Taking the plunge on a Leica...

Jakemico AE-1P

Jakemico AE-1P

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Jake
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Calling all M6 owners and M7 owners to put aside their differences and come together in search of peace.... Or to lend little ol' me some advice.

Let me get the obvious out of the way. Yes I am aware a Leica will in no way improve my photography. I am perfectly happy with that. However I have been enjoying using the Bessa R3A and thought why not just do it. Take the jump. Taste the forbidden fruit. Reach out and grab hold of a Leica and let every other person within my sight know how just much better than them I am... I jest.

But seriously... If you had an M6 and an M7 side by side. 0.72 finder. Same price. Which one are you grabbing?

Scare me all you want about the M7s electrics. I've spoken to two camera shops to see if I can wield an M7 for them to say its no longer available... And both tell me that they're just as bulletproof as their fully mechanical older brother.

Comments, thoughts and advice is all welcome. Or if you want to tell me I'm a fool for throwing good money after bad... I am well aware and very used to it. I shoot film solely and do not own a digital camera so you can't hurt my feelings more than my poor photographic skills already do ;)
 
I bought an M7 (whilst still owning an M6 - I really wanted Aperture priority). After 5 months and 2 weeks into the 6 month warranty it stopped working. I returned it and waited another 2 months for them to try and fix it only to have them declare they couldn't. I got a full refund. You can imagine my relief. So yes, mine wasn't bulletproof. Yours might be. If you're going to get one, I'd strongly advise you to get one with a reputable warranty. Dead electronics means you're stuck with 1/125sec and 1/60 IIRC, but the circuit boards aren't repairable/replaceable. Believe me, they tried like hell to get it fixed.

I now have an MP and a Zeiss Ikon ZM. I love them both and would be hard pressed to choose between them. If you put a gun to my head, I'd probably take the bullet.
 
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Jakemico AE-1P said:
Calling all M6 owners and M7 owners to put aside their differences and come together in search of peace.... Or to lend little ol' me some advice.

Let me get the obvious out of the way. Yes I am aware a Leica will in no way improve my photography. I am perfectly happy with that. However I have been enjoying using the Bessa R3A and thought why not just do it. Take the jump. Taste the forbidden fruit. Reach out and grab hold of a Leica and let every other person within my sight know how just much better than them I am... I jest.

But seriously... If you had an M6 and an M7 side by side. 0.72 finder. Same price. Which one are you grabbing?

Scare me all you want about the M7s electrics. I've spoken to two camera shops to see if I can wield an M7 for them to say its no longer available... And both tell me that they're just as bulletproof as their fully mechanical older brother.

Comments, thoughts and advice is all welcome. Or if you want to tell me I'm a fool for throwing good money after bad... I am well aware and very used to it. I shoot film solely and do not own a digital camera so you can't hurt my feelings more than my poor photographic skills already do ;)
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Hi, I own an M6 since 1989 and used it till 2003, when I went digital.

I was happy with it. It never let me down.

I would go for the M6, but I have never owned an M7.

An owner of both might be less biased ...
 
Unless you feel the need for Aperture Priority I wouldn't bother with the M7. I have never owned the M7 but I do have 3 M9s and I never use Aperture Priority with those just fully manual. As for the M6 I did have one but sold it when I got an MP which I think is a much nicer camera than the M6.

The real difference (excluding Aperture Priority) is the shutter speed dial, on the M6 and earlier plus MP ans MA the dial is the original smaller version that goes up in shutter speeds when it is turned clockwise, the M7 (and M6 TTL) have the digital style shutter speed dial that goes the opposite direction and is larger.

If you want the old sghool Leica feel go with the M6 (or earlier) or the MP/MA. If it were me I'd look for an MP as they are still making them and it has a meter (unless you are thinking of the re-released M6).
 
Okay, taking the advice and better judgement I am siding with an M6 TTL and a 35mm lens to boot.

All M6s have Meters but I like the ergonomics of the TTL shutter dial making sense with the meter arrows and 3 LEDs being easier to read. Seems a better thought out camera.

Will be selling / trading in my Voigtlander, 40mm lens and Mamiya 6MF with all 3 Lenses. If anyone wants them drop me a DM.
 
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Jakemico AE-1P said:
Okay, taking the advice and better judgement I am siding with an M6 TTL and a 35mm lens to boot.

All M6s have Meters but I like the ergonomics of the TTL shutter dial making sense with the meter arrows and 3 LEDs being easier to read. Seems a better thought out camera.

Will be selling / trading in my Voigtlander, 40mm lens and Mamiya 6MF with all 3 Lenses. If anyone wants them drop me a DM.
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You need to put an ad in classified if you are selling anything, with a price - we don't allow the casual "drop me a DM/make me an offer" approach on TP. Just a gentle reminder.
 
If you have the cash for the new M6 get that, go hard or go home! and be safe itll have warranty and a probable longest life span of them all!
 
acrobatic_Citron said:
...and a probable longest life span of them all!
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Leicas go wrong like any other mechanical object and whereas they used to be highly repairable, finding spare parts may become harder and harder.

Jakemico AE-1P said:
Yes I am aware a Leica will in no way improve my photography.
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If you try a M3, you may find that it will make a difference, especially with a 50mm lens.

I will never understand why Leitz, having set the standard for viewfinder usability, never used that technology in any other camera.

Leica M3 with 90mm lens.jpg
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Leicas go wrong like any other mechanical object and whereas they used to be highly repairable, finding spare parts may become harder and harder
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Absolutely! Thats why I caveated with probable ha, I'd also expect Leica to have be able to service the new M6 over all others for the longest time going forward and the spare parts should not really be an issue
 
So far I have found one M6 for spares or repairs in my window shopping that I can recall and none that have faulty light meters. I’m not concerned about reliability and repairability seems to be of no concern.
 
Jakemico AE-1P said:
Thought I would update you as you’re kind of my sponsors for my addiction…

I ended up going against all my original ideas and picked up an M3. Pairing with a Zeiss 50mm 1.5.
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Ooh, is that the Sonnar? Cracking lens even though my wife thinks I'm drunk when I use it as I sway back and forth to get the focus right at 1.5.

Oh, and we need a pic :)
 
Harlequin565 said:
Ooh, is that the Sonnar? Cracking lens even though my wife thinks I'm drunk when I use it as I sway back and forth to get the focus right at 1.5.

Oh, and we need a pic :)
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It is! Seen some beautiful portraits with that mens but also complaints with focus shift… glad to hear another positive review!
 
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