M6 vs M3

[kiemchacsu]

Originally Posted by thegman

If you like 50mm and 90mm focal lengths, the M3 is great. I also feel that the M3 is the better looking and feeling camera, but that's purely personal, you may feel the opposite.

If you shoot a lot, you may find loading a pain compared to the M6, but it's not that bad really.

Have a feel of an M3, if it does not grab you, might not be for you. For me, I liked it the instant I held one, very much my favourite Leica, compared to my previous MP and M6.

Ditto, I used to have 2 M6 then I sold one and bought a M3. Now I have a perfect combo, no GAS anymore. My M3 is with my 50/2 and sometimes 90/2 while M6 is welded with the 35/2. I have to say that I love both of them. The M3 feels more solid and heavier.

EDIT: by the way, I suggest you to follow this thread by dave lackey to know why people love their M3s

[Austerby]

Originally Posted by brokencivilian

Which would you choose and why? I currently have two M6's one classic one Ttl.85 and I was thinking of trading my classic for an m3 ....

A couple of thoughts:

a) The shutter dial on the M3 and M6 classic are similar (small and go round anti-clockwise), whereas on the M6TTL the dial is large and goes clockwise (or is it the other way round?).

b) the M3 has a 0.91 viewfinder so by trading the classic with the 0.72 vf you would be left with two cameras with higher magnifications (0.85 + 0.91) which therefore may restrict your use of wider lenses.

It would seem to me that a combination of your M6 classic + M3 makes more sense than your M6TTL + M3.

Of course there may be other reasons to keep the M6TTL (newer, better condition, use of flash etc)

Personally, I had an M6TTL for a short while but found I preferred the M3.

[jasonrutter]

I voted for the M6. Day in and day out it is great. I rarely use my M3 and find my time being spent between the M6 35mm lens with color film and my M2 with B&W film with either a 50mm or a 21mm SA. The film loading system in the M6 is night and day better then M2/3 which in my mind is huge.

[Monochrom]

Hi, at the beginning i´ve chosen eyes closed the m6.....but after several years and several cameras i can say now, i chose the m3.

The reasons are simple....

1-it doesn´t have any electronics.
2-I use mainly 50mm, 40mm and 21mm So the x91 VF Is great.
3-The m3 is prettier, doesn´t have that odd red dot in front of it...and the lever and vulcanite are far better than the ones of the m6.
3-The mr-4 lightmeter works great, i can set the exposure without looking through the VF just point and set. Perhaps bulkier but it has speeds coupled to it...the vc II is smaller but doesn´t have the speeds coupled.
4-for black and white you don´t need lightmeter
5-On troublesome weather it´s perfect...
6-The vf flares less than the m6´s...which flares just too much...

The cons of the m3 are:
1-Perhaps you won´t find a mint one...
2-Sometimes the VF-RF are exhausted...dim and no constrast...

On the contrary, if you like 35mm lens and ttl metering go for the m6....on the m6 you just never know the speeds youre using....but the best ttl metering leica is the m5....yes also the m7 but that has AE as well.

So...i was lucky to find a sample of the m3 which is as new as my m9....so got lucky i guess....

Have to recongize the m6 was a dream (came true) since i was 20...but now i´m happier with my m3....

[kshapero]

Buy a cheap M3 and get a complete CLA and you are good for another 50 years.

[barnwulf]

After all the M3 talk around here I would like to try one but I shoot with 35mm lenses a lot of the time so M3 might not be a good choice for me. I loved my M6. - Jim

[kshapero]

As I have said numerous times here, using a 35mm lens on an M3 is no big deal. You just use the whole frame and I wear glasses.

[kshapero]

Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Since I am fond of 35mm focal length I voted M6

[raid]

Originally Posted by kshapero

Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?

Maybe he means that it is easy enough to guess the exposure due to the wider lattitude in B&W film. Don't you think that this is what he mean?

[segedi]

Originally Posted by kshapero

Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?

I think they mean that B&W film has a rather large latitude. You don't need a light meter, but you do need a brain. One with some knowledge of the Sunny 16 rule. And one that knows how to put that knowldge into use with various ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures. Me, I prefer to let the electronic brain in my metered cameras do the work. But understand when I need to adjust based on backlighting and such.

