Interesting thoughts on the M6, many thanks for this nice video. I had an M6 for some years, liked it quite a lot. With respect to the meter I used it more like a handheld meter: Look for a spot with the right level of brightness and meter it, focus, frame, shoot. You can even apply the Zone-System with b+w negative film. Look for a darker level of brightness in the scene that should still have full definition and measure it. Than correct exposure -2 stops which is Zone III instead of medium grey Zone V. And there you have it, exposing in Zones, just as easy as zone-focussing (Adams describes this in "The Negative" for use with 35mm film). With respect of the LED-indicator I couldn't agree more and I also by far prefer the readout of my Nikon FE2 to the FM2s I had and the M6. But you get used to that quickly. At least the new M6 added a third LED. With respect to repairability modern electronics of decent quality have improved since the eighties with respect to durability and will probably last even longer than the ones used in the classic M6 which jus started dying in slightly noticeable numbers if you follow the forums. With a new one I'd start to worry in about 30 years. Personally I'm worried more about the availability of film by that time.
WOW! absolutely amazing! There was no mention of the M7 as an alternative at all. Crazy how the M7 is one of the most overlooked film Leica's and yet I find it one of the best. I too was naive and ignorant and followed what every trendy street photographer on CZcams said about the M6 being the best camera. The M6 is one of the most over hyped cameras that exist. I was very fortunate that when I was going to purchase the M6 there happend to be an M7 in the Camera store. I am all about tools that make the craft easier to use and once I tried the M7 I knew this was the camera and never even looked back at the M6. The M7 features have helped so much, specially the Apreture priority and being aple to see your shutter speed without always chimping at your shutter dial. Not to mention it has the larger shutter dial that makes it far easier to use, I can't believe Leica put the small shutter dial on the new M6. I am so happy with my M7 and even happier that I did not make the mistake of buying the M6.
I got a used Leica M6 10 years ago from 1990 and it was practically new in box. I put 600+ rolls of film through it and I don't see any reaon to have it serviced yet. I also found the light meter a tad weird at first, but it's actually very fast once you get used to it, just turn the speed dial / aperture ring until the other arrow lights up, done. I don't really need it but it gives me more consistent results. With scanned pictures it doesn't really matter that much, but for printing in the darkroom it can save a lot of time.
Agree about the light meter. I think it was always designed for a seasoned user that just needed it in certain circumstances. For someone who may need to meter for every exposure, it’s definitely not the best. However, in those situations, it is also a very accurate meter. Regarding trying other rangefinders before buying a Leica. I’m not sure if the experience the same for everyone but prior to my M6 TTL, I tried a whole bunch of other rangefinders and kinda hated them all. It was only I took the plunge and just got my M6 TTL that I finally “got it”. I now prefer rangefinders but it was all from the Leica experience.
Note: If you just want to dabble in the leica line but can't afford a M series. Hear me out... The Leica R-E has aperture priority, it is an SLR but it's very compact. Glass is a little cheaper and you get the red dot. I found one in like new condition for $300. It's still a manual focus lens with similar metering to the M6. You can shoot just like a rangefinder, just sent to f8 and uses the zones on the lens. But you also have the luxury of looking through the lens if you are inclined. Happy shooting.
I have an M6 TTL from around 2000, love it. I've probably put 200 rolls through it, so far it's totally reliable. Like a Nikon FM2, it will shoot at all speeds even if the battery dies. No, it's not overrated. The light meter works great, I get consistently correct exposures. All of that being said, a camera is a box with a hole in it, the real reason to buy one of these is for the Leica lenses which are special. I see a lot of people buying this camera then sticking a cheap lens on it, to me that totally defeats the purpose.
...the key to successful use of the M6's simple but robust built-in light meter lies in interpreting what its output is *suggesting* and why. This minimalist approach and light metering interface (very Bauhaus, incidentally) is perhaps understandably not for everyone.
Older M6 is less of an alternative as Leica stated they can no longer repair the light meter if it dies. This moved me towards getting an M4-P (no meter).
Some valid points. I own M6 classic and M2 and find myselfe second guessing exposure readout on M6 even after 2 years of useing it. But meeter is really usefull inside so I'm prone to use it over the M2. I do love the clean viewfinder with only one frame at the time on M2. Regardless, it's a tool designed for a very specific way of shooting and every tim I try to move back to SLR style cameras I miss the finder being not affeceted by DOF of a lens and beautifull experience of useing precise and well designed tool.
