Possibility to use very high quality - albeit also high price! - lenses. Very smooth to operate and reliable to use even in low temperatures. Easy and accurate to focus also in poor light. Compact in size.

Only the general weaknesses systematically typical to rangefinders.

I had never expected to use this much money on a 35 mm still camera, but after trying one for a couple of days three years ago I suffered a temporary loss of sanity and got one. I have used it extensively since that overlooking the other fine system I have for 35 mm. I have also aquired more equipment from the same manufacturer and no end is seen. I have been very happy with the camera, especially since I got a manufacurer's - expensive - leather case to cover it. The case provides better hand hold for me and gives mental comfort by protecting the camera in occasional mild rain. I use a separate light meter 99 % of the time, but the one in camera is good for back up and for special occasions. I do like more the system in M6 TTL with the dot in the middle, it is faster and easier to use if using the meter only occassionally. I feel this is a very fine camera for a photographer with a long and varying backround with all kinds of equipment for general use, when - as ever! - the final results count most.

Customer Service

Regarding official maintenance and warranty repairs: very poor or nonexistent in Finland.

Similar Products Used:

Fuji GW 690II, Fuji GSW 645, Zorkijs.

Built like a rock. Robust and stable platform. Viewfinder clear and bright. Doesn't need a battery. Totally manual and dependable at all times. Superb lens line-up

Expensive but worth it. Have to careful with the film winder crank as it is fragile and can break. Battery cover has a habit of coming off by itself . Slow flash sync 1/50 but then flash only used 5 % of the time. Have to set dial to 'B' when not using or batteries will be used up when in the bag. Rangefinder flare and you can't see the metering arrows when shooting into the sun. And using the Leica draws too much attention. Very distracting. I use black tape to cover the bodies but they still can spot it from 50 feet away.

Superb long term photographic investment, will last longer than user. Fantastic array of lens. Even though some models are out of production, you're still spoilt for choice for expert repairers in US or Canada. And the lens are built like a rock. I was mountain climbing once and hit a rock face with the 50 Summicron unprotected. The glass didn't break but a piece of rock the size of a shotgun pellet was lodged in the glass. Even the tip of the barrell and hood was dented. So I had it sent to Germany for repair. Cost a bomb but I've remained attached to this 'baby' since. I've sent my negatives for processing and printing during vacation overseas and they've always commented on how much sharper and better saturated my pics are than the rest whilst not knowing it came from the Leicas. At the risk of sounding patronising, I've used the high end EOS and Nikon lens but they don't come close. Try black and white films and the result is pure phenomenal. Incredible shadow detail which I can't see with the rest of the pack. My friend who is a professional photographer can pick out the Leica negatives from the rest without fail everytime. He says they have a certain 3D quality about them which you can't fail to spot. Only thing is, I'm getting older and my eyesight is not so good thus looking at autofocus cameras like the Contax G2 or the Nikons. But everytime I run through the negatives and slides, its back to the Leica. What can I say ! Current cameras used are M3, M4-P, M6 and IIIc with the 28 Elmarit, 35 Summicron, 50 Summicron, 50 Noctilux and 90 Summicron. Used with Tom Abrahamsson Rapidwinders and Soft Release (Essential accessory which you can't do without) . If you're on a budget, forget about getting the latest M7 blah blah blah... Getting a used body and lens. You can always CLA them if they're not up to the mark and after still, after CLA, they'll last long enough to pass to your grand grand children ! As they say ' You don't own a Leica but merely holding it for the next generation !'

Customer Service

Professional and very prompt. Leica GMBH Germany is tops.

Similar Products Used:

Not rangefinders but...Canon EOS 1N, Nikon F90X, FM2, Bronica ETRS, Mamiya 645 Pro-S

Built like a rock. Robust and stable platform. Viewfinder clear and bright. Doesn't need a battery. Totally manual and dependable at all times. Superb lens line-up

Expensive but worth it. Have to careful with the film winder crank as it is fragile and can break. Battery cover has a habit of coming off by itself . Slow flash sync 1/50 but then flash only used 5 % of the time. Have to set dial to 'B' when not using or batteries will be used up when in the bag. Rangefinder flare adn you can't see the metering arrows when shooting into the sun.

