My new (used) M6

Hi

 

I'm new to the Leica Forum but have learnt a great deal from reading

the posts here and in other photo.net forums. The galleries are

inspiring and I hope to get some of my own work up there eventually.

 

Anyway, just bought an M6 Classic (in London, UK)and would welcome

any comments on the deal. It's my first Leica and although I use

other camera systems, I'm looking forward to some results (when I get

a lens!). I'm not a professional - what you might call a 'serious

amateur'. Photograph lots of black & white and do a lot of

architecture and stuff in the street including candids.

 

It's an M6 Classic, 0.85X finder in black finish. I believe only 3150

of these were made and were only available in black. The 0.85X finder

would probably have been my choice if buying new as I'll most likely

only use 50mm. A 35mm might not be impossible in the future and I can

see the framelines OK. I like the higher magnification and longer

rangefinder base of 0.85X.

 

The camera is in MINT condition and comes in its plastic box with

outer cardboard covering and still has the original protective

plastic covering on the baseplate. Apparently it was owned from new

by an elderly gentleman who traded it in for a new M7 0.85X. Given

the dates of production for the 0.85X (Feb-Aug 98) it can't be more

than four years old.

 

All paperwork is with the camera with the exception of the Leica

passport. Normally the dealer gives six months warranty but he said

he'd give me a year on this one. Then he said (this was over the

phone as it was mail ordered) "Oh wait, the original Leica warranty

has never been filled in so I'll stamp it and give you the full two-

year UK dealer stamped warranty" Couldn't argue with that - a)hope it

won't be needed, b) hope Leica will honour it as the camera is used.

 

So, it was mail ordered last Friday morning at 10.30am and arrived at

7.30am Saturday! It's on 14 days approval within which time I can

return it for a full refund or exchange for something else. I have

not seen anything come close to this one. I paid 1199 UK pounds which

I feel is plenty but not outrageous given the condition and warranty

deal. A new M6 TTL body sells for 1535. Do you feel the deal is

reasonable???

 

One quick technical question please. The shutter speed dial between

1/30 and 1/60 has a 1/50 flash sync position. I noticed that when the

camera is not wound on, there's quite a bit of mechanical resistance

when trying to move the dial past this point. It eases up to almost

the same as the other speeds when the camera is wound on. Do all M6's

do this or is it an adjustment issue or sign of trouble?

 

Sorry for the very long post and thanks for your time

 

Roy Mills

you will feel resistance as you pass into the speed range controlled by the slow speed escapement (i.e. the clockwork mechanism that retards the movement of the second curtain). the feeling varies whether or not the shutter is charged. however, it should not take "quite a bit of force" to move it past this point. needless to say, "quite a bit" is a relative term. i suggest that you go to a shop and try another m6 to see if yours is comparable. else you'll always wonder . . . .

Like they say you'll remember the quality long after you've forgotten the price. Enjoy your Leica. Use it to take lots of pictures with. Post some that you feel good about for the rest of us. Good luck.

Hi Roy! First contrat and all that! Just a few tips: (a) the thing about your 1/50 flash sync position -- I don't have this problem with my TTL. (b) If I were you, I would have paid the extra money for a TTL instead of a classic for all the reasons there are here. But then again, some of us here actually prefer the classic. Biggest diffs (IMO) are the dial direction, LED function and ON/OFF/battery deal. Read all the archives here. © If you still need a lens, decide fast too, maybe by reading the many archives here. I think 80-90% of us all here would say "if you could have only that one single lens..." it'd be a 35 or a 50 and this being a Summicron as well, to save money and at the same time to get something "foolproof". Lots of luck!

Hello Roy,

 

I have the same slight resistance on an M6 Classic, and I have read many times that it is normal. My camera has just been serviced at Solms and now I notice that the resistance though very minimal is just perceptible.

 

As for price, well, England is just about the most expensive developed country to buy a leica, so you have to expect to pay more than in the States, Singapore or Hong Kong. Shipping from these countries is not really an option since the import tax and VAT is so high. Prices in Germany are just a little lower.

 

I have seen a number of 'mint' M6 Classic .72's at Fieldgrass and Gale's web site for 900 pounds. Peter Walness is excellent to deal with and completely trustworthy, but obviously you would be wise to phone and talk about the actual condition of specific items.

 

I sort of concur with a previous comment: once you start using it, after a few months you tend to forget the little extra you might have paid. It sounds like you have a genuinely mint camera (not that that holds for long once you start to use it). Certainly the price seems within the range of reasonable.

Roy

 

I think you may be paying a little over-the-odds. I brought a mint M6, .72, boxed, warranty etc. etc 2 months ago from Ace Camera's in Bath, together with a mint 50m Summicron, both chrome, for £1330. The body was £950 I think. They're very helpfull.

 

James

Hi Roy,

Im sorry to say that you have over charged with your M6 classic, the price you paid is more in line for a mint M6 TTL. AS with most things in London (the city of money), many dealers will charge an arm and leg and most cases will get away with it as well. As an indication I bought a UNused M6 ttl for £1099 (from a dealer, still have 1 year passport) and a used m6 classic (from ebay) for £620. £1099 seems the going rate for a mint m6 TTL and about 850-900 would be the going rate for a mint m6 classic for the london area. Expect to pay a tad less if you venture outside London.

After buying lots of camera gear from dealers, I have decided its much more worthwhile to buy privately, after all camera dealers buy their stock from private owners (and make about 40% profit when they sell, part of which goes into the guarantee they offer should the camera be faulty)

He has not been overcharged. It's a rare model, and it commands a premium. A regular .85 TTL would cost less.

Ahhhh... how like the birth of a child is the acquirement of one's first Leica..

suprised there aren't photo's to accompany the post! ;^)

 

You'll always remember your first!

 

Congratulations.

 

Bob Keene

i am sorry -- i forgot to respond to the second oart of your question re: value. as many has said already, the .85 classic has become something of a sought after collector's piece (it is also a very nice user for those who appreciate the virtues of the classic (lower battery drain, smaller size, etc.) but want the very handy high mag. i think you did quite well and, if you keep it in mint condition through careful use, you will always be able to get your money out. on the other hand, if you don't care about the high mag, you could return it and get a .72 classic for a couple of hundred pounds less. in the uk, ace, andrews, and fieldgrass & gale are all very good. if you don't mine spooky industrial parks and get into the city, f & g makes a nice fieldtrip for those who rarely get to the other side of the river. the shop is very interesting.