The M6 I use near daily since 2020 has been running strong since 1991. My local repairman who used to work in the Midland Leica factory gave it a CLA when I got it and said it was in great working order with only the 1/1000th being slightly slower (somewhere like 1/960). He just gave it a quick CLA and promised me that it'll be good for at least a decade of daily use. I feel like the reliability of these are something that I never worried about, and I can't imagine the newer ones being much worse than a camera over 30 years old. Valid point about the meter though, I can see that since you're so used to the MA! The way I use it is just to meter for a scene and then ignore it after that unless the setting completely changes. It just helps me eliminate the need to carry a light meter for scenes :)
Yeah, I think the light meter can be ignored most of the time if you’re shooting in daylight. I use the meter when it’s indoors, there’s a lot of shade, etc. etc. I find I can’t really judge for exposure in those conditions.
The new M6 is definitely better than the original. The original isn’t all that great anyway. Because Leica started to cheap out about the time they started making the original M6. The new has the better finder of the MP and better build quality. But the cameras made before the M4-P were build much better. If you want a small M with a light meter the new M6 or MP are the way to go. But if you want the best rangefinder with a meter the M5 will be much more reliable. Also the M5 has a much more precise spot meter which is much better for high contrast scenes like in the video for when you need for middle grey in the shadows. And as you said the M5 shows you how far you’re away from the correct exposure.
The M5, unfortunately, is also becoming a bit long in the tooth 🦷 as the electronics can no longer be repaired. Some special parts, differing from other Leicas, in the shutter-mechanism are also beyond availability and repaireres start to refuse to work on them. But you are right about the savings in the viewfinder of the M4-2/-P and the old M6, where the metering-spot tends to white-out under certain angles of light. This is where previous as well as current Ms really have an advantage that is noticeable for the user. Current prices for M4-Ps are really difficult to justify if you aks me.
The new finish is pretty nice, I’m a big fan of the matte black models, I 💯 agree that the ISO dial should be metal though, when you pay this kind of money it should match the M-A I think.
I also use M-A Black Chrome but with Vit.. I much prefer that fuction and look over this New M6. Thats just me though. Maybe you'll like Leica Vit too. Thank you for the review 😊
I’ll go as far as to say that any light meter out on the streets distracts me. A nice, clean viewfinder with simply just illuminated frame lines is all I need to focus on the subject. Outside of that I’m sure you can indeed train yourself otherwise. Having said that good on Darren for sending it to you and this camera is of course an excellent camera and very nice to own. Great impression. Very honest as always!
With regards to the rear plastic iso dial, I read somewhere that they use a plastic one for the mp/m6 due to it having electronics. Possibly due to some sort of shorting factor or static electricity thing.
I have heard that. Makes me wonder if a workaround isn't possible though. Maybe difficult due to the location of the dial on the rear door flap with the pressure plate underneath?
I have one, it's just an apparatus, a luxury item. I can do the same on my Nikon for 150 quid. I think once you have experienced photography, you will be drawn to it, you will want to experience it. Having a brand new one, I want it to go into the world when I die and be used not in a glass box they must be used not looked at
I really would love a M-A, but I am concerned about the future of film. Will it be around much longer? I might just pull the trigger and purchase one anyway and just enjoy it for as long as possible. I currently use other film cameras, but a brand new one would be incredible. I wish I had a crystal ball. Decisions......
Thanks for this honest and - indeed - subjective review! Personally I think you‘ve hit the nail with your thoughts about the „new“ M6. I own a „original“ M6 from the 90‘s and a M7 from the early 2000‘s. My biggest complaint about the new M6 is that it didn’t show any substantial progress. It’s more or less the same camera as a MP, minus the better looks of the MP (or the MA). The lightmeter indicator in the viewfinder is crap as it was in the original M6, and the new one didn’t even has the ability to be shot in aperture priority like the M7, which is why I personally enjoy the M7 much more than the M6. The only reason I can think of for reintroducing the M6 is that Leica wanted to get its share from the hype about that old M6. Given that it’s still a nice camera, but as long as I could get more or less two used M6 (which are ridiculously overpriced, too) for one new one, I know what I would do. And given the steadily rising costs of shooting film while more and more film-types were no longer produced, I wouldn’t buy a film camera for more than five grand. Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Olympus made nice and reliable film cameras, too. Yes, mostly they’re SLR cameras, not rangefinders. But one can get these cameras in a good condition for a few hundred bucks. If they break it’s sad but not a big deal. If the new M6 breaks and can’t be repaired (or it’s too expensive) it’s sad and a big deal because you‘ve burned a whole lot of money. If you can buy two of those new M6 plus some Leica glas without thinking twice about the money, just go for it. If this thought makes your bank account cringe - there are a lot of other good film cameras😉✌️.