[Moriturii]

Leica M6 all day everyday, speaking as someone who is NOT romantically biased with any Leica item.

[kshapero]

Originally Posted by raid

Maybe he means that it is easy enough to guess the exposure due to the wider lattitude in B&W film. Don't you think that this is what he mean?

Oh, does ALL B&W film have wider latitude?

[kshapero]

Originally Posted by segedi

I think they mean that B&W film has a rather large latitude. You don't need a light meter, but you do need a brain. One with some knowledge of the Sunny 16 rule. And one that knows how to put that knowldge into use with various ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures. Me, I prefer to let the electronic brain in my metered cameras do the work. But understand when I need to adjust based on backlighting and such.

When using my M3, I use an external light meter about a third of time, BTW it is much more specific than a built in meter. The rest of the time I either work off the previous reading or guess.

[smiling gecko]

i really like "the feel" of an m3...it is a mechanical and tactile marvel and joy...

...but after learning to adapt to some quirks of the m6 metering - my ineptitude, ten thumbs and glacier-speed thought processes being the culprits - it gets my nod.

never got to handle one, but i wonder if the m6J which has some of the m3 looks has the feel of an m3?

breathe, relax and enjoy.
smiling gecko, aka kenneth

[kiemchacsu]

Originally Posted by kshapero

Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?

Personally I dont agree with that statement. Even though BW film has a great latitude but NOT unlimit. If you didn't take correct exposure you could get manageable output only, not the optimum. I tried Tri-X at 250 and 400 (2/3 f-stop) and the difference is noticeable.

[thegman]

Originally Posted by kshapero

Someone mentioned that for black and white film, you do not need a light meter. What does this mean?

Personally I find colour negative to have more forgiving latitude than B&W. Portra 400, I really think you barely have to meter at all. I shot a couple of rolls at a wedding, outdoor, blazing sun, indoors quite dim, guessed the exposure for both, was pretty much fine. I've not managed that for any B&W film with the same level of success.

I think colour negative *needed* to have this latitude as a lot of it was shot in disposable cameras, with no ability to adjust exposure at all. They are just fixed shutter and aperture, so the film was *required* to be be forgiving.

[steveniphoto]

i voted for the m3.

[loquax ludens]

Originally Posted by kshapero

Oh, does ALL B&W film have wider latitude?

No. Kodak Technical Pan film TP 2415 had a fairly narrow latitude when exposed and processed as a pictorial film. Sorry, I can't find any published numbers.

[errorlogin]

Voted for the M3. I sold my M6 quickly, it does noch give me such a good feeling as the M3 does.

[elude]

It has been two weeks since the OP opened the thread. What do YOU think now ?

[Timmyjoe]

Had an M6TTL for over a decade. Very nice camera. Haven't been using it so much. Picked up an M2-S (which has the same loading as the M6) and I like it much better than the M6TTL. It's a bit shorter and feels a bit smaller in my hands. I love the solid advance lever better than the plastic tipped one on the M6TTL. But the thing I like about it the most is the lack of internal meter, and therefor the lack of those damn red LED arrows in the viewfinder. Been shooting for almost forty years and have a good understanding of exposure. I know my exposure before I bring the camera up to my eye (either by experience, sunny 16, or hand held meter in difficult situations, and an incident meter will give you far more accurate exposure in most cases than a reflective meter like the ones in the M6 cameras). When I am focusing, framing and chasing that decisive moment (the only things I want to be doing when the camera is up to my eye), I find it highly annoying and distracting to have those red LEDs flashing or blinking in my peripheral vision.

Just my 2¢ worth.

Best,
-Tim

[denizg7]

Originally Posted by segedi

I voted M6. While you'll get a lot of push to get an M3, what you really need is a lens. Save for that and keep the bodies you have.

thats true. If you are good with the sunny 16 rule. I would sell both m6s and get an m2 at about 800 dollars.

then use the rest of the money to get a good used lens.

[kshapero]

[chris7521]

I have to say I do like having the exposure meter in the camera as in my MP but, my M3 has a better feel in hand and sweeter shutter actuation. It's really something! The MP is no slouch though and I have no desire to sell it.