(1/2) Leica talk | 7 Reasons WHY I bought the Leica M6

[@longhairedchild1]

For those with glasses - you can purchase a diopter for the viewfinder to match your eye. No more glasses needed! I did this and will never go back. Love it!

[@MadisonBeach]

The image with the dogs and those CineStill shots are soooo good

[@KarinMajoka]

Madison B thanks Madison, I really appreciate it! :)

[@jamesberlo4298]

I'm not a Photographer and know little about Cameras, but that just caught me because they are so Beautiful, its so obviously Quality and has such Character & Aesthetics .

[@blueeyedray]

I started looking into a Leica and yours was the first video I found, super helpful!

[@KarinMajoka]

BlueEyedRay the first - but probably not last Leica video you will watch. Thanks! :)

[@blueeyedray]

Karin Majoka well there’s at least 1 more video I’ll watch for sure! Haha

[@ArnelakaSgtLumpia]

this is a dangerous video to watch when your broke.

[@KarinMajoka]

That's how it always starts, watching videos that enhance that camera craving haha

[@andrew_nayes]

I guess it 's worse to watch the video when you actually got money than when you're broke. If you're broke, then you won't have any money to spend on the M6. phew!

[@SwissFiveNine]

Well, broke x broke = broke squared. So what? Go and get one. Broke is broke, squared or not 🤣.

[@JimmyCheng]

gorgeous camera. My first film leica was an M2 which I bought around the same time as your m6. I liked it so much that I want one which I can own from fresh, so I went ahead and bought the new M-A. I felt like owning a leica, with its craftmanship and timeless design, is really something special! As for lightmeters, I don't think it's a big deal. I am a novice shooter, never shot any fully manual camera before, but you know what? out of my about 1000 pictures, only 3-4 the exposure is wrong.

[@KarinMajoka]

Buying a Leica fresh out of the box must be an incredible feeling - I agree with everything you say about the craftsmanship and the timeless design! Wow, that's a pretty pretty good hitrate you have right there. I think not having a lightmeter forces you to truly think about exposure and to develop an eye to be able to read light properly, with a light meter you can get lazy quickly. ;) However, I enjoy having the lightmeter as a "nice-to-have" feature because it brings me a bit of extra security in situations where the light is changing rapidly. Thanks for your comment! :)

[@yangye7754]

Agree with the focus tab. But a lot of manual focus slr lenses in the 70s also have a short focus throw to 1m/.7m, however they usually come with a much closer focus distance.

[@djnato10]

Not just any M6 you have, that's an M6 Titanium. Super awesome, pretty mad that I passed one of them up years ago for a fairly cheap. Nice video, nice points, nice images.

[@TENGUJAPON]

4:19 what a great image. Perfect! I use the Color Skopar f/2.5 too and it's a great tiny lens. People don't know what they're talking about. I also have the 35mm summarit f/2.4 and I don't feel the differences are too much. Maybe I don't care a bout image quality too much. Both renders really well!

[@KarinMajoka]

thanks so much! :) I also agree that the Color Skopar is great, pretty sharp (even wide open!) and it has almost no distortion. There's nothing I dislike about that lens, apart maybe sometimes wishing for one or two stops more light.

[@erikplus7871]

Concerning the problem of unexpected disturbance from out of the frame, I prefer a 0.85 magnification viewfinder, which allows easy shooting with both eyes open : the right eye in the finder and the left eye watching outside the whole scenery. It also allows a more intuitive framing, a better immersion and perception of the dynamics going on. After years shooting with reflexes, I bought a Zorki-4 and Jupiter-8. Then later I could afford a M4-2 with a voigtlander. Then, ten years ago, I bought an M6 with a summicron. I have never changed since then. Zeiss lenses are as good as Leica, and a bit more affordable. Thanks for this nice video !

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, that's a beautiful setup you have there! I think a 0.85 magnification would be a little too tight for my taste, especially when shooting 35mm. But shooting with both eyes open is indeed a very good technique I would love to master myself one day. Have fun and keep shooting. :)

[@JamesPotterAboutArt]

Nice video! I had an M6, I changed it for an M3 and an M2 for much less than the M6. I realised that the next step of using Leica cameras was the ability to judge light without a light meter. My main shooting lens is a Jupiter 8, 50mm russian lens which cost me £8. It's great quality and I'm more than happy with it. so I'm sure your lens is great. I also have a 50mm Summicron which is a better lens but I feel in real world shooting that doesn't matter. I'd rather carry a cheap lens and cheaper camera and take it everywhere, than an expensive outfit and be worried about it.

[@KarinMajoka]

Wow, an M2 and M3, that's pretty sweet! I shot some soviet lenses on my fed-2 and I have to agree that they are pretty good, especially for the price. They do have some characteristic character and sometimes I think that matters more than sharpness and some specs on a piece of paper under lab conditions. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@jsshayes1]

I totally agree. I like a completely uncluttered viewfinder. My main camera, my M2 I have used for 6 years. I had a M6 and it was sold in 6 months. I shoot an M3 as well which is so perfect for 50mm. For me the M6 just does not compare (unless you need 28mm framelines and a meter). I also have a Konica Hexar RF that is M mount that is an absolutely amazing camera. My main lenses are a 35mm Summicron and a 50mm Summicron rigid (my fav 50mm). Both were quite inexpensive lenses (as far as Leica goes) and will out perform most other lenses. Its all about shooting that Leica glass.

[@thedailynugget]

Just got my M6 a few days ago but haven't had a chance to test it out yet. And you're right...this was like the 7th M6 video I watched haha. Great video. Different from the specs videos out there! 👍🏼

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks so much for your comment, glad to hear it was not the exact same content 7 times in a row ;) I would be excited to hear about your first steps with your M6, so feel free to send an update after the first roll. Have fun with it✌🏼

[@ihunte1337]

I’m about to buy a M6 and stumbled upon this video. So yes, it’s true.