It‘s a great camera, but I simply can not justify the price as an amateur photographer. I am happy with my semi-mechanical NIKON N6006 from the early 90's. Maybe one day, when I have enough disposable income. Great video and great review.
Hi there. One of the big differences is the fact that the reissued camera won’t take a power drive, which was made by Eumig in Austria for Leica. They went bust some years ago. Sadly I sold my Leica outfit in the 1990’s. Big mistake.
I would consider that a minor difference since an extremely small percentage of users would ever use a motor drive with a Leica M these days. Still a dealbreaker I guess, if you plan to use one.
The meter is the thing I’ve had to master shooting the Leica M. It’s not a straightforward thing. You just have to know the lens and move the camera around so you can see the exposure of the whole scene and then decide on your settings.
The new 2022 M6 is almost the same price as a 1984 M6, I think it's worth the price, many things can happen in one year imagine 20-30 years. BTW you look like a UPS driver lol
Yeah, I wouldn't have expected to be significantly cheaper than the MP or M-A, etc. Haha you're right! UPS drivers have often been the ones to deliver my film cameras and related purchases, so I'll take it 😁
I learned photography using a 1950's rangefinder, and I have a hard time reconciling spending thousands of dollars on camera technology that was pretty much perfected by 1940. I would really like to see is a thorough comparison between something like the M6 compared to older rangefinders, like a Barnack Leica II or III. I'm willing to bet that the difference is not all that great.
there's no difference between this and the Leica M2/M3 other than the built in lightmeter, the 6 sets of framelines (28mm/90mm, 35mm/135mm, 50mm/75mm), and a hotshoe for flash-sync. But M2 and M3 can use flash if you connect a hotshoe thru a adapter cable. Nothing different in image quality or handling, and M2/M3 are even better built with zero plastic components.
Do you work for UPS? 😂 You comments about the light meter are funny. It’s very intuitive and easy to use - easier that a scale. Honestly, if you are so far off the optimal setting that you don’t know how much to turn the dial, the M is not for you. So not know how far off you are is a moot point. E.g., you’re not going to set shutter to 1000 when you are in a dimly lit room with ISO 200.
Nice balanced review. Did that M6 put scratches in your negatives? There’s a massive thread on the internet about how many of the first batches of M6s are scratching negatives.
Thanks! Not at all, I looked at them under strong light and they're quite clean, scans are good too. Maybe there was a bad batch? You'd have to test it properly though to make sure other factors aren't causing the scratches. It can happen though, usually from the pressure plate or some other bad contact point.
@@pushingfilm thanks for the update. There are some angry people out there but its hard to know exactly what percentage are affected. Good to hear your friend’s camera is fine. Apparently Leica is replacing pressure plates.
@@willbarenI have two new Leica MPs from 2022 and 2023, and the 2022 version did have the faulty pressure plate so I brought it up to the small dealer I usually buy from and after emailing back and forth for a few days with some customer service manager and her director they actually expedited my repair. Pretty happy about that because the original repair estimate was going to be 17 weeks!! I will say the 2023 MP has a completely different pressure plate so I’m assuming they figured out the manufacturing problem and are sending out all the new cameras with the correct plates now
@@analogish2046 thanks for sharing your experience and it’s good to hear a report of follow up from Leica that has solved the problem. Your Leica dealer sounds like they are on the ball. Cheers.
Great insights. As a complete full-manual noob I think I would want a light meter, but I’ve never used a light meter that uses those dots and it does look a bit tricky, hmmmmm 🤔 Maybe I could just carry a seperate light meter while I learn the ropes on an older second hand one? One of life’s toughest decisions seems to be which Leica to lose your virginity to
With the light meter on the new M6, it works as follows: red dot on its own means that the image is exposed properly, red dot and an on either side means that the image is under or over exposed by a 1/2 a stop, and just an is the image is under or over exposed by a 1 stop.
Hello! A query: do you know if in the MP the way to offer the light measurement in the viewfinder is the same as in the M6 or is it different? Thank you and best regards
I kinda agree with your gripes about the light meter. Also it would be cool to somehow use without looking through the finder. Pre metering by constantly putting it up to the eye is just a bit strange and I prefer the waist level metering like on a Canon 7 (if those ever worked of course).
