28mm framelines and just put it on an M2 if I was really concerned.

Yeah I am a glasses wearer and assume that 28 is the full viewfinder for my MP.  I also have to look around for the 35’s but rarely think about it despite shooting 35 as my main focal length. I’m mainly a 35 + 50 shooter so still think 0.72 is the better choice over .58 

[M9reno]

I have to say that I was sceptical of 0.58x, but when I tried it, especially with the 35 framelines, I found it a game-changer.  I also appreciate losing the distracting 135 framelines. 50 and 90mm are fine.  28mm is infinitely better, but still much like the 35mm lines used to be (I still can't see all sides and outside constantly).  Anyway, now I find my 0.58 MP is the camera I use by default.

[Stuart Richardson]

7 hours ago, 28framelines said:

What’s funny is I bought an MP, thinking I needed “the best of the best!” And now I’m looking at an M2 like “I should have bought it when it was $1k cheaper! I would have been just as happy” because when it comes to the 28mm framelines, well, I don’t really see them with glasses anyway haha. It’s mostly an approximation!

You really seemed to have organized your Leica identity around 28mm framelines, haha. The difficulty in seeing 28mm framelines was one of the reasons why I did a .85 finder when I bought a Leica a la carte way back in the day. I was more of a 24mm and 35mm fan anyway, but I figured I might as well use an external viewfinder for 28mm anyway. The bonus is that .85 is not as tight on 35mm as .72 is on 28mm (if I recall correctly), so the 35mm is still easy to frame with, and the added magnification makes focusing easier and more accurate. It is also much easier to shoot with 75, 90 and 135mm lenses, which are more frequently used than 28mm for me.

 

[jakontil]

2 hours ago, grahamc said:

Yeah I am a glasses wearer and assume that 28 is the full viewfinder for my MP.  I also have to look around for the 35’s but rarely think about it despite shooting 35 as my main focal length. I’m mainly a 35 + 50 shooter so still think 0.72 is the better choice over .58 

Reading this discussion is so reflecting of myself 😂😂😂

so m2 with 28mm is actually the whole of my viewfinder… i always guesstimated and by the time it was developed and scanned i already forget how it was supposed to compose 

[grahamc]

3 hours ago, M9reno said:

I have to say that I was sceptical of 0.58x, but when I tried it, especially with the 35 framelines, I found it a game-changer.  I also appreciate losing the distracting 135 framelines. 50 and 90mm are fine.  28mm is infinitely better, but still much like the 35mm lines used to be (I still can't see all sides and outside constantly).  Anyway, now I find my 0.58 MP is the camera I use by default.

Very nice, sounds great 

[Huss]

8 hours ago, M9reno said:

I have to say that I was sceptical of 0.58x, but when I tried it, especially with the 35 framelines, I found it a game-changer.  I also appreciate losing the distracting 135 framelines. 50 and 90mm are fine.  28mm is infinitely better, but still much like the 35mm lines used to be (I still can't see all sides and outside constantly).  Anyway, now I find my 0.58 MP is the camera I use by default.

Yeah, same.  I was surprised as to how I like the .58 the most.  I was influenced in my early days by people saying the higher the magnification the better - but that statement is depended on what is your primary lens.  For 35s and 28s, the .58 rules.  And I find it fine for 50s.  Longer than 50?  I can attach a vf magnifier if need be.

[ktmrider2]

The M2 has the best viewfinder of all the M film cameras.  As stated here, the 28 FOV can be easily approximated by using the whole viewfinder (look how close the 28 frame lines in another Leica are to the edges of the viewfinder).  The 35 frame line in the M2 is as good as it gets and the 50 and 90 are not bad either.  I have a 135f2.8 which brings up the 90 frame lines.  I have never owned a 75mm and don't really see myself buying one in the next century or so.

I should have kept my last M2 as I am having to get through life with a mint 50th anniversary M4 and have to put up with that pesky 135 frame line (so small I can live with it).  

[logan2z]

20 hours ago, ktmrider2 said:

The 35 frame line in the M2 is as good as it gets

Agreed.  I recently bought an M2 and decided to buy a new 35mm lens to pair with it since it's a perfect match for the viewfinder.  I'll probably never use another lens on the camera.    

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[Keops]

While I find it logical from a hype stand point to reintroduce the M6, I find it not logical from functionality stand point to release a camera that is functionaly near identical to MP. If I was the project manager of this campaign I would suggest to reintroduce M7 or TO make a new M7 that has mechanical shutter with aperture priority option (like Nikon FM3A) which would introduce a different option to the market.

[LocalHero1953]

4 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

MP is better, though

Why do you think that? (Not challenging you, just curious. And I have a new MP).