Just a dumb question. I thought all M6s have meters that measure through the lens? So how are the two different? Thanks John

-- John H Osterholm (Barjo4@attbi.com), May 06, 2002

Answers

They both do. The M6TTL ALSO measures light when your Flash is connected. So, you don't have to leave everything at f/8 or whatever.

Just an extra added attraction for folks who use flash a lot.

-- Steve Hoffman (shoffman2@socal.rr.com), May 06, 2002.

And the TTL has an extra dot in the metering diode readout, and the shutter speed dial is larger and turns in the direction those arrows point. Of course to fit all of than into the M they also had to make it 2mm taller...

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), May 06, 2002.

John. And the TTL flash metering works differently from the ambient light metering. Ambient light is measured off a white painted circle on the shutter curtain and is done prior to exposure. Flash metering works by measurement of light reflected directly off the film (OTF), and thus occurs during exposure. The M6TTL does not have a pre- exposure flash measurement system, as some high end SLRs do.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 06, 2002.

The M6TTL light meter is a bit more sensitive, which can help with low light and/or small aperture. Some find the M6TTL light balance LED display easier to use, with its 2 arrows and central red dot. I have no experience with the M6 "classic" but I understand that you have to balance the brightness of the arrows, which does sound a little more tricky but it's probably just a matter of practice.

The M6 TTL display is simplicity itself. The red dot alone means correct exposure. One arrow plus the dot means half a stop over/under. One arrow alone means at least one stop over/under. If the left arrow is blinking, it means insufficient light, too small an aperture or you've left the lens cap on. If the right arrow is blinking, it means the battery is low (I think - the M6TTL manual is unclear on this point and it's never happened to me yet).

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.

Note that the M6TTL circuitry does not fire the flash if speeds are set above 1/50. The regular M6 has a mechanical firing circuit closer and will fire at all the (non-synchronized) higher shutter speeds.

In practice, for vertical head and shoulder portraits, it is possible to use the 1/125 speed and still have a flash provide filllight to the face. See Andrew Nemeth's Leica FAQ for details of this ingenious workaround.

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/014b.shtml

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 07, 2002.

Two other differences:

1) the TTL is 2mm taller - mostly visible as extra space above the viewfinder windows, and a silver band in the TOP of the main window as well as the bottom - to allow more circuitry to fit.

2) the TTL is available in 3 viewfinder mags (.58x/.72x/.85x). Except for a very few (<3000) .85s, all M6 (nonttl) bodies are .72x viewfinders (and not labelled, since there was no question as to their magnification).

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), May 07, 2002.

I got m6ttl not becuase of ttl, but because the shutter dial turns in the direction of the arrow in viewfinder. Intuitive if you are a newcomer to M cameras, but confusing if you have used previous M as the dial is reversed (and smaller)

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), May 07, 2002.

The TTL has a bigger, easier-to-use shutter speed dial, and a more sensitve meter. My 0.85 TTL's rangefinder flares a lot. Some say the classic M6 flares less, but I dunno whether that's true.

-- Andrew (mazurka@rocketmail.com), May 07, 2002.

I would reccommend the classic M6 over the TTL. It is the perfect camera. I think any automatic flash which sells for about 80.00 or less work as well if not better than TTL flash metering where flash is the dominant light. Also, you can swivel or bouce the Vivitar or the Sunpak. That the light meter on the TTL is better than on the classic is not a statement Leica made or endorsed. Both cameras flare in certain side lighting. There are no battery drain problems with the older camera. The original is cheaper and the better buy.

-- Bob Haight (rhaigh5748@aol.com), May 07, 2002.