There are still several small handheld meters available new that fit in a pocket and attract people's curiosity much less than a camera pointed at them. The Seconic L208 is my favourite as it has a nice needle-readout.
the issue with it is that prices of film and chemicals are skyrocketing .. in have been a film shooter all my life but it became so bloody expensive is not even funny
I have a new M-A. I've had occasional troubles with loading a roll of film into the camera on the first try. Occasionally the film has hung up on the gear sprockets or been distorted by the sprockets. It's frustrating to find that the film is NOT advancing smoothly. How - assuming you've had the same problem - have you addressed this issue?
@@pushingfilm , I think loading a roll of film into the Leica M-A successfully requires a little more care than that simple diagram on the bottom of the base plate would suggest. I'd make certain that the film aligns perfectly with the M-A's sprockets before locking the base plate in place.
@@Gravitys-NOT-a-force Quite to the contrary in my experience. The more you fiddle around with the back flipped open the higher the chances of trouble. Insert cannister halfway. pull the leader over into the fork, push everything in, close lid, advance film and watch the crank. Faster than any camera with a hinged back and works everytime.
@@kalenderquantentunnel9411 , thanks for that thoughtful response. The rewind crank is the key! Never again will I assume that my film is loaded successfully if the two red dots on the rewind crank aren't rotating immediately when I begin to wind the film.
JUST having a Ferrari doesn't mean I'm a good driver. another reportage and another epic dream image with no aesthetic value. The vanity of projection, on a channel, you do not make us teachers.
Overpriced, overhyped camera… I prefer buying any 300$ camera and keep the other 5k to travel 😅 it’s just comical to see CZcamsrs with a M6 taking boring or crap pictures just to follow a trend, same in digital with Fuji stuff…
I’m just stunned by this great picture of the guy looking through the pipe 😮
Interesting thoughts on the M6, many thanks for this nice video. I had an M6 for some years, liked it quite a lot. With respect to the meter I used it more like a handheld meter: Look for a spot with the right level of brightness and meter it, focus, frame, shoot. You can even apply the Zone-System with b+w negative film. Look for a darker level of brightness in the scene that should still have full definition and measure it. Than correct exposure -2 stops which is Zone III instead of medium grey Zone V. And there you have it, exposing in Zones, just as easy as zone-focussing (Adams describes this in "The Negative" for use with 35mm film). With respect of the LED-indicator I couldn't agree more and I also by far prefer the readout of my Nikon FE2 to the FM2s I had and the M6. But you get used to that quickly. At least the new M6 added a third LED. With respect to repairability modern electronics of decent quality have improved since the eighties with respect to durability and will probably last even longer than the ones used in the classic M6 which jus started dying in slightly noticeable numbers if you follow the forums. With a new one I'd start to worry in about 30 years. Personally I'm worried more about the availability of film by that time.
WOW! absolutely amazing! There was no mention of the M7 as an alternative at all. Crazy how the M7 is one of the most overlooked film Leica's and yet I find it one of the best. I too was naive and ignorant and followed what every trendy street photographer on CZcams said about the M6 being the best camera. The M6 is one of the most over hyped cameras that exist. I was very fortunate that when I was going to purchase the M6 there happend to be an M7 in the Camera store. I am all about tools that make the craft easier to use and once I tried the M7 I knew this was the camera and never even looked back at the M6. The M7 features have helped so much, specially the Apreture priority and being aple to see your shutter speed without always chimping at your shutter dial. Not to mention it has the larger shutter dial that makes it far easier to use, I can't believe Leica put the small shutter dial on the new M6. I am so happy with my M7 and even happier that I did not make the mistake of buying the M6.
Aperture priority is a dream. But if you want a camera that will be around and working in 30 years, the M7 isn’t it. The M6 Classic would be
@@BessAnderson My Leica M7 will definitely outlive me. Actually it betters the M6 tbh.
@@BessAnderson I want a camera that works for me now and not in 30yrs. The M7 gives me the features I need now.
Only noobs shoot with aperture priority. Learn how to shoot full manual
I got a used Leica M6 10 years ago from 1990 and it was practically new in box. I put 600+ rolls of film through it and I don't see any reaon to have it serviced yet. I also found the light meter a tad weird at first, but it's actually very fast once you get used to it, just turn the speed dial / aperture ring until the other arrow lights up, done. I don't really need it but it gives me more consistent results. With scanned pictures it doesn't really matter that much, but for printing in the darkroom it can save a lot of time.
