Leica M6

First Impressions

My very first contact with the Leica M6 was purely visual. When I was a teenager I went down town from time to time to wander through shops of all kinds. One of the shops I visited on a regular basis was Brinkmann at the Spitalerstr. in Hamburg. And one of the objects of my desire was a Leica M6. It was out of reach for more than one reason and I did not expect to ever hold one in my hand.

I was wrong here because in 2011, some decades later I did exactly that: I lifted a M6 TTL out of a parcel what brought me instantly back to my teenage days. It still took a while until I had a lens too: A Kiev at the beginning and finally a M39 Canon 50mm 1:1,2. It is my working horse now. I also use a Winder M4-2.

Photos of my Leica M6

Handling

The Leica M6 is simple in the best sense of the word because it has everything necessary but nothing unnecessary. The handling is easy, the viewfinder is big and bright, the light meter works well and easy to use. The camera is almost 100 % quality and functionality. Almost 100 % because the only thing that takes a bit of practice is to load the film properly. But that is no biggie once you have done it once or twice.

I once dropped the camera from about 1m height on concrete and the only thing that was affected was the winder and I could fix that myself. The camera worked and works as good afterwards as it did before this little accident and I think that tells a lot about this camera.

Photos taken with my Leica M6

Relevant specifications

Film: 35mm
Viewfinder: 0.58×, 0.72× and 0.85×
Frame lines: 0.58× (28-90, 35, 50-75), 0.72× (28-90, 35-135, 50-75), 0.85× (35-135, 50-75, 90)
Coupled exposure meter
Coupled rangefinder
Shutter speeds: 1 sec., 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, [detent at 1/50 for flash synch], 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, B [M6 TTL adds "off" position to shutter dial]
Film speed: 6–6400 ISO
Power supply (for exposure meter operation only): 2 silver oxide button cells (SR44)
Battery check: Battery low warning: right LED blinks (also if there isn't enough light)
Size: M6: 138 x 77 x 38mm and M6 TTL: 138 x 79.5 x 38mm
Weight: 560g
Price I payed for it: approx. EUR 900,00 from what I remember (only body)