Leica M6 Classic verses Leica M6 TTL

<I>"M6 TTL 999: the Leica script and special 999 numbers are PAINTED

on instead of engraved. ugh. Sorry folks, personally I would not

invest in this one."</I> ---Stephen Gandy's cameraquest dot com.<BR>

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I don't care about the Leica lenses because I believe they are all

great---plastic or no plastic. While the M6 Classic is the non-TTL

version, I understand the M6 TTL works perfectly with a hotshoe'd

flash without having to worry about adjusting the F-stop. Since I

couldn't find which of these 2 beauts have the beefier build quality,

I'm curiuos to know how the best one compares with the professional

Leica M4-P and the bigger Leica M5. Are they worth the extra money or

is it better to go with what Stephen Gandy wrote? I wish to expand my

Leica M buyer's guide.

I'd like to nominate Mr. Granovski for a hero icon.

I can't even understand the question...

 

Only the last few TTL's have any faugh engravings. The 100 thousand M6ttl's out there in the world have none.

 

You are confusing two different things. The M6 "classic" has no TTL flash, the M6ttl does and is a bit taller and the shutter speed dial is bigger and travels in a different direction.

 

Those are the only differences between the two cameras.

Frank, I'm curious as to what factors or criteria are you considering to compare the M4P, the M5, the M6 and the M6TTL. Can you explain it in terms other than "build quality"?

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Thanks.

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PS. Your question was meant to say "M6 Classic <b>versus</b> instead of <b>verses</b>, I believe. <b>Versus</b> implies opposition, whereas <b>verses</b> is just the plural of the English noun <b>verse</b>.

I like the TTL much better, the bigger dial is not a pain in the ass like the smaller "Classic".

I, for one, can't wait for the Leica M buyer's guide to be completed.

I have the M4-P, if I ever wanted a metered model I would get the Classic. My reason is that I use the Leica rangefinder without flash only, since the Leica system has fast lenses good for available light shots. Also I find Leica's flash sync speed is too slow, so when I need flash I use my Nikon D70 (1/500 sec x-sync) and the Nikon SB800 speedlight combo. IMHO why pay more for the ttl I wouldn't ever use and have the shutter dial go in a different direction than my M4-P.

 

However, I don't need the M6 since the MR-4 meter couples directly to my M4-P and gives me meter readings without complicating my simple reliable, elegant camera. Anyway, Leica's in my view are for grabbing candid shots and not drawing attension to the photographer and once you flash everyone knows you are there.

A fairly good buyer's guide:

 

<http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/choosem.html>

 

...with a limited number of "Puts-isms."

 

--Mitch/Bangkok

I thought one camera was versing the other; too odd.

"...and once you flash everyone knows you are there."

 

Yes, that usually draws attention to yourself. :)

Thank you for the feedback. One of our members suggested the M6 and F3. Since I'm not interested in SLRs anymore, but 35mm cameras, Leica and Bessa are pretty much my only choices. Last time I checked, Leo's didn't even have one Bessa in stock so that I could at least look at one---that's the new ones: the R2A and the R3A. Basically I was hoping for M6 and M6 TTL user feedback, and how they compare with the M4-P and M5. It's not like I can go look at these in Vancouver. None of the local shops have any; and when I hit the next Leica swap meet (which is coming up fast), I'd like to have a few opinions formed. I'm sorry my post wasn't clear, but you know me. ;*)

Frank - Gandy's comments refer to the "M6TTL 999". That was a special run of the "last 999 M6TTL's to be made" - specially "engraved" - right around the time the M7 came out. The "painted on numbers" comments don't pertain to the bulk of the M6TTL's made beforehand.

 

Some people like the TTL's features (mainly the shutter dial) and some people don't. Personally I like them. To each his own.

Re: <I>"Frank, I'm curious as to what factors or criteria are you considering to compare the M4P, the M5, the M6 and the M6TTL. Can you explain it in terms other than 'build quality?'"</I><BR>

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I wish I knew.<BR>

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Solidness, ergonomics, reliability.

Ergonomically I think the larger "opposite direction" dial of the TTL is better. Those that don't like it usually don't because it is different from what they're used to or different from the dial on their other camera(s).

Another benefit of the TTL is the slightly more sensitive exposure meter and display readout with two triangles (for over and under) and a circle in the middle to indicate correct exposure. In the old one you have to judge the brigthness of two triangles.

I guess maybe I'll worry about it when my M2 bodies get worn out.

Frank, take a trip down to Seattle and see what Glazers has. They are an excellent Leica dealer and likely have a better stock than Leos. They may also have some unbiased answers to your many questions. :-)

Frank, the most important question to ask yourself is if you want a camera with a built-in meter or not.

 

If the answer is yes, then try to find an M6 or M6ttl. Whichever one you can find at a good price will do.

 

If the answer is no, then M2's, M3's and M4's have great finders and better build quality than the M4-2 and M4-P. If you plan to use a 35mm lens, then the M3 isn't the best choice because it lacks 35mm framelines in the viewfinder, otherwise it is considered by many to be THE classic Leica.

 

I have an M2, M3, M6, and a non-pristine CL.

Frank, in your quest for a rangefinder camera, I recommend that you adopt Vitruvius' criteria for architecture: 'Firmness, Commodity, and Delight', either that or Walter McCutcheon's criteria, but that is a longer story.

>>>Basically I was hoping for M6 and M6 TTL user feedback, and how they compare with the

M4-P and M5.<<<

 

That's exactly what's in the Puts's M buyer's guide for which I gave the url:

 

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/choosem.html

Does Glazers have a website?

 

It sounds like I should have just bought a new M6 TTL from B&H when they had them on sale. Oh, well. 6 weeks and counting until the Leica swap meet. I think I'll wear my silk suit. It's professional black.

<I>"It is clear that collectors wish to have pristine bodies which look as unused as possible. The only exception are the black paint bodies, which should look worn out."</I> ---from the website you just posted.<BR>

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Now you now why I'm confused.

You're confused because you don't seem to know how to read: in the first sentence you're

quoting he's talking about what collectors want. In the next one he says what users look for.

And the rest of the note has a very clear comparison of the various models and how they

differ in quality. Does someone have to summarize the conclusion for you so that you can

ubnderstand it? There is nothing confusing despite the somewhat stilted English.

The only conclusion I read was that the M6 needed adjustments more often than the M2/3/4, meaning these older models are better. See here:<BR>

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<I>"Bottom line we should accept that the M6 is as reliable and durable as an older one, is assembled with the same or even higher precision and tighter tolerances as an older one. We should also note that the M6 has an improved viewfinder and some nice additions as the exposure meter. On the other hand the M6 needs to be adjusted in slightly shorter intervals than the M2/3/4 when in heavy duty use and the simplification of some components make it a bit more sensitive on occasion. Let us have no illusions. Any Leica cameramodel can develop a fault. Look at a typical Leica repairshop and you will see every model represented: M3's as well as M6's. The engineering of the current Leica M bodies, the quality of production and the high level of shop testing ensures that a new Leica M will function according to specs and with the reliability and longevity that is part of the charm of the Leica. Engineering is a human act however, and incidentally a fault will occur, such is Murphy's Law."</I>

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