When I finally decided that I was going to take the leap and invest in a Leica I stupidly thought it’d be a walk in the park. I quickly learnt that this was not the case and there was so much research to be done, choices to be made, and even risks to take. I also found it difficult to find a modern, up to date article anywhere on the internet on how to buy a Leica M6 so now that I’ve come out the other side I thought I’d write up a little guide; hopefully my experiences from purchasing my camera can help you.
Firstly, you need to decide that you are set on the M6 and not say, an alternate rangefinder or another Leica M. That’s for you to decide based on your budget and how/what you shoot. For example, I knew I wanted the Leica M6 because it has a built in light-meter unlike the M2 or M3 and has a mechanical shutter unlike the M7, which has an electronic shutter. Then you need to decide on your budget if you have one, I made the decision that I wanted a mint condition body and was willing to pay (almost) any amount of money to obtain one. If cosmetic scuffs and marks doesn’t bother you then you will be looking to save a bit of money.
Difference between M6 Classic and M6 TTL:
There isn’t that much of a difference between the Classic and the TTL. Firstly and obviously, the TTL version added compatibility with TTL flash. Then there are smaller changes such as the bigger shutter speed dial on the TTL, which rotates in the opposite direction to the previous M cameras and the light meter on the TTL having a dot for correct exposure (and arrows to show over and under exposure) while the Classic has just the two arrows lit when correct exposure is achieved. Both are perfectly good cameras.
There’s also quite a few other “editions” of the M6, some popular ones being the LHSA and the Dragon. Both are black painted with brass top plates (the normal M6 only has brass bottom plates, the top plate is zinc I believe) so these special edition M6 models offer M6 lovers that “classic rubbed-off black to brass” look. These special editions are going for about double the price of a normal M6 on eBay though.
Where should I buy from?
This was one of my biggest concerns; we don’t have many stores here in Melbourne that stock Leica M6s and if they do there’s generally not much option and there’s a decent mark-up on price. I looked at a few stores but wasn’t happy with the camera itself and pricing, I also looked at a website/company that basically sources cameras for you for a fee but after a few emails back and forth I didn’t feel safe or trust them enough to continue (and there was also a huge mark-up). So in the end, I was left with the one option that I said I would never do in the beginning, eBay. When it comes to eBay, you have to trust your gut a lot. I looked at a few and settled on one from this seller, the photos all looked great and even though he didn’t have thousands of feedback comments it was all positive and the majority of them were from buyers of other film cameras and/or lenses. I felt like I could trust this seller and I also confirmed with him that he allowed 30 day refunds, which took a lot of pressure/risk off for me.
Things to look out for when inspecting a camera (online or in-person):
Keep in mind this list probably isn’t everything, I’m just writing this from the point of view of what I would’ve liked to know at the very beginning of my hunt. I also had never held or shot a rangefinder before so some of this advice is tailored to more rangefinder newbies.
Do your obvious things like remove the bottom plate and inspect the inside and shutter curtain; are the film sprocket teeth all in place along with the fork to feed the film into? How’s the sensor looking? Test your shutter, one M6 I tested out had an ever so slight shutter lag which bothered me like crazy and was an instant no from me.
What viewfinder magnification it is / frame lines it has (I will elaborate further in a bit)
Test out the shutter and film advance lever, check all the speeds
Test out the camera with a lens if you can, see how it feels and how you feel with a rangefinder if it’s something new
Viewfinder fogginess
Signs of fungus
Open the battery compartment to make sure everything is in place (Leica M6 TTL takes 2x SR44 batteries)
Look through viewfinder and test all the frame lines (sometimes previous owners may have removed certain frame lines if they only shoot a certain focal length.
Cosmetic wear and scuffs, if it bothers you (scratching does not matter, but major dents in the body do)
Online specifically, make sure there’s photos of all angles and make sure you confirm that the photos are of the exact camera you are buying
Deciding on a lens:
From my knowledge and research, there are four brands of (M mount) lenses that you can consider buying and from rough order of cheap to expensive they are:
7Artisans
Voigtlander
Zeiss
Leica
I was actually very much set on buying the Voigtlander 35mm F1.4 Classic Nokton (which I still believe is a very good lens) but then changed my mind and decided on the Leica Summarit 35mm F2.4 ASPH. My main concerns during research were the vignetting and distortions with the Voigtlander lens. I also knew that if I bought the Voigtlander now, I’d have something to shoot with but I’d still be eyeing up a nice shiny Leica glass so why not just suck it up and get the Leica now? I don’t believe you have to have Leica glass on your Leica camera, it just all depends on what/how you shoot and your budget.
Viewfinder frame lines:
The Leica M6 Classic and TTL come in the standard 0.72x but they’re also available in 0.85x (and 0.58x but it’s not as common). I was so confused when I first tried to wrap my head around what this all was, but this diagram cleared it all up for me and hopefully will do the same for you. I will say that although the 35mm frame lines on the 0.72x look like they still have a fair amount of breathing room, it’s actually pretty snug when you’re looking through the viewfinder, especially if you wear glasses. I personally would not recommend the 0.85x if you wear glasses and shoot 35mm a lot.
Extra accessories:
Whether this helps or confuses you more, I settled on the Leica leather neck strap (I was also specifically only looking at straps that had bumpers so the rings wouldn’t keep rubbing/banging against the camera body with use), the Peak Design 5L Everyday Sling, and the Leica soft release button in red.
Hopefully all this information helps you out somewhat, good luck with the camera hunting!