I am thinking of taking the plunge on an M6 (my first) and feel strongly about the titanium model...it is the one that does it for me aesthetically (basically a feeling I have...chalk it up to being more of a right-side brainer). Any feedback from others who have thought about this model (or who own one)? A good place to look for one, price, etc ? Thanks.

-- Will Freeman (freemanw@grinnell.edu), June 05, 2001

Answers

Will,

Most folks here probably scoff at the idea that a camera's "looks" matter, but for some of us, they do.

I love my titanium M6. It's a bit heavier than a zinc model, but (don't spread it around), I like the color, and the "springy" leather feels better when I grab a shot. Silly, but true.

Now, I'm not a pro, and if you are, I would suggest saving money and go for the black chrome.... The titanium will get just as scratched and the leather will wear down to a nub under heavy professional usage. But, if you just want to take great pictures with your new Leica, go for the titanium if the looks will inspire to take pictures more often.

There are three or four of them right now on Eb*y. Go to photo section, click on Leica and type in "titanium" for your search (duh).

I've seen them in mint and unused condition for around $2500.00 or so. Now that's about a grand more than a black or chrome M6 will cost you in a new grey market version, so be sure it's what you want!

You didn't mention lenses, but I can tell you, forget the titanium. They are way too heavy. The extra weight of the camera is bad enough, but that 50mm lens will make you fall over frontwards... The 90 is worse. The titanium 35 pre ASPH is ok, but it is getting hard to find clean, and heck, for the $1600.00 a pre ASPH titanium 35 would cost you, you might as well get a fresh new black 35 1.4 ASPH from Delta International for $1701.00 Now that's a steal!

Oh, by the way, the black lenses look great on a titanium body... :^)

Good luck, Will!

-- Steve Hoffman (shoffman2@socal.rr.com), June 06, 2001.

To me it would be different if the camera was REALLY a Titanium M6, but that isn't what Leica created, is it. If it truly had a titanium body,(and not just a "coating" over another metal) it would be a tad lighter and much stronger than the regular M6, and very resistant to the elements. I could then see why it would cost more as well, as titanium is expensive stuff and harder to work with.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 06, 2001.

I jsut realized that The minilux "titanium" is just a coating, is the M6 Titanium a true titanium body? If so, my apologies to Leica.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), June 06, 2001.

It is just a coating on the M6 as well. The titanium alloy is splatter coated onto brass. It is supposed to be tougher than the other finishes.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), June 06, 2001.

"The titanium will get just as scratched "

Really ?

Titanium, even coated is harder than steel, it should be VERY scratch proof.

I tested the scratch proof of my titanium coated Minox TLX with a steel knife, no scratch marks !

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), June 06, 2001.

Will:

Hey, it is your money and it is going to be your camera so buy the one you want! We only go around once in life, so why not allow ourselves at least a few little pleasures? There is only one caution I would give you: To my knowlege, there are only a few lenses available in the titanium finish -- 35, 50 and 90 -- this is fine as long as they are the lenses you want, or you don't mind the way the titanium body looks when paired with a black or chrome lens, or say a black motor drive!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), June 06, 2001.

Jack is right. You can spend plenty on the regular finishes too, but if the titanium suits your fancy, then buy it. Nothing in Leica qualifies as economical, except in a relative sense, might as well buy the one you like. I just wish there wasn't such a big difference in price for the titanium/ostrich finish; I think Leica would sell a lot more of them if the difference in price were only $300 or so.

-- Chris Henry (henryjc@concentric.net), June 06, 2001.

I managed to purchase the titanium model, used, before it was discontinued and paid roughly the same as a standard M6. I think it is a great looking camera and am happy with the performance but I bought it for cosmetic reasons and am not sure it's any more scratch resistant than my black one. Nothing wrong with satisfying your aesthetic side.

TG

-- T. Gallagher (tgallagher10@yahoo.com), June 06, 2001.

It is easy to check for scratch marks on titanium/titnaiun coated camera.

Use a 20x loupe to examine a well used titanium coated camera, scratch mark, if any will be easily revealed.

I don't think you will find any. Titanium camera is quite scratch proof, unless, well, if your wife's dimond scratched it

Using the same 20x loupe to examine your steel watch back, you will see there are plenty of thiner than hair scratches. Of course gold watches are easily scratched, even with paper edge, need buffering every year.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), June 07, 2001.