Leica M6 .72 vs. .85

I am a new Leica M6 user, having rented one and then having purchased a used classic. Now I intend to take the classic back for the newer TTL version. My question relates to the difference between the .72 and .85. In general use, I will shoot with the 35mm, the 50mm and the 90mm lens. In shooting the classic with the 35mm lens I like the positioning of the framelines, however with th 90mm lens it is much harder for me to focus. For 35mm lens use do the framelines on the .85 hinder its use in viewing the subject and framing? Is it a big trade off for 35mm lens use to get the .85?

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Thanks for your response.

I had the same question as you since I am looking into purchasing a

new M6 pretty soon (right now I have a CL) . I checked out the .85

version and the 35mm framelines are hard to see, probably like the

28mm framelines on the regular one. So if you think about using the

35mm quite a bit I would stick to the .72 mag.

Absolutely: the M6 0.72 is a top gear if you wanna use the 35mm lens

a lot and really, you cannot find a better mix. If you wanna use 75

or 90 (even 135) maybe it is better to buy a 0.85...

I personnaly own a 0.72,a 21 and 35 mm ; I bought an old M3 for

I am about to buy a 50mm f2 for it is still the best M camera if you

wanna shoot with 50,90 or 135 lenses (still there is no 75mm

frameline).

An M3 is strong and it is the most wonderful viewfinder that I have

seen in my life and it is cheaper than a new 0.85! But you need to

fix a Leicameter MC or MR3 or MR4 (lightmeter) on it...

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Regards, Minh

Well, I am using a 90mm with a .72 T6 and all i can say is that the

photographs are super sharp. i have enlarged no more than 8X10, but

they look very well focused. i generally shoot hand held at 125. i

wonder if they would be even sharper if i were using a .85. somehow

i really doubt it, but i don't know.

Shooting with 50-75-90 or even135 with a M3 is better for the

viewfinder is much more precise and the frameview is 25 to 35% bigger

than the 0.72 version. I donnot know about the 0.85 as I donnot own

it. Regards

The .85 finder in the M6 is a puzzle to me. It doesn't give you a

real life size image like the M3 finder did, so it is hard to keep

both eyes open when shooting without getting cross eyed. You can not

see the 35mm lines without looking around to the very corners, which

to me is very slow. I would never want to use that camera if a 35mm

lens was may favorite focal length. By the way, I use a 90mm 2.8

with a Minolta CLE, which has less magnification than the .72 M-6.

Have not had a problem even at f2.8 as far as focusing goes. It does

take a while to get use to the little box that the teles bring up.

The real question is if Leica will come out with a wide finder. Say

21-25-28-35-50 (and maybe.....75). This would be a GREAT camera for

someone like me. Imagine 21 and 25 lenses WITHOUT an external finder!

Josh

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How about using a reflex? You get these features at no extra cost!

The Leica 90 mm lens works better on 0.85 but not better than that on

an M3. The Leica 35 mm lens works better on 0.72 than other Leica

cameras.

If you use 90mm lens more than 35mm lens then 0.85 is the way to go.

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The shutter dial on 0.85 is bigger and has 'OFF' (battery) position.

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It is more easy to use the dial on .85 but the 'OFF' is no better than

the 'B' on 0.72. Just do not figure out why there is no lock on

the shutter release which lock both the shutter and meter.

Ed

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I had an M3 with a 50 Summarit and 135 Hektor, worked wonderfully,

the 50 was full view and enjoyable. The 135 lens was at the tolerable

window on an M3. But M3 has wider finder than the .85, so a 135 lens

on the .85 will start "to get out of it."

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I have an M6 non-TTL .72 because I now use 50 and 35 and 21 on the

handheld. The 35 fills the finder nicely, not max (max would be a 28)

that you would have to strain looking for corners, but 35 makes for

full in it. And the max lens I use in it is the 50 which leaves an

unused border +/- 1/3 distance from 4 edges to center without

strainning.

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For lenses above 50 now I use my R ... because I want to enjoy

composing and "peering into or imerse into" the picture. At above 50

on a .72 is a litlle bit pushing it imo. I would feel like being

outside of the scenes and not "in" it. The visible unused border is

nice but it puts me out of the scene too much.

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I might in the near future try to get a 75mm lens for the M6 .72,

just because my zoom 70-180 R system lens is simply not for

handholding, especially with a doubler ... it will likely ruin your

wrist. And then there is also a consideration that the M6 non-TTL is

becoming a collectible.

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Good luck to you.

Do you use the 35 a lot? Or do you use the 90 a lot, to the point

where the a bigger window and better focusing are important to you.

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If the former, the 35 frame on a .85 is something you can get used

to, but you lose almost all the 'outside the frame' capability that

rangefinders are so good at providing, helping you anticipate action.

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If you wear glasses the .85 finder is no use with the 35mm.

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An alternative is to get the .85, and a 35mm auxiliary viewfinder.

Not a bad overall solution, especially if you go for more grab shots

with the 35, i.e. situations where you guess focus or do not worry

about change of focus very much. You would focus with the rangefinder

that's built in, but view the scene with the auxiliary, which is,

simply put the finest viewing system ever invented for its purpose.

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The .85 is much better than the .72 with the 90mm, and perfect for

portraiture.

I have the TTL 0.85x version and it is great to use with the 50mm and

90mm lenses. The 35mm lens is ok, I find it easier to just use the

viewfinder itself rather than concentrate on seeing all of the 35

frameline at once which isn't that easy, this works perfectly

although as pointed out by one person you lose the ability to see

what's happening outside the frame area. Of course the 28mm is out of

the question with 0.85x. Overall unless you were going to use the

35mm lens most of the time you would be pretty happy with the 0.85x

version. As I mentioned it is really great with the 50mm lens as I

find the 0.72x frame just a little bit too small with this focal

length lens.

If you do decide to get the M6TTL (slightly taller, and so feels

different to someone with small hands), you can pick up an auxiliary

viewfinder for 35mm new-the Voigtlander 35mm auxiliary. It cost

around $135 or so.

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Auxiliary viewfinders, especially wide angle are quite useful, and

less cumbersome to use than would appear at first glance. It

increases your peripheral vision tremendously and you can keep both

eyes open, and the image is bright (as if there were no glass at all)

and life size. With a little practise, it can work quite well for

you.