[@KarinMajoka]

@hhunte hahaha, I did literally the same before buying my M6, so I know that the amount of M6 videos can pile up quite quickly in the watchlist. Good luck finding one! :)

[@thedailynugget]

@@KarinMajoka Reporting back. Have shot 13 rolls on the M6 so far (mostly black and white) and it's great! I was a bit concerned with the zone focusing with the first few rolls cause I had no idea if anything was gonna be in focus or not but they all turned out surprisingly good! Mine came with a 35mm Voigtlander f1.4 but I wanna try and switch it for a 28mm lens. I prefer wider for street photography.

[@KarinMajoka]

Michael Thai Nguyen thanks for the report, really happy to hear that you and your M6 get along well. :) and I can relate so much to the concerns about zone focusing at first. Still to that day I sometimes think that all of my shots just must be out of focus, but most of the time everything is fine and the security comes with time :) have fun shooting! ✌🏼

[@TM-nd6zs]

My M6 TTL is a stunning performer with my M lenses!

[@actionimagesphotography]

It's a good thing you're not using the A1 anymore. The shutter has that whine that usually means it's going to fail soon. I had 3 of those over the years so I know the sound.

[@KarinMajoka]

Yes, it has that typical Canon cough unfortunately. I heard that it's not too hard to fix tough, might give it a try, so far it hadn't let me down :)

[@johnjon1823]

Sounds like your Canon has the Canon wheeze noise when you fire the shutter, that can be cured with a tiny drop of oil, not too hard to do, you don't need to take it apart, much. There are several videos out there on it. Basically as I recall you remove the bottom plate and use an oil dispenser that has a long needle type dispenser.

[@KarinMajoka]

Yes, it has that typical 'Canon cough' unfortunately. Thanks for the advice, I will try to fix it once I find the time! :)

[@megatryn]

There exists "cheap" Leica M mount bodies: Both the Voigtlander Bessa R2 and the Minolta CLE are cheap alternatives. And you can also find "affordable" Leica glass if you don't go for the ASPH lenses, which I actually prefer the look of for analog. Saying that I now own a M6 with a pre-ASPH Summilux 35mm and a Elmarit 90mm that I got for dirt cheap 8 years ago. I have previously owned both a Bessa R and a Minolta CLE and frequently use Voigtlander lenses still. I actually prefer the look of my Voigtlander lenses when I use them on my Sony A7 camera.

[@nigellee7892]

One thing that’s always deterred me from buying a Leica rangefinder camera is to do with your point about ‘muscle memory’ or intuitively knowing which way to turn the focusing collar on the lens to quickly bring the image into focus … after having owned and used and a good variety of Nikkor Manual Focus lenses (all of which focus in the same direction from infinity to the minimum focusing distance), for no small amount of time, it takes a considerable amount of re-learning in order to focus Leica lenses (or indeed any lens made by a different manufacturer differently) which focuses in the opposite direction to Nikon lenses - so it’s kind of a pity that a ‘standard’ focusing pattern for all lenses has never been established. I wonder why?

[@tchin2020]

My God, you are old school, I had both cameras back in the 80s, what made you stay with film format? I'm was so happy when digital and automation focus came along, now in 2020, I'm slowly going back to a manual camera format only with the Leica. I had the M6 back in the 80s, but left manual format long ago. With digital, I can shoot 100+ of pic on a sd card, no more rolling my own film and carrying 20 cannisters of film in my bag...so I evolved through many digital camera systems, but slowed down to a smaller format system, ie. Back to Leica, they have the best images and color saturation, so I have moved from Vario-X, Q, and now I'm getting a M240 w/50mm, ahhh, a manual camera, but, I would use zone focusing system for my street photography, holding a camera up to my face to focus will not be discreet, and I would probably miss the moment...i think it's pretty impressive that you have a Leica M6, trulynanclassic camera. I still have my M6 with a Minolta rokkor 40mm lens, not a leica lens. I couldn't afford back then, I was in college, but, as I graduated and evolved, I moved away from manual format...soon to retire, I wanted the best camera system out there and Leica is known for the best, Leica will be my travel camera. I still have my Nikon D750/D850, for event shooting work and fast photography action. Good review...

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for sharing, that was an interesting read! :) And for me it shows how different a personal background in photography can be. At the time analog was "replaced" by digital I was still a kid, so when I was old enough to consciously and purposely pick up a camera everything was already digital. I grew up in a world where I thought LCD displays and pixels where everything there is and when I heard about analog for the first time I thought it was long dead and obsolete, never thinking I would ever find a passion in it. BUT - when I was already grown up, I joined a photo club to connect to other photographers (only shooting digital at that time) and stepped into a darkroom for the first time. Seeing the whole process from taking a picture to developing your film, to doing prints, all with your own hands was simply magical for me and I never really got back to digital. In my opinion there is no "better" or "worse" when you compare analog to digital, there is only better or worse for YOU, because there are pros and cons for both. :) Thanks for taking your time commenting and yes, I admit that I am old school by heart haha

[@calvinchann1996]

I bought my Hasselblad 500CM when I was a student in the 80’s. I still have it.

[@astonyao2298]

awesome content, just purchased my m6 today. very very happy with my decision and can’t wait to shoot the first roll. by the way we have similar analog cameras, i also have a canon a1 and nikon el :)

[@KarinMajoka]

Congrats, enjoy, the M6 is a lot of fun to shoot! And I have to say you have an awesome taste in cameras 😋

[@astonyao2298]

@@KarinMajoka haha, so do you :p

[@BenvonMomenteDeinerGeschichte]

Great video 😉 Have you heard about "zone focus"? Maybe this is a possibility to shoot street again with your dslr...

