Quick M6 ttl questions

[jae_myung_shim]

Hi, I just picked up a used M6 ttl and got these questions. They

must have been asked here before, and please allow me ...

 

Does the shutter dial have be set at "off" when the camera is not in

use? Or will it keep eating battery? I've used M3 for over ten years

which I traded in for this M6, and being used to it, that I have to

turn the dial back and forth everytime I use it is quite cumbersome.

 

Also, I found that even at the "off" postion the shutter triggers.

At what speed does it do that?

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on these questions in advance.

[luq]

Heya,

 

Yup, you'll have to set it to the 'off' position, and if cocked, the shutter will trigger irregardless of dial position.

 

cheers.

[wayne_murphy8]

To answer the question - The camera uses power only when the shutter is

cocked, the release button is pressed and the LEDs are lit. When the LEDs

go out, the power is off. When the shutter dial is set to "off" and the shutter is

cocked, if you press the release button, the "speed" is B, that is time exposure.

The shutter will stay open as long as you hold down the release. If the film is

not wound on, the shutter is not cocked and you cannot (obviously) make an

exposure. Yes, it's a pain. The M7 solves the problem with a shutter lock.

Only about 20 years too late. Storing the camera uncocked sort of solves the

problem.

[paul_neuthaler]

Maybe you should have kept your M3. . .

[sammer]

Actually, the camera will not use any battery as long as the shutter release is not depressed. So, if you have the camera set at any shutter speed, the battery is NOT used unless the shutter release is being pushed down. You can ignore the 'OFF' switch if you leave your camera sitting on your coffee table when not in use.

 

On the other hand, if you are like most, and carry your M in a camera bag, chances are that the bag places enough pressure on the shutter release to activate the meter and eat the batteries. If this is the case, the batteries will be completely spent overnight (or within 8 hrs). I believe it has happened to just about everyone.

 

Simple answer, get into the habit of turning the camera 'off' before putting it in your bag... and keep a few spare batteries handy for when you forget. Yes, it must seem a bit cumbersome compared to the M3, but consider it a tradeoff in that you no longer need an external meter (well, usually).

[jae_myung_shim]

Thank you all for the responses. It is good to know that I have only to turn it off at the end of the day.

 

The reason why I traded the camera was the absence of built-in meter in M3. Although I have used hand held meter and most times it worked with no problem, I haven't been totally confident with the accuracy of exposure. For instance, I never tried slide film with my M3. (In fact, I wonder if anyone shoots slide film with M3 (or M2 or M4, for that matter) with consistent results.) And it took many years for me to decide to go for more error proof M system.

[mskovacs]

I don't have an M3, but I shoot a lot of slide film through a Rolleiflex TLR of similar vintage using an incident meter.

[kevin m.]

"Maybe you should have kept your M3. . ."

 

Keeping any camera seems odd advice coming from someone looking for true love from his camera bag. ;-)

[SolaresLarrave]

I don't see why turning the shutterspeed dial to OFF can be considered a PIA. It's a matter of discipline, and if you're careful with your stuff, you'll learn to do it the same way you turn the lights off when you go to sleep (instead of waiting for them to turn themselves off or using a clapper).

 

IIRC, in this forum someone ran a test with a voltmeter or some such thing, and found out that the M6TTL wasn't totally off when not turned to the OFF position. In other words, I was told that a slight depression of the shutter release will turn the meter on (hence the warning about storing the camera in a bag) even if the shutter isn't cocked. The best way to prevent this is to turn the camera to the OFF position and, should you be curious about the speed and usefulness of the choice of B when the camera is off, well... think of doing very long exposures without using up the battery.

 

And welcome to the group of M6TTL users!

[SolaresLarrave]

Let me clarify this statement "In other words, I was told that a slight depression of the shutter release will turn the meter on (hence the warning about storing the camera in a bag) even if the shutter isn't cocked."

 

What I meant to say is that there is a very small amount of voltage running when the camera is not set on OFF. Yes, even when the shutter isn't cocked and the arrows aren't visible in the VF. At least, that's what a forum member told me regarding a test another forum member had run on an M6TTL body. Whether it's true or not, I just don't forget to turn the cameras off when I'm storing them in a bag. As it was pointed out above, like a lot of people, I did pay my debt to the god of mispent batteries when I forgot to turn the dial before stuffing the camera in a bag.

[beau 1664876222]

I've never, ever turned my M6 ttl to "off" and the batteries always last several months. I'm sure the meter gets triggered once in awhile in my bag, but I'm not too worried about it...

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

<I> For instance, I never tried slide film with my M3. (In fact, I wonder if anyone

shoots slide film with M3 (or M2 or M4, for that matter) </I><P>Oddly enuff

there are a few of us around who shot transparencies with Leicas BEFORE

they had built-in meters. It's not a problem. It just takes a little longer--but not

much. Back when I shot a lot of Kodachrome II (asa 25) I knew that direct

sunlight was 1/250th@5.6. You learn the other ones too (night shots of cities-

--30 seconds at f8, asa 64). So we managed to get by. That said, I love my

M6's with the built-in meters.

[lex_bosman1]

I have been shooting slides with M3 and M4, using the MR-meter, with good results. You just have to think a bit while measuring, but you can get used to it. Judging situations on their light intensity is a nice thing.... Using the meter to start with, you can get pretty fast with an M3 or M4.

With my M6 I have never had battery problems when I forgot to switch the shutter dial to "off". The battery doesn't seem to use much energy.

[sammer]

"I don't see why turning the shutterspeed dial to OFF can be considered a PIA..."

 

Really? While I'm more or less used to it, I certainly wish that I didn't have to. I'm often in a rush after a shoot and don't always have time to carefully deliberate every action. A simple on/off switch would be fine (although I'm no fan of the 'rose' thing), but turning the shutter speed dial through all of the speeds just to be able to put the camera away is something I wish I didn't have to do. In the grand scheme, this is no big deal; however, considering the price tag, I expect better design on such a basic element.

[tuan_hoang1]

My M6 ttl has been with me for more than 2 years. It is never changed battery even though I used it almost every day and I never set it off. As far as I know, if dial speed is in certain speed and you don't wind the film advance level, the battery is not draining out disregard the shutter button is pressed or not. You can check it by pressing the shutter realease button when the film advance level is not wound and you will see no light meter is triggered on.

[SolaresLarrave]

Sam, when, before shooting Leicas, I used to carry a Nikon SLR AF, it wasn't difficult to turn it off.

 

Now that I read your post... you're right in one thing: it's certainly cumbersome to turn the entire shutterspeed dial to set the camera in the OFF position. I wish I could just command it to turn itself off. Oh, well...