That's great to hear! Yeah I think getting used to it plays a huge role.
Agree about the light meter. I think it was always designed for a seasoned user that just needed it in certain circumstances. For someone who may need to meter for every exposure, it’s definitely not the best. However, in those situations, it is also a very accurate meter.
Regarding trying other rangefinders before buying a Leica. I’m not sure if the experience the same for everyone but prior to my M6 TTL, I tried a whole bunch of other rangefinders and kinda hated them all. It was only I took the plunge and just got my M6 TTL that I finally “got it”. I now prefer rangefinders but it was all from the Leica experience.
Valid points, and a good way to look at it!
Note: If you just want to dabble in the leica line but can't afford a M series. Hear me out... The Leica R-E has aperture priority, it is an SLR but it's very compact. Glass is a little cheaper and you get the red dot. I found one in like new condition for $300. It's still a manual focus lens with similar metering to the M6. You can shoot just like a rangefinder, just sent to f8 and uses the zones on the lens. But you also have the luxury of looking through the lens if you are inclined. Happy shooting.
I have an M6 TTL from around 2000, love it. I've probably put 200 rolls through it, so far it's totally reliable. Like a Nikon FM2, it will shoot at all speeds even if the battery dies. No, it's not overrated. The light meter works great, I get consistently correct exposures. All of that being said, a camera is a box with a hole in it, the real reason to buy one of these is for the Leica lenses which are special. I see a lot of people buying this camera then sticking a cheap lens on it, to me that totally defeats the purpose.
Awesome! Good to hear :-)
Bought my M6 and a Summilux 35mm 1.4 in 1995. Used heavily all over the world. Bulletproof. Service twice because of dust.
I totally agree with you that the light meter is kind of annoying once you get to know how to shoot without it 🎉 I love my M-A as much as you do ❤
Great video! I love the honest opinions! Your thoughts on the M6 light meter are good points!
Thanks!
...the key to successful use of the M6's simple but robust built-in light meter lies in interpreting what its output is *suggesting* and why. This minimalist approach and light metering interface (very Bauhaus, incidentally) is perhaps understandably not for everyone.
Older M6 is less of an alternative as Leica stated they can no longer repair the light meter if it dies. This moved me towards getting an M4-P (no meter).
Some valid points. I own M6 classic and M2 and find myselfe second guessing exposure readout on M6 even after 2 years of useing it. But meeter is really usefull inside so I'm prone to use it over the M2. I do love the clean viewfinder with only one frame at the time on M2. Regardless, it's a tool designed for a very specific way of shooting and every tim I try to move back to SLR style cameras I miss the finder being not affeceted by DOF of a lens and beautifull experience of useing precise and well designed tool.
The M6 I use near daily since 2020 has been running strong since 1991. My local repairman who used to work in the Midland Leica factory gave it a CLA when I got it and said it was in great working order with only the 1/1000th being slightly slower (somewhere like 1/960). He just gave it a quick CLA and promised me that it'll be good for at least a decade of daily use.
I feel like the reliability of these are something that I never worried about, and I can't imagine the newer ones being much worse than a camera over 30 years old.
Valid point about the meter though, I can see that since you're so used to the MA! The way I use it is just to meter for a scene and then ignore it after that unless the setting completely changes. It just helps me eliminate the need to carry a light meter for scenes :)
Yeah I think it's normal for the 1/1000 on manual Leicas to run a bit slow, according to some technicians!
I truly appreciate a viciously honest opinion. Technically, Leicas may be great, but they're not the camera for me. Thanks for a great review Hasham.
Thanks Dave 🙂
Very rarely I hit like already at 30 seconds of the video :) Thank you for being honest
Yeah, I think the light meter can be ignored most of the time if you’re shooting in daylight. I use the meter when it’s indoors, there’s a lot of shade, etc. etc. I find I can’t really judge for exposure in those conditions.
Yeah, I still think it's good to have for most people's shooting styles! Definitely handy indoor too and gave accurate exposures.
The new M6 is definitely better than the original. The original isn’t all that great anyway. Because Leica started to cheap out about the time they started making the original M6. The new has the better finder of the MP and better build quality. But the cameras made before the M4-P were build much better. If you want a small M with a light meter the new M6 or MP are the way to go. But if you want the best rangefinder with a meter the M5 will be much more reliable. Also the M5 has a much more precise spot meter which is much better for high contrast scenes like in the video for when you need for middle grey in the shadows. And as you said the M5 shows you how far you’re away from the correct exposure.
