Why The Leica M6 Is A Timeless Classic

[@HP-lr3xv]

Great video. I share your love for this camera, and I think that the fact that the Leica is the antithesis of auto-everything also truly contributes to making you a better photographer. And you photographed Rick Beato, cool!

[@superkrell]

I`ve shot mostly on a Nikon F2 in the last 15 years. Now it`s the Leica MD 262 that took over. You mentioned about getting better results with the M6 than the Nikon F3. The Nikon is an SLR which in turn causes camera shake (mirror movement) that lowers image quality whilst the M6 is a rangefinder having no shake in the design allowing for better images than a SLR! You mentioned a lens is most important in photography. I could`t agree more. Since my journey was mostly in film photography, the Leica MD 262 needed to be less digital. The solution was the Summicron Rigid. It is not only vintage but renders with less aggressive sharpness for the filmic aesthetics while retaining the detail for the "Leica Look"...!

[@sputumtube]

SLRs cause camera shake and rangefinders don't? Camera bodies don't cause camera shake, that's down to a number of factors like shutter speed, aperture and method of use. And to say that the Summicron 'Rigid' (?) renders with less sharpness for the 'Leica Look' is just nuts. Who would pay thousands of dollars for a camera that creates intentionally blurred images? In the 1980's I read an article in a magazine (Amateur Photographer) where they spoke about Leica 'lens plasticity'. It was then that I realised Leica hobbyists were more interested in the perceived 'legend' than actual results from the equipment.

[@superkrell]

@ The design of an SLR causes camera shake. The mirror getting out of the way to shoot a picture causes camera shake…!

[@superkrell]

I have both, an SLR and rangefinder and can easily see the difference...!

[@inikphoto]

Just a quick correction note…. M6 does not have brass top and bottom plate, it’s zinc alloy. The new M6 has brass top plate.

[@angusli6288]

Leica goat is m3. Best built quality and best material ever

[@Vladimir-hd5nn]

M3 is best for 50mm. M6 is more versatile though.

[@rauliflemington7045]

M3 has brass gearing, which wears down sooner, giving it a smoothness of operation and heft giving a feeling of precision. M4 is said to be a little less smooth but in time, it inevitably will be. M4-2 onwards, including the M6 have strengthened mechanisms made of steel, utilising precision fit parts assemby (M3 to M4 were assembled with older fit and adjust methods which are less consistent). Consequently, newer models are more robust, precise and have longer service life but are a little less smooth in feel.

[@panagiotiskalapaseas6980]

Tank is the M3, yeap! Have these two beauties the M6 also n' M3 is the tank~thank you for the awesome video!

[@CalumetVideo]

I have the Leica M3 and M4 and both are a joy to use. The Leica M system is a tried and true system. I have a V2 Summicron 50mm f/2, Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5 MC II and Voigtlander Color Skopar 35mm f/2.5 f/2.5. All of there lenses work great for me. The Leica is a tank and will outlast me.

[@atl_mx5]

I feel the same way with my M3

[@TedBorel]

Hold up! That's Rick Beato - another G.O.A.T! @1:48 Side note: The Yellow Chair series looks very nice!

[@ezbass]

Just look at it 😍! And then there’s the performance. GOAT? Probably.

[@RikMaxSpeed]

Love Rick Beato’s unexpected cameo role! Hade to pause and go back to check it out 😂

[@ulyssesnathanialowen3831]

time for a leica lens will blow your mind . something with swirl!!! 50mm f2 summarit collapsible is recommended, only a few hundred but you want the copy with 12/14/16 blades don’t remember the exact number not the 6/8 blade version… these 11:04 are generally earlier built lenses 1954/46 etc .

[@pparkhu2768]

Awesome video and very informative!! You have to be the only photographer taking pics with a film camera at Mid-South Gravel!! That is so cool!! Now following you on IG!! You mentioned you have taken your camera overseas, how do you do that with film? Do you have TSA hand check your film, do you buy film when you get to where you are going? How long does it take to hand-check if you do that? Keep up the awesome content!!!!

[@pparkhu2768]

And sweet pics of Rhett Shull!! And Rick Beato!!! WOW!! You aren't shy at all!!

[@tillyshull]

I’m one of a few with film at the gravel events. For overseas, I do have TSA hand check. I try and keep everything contained so it’s easy on them, but usual it takes about five minutes depending on how busy they are.

[@jayocotube6483]

Great vid!

