Leica m6, m6ttl, m7 switch

Hello Dear Leica owners,

 

i'm looking for a backup camera which i'm going to put in a backpack. The switch on m7 will shurely block all camera operation's, no accidential trigger possible. What about partitially mechanical m6 and m6 ttl? Does 'bulb' position only locks meter but not shutter? What 'off' does on the TTL model?

Read a copy of the user manuals here and you shoud be able to answer most of your questions: Leica camera instruction manuals, leicaflex camera instruction manual

On the M6 classic the B setting switches off the meter, but you can still fire the shutter (otherwise you wouldn't be able to use the bulb mode). Apparently the M6 TTL has the extra 'off' position because in all other positions (including 'B') some current is drawn from the battery. However, the mechanical shutter can still be fired (I think in bulb mode) even with the dial in the 'off' position. Only the M7's electronic shutter is locked in the 'off' position (which also switches everything else off).

The M6 TTL must be turned to the off position when placed into a camera bag. If the shutter is half pressed in any position besides "off" the light meter will be on and draining the battery. When I first got the M6 TTL, I went through a bunch of batteries until I discovered this. Regardless, the camera doesn't need a battery to operate. The battery is only to power the light meter and diodes in the viewfinder.

accidental trigger possible" OP

No joke, you should not be locking your shutter release just to save a frame of film.

On these horizontal traveling designs, the shutter shouldn't be left charged more than 1/2 a day.

Better to instead either fire off the shutter when you put it away, or, better yet...

Get into the HABIT, of only winding the camera just prior to firing off an exposure...