[@KarinMajoka]

thanks! :) Yes, I use zone focusing all the time, both on my Leica and on my SLRs. The only difference is that on my Leica I can zone focus blindly because I can feel the position of the focusing tab and therefore I know what distance range will be in focus. While on the SLRs I always have to peek at the scale on the lens. But that's pretty good advice anyway because some people might not be familiar with zone focusing, which makes street with an SLR so much easier! :)

[@PhilKnall]

A lot of the reasons you gave are points that I like about various cameras. I wish my 35DC had a focus tab. I never looked into buying a Leica M because I'm stupidly anti-mainstream sometimes and unwilling to pay the money (especially with me lusting after different gear every other day), but I have to admit the titanium color looks really really good.

[@KarinMajoka]

I don't doubt that there would be other cameras fitting my needs as well - but now after being accompanied by the M6 for a while I don't think there is any turning back, because I just love this camera with all my heart and it's the first camera that truly became the "extension of my eye". I think it lives up to it's expectations but I also totally understand why somebody does not see the point in spending so much money on a camera!

[@anthonymiller8979]

The Voigtlander lenses are no slouch. Same company is making Zeiss lenses. I have the 21mm Color Skopar, the 35mm Ultron and 50mm Nokton, all razor sharp and used on a Bessa R. Some day I want to get a Leica M5

[@monochromios]

As much as I love Leica cameras and lenses, I always need help understanding Leica snobs. I have used Voigtlander lenses for years, and they are very good. When I switched to (some) Leica glasses, it was not for the branding but for technical reasons related to specific uses. Live and let live is always good.

[@erichartke4331]

I use a Canon 35mm f1.8 LTM with an adapter on my Leica M2 and I love the combo I am not going to change it works for me. You do you keep up the great work Karin.

[@KarinMajoka]

I don't think I have seen anyone shoot with this combo yet, but it sounds like a good one! I also use a LTM 15mm lens with an adapter and think this works pretty neatly

[@tsutenkakurobo9642]

You can get focusing tabs for slr lenses, they are rubber but mine have held up for years. SLR lenses can have a short focus throw also. FM3a with 35 1.4 AIS is the quickest street focusing I can do, especially with the lens tabs. It is just a tad large! Also, don't worry about the Leica lens thing, it is a subjective decision. The lens is a choice based on the rendering. I think Leica's look too beautiful for what I do. If you aren't sensitive to what you like you will just end up following the crowd and have samey looking pictures as everyone else, taken with the same camera/ lens and film (M6 / Summicron / Portra 400). My favourite lenses in terms of how they render the scene are the Contax T / T2 lens (I converted to M mount) and a $30 Nikon AF-D 24-50 f3.3. The Contax/Zeiss Sonnar has a way of making distant parts of the photo resemble a matte painting of an old movie set. The transition to out of focus areas is so soft and super classic. The cheap Nikon makes everything look gritty and is chosen on purpose for urban areas. It's lack of quality gives it a feel reminiscent of a much older type of lens, or like from an old 70s crime movie. Creative intent should lead lens selection.

[@silvestersze9968]

Hi Karin, I’ve the Canon A-1 too. I got your point… focusing is not as practical as your Leica (short distance with tab and muscle memory), but I’m not able to effort a M6 at the moment. What about Canon’s Rangefinder film cameras from the 50’s? Would that be a good alternative you think? Thank you.

[@itspiet8876]

The Intro to the video really hit too close to home haha all I personally want (in terms of material goods) is an M6 and an XPan.

[@JoeLopez]

Nice job on the video! I love using zone focus when I shoot my SLRs on the street. I also carry spare LR44 batteries even though they generally last a year or longer.

[@KarinMajoka]

That's pretty smart, I should also make sure to always have batteries on me! :)

[@kiwipics]

The M6 Titanium and Voightlander 35mm f2.5 Color Skopar is the exact combination that I now own, except I only paid £20 for the M6 and £405 for the 35mm lens ... Yes, you read correctly. I entered a prize draw competition run by Leica Hunter Competitions in the UK, and my ticket cost £20 ... I wouldn't have bought the M6 under normal circumstances, but I ceryainly will be entering again in the future, as it was £20 well spent.

[@andygrayson7485]

Too add, I bought a brand new 28mm Leica lens after using a very old 35mm Leica from the 50's , ive used the 28mm only a few times since, the old glass is stunning, id start there in hindsight, but what's so nice is the click from a super old lens to a brand new one is exactly the same when you mount it, boring I know........

[@kathreenmirate389]

Does the “patch” matters when you zone focus? I had a bessa before and had to sell it cause I could not grasp the idea on focusin in rangefinders. I see that you shoot thru your hips and I wonder if we ever need to look at the patch to align when shooting rangefinders.

[@jaeAre200]

Btw, that dude at the end for saying that about not having Leica glass is bullshit. It's not that serious. I would be happy with Zeiss all day on an M6. I'm all about stepping stones too. I went from voigtlander to zeiss to finally leica. I would strongly strongly consider Zeiss after your voigtlander.

[@KarinMajoka]

jae rose if I had a Lomography lens (no offens to lomography, love the stuff they are doing) screwed onto the M6 I would get the point. But the Voigtländer is by no means a bad lens - super sharp even wide open, almost no barrel distortion and some awesome micro contrasts. The only thing that sometimes bothers me why I might upgrade eventually is that it’s only 2.5. if it wasn’t for this this would have easily been my favorite lens I would superglue to the M6 Body haha. I will take a look at Zeiss glass for sure, thanks for the tip✌🏼

[@Flyingdorkanimation]

@@KarinMajoka I second Jae, I've had my M6 for 2 years with a 35mm Zeiss and the shots I've taken are beyond belief. Sharp and contrasty and built soild. Check out Matt Day's comparison of the Leica 35mm Lens vs. 35mm Zeiss Biogon.