The M5, unfortunately, is also becoming a bit long in the tooth 🦷 as the electronics can no longer be repaired. Some special parts, differing from other Leicas, in the shutter-mechanism are also beyond availability and repaireres start to refuse to work on them. But you are right about the savings in the viewfinder of the M4-2/-P and the old M6, where the metering-spot tends to white-out under certain angles of light. This is where previous as well as current Ms really have an advantage that is noticeable for the user. Current prices for M4-Ps are really difficult to justify if you aks me.
I enjoyed your meme in the sponsor ad. Thanks for the laugh, Hashem. 😅
Oh & good onya Daz for borrowing Hash your new M6! 👍🏻
You had me at the thumbnail….
Completely agree on the meter, i never liked the M6 and MP for this reason and found that the M4 works better for me.
I was talking to a few of my fellow leica buddies, and we said something similar to how the M6 could be slower than the M-A.
The new finish is pretty nice, I’m a big fan of the matte black models, I 💯 agree that the ISO dial should be metal though, when you pay this kind of money it should match the M-A I think.
Yeah the finish is really nice! looks similar to the modern digital M cameras
I also use M-A Black Chrome but with Vit.. I much prefer that fuction and look over this New M6. Thats just me though. Maybe you'll like Leica Vit too. Thank you for the review 😊
Hoping the new Pentax film cameras are decent. We need new film cams that are not super spendy
I agree!
I’ll go as far as to say that any light meter out on the streets distracts me. A nice, clean viewfinder with simply just illuminated frame lines is all I need to focus on the subject.
Outside of that I’m sure you can indeed train yourself otherwise.
Having said that good on Darren for sending it to you and this camera is of course an excellent camera and very nice to own.
Great impression. Very honest as always!
Yep! Luckily he lives in the same city as me and no need to send it 😁 Thanks, as usual!
Gracias por el video!
Sin embargo y pese a las pequeñas limitantes me gusta mucho más la *Leíca M3*.
Very good video, I'm close to buying the m6 so this useful.
Leica M3/2, any day. Keep up the good work :)
Good choices! I plan to try an M3 next 🙂 Thank you
With regards to the rear plastic iso dial, I read somewhere that they use a plastic one for the mp/m6 due to it having electronics. Possibly due to some sort of shorting factor or static electricity thing.
I have heard that. Makes me wonder if a workaround isn't possible though. Maybe difficult due to the location of the dial on the rear door flap with the pressure plate underneath?
I have one, it's just an apparatus, a luxury item. I can do the same on my Nikon for 150 quid. I think once you have experienced photography, you will be drawn to it, you will want to experience it. Having a brand new one, I want it to go into the world when I die and be used not in a glass box they must be used not looked at
A great honest points of view, much appreciated.
Nice review. Great point about the meter - you do get used to it of course, as you say.
Not sure if you heard but Leica is planning to offer original M6 light meter servicing / replacement.
I didn't! That's good news
I really would love a M-A, but I am concerned about the future of film. Will it be around much longer? I might just pull the trigger and purchase one anyway and just enjoy it for as long as possible. I currently use other film cameras, but a brand new one would be incredible. I wish I had a crystal ball. Decisions......
Konica HEXAR RF for those looking for a quality RF camera (that adds more for less than a leica M)
Thanks for this honest and - indeed - subjective review! Personally I think you‘ve hit the nail with your thoughts about the „new“ M6. I own a „original“ M6 from the 90‘s and a M7 from the early 2000‘s. My biggest complaint about the new M6 is that it didn’t show any substantial progress. It’s more or less the same camera as a MP, minus the better looks of the MP (or the MA). The lightmeter indicator in the viewfinder is crap as it was in the original M6, and the new one didn’t even has the ability to be shot in aperture priority like the M7, which is why I personally enjoy the M7 much more than the M6. The only reason I can think of for reintroducing the M6 is that Leica wanted to get its share from the hype about that old M6. Given that it’s still a nice camera, but as long as I could get more or less two used M6 (which are ridiculously overpriced, too) for one new one, I know what I would do. And given the steadily rising costs of shooting film while more and more film-types were no longer produced, I wouldn’t buy a film camera for more than five grand. Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Olympus made nice and reliable film cameras, too. Yes, mostly they’re SLR cameras, not rangefinders. But one can get these cameras in a good condition for a few hundred bucks. If they break it’s sad but not a big deal. If the new M6 breaks and can’t be repaired (or it’s too expensive) it’s sad and a big deal because you‘ve burned a whole lot of money. If you can buy two of those new M6 plus some Leica glas without thinking twice about the money, just go for it. If this thought makes your bank account cringe - there are a lot of other good film cameras😉✌️.
