Leica M6 TTL 35mm Rangefinder Camera

What do you do with a proven rangefinder design, one of the best viewfinders in the business, and a range of lenses from 21mm to 135mm? Leica designers realized that their users don't enjoy having to use auxiliary viewfinders with their wide angle lenses, and object to focusing with one viewfinder and then framing with another. In addition, the add-on viewfinders lack parallax correction, which further complicates framing.

The result was a split in the M6 line into three distinct models. At first, Leica added the 0.85 model to the standard M6 line, which increased viewfinder magnification and added a frame finder for 135mm lenses. This model, of course, was aimed at owners who primarily use the 50mm through 135mm lenses.

When the M6 TTL (through the lens flash metering) was developed, Leica added a third camera with less magnification and frame lines for 28mm through 90mm lenses to appeal to wide angle users. Leica was busily adding and upgrading their line of wide angle lenses, and the 0.58 magnification model was the logical extension of the body line to support those lenses.

Potential M6 buyers should look for five distinct models, listed from the oldest to the newest:
-M6 classic, 0.72 viewfinder magnification, non-TTL flash
-M6 classic, 0.85 viewfinder magnification, non-TTL flash
-M6 TTL, 0.72 viewfinder magnification, TTL flash
-M6 TTL, 0.85 viewfinder magnification, TTL flash
-M6 TTL, 0.58 viewfinder magnification, TTL flash

(Please note that I'm not listing any titanium or collector models, which I feel were produced for Leica collectors rather than 'shooters' and offer no extra features for the inflated prices.)

The M6 TTL 0.58 model is ideal for Leica shooters who use the 24mm through 90mm lenses. Although the largest framing indicator in the viewfinder is for the 28mm lens, I discovered that using the whole viewfinder gives an good indication of the coverage of the 24mm lens. Of course, if using the viewfinder this way with the 24mm lens, you should remember to watch the 28mm framing lines to get an indication of the parallax offset to help frame correctly. In my experience, I was able to leave the 24mm auxiliary viewfinder in the camera bag and operate the camera much more quickly, focusing and framing in one motion. Shoppers who are looking for a 24mm lens for use on the 0.58 body can skip purchasing the aux viewfinder altogether, for a savings of several hundred dollars.

The M6 0.58 model was the last of the regular M6 models produced, and the silver body was produced in much lower quantities than the black model. Hard core users seem to prefer the less flashy black models, but for collectors, the silver model is more desirable. In addition, many of the lenses are available in chrome finish, and these lenses look simply spectacular on a silver body.

All of the M6 models have the same great M6 features, such as a great viewfinder, super quiet shutter, and a compact, rugged body. However, if you are looking for the ultimate 'user' M-series camera, you should be aware that M6 owners frequently complained about focus patch flare out causing problems with focusing, and this was corrected in the M7 model. (I understand, though, that the M6 can be retrofitted with M7 parts to correct this problem.)

In any case, if you are a Leica user who shoots mainly with wide to normal lenses, the M6 TTL 0.58 model is your best bet for rangefinder bliss.