There´s one version of the M6 classic,which has only M6 engraved at the front of the top-plate, not LEICA M6. Does anyone of you has informations about this type of M6 classic? Thanks Jürgen

-- Jürgen Schliehe (juergen.schliehe@t-online.de), May 02, 2002

Answers

Jurgen,

Try http://www.cameraquest.com

In the "classic profiles" section, there are numerous special edition M6, you might find yours.

Cheers.

-- Xavier d'Alfort (hot_billexf@hotmail.com), May 02, 2002.

This version of the M6 (with the single large M6 on the front left, sort of like the M7, which also does not say Leica on the fron) is just one of many minor variations in the features and finishes of the M6. It is not worth any more than the more common "Leica M6" camera of the same vintage and condition, although some dealere may try to convince buyers that these are collectible. In general, the collector market has yet to distinguish different minor variations on the M6 in terms of valuation.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 02, 2002.

More important to the purchase of an M6 classic to be used, are functional changes made during production. The earliest M6's had a metal eyepiece and no strap-rub strips. Those models as well as some with the rubber eyepiece and rub-strips had a different metering circuit: the diodes remain off if the lenscap is left on (vs blinking in later models), the diodes remain lit for a shorter interval, and they were 1EV less sensitive in low light. OTOH, at some point Leica cheapened the frame counter with a plastic part and it is prone to excessive wear and failure. Also, the baseplate was changed so that it will not open the Leitz reloadable cassettes.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 02, 2002.

AFAIK these are early models, when the company was still Leitz. do you have a serial Nr.?

-- Tim Franklin (tim_franklin@mac.com), May 02, 2002.

There is no official SN list for Leitz vs Leica M6 cameras, but the Leitz cameras were made roughly from 1984-1986 (? part of 1987). One hooker is that some of these earlier Leitz cameras were replaced with later meter circuitry when sent in for repairs or servicing, and I have seen some very early Leitz Wetzlar cameras in which the red dot says "Leica" (not "Leitz"), presumably it fell out and was replaced with a "Leica" button.

Over the period of the M6-M6TTL, the meter operation was actually improved several times, and the low light sensitivity went from EV0 (all Leitz Wetzlar M6s) to EV-2 (M6TTL).

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 02, 2002.

The meter sensitivity was increased twice: once from EV0 to EV-1 during the early M6 classic production, and then to EV-2 with the M6TTL. Since EV0 equates to 1sec@f/1.0, the increase to EV-1 and EV- 2 had no practical value until the M7, which can set the shutter slower than 1sec.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 02, 2002.

Jay. What you state is not correct. The EV value is specified for a particular ISO speed film (ISO 100). 1 sec/F1 @ ISO 100 corresponds to the same amount of ambient light as 4 sec/F1 @ ISO 25. Thus EV-2 would correspond to 1 sec/F1 @ ISO 25. This would be measurable on the M6TLL.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 02, 2002.

I am to understand that when you sent a "Leitz" red dot (early M6) in for any service to Leica USA that involved removing the top cover, as a matter of course they replaced the dot with a "Leica" one.

They may still do it.

Best,

Jerry

-- Jerry Pfile (Jerry Pfile@MSN.com), May 02, 2002.

For a metered 1 sec exposure, Kodachrome 25 requires an actual exposure of 1.5 sec to compensate for reciprocity failure. In addition, the M6 reads the central portion of the frame, and the Noctilux at f/1 vignettes up to 3 stops toward the corners, requiring an increase in exposure to compensate. I have proved those out with much hands-on experience. So I will amend my statement from "no practical value" to "almost no practical value".

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 02, 2002.

Jay. You can go the other way, with ISO 1600 film: F1 @ 1 sec (ISO 100) corresponds to F4 @ 1 sec (ISO 1600). So obviously a two stop increase in low light sensitivity would allow you to meter F2 @ 1 sec (ISO 1600). Similarly, if you had a Summilux or Summicron, the increase in sensitivity would take you from unmeterable to meterable. Any way you cut it, the increase in low light sensitivity has to be useful for a system with so many very fast lenses.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 02, 2002.

A more sensitive meter enables readings to be taken in weaker light as seen by the photocell. This includes stopping down the lens. Thus the M6TTL, with its higher sensitivity, can give a reading (in the same light conditions) at a smaller aperture than the M6.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.