Thanks! Good points, and thanks for sharing your thoughts. We definitely are spoilt for choice these days 🙂
It‘s a great camera, but I simply can not justify the price as an amateur photographer. I am happy with my semi-mechanical NIKON N6006 from the early 90's. Maybe one day, when I have enough disposable income. Great video and great review.
That's fair :-) Glad you like the video!
Enjoyed this one mate. I think your choice with the M-A is a good one. Stealth. 👍
Thanks!
Hi there. One of the big differences is the fact that the reissued camera won’t take a power drive, which was made by Eumig in Austria for Leica. They went bust some years ago. Sadly I sold my Leica outfit in the 1990’s. Big mistake.
I would consider that a minor difference since an extremely small percentage of users would ever use a motor drive with a Leica M these days. Still a dealbreaker I guess, if you plan to use one.
The meter is the thing I’ve had to master shooting the Leica M. It’s not a straightforward thing. You just have to know the lens and move the camera around so you can see the exposure of the whole scene and then decide on your settings.
The new 2022 M6 is almost the same price as a 1984 M6, I think it's worth the price, many things can happen in one year imagine 20-30 years. BTW you look like a UPS driver lol
Yeah, I wouldn't have expected to be significantly cheaper than the MP or M-A, etc. Haha you're right! UPS drivers have often been the ones to deliver my film cameras and related purchases, so I'll take it 😁
very fair and reasonable opinion!
Thanks for being honest!
I learned photography using a 1950's rangefinder, and I have a hard time reconciling spending thousands of dollars on camera technology that was pretty much perfected by 1940. I would really like to see is a thorough comparison between something like the M6 compared to older rangefinders, like a Barnack Leica II or III. I'm willing to bet that the difference is not all that great.
there's no difference between this and the Leica M2/M3 other than the built in lightmeter, the 6 sets of framelines (28mm/90mm, 35mm/135mm, 50mm/75mm), and a hotshoe for flash-sync. But M2 and M3 can use flash if you connect a hotshoe thru a adapter cable. Nothing different in image quality or handling, and M2/M3 are even better built with zero plastic components.
agree 110% on the light meter comment, im not a quick shooter myself but that thing looks so damn annoying
Do you work for UPS? 😂
You comments about the light meter are funny. It’s very intuitive and easy to use - easier that a scale. Honestly, if you are so far off the optimal setting that you don’t know how much to turn the dial, the M is not for you. So not know how far off you are is a moot point. E.g., you’re not going to set shutter to 1000 when you are in a dimly lit room with ISO 200.
Nice balanced review. Did that M6 put scratches in your negatives? There’s a massive thread on the internet about how many of the first batches of M6s are scratching negatives.
Thanks! Not at all, I looked at them under strong light and they're quite clean, scans are good too. Maybe there was a bad batch? You'd have to test it properly though to make sure other factors aren't causing the scratches. It can happen though, usually from the pressure plate or some other bad contact point.
@@pushingfilm thanks for the update. There are some angry people out there but its hard to know exactly what percentage are affected. Good to hear your friend’s camera is fine. Apparently Leica is replacing pressure plates.
@@willbarenI have two new Leica MPs from 2022 and 2023, and the 2022 version did have the faulty pressure plate so I brought it up to the small dealer I usually buy from and after emailing back and forth for a few days with some customer service manager and her director they actually expedited my repair. Pretty happy about that because the original repair estimate was going to be 17 weeks!! I will say the 2023 MP has a completely different pressure plate so I’m assuming they figured out the manufacturing problem and are sending out all the new cameras with the correct plates now
@@analogish2046 thanks for sharing your experience and it’s good to hear a report of follow up from Leica that has solved the problem. Your Leica dealer sounds like they are on the ball. Cheers.
Great insights. As a complete full-manual noob I think I would want a light meter, but I’ve never used a light meter that uses those dots and it does look a bit tricky, hmmmmm 🤔
Maybe I could just carry a seperate light meter while I learn the ropes on an older second hand one? One of life’s toughest decisions seems to be which Leica to lose your virginity to
Looks like Q3 might be it? 😁
@@pushingfilm just put the deposit down 🤫🤫🤫
I can also learn to range focus without burning through film now too
You might like the M7 better. It is the overlooked beast in the M film cameras.