[@andyvan5692]

robustness?, one warning here Tilly, these are Delicate objects, the rangefinder prism, and mirrors can be dislodged and 'collimation' of the system lost, needing a re-calibration, whereas most slr cameras calibrate focus with shims in the lens mount, adjusting helicoid tube to mount distance, easier to do, and to fix diy, than a rangefinder re-calibration, which needs more tools, and optics to test it, etc. ; just an opinion, plenty of people love rangefinders, even the Fuji X100 style digital ones, or the Leica M 10's etc. just informing people there is one caveat to using them, like a telescope, you need to handle them carefully, as they are precision equipment, finely tuned to do their jobs well.

[@rauliflemington7045]

I would suggest that Leica M rangefinders are hardly as fragile as some people seem to suggest. Many M cameras still in excellent working condition after 40 to 70 decades. Rangefinder in Leica models simple to readjust, many owners do this easily at home with one screwdriver.

[@tfresh99]

Leica M’s are easily some of the most fun and enjoyable cameras to use and almost force you go to out and shoot. Also, makes one question even owning other film cameras.

[@CalumetVideo]

Agreed! I have the M3 and M4 in addition to the F2, F3 and F5, I actually use the Leica’s more.

[@vanandpillai9424]

Beautiful introduction of the M6 . If you switch the shutter dial to B ( bulb mode) it saves the battery life and prevents the light meter from being activated .

[@ivanmelicoffabril8253]

This is true for the TTL version, the previous M6 does not need to be on bulb.

[@Alexframesrj]

I have the m6, Q2M and the Sony A7cr with few lenses. The most used and enjoyable is the m6, after the q2m and the last the Sony just when I need something more fast

[@eldricarpilleda]

I recently quit music and pursued photography. When I saw Rhett I said "Damn Rhett is everywhere... and she kinda looks like Rhett's wife". I just realized you're Rhett's wife!

[@cwantuch]

I own the M6 TTL and while yes, I do love everything about it except the slow flash sync, I love my Bessa R4A even more. The Voigtlander is just a more functional camera with a higher flash sync speed. If I shot less indoors, I would be totally happy with the M6 or any other Leica.

[@ry1sfly]

Hey Tilly! Met you at Filmstock and just realized it was you! lol... What lenses did you use on your F3? I have a pair of Voigtlander lenses that realllllllllllly product great IQ compared to my Nikon Glass I have. Was amazed at the difference! Thanks! Great video

[@stephenjones6902]

Great video 👍

[@adamscottv]

I also wanted one of these but can't bring myself to spend that much on a camera. I use a mirrorless Nikon DX, and it's good enough. I do love this though.

[@farahnazphotography]

May I ask you where you bought M6 silver? I’m looking for but couldn’t find it. Thanks

[@Fat-totoro-cat]

Owning a number of rangefinders, including the M4, I would strongly advise people to find out if they will enjoy shooting with rangefinders, because it is quite a different system. I personally find them much inferior to SLR's so it makes the Leica experience a little less magical for me than it has been for you - of course it also depends on the type of photography you are interested in. They are a pretty good investment though.

[@averywagg1839]

I suspect you’re right. Of all the cameras I have, I enjoy using the M6 the most..

[@jorghahn2903]

How does the body of a film camera influence in image quality?

[@JenniferM13]

Yep. Lens + film/sensor is where it's at.

[@jassim_pic]

Interior coating reduces light reflections

[@untitledlab]

I love shooting with the Leica M6, there's something going on that can't be explained with the M6. I have two, one black and one chrome... it all depends on how I dress :)

[@beyourself9162]

The M6 teaches patience and preparation for the right shot… its maybe not for super spontaneous modern street photography. If you are the type of human who loves to wait for the magical moment the M6 will help you. It helps because the camera offers you limited possibilities and forces you to make a decision… it was on a walk today when it made ahhh now I understand. Mechanical it’s a perfect german design. Only two LEDs are electrical. The rest including the Parallax~Correction is mechanical. A timeless masterpiece in engineering. Using one has nothing to do with reason. Any digital camera is lightyears ahead. Its going back in time, very calming…

[@hellohenryfr]

I have one, and I agree on the build quality. It's a nice object. But I think it's overrated. In my opinion, with analog photography, bodies are "just" a black box. Lenses and film rolls are much more important factors for image quality. And a good M-mount lens will cost at least the same price as the body. And the loading system is so complicated and slow.

[@TheChosenOne_]

It’s not opinion, it’s fact that it’s just a black box. And regarding the loading system, just follow the instructions. It’s really easy and most people just overcomplicate a pretty ingenious design.

[@jamdealer]

Of course there are other bodies that are much cheaper and perform better in some scenarios, but the film M system is an enjoyable system to use in my opinion. It's very freeing. Voigtlander M mount lenses are also a quarter of the price of Leica M lenses with comparable results. I do love the design language of the native Leica M lenses though. I'd have to disagree with the loading personally. I find it very quick and I've never had issues with issues with it compared to some SLRs I've used. I will admit that it was a bit of a learning curve when loading my first several rolls, but it came second nature pretty quick. Out of any camera in the world, I think my desert island camera would be my M-A. It's damn near indestructible.