[@KarinMajoka]

@@Flyingdorkanimation Will do for sure, thanks for the recommendation! :) I was not planning to upgrade my lens anytime soon, but that Zeiss is indeed tempting.

[@NarcissismSurvivor]

While the M6 was my first choice for a ‘new’ Leica film body the recent insane prices has driven me to put my name on the wait list for a brand new MP.

[@TheVFXbyArt]

I only have a summilux 50 mm on a fuji camera, upgrading from a voigtlander. No other Leica anything. The summilux cost 4x more than the Nokton. Yeah, the focusing tab really adds to the ease of manual focusing and muscle memory. This is one of the better Leica preferences video. Great breakdown. Subscribed.

[@KarinMajoka]

That sounds like a pretty sweet setup! Was the upgrade to the summilux worth it for you? :) It must be an incredible lens, I have never shot it before unfortunately. And: thanks so much for your kind words! ⚡️

[@jaeAre200]

How was I not subscribed yet?? Sorry!! Love the video. I didn't realize you had the titanium version!?!?!? Niiiice. Obviously I love and agree with all your points haha :) BUT, I cant wait til the next video...I always love the HOW. People always tell you the what and why, but the HOW is the most interested to me :)

[@KarinMajoka]

jae rose shaaame, how could you haha?! No, seriously, thanks for your comments and for subscribing Jae, I really appreciate it! 🙏🏼 and YES this are exactly my thoughts, I would love to know the stories behind cameras since analog cameras always have history on their shoulders to carry. That’s what I love about your videos and streams, because you are one of the few people who gives an insight about how you got your cameras :)

[@alanmacmillan6957]

that whole thing about focusing taking too long is purely the lens you are using. a canon 28mm lens can be set to f16 or f11. put infinity around the f11 or f16 mark and you will have from 4ft to infinity in focus. run Tmax or tri-x pushed one stop and voila - you'll be shooting like Gary winogrand. learn zone focusing. you can also do it with some 50mm lens too - set a 50mm to about 12ft. and you will be able to do 8ft to about 130ft

[@hoggif]

M6 is a lovely camera for street photography. I love mine even if it has seen no use for some years. I love my Voightlender lenses too. Some of my best photos have been taken by them.

[@AndersKeisHansen]

Good story telling, good video ;) looking forward to more!

[@benjaminaguilera8097]

Karin, the sound of your Canon indicates it has some curtain lag or something. Probably some shutter speeds are not working properly or even leaving black frames/lines in your shots. I know it's a year old video but if you can, get it CLA'd asap. I know this by experience and thought it may come in handy. Good luck.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thank you for the hint, I have been postponing getting the issue fixed for some time now, but I guess I will have to do it better sooner than later. At least my camera has no issue when shooting as of now, all the shutter speeds work perfectly fine. The „canon cough“ happens because of lack of oil, which does not have to (bit can in the long run!) also affect the precision of the shutter speeds.

[@benjaminaguilera8097]

@@KarinMajoka yes! Mine had it and my technician called it 'the Bird' for some reason lol. It did leave half black frames and blurs sometimes and ruined more than a few otherwise great shots. Glad that yours is working just fine. Also loved the story of HOW you got your Leica. It touched me deeply. I hope one year later you're enjoying it a whole lot. Cheers!

[@KarinMajoka]

Benjamín Aguilera „the bird“ is an oddly suiting term for the sound though. Well, getting a comment like this is surely a good reminder that I have been postponing it for a while now. I have seen videos where people fix it themselves and I might just give that a try 🤔 so sorry to hear by the way that the issue ruined some of your precious shots. And thanks so much for your kind words, I appreciate it a lot!

[@mynewcolour]

The age-old idea of spending more of your budget on lenses than the camera made sense decades ago … but not so much in 2022 I think, for a few good reasons; There are more ‘good’ lenses (and shared knowledge about those) than ever before. It’s far easier to find and test lenses now. Film shooters are generally shooting standard primes (or similar) and these needn’t be expensive in order to be sharp. Those same photographers are likely looking for qualities other than technical perfection in lens performance (a desire for high fidelity would have lead anyone to digital photography instead). Reliable film camera bodies are getting less accessible and (as you mention) are a decent investment. So yeah, another happy Voigtlander M shooter here 🙂

[@stuartmeador8993]

Great video... also great reasons to get into and stay into Leica...Suggestion; buy the Leica/Voigtlander lens closest to the f/ opening you normally want to shoot at, the extra speed is wasted anyway if you always stop the f/1.4 lens down to f/ 4 for street photos.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it. :)

[@jesusescudero9721]

May be some one has tell you, but that canon sound can be fixed so easy. Check fix canon a1 squeak here in you tube.😀

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for the hint! :) I am aware that it's an easy to fix, I should do it one day ✌🏻

[@jesusescudero9721]

@@KarinMajoka in less than 30 min it is done. You should it will improbe your experience with the A1. :)

[@blueskies8830]

Hello, Awesome video! I’m wondering how much should I pay for a Leica m6 titanium classic in like new condition? Also, does the year of production matter for the titanium classic in terms of avoiding potential defects such as corrosion/bubbling?

[@kribomon]

That's a beauty of a camera, titanium version! Great video and insight why you got it and its so true that every camera has a story 😄

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks Benny, I appreciate it! It's really pretty indeed, I try to take good care of it but also see it mostly as a tool :)

[@hoonetic]

Karin, I'm planning on getting an M6 soon, and your beautiful M6 Titanium is calling out to me! ;)

[@KarinMajoka]

That’s awesome! Hope you will find a nice titanium M6 - I hope it‘s not mine though haha

[@hoonetic]

@@KarinMajoka haha :)

[@olympus2OM]

The only cheap leica glass is the Summicron C 40mm f2. You can buy it für around 500-600 Dollars or Euros. There ist no 40mm frameline in the rangefinder of the M6. You have to guess. The second affordable lens is the 75 mm f2,5 summarit which you can find used for around 850 Euros or Dollars.

