Early M6 impressions and results

merciful · 04-03-2004

I don't know what's up with all the fuss about loading an M6: drop the film in and wind, baby.

It's heavy. The viewfinder is mind-blowingly bright compared to the yellowed old window of my Canonet. The meter seems accurate enough (if you know how to use a reflective meter, which plenty of people seem not to, of course), but I usually carry my Sekonic, anyway. Advancing film and rewinding feel nice and Germano-mechanical, the way I like.

The M-Hexanon 50/2 is wonderfully smooth focusing and precise, and spectacular wide-open (see result, Tri-X at 400, Rodinal 1:50)

I find the multiple sets of RF lines in the viewfinder to be mildly irritating; but I expect I'll adapt. After seeing how close 75mm and 50mm are, I ditched my order for a 75mm and ordered the V'lander 90/3.5. Not as fast as I'd like, but I'll live, and I'd rather a new V'lander right now than an old Tele-Elmarit.

I'm hooked.

Doug · 04-03-2004

Good observatuons; I agree. Except I don't have a Hexanon to admire. I see no sign of flare, and the bokeh looks ok. :-)

The step from 50 to 75 is about the same as the step from 35 to 50, which many say is too close. A matter of personal choice of course, but the M6 framelines for 50 and 75 may show them a bit closer than they are in reality.

Congratulations and I see you're already having fun!

merciful · 04-04-2004

Thanks, Doug - I am!

The negs are really very nice. As you can tell, there's a lot of light coming from behind my subject here, and I would have almost expected a little flare. Very nice performance wide-open, as this was.

taffer · 04-04-2004

Nice shot merciful, "table" shots are another personal favorite of mine. Reading this and other threads I'm starting to remember the 'feel' I got from Francisco's M6 when I hold it for a while during our meeting in BCN. Silk-like focus, the brightest finder I've seen to the date...

mmm... no I can't start thinking that way

You guys are dangerous...

merciful · 04-05-2004

Thanks, Taffer. My work is slowly beginning to focus (uhhh) on candid portraiture almost exclusively. It's fascinating to me.

Come on now - it didn't really cost me too much. You know you want to...

SolaresLarrave · 04-05-2004

merciful, you've set yourself down a slippery path. From the first Leica body you'll go into a second (so you have one in B&W and the other with color film); from two lenses you'll go into three, then a grip, then a gear bag, all the hard to get filters, and before you know it you'll have gotten yourself into old, quirky lenses with a particular charm (sort of artistic ineffectiveness) like old Elmars and Hektors with screwmount adapters and then, only then can you claim to be really hooked.

Although to be very truly hooked you need a M3 SS with a MR meter, a collapsible Summicron 50/2, and shoot only Tri-X film... which you develop yourself!

I'm speaking from experience... except for the part of being "truly hooked."

strangedoctor · 04-05-2004

I have had my M6 for almost 10 years now (good lord!) and it's still the impervious tank it was in its youth. I am always surprised by how such a simple thing "works". For example, one could easily look at the white metering-dot with doubt. But it's always been quite accurate; you just need to remember the meter circle area in the viewfinder and always look for a neutral color to meter on (the ground, clothes, etc.) and the exposure is 95% perfect.
I have also found the framelines to be very accurate -- I've used the camera to shoot slides of artwork and the edges are always straight and dead-on.

merciful · 04-05-2004

Well, I do shoot tri-X very nearly exclusively, and I develop it all myself...

I already desire an M3.

pshinkaw · 04-05-2004

What f-stop did you use for this shot? I love the way the chair backs gradually blurr into the distance.

-Paul

merciful · 04-05-2004

Thanks, Paul. F2.

taffer · 04-05-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by merciful
Come on now - it didn't really cost me too much. You know you want to...

bad bad bad bad bad...

I know someday I'll be after a M2 or maybe a M3, but I still have a long way to go, and a lot of things to learn...

I've been looking also at your other candid from the Canonet, and hope to see more work from you soon, if as you said that's your style, I like it a lot !

Good luck!

Oscar

rover · 04-05-2004

You guys are making me itch. I am thinking glass though. Maybe, just maybe, some day a 50 cron will find its home with me. Then I have to decide what body to park it on. If I was in need today, it would be an R2, but I have hope that some day Cosina will introduce the long awaited next Bessa. Fingers crossed that it is their answer to the M7.