[@garysong8163]

Well I think that the Leica M’s are more than just another black box to take pictures with. First of all there must be something about a Leica M that’s been virtually unchanged since the M3 which was introduced in 1954….Leica must have gotten something right in 1854. All other film cameras from that era and later have drastically changed since then. Also there are so many older great M mount lenses both by Leica Zeiss, Voitlander and others. Some of these still produce M mount😂lenses and there are several lens manufacturers from China producing excellent M mount lenses.

[@rauliflemington7045]

​@jamdealer Yes, the MA is excellent. I prefer meter-less photography, I like the freedom of not being reliant on batteries and requiring a meter (although I do carry a small meter for when a tricky exposure occasionally confronts me). Also agree with you on lenses. I have Voigtlander and Zeiss and they are superb. Continuing with the like mindedness, the design language of Leica lenses is outstanding, the quick loading is fast,simple and indeed secure once you get familiar. Although I think the MA is superb, and indeed my choice if I was buying a new Leica, however my desert island camera is my M4-P as I prefer the fast rewind. Cheers and ongoing great shooting for the future.

[@theraven6836]

Just watching this video agreeing w you about the M6 (I actually own an M3) and I spot RICK BEATO in your photo! What? Talk about random.

[@charlenetrawick1647]

LEICA has never made a bad camera. Sure they are pricey, you get what you paid for though.

[@guzzy2410]

Ohhhhh a piano….

[@themanfromphoto]

Leica GOAT is arguably the M4 which is an M6 without the meter. With all due respect, youngsters and the internet have elevated the M6 to a status it really doesn't deserve.

[@rauliflemington7045]

I would suggest the M4-P is more an M6 without a meter than the M4.

[@themanfromphoto]

@@rauliflemington7045 Yeah but it's still an M4

[@rauliflemington7045]

@@themanfromphoto Well we wouldn't want someone thinking that the M4 is identical to the M6 except for the meter. The M4-P has the frame lines and hotshoe of the M6 as well. Model diffrentiation is important.

[@jaxytvids]

I love my M4.

[@thomashilmersen711]

I also love the analog M cameras. However, there are many reasons why I usually pick up another of my cameras. 1. The rangefinder mechanism is fragile and is easily knocked out of allignment. 2. It is too expensive to bring in potentially dangerous areas, like a big American city. 3. Film is quite expensive. 4. The Ms are quite heavy compared to e.g. a Rollei 35 or a Leica X1. 5. Lack of autofocus makes it less than ideal for people photography.

[@micolta]

i would not blow 8k on a camera system that has close focus of 3 feet and a maximum shutter of 1/1000. get a nikon fe2 or fm2n. shutter odds 1/4000 and lenses that can focus as close as 6 inches. if you need the time do you need a rolex or does a casio do the job equally well? a camera isjust a shutter speed

[@jayocotube6483]

Then don’t. I didn’t understand it until I bought one. Then I understood.

[@MeTheDroidor]

Just the name and I dont understand why. MP has better looking, in mi opinion. Thanks.

[@mitchell2178]

Ive got a bessa R, new in box for 500. Better in functionality than the m6. Only worse in build quality.

[@davidventura1424]

But how much better with a proper Leica lens!?!

[@jeffrey3498]

I draw inspiration from the subject, not the camera.

[@authentikpaper]

Very subjective

[@sophietucker1255]

Nice camera and very well built but at least 50X higher priced than is reasonable. Overrated and overhyped

[@kiwipics]

I now own a Leica M6 Titanium by pure chance as I purchase a £20 prize draw ticket in a draw run by Leica Hunter Competitions in the UK. Would I have bought an M6 or any other Leica if I hadn't have won this one ... Urmmm, definitely not 🤔 . The reason I say this is that I have a wide range of cameras (Lumix, Canon, Ricoh, Olympus, Yashica) at my disposal, and the Leica would not be the first camera that I'd grab if heading out to take fast grab shots, and it certainly would be classed as my everyday carry like some Leica owners would claim. The camera thst I'd be most carry nearly every day (since buying digital) would be a my either my Lumix LX7 or Canon S120 compact cameras, and either a my Lumix GF1 or Canon M50 if needing to use primes etc. I own full frame Canons bodies, but find them being used less and less over the last few years. The M6 is just a nice trinket that happens to feel nice when using it, but it's also a frustratingly slow camera to use, but it will stay with me and the lenses can be used on my Micro Four Thirds and Canon M bodies if I feel like a bit of fun.