[@KarinMajoka]

I have tried the 40mm Summicron (which was originally made for the Leica CL) but did not like it at all. I would not choose lenses on the price tag only but rather the needs - and if a lens fits one's needs and does not carry a Leica logo that is absolutely fine. ;)

[@robertstacy8438]

Nice, articulate set of reasons. Good rant on lenses at the end - two nice lenses that deliver on price performance that are the Zeiss C Biogon 2.8 35mm, and the Minolta M Rokkor 40mm f2.0 - there is a Leica version of this, the 40mm Summicron f2.0, but the Minolta is 1.2 the price. Both are great for their lack of distortion and have true signature looks, though the bokeh of the Minolta is not liked by some. Look forward to more videos.

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate it! Many people recommended the Zeiss Biogon to me and I might look into it in the future. I actually tried the 40mm Summicron on my M6 that was actually produced for the Leica CL / Minolta CLE. I liked the image quality, but the focusing tab was nothing for me and the 40mm focal length was not accurate enough with the 35mm framelines in my opinion. But with the CL this one would work perfectly!

[@jsshayes1]

Great video! Nothing wrong with shooting that lens or the 7artisans 35mm (I had that for a little and it was a good lens). I have a 35mm Summicron V2 and a 50mm Summicron rigid. I would really suggest the Leica 50mm Summicron Rigid for your next lens. It is my favorite 50mm and can be had for under $1000 US (I purchased both of mine each for $600). I shot in Paris last year for 3 weeks straight and found with the architecture the 50mm to be the perfect focal length (no wonder it is all Henri Cartier Bresson used). The 35mm just in too much of the scene even though normally the 35mm Summicron is my main street shooting lens.

[@KarinMajoka]

I must have overlooked this comment, thus the late reply: thanks so much! I will for sure take a look at the 50mm Summicon Rigid. I was shooting 50mm on SLRs a lot earlier but I kind of developed more towards the 35mm since I find it to be a bit more versatile. It would be interesting to shoot 50 on the M6 though, so I will keep that lens in mind for sure.

[@donovanchin]

Just got my M6 TTL today and I love it. I also only have a Voigtlander 35mm 1.4 Nokton Classic MC II at the moment. Would love to get all Leica glass eventually but it's better to have a camera to use now than to have a body and no glass. Love your videos. When is the next one?

[@KarinMajoka]

Then, first up: Congrats on your new camera! I am sure you will enjoy shooting it! And I totally agree with the philosophy to better have any lens than none at the beginning - plus I think the Nokton is pretty reasonable in quality. Since I am having a full time job I am more on a two-week schedule at the moment, so next video will probably be up next Thursday. But I hope to get the frequency up in the future. :)

[@donovanchin]

Karin Majoka thanks. Looking forward to your next video

[@batesarch]

Good video, and you make some good points. I got my first M6 back in 2009 (M6 TTL 0.85). I sold a Canon 5d to pay for it. I have gone through a few M6 bodies since then, and M9, and TYP262. But the M6 is still my favourite - and the only one I have kept. The 0.85 viewfinder is great if you shoot mainly 35mm and 50mm, but maybe not for someone who wears glasses. Your titanium M6 is lovely, and I like your camera strap too.

[@KarinMajoka]

I have never tried one with a 0.85 magnification, but would be curious to see how it compares to my 0.72 viewfinder. But probably you are right, that it does not pair well with glasses. Thanks for your kind comment! :)

[@contax2010]

Cool gutes Video - gut gemacht - Voigtländer lenses are very good, and it always depends on the photographer...

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I couldn't agree with you more. :)

[@trotomas]

hey, great video, about focusing you can mimic rangefinder lenses with nikkor ai-s where s stands for short focusing and 7artisans focus tab or lens taab

[@KarinMajoka]

Thank you! That’s interesting, I did not know about those but will for sure do some research on it, thanks for the hint :)

[@Funktrainer]

s does not stand for short focusing.

[@stevehoffman9735]

I have all the Leica/Leitz M lenses but still use the Color-Skopar all the time. It is a great lens.. Nice video, thank you.

[@generationElm]

People like the guy in the end, who cares that much about gear and is a snob towards you... Those people usually never shoot. They usually care so much about the gear, they think it will produce the pictures for them. You meet them everywhere. I also really dig people who are loyal to a specific brand, and will start a war to argue why his/her selected brand are the best.... Haha. Good stuff. Thanks for the video. Keep it up!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! ☺️ There are those type of people everywhere that is very true. I don't really understand those brand-cult and people who judge other people for their choice of gear. Everybody should simply shoot what works for them :)

[@MichaelZieschang]

I got a Bessa R2A with the Voigtländer 35/1.4 from a friend who used it as a back up body while he had got his M6. Actually I don't feel the urge of buying any Leica, but I if I would .. it would be the M6. (Would I get Leica-glass on it ? Well I use Caffenol to develop.. The last amount of sharpnesscontrastimagenamewhatever may not be that important ;)

[@KarinMajoka]

How are you liking the 35mm 1.4 nokton? Having such a fast lens is really a plus, that’s actually the only (minor) thing that sometimes bothers me about the color skopar and only having an f2.5. And I love that attitude by the way! Voigtländer produced and produced incredible glass, so I also don’t see any need to pixelpeep around ✌🏼

[@MichaelZieschang]

@@KarinMajoka the Nokton looks cool in the first place and 1.4 is a cool extra. I used my Spotmatic with a 2.8 before I had this camera. I don’t care about blurry images (1/2 sec free hand) and do zone focus mostly...

[@adventureStaley]

What a great video! I really do need to get a 35 for my M6.