Maybe!
There has been a batch of faulty pressure plates on the M6 2022 - scratching film all over
I heard about this after releasing this video, I wonder how many were affected...
With the light meter on the new M6, it works as follows: red dot on its own means that the image is exposed properly, red dot and an on either side means that the image is under or over exposed by a 1/2 a stop, and just an is the image is under or over exposed by a 1 stop.
Yes I realise that, but I'm just not a fan.
Hi, M6 is my dream camera. Is this M6 limited production or not? Thank you.
Hey, I'm not too sure! I do think they plan to keep it available for a few years
Hello! A query: do you know if in the MP the way to offer the light measurement in the viewfinder is the same as in the M6 or is it different? Thank you and best regards
Hey, I'm pretty sure it's the same. Thanks for watching 🙂
This video made me want to sell my M6 😅 (classic from 1988)
I kinda agree with your gripes about the light meter. Also it would be cool to somehow use without looking through the finder. Pre metering by constantly putting it up to the eye is just a bit strange and I prefer the waist level metering like on a Canon 7 (if those ever worked of course).
I can see how some people like using those hotshoe mounted meters for that reason.
@@pushingfilmLike the Voigtlander meter, which is not loose, mounted on the hotshot.
There are still several small handheld meters available new that fit in a pocket and attract people's curiosity much less than a camera pointed at them. The Seconic L208 is my favourite as it has a nice needle-readout.
@@kalenderquantentunnel9411 Thank you. I will check it out.
Honestly for an external meter I just use my phone with an app. Works well enough
Nice UPS outfit
Mr UPS Man
the issue with it is that prices of film and chemicals are skyrocketing .. in have been a film shooter all my life but it became so bloody expensive is not even funny
I have a new M-A. I've had occasional troubles with loading a roll of film into the camera on the first try. Occasionally the film has hung up on the gear sprockets or been distorted by the sprockets. It's frustrating to find that the film is NOT advancing smoothly. How - assuming you've had the same problem - have you addressed this issue?
Hey, no I've never had this problem at all.
@@pushingfilm , I think loading a roll of film into the Leica M-A successfully requires a little more care than that simple diagram on the bottom of the base plate would suggest. I'd make certain that the film aligns perfectly with the M-A's sprockets before locking the base plate in place.
@@Gravitys-NOT-a-force Quite to the contrary in my experience. The more you fiddle around with the back flipped open the higher the chances of trouble. Insert cannister halfway. pull the leader over into the fork, push everything in, close lid, advance film and watch the crank. Faster than any camera with a hinged back and works everytime.
@@kalenderquantentunnel9411 , thanks for that thoughtful response. The rewind crank is the key! Never again will I assume that my film is loaded successfully if the two red dots on the rewind crank aren't rotating immediately when I begin to wind the film.
How does the viewfinder compare to the MP?
The meter is awful and very distracting. I have had all of the M bodies. I eventually just took the batteries out of my MP.
Can we get a Hey Yaa for the thumbnail?
I was hoping for a few other Star Wars fans 😁 I should have released the video on May the 4th, instead of 8th haha
@Pushing Film Haha let the H8 flow through you. The visual gag in the ad also got a good laugh
Just so you know, Leica will service this camera including the light meter for a good 10 years after it is discontinued.
JUST having a Ferrari doesn't mean I'm a good driver. another reportage and another epic dream image with no aesthetic value. The vanity of projection, on a channel, you do not make us teachers.
I just can't agree with 5000+ dollars for a rangefinder. That's absurd. Leica has their head stuck up their ass.
Overpriced, overhyped camera… I prefer buying any 300$ camera and keep the other 5k to travel 😅 it’s just comical to see CZcamsrs with a M6 taking boring or crap pictures just to follow a trend, same in digital with Fuji stuff…
a waste of leica production capacity, limited one at that.
An M6 is for peasants. A real Leica man shoots nothing less than an MP or MA.
Ken Rockwell is that you?
😂😂😂😂😂😂 what a joke…🎉🎉😂😂😂
Dude! Enough with the nonsense comments about the "rising cost of film"!! Film is cheaper now than it has ever been. And Kodak just CUT film prices.
I would not buy it...luv the other model