[@KarinMajoka]

thanks you! 35mm is a really good allrounder in my opinion. :)

[@cggg490]

All points for choosing an M6 are valid. Much agree. I just got an M6 TTL recently and just like your situation, it was a big purchase. But I splurged and got a Summicron 35mm lens. Later I got an M9 so I needed another lens. I opted for the Voigtländer 35mm f2 which I really like. But now I am broke. Have you tried any other lenses on your M6 since this video? Nice shots by the way!

[@KarinMajoka]

Congrats on your new cameras (and lenses)! :) Yes, I have tried several lenses like the Voigtländer Nokton and Ultron, Summicrons (though only the 35mm and the 40mm Canada versions) and Zeiss glass, but I have to admit that the Color Skopar is still one of my favourites. I also regularly use a 15mm ultra wide heliar.

[@cggg490]

@@KarinMajoka I loved your video in the Berlin subway although I generally don't like the ultra wide look, your shots are amazing. I would like to do late night shoots but have a lot to learn about long exposures, especially considering its recommended to shoot at least at f8 if not f11. (I'm liking the Ultron 35 f2 by Voigtländer, which I decided on based on the recommendation of Samual (streetlife). He prefers it to the Nokton which has that extra stop.) I am curious about the Zeiss 50mm. The Color Skopar looks very interesting, not to mention affordable.

[@2071photo]

Yep! You’re totally right about the lens, coming from the contax g series I knew I wanted zeiss glass over trying to get Leica glass right away so for now I’ll be enjoying some zeiss lenses on my m6 📷✨

[@KarinMajoka]

Awesome, surely a great choice! Which Zeiss lens did you go for? :)

[@2071photo]

@@KarinMajoka currently the 35mm bigon f2 zm but my next lens once i save up will be the 50mm planar f2 because I got to shoot my first roll with a borrowed copy and they blew my mind. Quality was out of the world with sharpness.

[@albertmeyer8983]

Nice video, I agree on the Leica glass subject

[@KarinMajoka]

Thank you! :)

[@Igarpe]

Hey Karin, I love your channel and have just subscribed! One suggestion: try to look through the view finder with your right eyeball instead the left so you can see ahead what is coming from the left into your frame. I found this very odd at the beginning but now it´s a second nature to me. Why did you not get the M7? LG aus München :-)

[@KarinMajoka]

Trust me: I have tried and I am still constantly practicing. Eye dominance is genetic and it needs a loooot of practice to switch it from one eye to the other, for some people it’s even impossible to ever make the switch. If I look through the viewfinder with my right eye I can see absolutely nothing. I feel like not enough people talk about this issue though, so I even considered making a video about this. Looking through a range finder with the left eye even has some advantages though such as higher stability because you technically squeeze the camera against your whole face hahah

[@MohamadAlRifai]

Hello! I just bought an M6 titanium and it was all because of the 2 part video! An chance you can tell us what strap are you using? Thanks again and i must say i really enjoy the analysis videos about artist that you make! Have a great day:)

[@KarinMajoka]

ohh that is awesome - congrats on your M6! I got my strap from Hyperion Camera Straps, a company from Greece. :)

[@MohamadAlRifai]

@@KarinMajoka Thanks for the tip! I ended up getting one from deadcameras straps :)

[@stp182314343]

Die Voigtländer Objektive sind sehr gut… ich nutze sie an meiner nikon z6. Selbst das 21mm Color skopar f4 macht eine sehr gute Figur daran und ist scharf. Das neue 35mm f2 App ist der killer Ich habe leider keine Leica, allerdings finde ich sie sehr überteuert, grad die Objektive… ja ich weiß „der Leica Look, Mirko Kontrast blabla“ …

[@KarinMajoka]

Ich bin auch weiterhin sehr überzeugt vom Voigtländer Glas und nutze inzwischen überwiegend das Nokton 35mm :)

[@brandonjernigan7610]

Great content - please keep posting :)

[@Funktrainer]

Ich kann das Leitz Summaron 35mm 1:2.8 empfehlen. Ein exzellentes Objektiv und teilweise günstig zu bekommen. Die Verarbeitungsqualität und Kompaktheit ist unübertroffen.

[@KarinMajoka]

Danke für den Hinweis! :) Ich fühle mich mit dem Voigtländer bisher ganz gut bedient und habe aktuell kein Interesse an einem Wechsel, aber schadet ja nicht das Summaron im Hinterkopf zu behalten.

[@NadeemKhan-ug6lc]

You should find that guy who told you about your lens, tell him to do his research because there are only 3 companies that understand optics and that is Leica, Voigtlander and Zeiss.

[@weridpanthegeek]

I love how you called us out at the start

[@fabianholoubek1467]

Nice video! I‘m dreaming of someday owning a m6

[@seigfredcanete580]

I love your sample shots! You have a future! Keep posted!

[@KarinMajoka]

thanks you, I will! :)

[@jasongongjiasheng]

I’m just hesitating whether I should buy a Summilux directly with M6 or I should buy a Voigtländer maybe Nokton just first to “test the water”.

[@KarinMajoka]

I am sure that both are great lenses with incredible precision and sharpness! The rest depends on your budget and your needs. I am sure you will not go wrong either way. :)

[@janeyang9725]

Thank you for sharing these informations! They are very detailed and honest. Can I ask what lens do you often use to go with M6? Thank yoU!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment! That’s what I was hoping, that some people can make use of the info an how I shoot Cinestill. My go to lens that’s almost glued on to my M6 is the Voigtländer Color Skopar 35mm 2.5.

[@janeyang9725]

@@KarinMajoka Thank you for the reply. The lens looks very authentic.

[@KarinMajoka]

Jane Yang I love this little lens and would for sure recommend it! The only downside is that it’s not as fast with only f2.5 as fastest aperture

[@joshbarsphotogrpahy5044]

Yeah I had the same problem with my Nikon F3 with the 50mm so I got the series E that has a REALLY short focus throw, and a 28mm 2.8 with an even shorter focus throw... I’d gladly switch it for a Leica for street for the very reasons you said. Loved the review, I have to get one now 😛

[@KarinMajoka]

I mean, SLRs are by no means "bad" for street, it is possible yet I think not as convenient/efficient as with a rangefinder. But anyway have fun with both - shooting and saving up for a Leica in the meantime. :)

[@westleygreenhalf2338]

You can get a Voigtlander Bessa for a relatively low price.

[@KarinMajoka]

that is true and it has been on my list of choices. It would have been a very solid option as well!

[@silvestersze9968]

I know Canon VI L or VI T can take Leica M39 lens mount

[@0liver_549]

You should fix the A-1s shutter squeak, it isn't very good for camera

[@KarinMajoka]

On it! Thanks! :)

[@andygrayson7485]

great video, I love my M6 , its so easy to use, id go digital tomorrow if I could be bothered to read a manual, the mechanics sound so beautiful, films not that expensive , consider the shot, develop your own.... its a good hobby, nice shots by the way ✌

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it! :)

[@Lifewithseanthony]

Someone link me to that camera strap! I want one badly!

[@KarinMajoka]

This one is custom made by Hyperion Camera Straps (not sponsored but I wish haha). Check them out, I really love them! :)

[@gilesjazzguitar64]

No its up to you what ever glass you have but I think you will get leica glass in time ;)

[@neilpiper9889]

If you can afford it, why not buy class. 35mm is still miniature. When Kodachrome was discontinued I stopped using 35mm. I used a Bronica EC with the 75mm 2.4 Zenzanon and a 50mm Nikkor f4. Today I use a Kiev 6c 6x6 slr with a 90mm 2.8 Vega lens. If I wanted a rangefinder camera I would buy a Mamiya 6.

[@KarinMajoka]

neil piper I have a Bronica ETRSi that I also often use. 6 x 7 is something that interest me that I might get into some time in the future. But honestly, in some situations such as when doing street photography I would still prefer using a 35mm camera. Bigger is not always better in my opinion, but it depends very much on the situation

[@neilpiper9889]

@@KarinMajoka I loved my two Pentax 6x7s, I had one with a 75mm f4. 5 and the other with a 55mm F4. Unfortunately I needed the money and was forced to sell them. I did make more than double what I paid for them. I still have the wonderful colour and black and white negatives and darkroom prints that I made with them.

[@KarinMajoka]

neil piper I totally feel you, sorry to hear that you had to let them go! It’s crazy how the prices have skyrocketed over the last months and years, you truly have to get some money in your hands to get a neat Pentax 67. Glad you still have all the negatives, I am sure they are a pleasure to look at!

[@paullichte]

was hältst du von der Canon P? Klingt für mich nach einem guten Kompromiss zur M6

[@KarinMajoka]

Ich hatte bisher leider noch keine Canon P in der Hand und kann deshalb nicht viel aus eigener Erfahrung dazu sagen - klingt aber (zumindest auf dem Papier) nach einer guten Alternativ.

[@Funktrainer]

@@KarinMajoka Der Sucher der P ist nicht mit einer M vergleichbar. Er erscheint deutlich kontrastärmer und milchiger. Das Rangefinderpatch der P ist nicht rechteckig und kann daher nicht bei der Komposition unterstützen.

[@kepakiano4558]

if you can't afford a leica, get a minolta cle instead. less premium, but a bit better than the m6 in terms of actually using it.

[@KarinMajoka]

That's some good advice for people who are interested into trying out a rangefinder camera, thanks! Also, the Minolta CLE is basically the same as the Leica CL.

[@kepakiano4558]

@@KarinMajoka not quite the same. they look similar, but the minolta is more advanced and just an underrated camera. the lack of 35mm framelines is what makes it unpopular among many photographers.

[@KarinMajoka]

@@kepakiano4558 Ahh, good to know, thank you! I always thought they were identical apart from the branding and some optics, but it's interesting to know that they do in fact differ. A good choice for 28mm users though.

[@Joshua-K-1844]

Sehr sympathisch und cooler Channel. Mach weiter so. 👏👌

[@KarinMajoka]

Danke für deinen Kommentar! :)

[@aspacer]

Really like the photo of Alexanderplatz at 4:18 über cool!

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks a lot, I appreciate it! I really like that particular exit of the U-Bahn station at Alexanderplatz and shoot there for a while every time I am in Berlin. In this one I got lucky with the bird flying by :)

[@littlewing62]

your accent made me buy the camera.. also that cactus is epic

[@KarinMajoka]

hahaha, what an awesome reason! Enjoy your M6 :)

[@salduaij]

Haha u reminded me when I bought my 50mm summarit, the seller didn’t want me to buy it and wanted me to get the more expensive lens I told him thank you I’m fine with f2.4 and its one of my favorite lenses. Loved the cookie jar idea I’m going to do it to buy my next lens 😁

[@KarinMajoka]

Oh man, it's crazy how some people want to sell you stuff that maybe fits their needs instead of the customer's needs. Thanks for your comment and good luck saving up for a new lens. :)

[@ActionZ]

Lovely titanium + ostrich M6, I have an exact same one. Bit of an advice, I noticed you compose with your left eye. Practice composing with your right eye so you can keep your left eye open on the side to see the surroundings. That's one of the key main advantages of a rangefinder so that you can use your left eye to see the real world while you take your photographs, thus being able to avoid situations where people walk into your frame. If you use your left eye to compose, your right eye is completely blocked and pretty much defeats the purpose of one of the best advantages of a rangefinder. The other thing is just shoot normal profile on your sony if you don't plan on grading your slog footage. The washed out flat profile looks horrible if you don't grade it :) Nice photos though, keep up the good work.

[@KarinMajoka]

Now, that's some constructive feedback I can work with, thanks so much for taking your time to write that down! You are a pretty good observer, noticing which eye I shoot with. My left eye is my strong eye and I always used it that way on an SLR but somehow did not manage to switch that up when making the leap into the rangefinder system. My right eye feels like a useless potato (haha) and it's so hard to use it to look through the viewfinder. You are absolutely right about this method and it would be a great advantage shooting with my right eye and the left one open. Have you got any tips on how to train your weak eye? About the grading: I am not an expert in videography and have a lot to learn for sure. This motivated me to put some more effort into this side of the video as well, so thank you! :) I will experiment a bit more with grading, though I think it's also a bit subjective and I like my colors a bit more towards the washed out, pale look.

[@donovanchin]

I think it's really hard to change your dominant eye. It's like forcing left handers to write with their right hand.

[@Ben-ig3bf]

I dont have much photography experience, got my leica m3 and my 50mm dr lens from my mom and she from her dad. I think it would be nice to have an in camera mete, but I think its fine with some smartphone apps. I am a 50mm only shooter because thats the only thing i have, so no need to get any other body for me. Something about leicas is special, it just has that oh so satisfying feel. I wish my frame counter would work tho And yesterday I got burned because I had a braindead moment and shot an entire roll on 400 iso when it was 100iso actually. And its a dia-roll so no hopes in recovering

[@KarinMajoka]

Sorry to hear about your "accident" overexposing slide film. Slide film is rather sensitive indeed, but you might still get lucky, so I would still develop the roll and see what you got if I were you :)

[@Ben-ig3bf]

@@KarinMajoka The first half of the roll Idk whats on it, so probably just gonna bring it to development and hope for the best

[@shademanirvanipour6870]

I got a friend of mine who want to sale his LEICA M6 none TTL Black body to me for £1000 and he has it for a long time and not been used

[@AndersKeisHansen]

Another great video :) Thx

[@harlanbeeton6869]

man it really bugs me when I get those "what's the point of having a Leica body without Leica glass?" comments! and they always come from older guys who think they know everything there ever was to know about photography. then they show you their work and you're tempted to show them the way cooler pinhole shots you made in high school....

[@KarinMajoka]

harlan beeton exactly my experience as well! Love the pinhole example which illustrates perfectly that photography should be about creativity and not sharpness ✌🏼

[@Funktrainer]

Für mich ist die M4 die beste Leica M aller Zeiten. Irgendwann braucht man einfach keinen Belichtungsmesser mehr und kann sich die Batterie sparen. Es eröffnet viel mehr Möglichkeiten Ballaste und Helferlein abzubauen.

[@KarinMajoka]

Braucht man einen Belichtungsmesser? Nein. Das ist purer Komfort, brauchen tut man ihn nicht. Ich nutze ihn in der Regel auch nicht immer, sondern messe einmal zu Beginn und mache den Rest über sunny 16. Wenn das Licht sich aber doch mal schnell verändert oder es sehr ambivalente Lichtverhältnisse sind, möchte ich ihn nicht nutzen - für diese paar Situationen hat er sich für mich schon gelohnt. :)

[@m7mdaltunaiji56]

One day I will add it on my collection

[@KarinMajoka]

You will not regret adding it to your collection! :) Fingers crossed for you that you will find a copy soon.

[@actionimagesphotography]

Watch Sean Tucker's latest video about photo snobs and elitists. I enjoyed your video.

[@KarinMajoka]

It's already in my watchlist - thanks for the recommendation!

[@thewhiteapparation]

Is this the TTL version?

[@KarinMajoka]

No, it's the classic non-TTL version!

[@mdbdoc]

“LET PEOPLE LIVE!”

[@shamikchoudhury5924]

Forgive me for saying so, your comment is on the focus throw of a lens of a SLR does not sound very convincing. Each lens had it's own focus throw. If you know the distance, it doesn't matter. I hope you get what I am trying to say. Still, I respect your decision to shoot a Leica

[@KarinMajoka]

Thanks for your comment, I think I know what you mean, because the comparison was not 100% fair since I used a 50mm on the SLR in the video which has a longer focusing throw. However, on my two 35mm SLR lenses the throw is still way longer than on my 35mm rangefinder lens, but maybe it's just my lenses in particular? 🤔 My main point though is that with a focusing tab on a rangefinder lens I do not have to look at what distance my focus lays at, but I can rather feel it. Anyway, of course you can get the job done with either way, it’s mostly a question of preference and feeling and hence efficacy! :)

[@sebvz89]

The Minolta CLE is better 😶just kidding. I have the M2 and the CLE with Zeiss Biogon 28mm and Minolta Rokkor 40mm 🥰

[@john_murch]

You sinner! (Joking!) But seriously, good for you it's a beautiful camera...:)

[@KarinMajoka]

john murch I confess my sins and promise to do better by only buying Leica glass in the future (well, I wish...) 😋✌🏼 thanks! :)

[@john_murch]

@@KarinMajoka Voigtlander, Carl Zeiss, Canon LTM, it's all good...:)

[@KarinMajoka]

@@john_murch I know and I am just kidding - I am very happy with my Voigtländer, it's a good and very sharp piece of glass! :)

[@Loko-kk7tl]

One of my problems is that I have too many awesome cameras and it's really hard to know what to shoot 😭

[@KarinMajoka]

I know that feeling ✌🏼

[@ihunte1337]

I just found this video and watched the whole channel. Great channel, keep on making videos, this channel will be big!👌 Ach ja, schöne Grüße! :)

[@KarinMajoka]

hhunte Dankeschön! ;) this seriously means a lot, thank you for taking the time to watch my videos. I am not sure about the being big part one day haha but I will continue to make videos no matter what ✌🏼