Superb long term photographic investment, will last longer than user. Fantastic array of lens. Even though some models are out of production, you're still spoilt for choice for expert repairers in US or Canada. And the lens are built like a rock. I was mountain climbing once and hit a rock face with the 50 Summicron unprotected. The glass didn't break but a piece of rock the size of a shotgun pellet was lodged in the glass. Even the tip of the barrell and hood was dented. So I had it sent to Germany for repair. Cost a bomb but I've remained attached to this 'baby' since. I've sent my negatives for processing and printing during vacation overseas and they've always commented on how much sharper and better saturated my pics are than the rest whilst not knowing it came from the Leicas. At the risk of sounding patronising, I've used the high end EOS and Nikon lens but they don't come close. Try black and white films and the result is pure phenomenal. Incredible shadow detail which I can't see with the rest of the pack. My friend who is a professional photographer can pick out the Leica negatives from the rest without fail everytime. He says they have a certain 3D quality about them which you can't fail to spot. Only thing is, I'm getting older and my eyesight is not so good thus looking at autofocus cameras like the Contax G2 or the Nikons. But everytime I run through the negatives and slides, its back to the Leica. What can I say ! Current cameras used are M3, M4-P, M6 and IIIc with the 28 Elmarit, 35 Summicron, 50 Summicron, 50 Noctilux and 90 Summicron. Used with Tom Abrahamsson Rapidwinders and Soft Release (Essential accessory which you can't do without)

Customer Service

Professional and very prompt. Leica GMBH Germany is tops.

Similar Products Used:

Not rangefinders but...Canon EOS 1N, Nikon F90X, FM2, Bronica ETRS, Mamiya 645 Pro-S

Solid, superb lenses, accurate RF focusing and metering.

1/50 top flash sync...forget about daytime fill-flash. The price...expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Being a newcomer to the world of Leica, I fell in love with the M6 after handling a friend's for a time. Chose the M6(Classic) over the newer TTL version...same camera without the TTL electronics. Along with the 50/2 Summicron, this has become the camera I will use 99% of the time for street candids and outdoor photography. The camera is unquestionably solid, well-crafted, with its minimal controls working smoothly and quietly. The meter is extremely accurate, as my first few rolls of slides will attest. I'll do a follow-up review after handling this beauty for another few months.

Customer Service

haven't used them, but great reputation.

Similar Products Used:

Contax G2, Mamiya 7

Quality of construction Simplicity of operation Quality lenses Joy of ownership Quietness

As other rangefinders Not good for long focus lenses. No good for extreme closeups withour Visoflex. very high price new.

A superb bit of kit, neat, capable and quiet. The ideal reportage tool. well built with excellent lenses. Have owned and abused most of the classsic rangefinder kits currently own a Hexar RF and M6 and M3 outfit with leitz Voigtlander and hexanon lense 15 to 135 mm The M3 is a better built camera than the M6 but the metering and additional w/a frames are excellent. the Hexar RF is in the same league as the M6 and has many advantages.

Customer Service

Never required, totally bullet proof.

Similar Products Used:

Leica II,various III's ,M3 ,Contax II and IIIa , Prominent,Retina II and IIIC , canon VT , Nikon SP , Hexar RF etc, etc

Within it's limitations, it is indeed the best camera in the world. And currently, it's very cheap (in a relative sense!) - this is a camera you will pass on to your grandchildren (although they might ask what film is!).

It's not suitable for all jobs, image quality can't equal medium format, and it costs a lot of money. Oh, and the rangefinder box can be difficult to see in bright light.

Well, earlier this year I finally gave in and bought an M6. And I regret it. I regret not buying it earlier, that is! It's simply a superbly-made, great handling photographic tool.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Fed 2,4; Zorki 4; Contax III,IIIa; Kiev 4; Voigtlander Bessa L; and numerous SLRs, TLRs etc

Very nice feel & touch Still works with battery gone Excellent image quality

Not to be used in humid tropical areas Mechanically not as robust as you may think Too expensive, you won't take too much risks with it!

Nicely built, though quite heavy. Excellent handling, excellent images. Optical finder hard to use with a 35mm (or shorter) lens if you wear glasses. I used this camera in West-Africa for the last 2 years and it developed fungus on all lenses, including the optical viewfinder. I lost the 2 Summicrons due to fungus while the Nikon and Rollei - which I kept in the same environment - do not show any sign of it. The camera is not fit for a humid tropical environment.

Customer Service

2 times needed; reliable.

Similar Products Used:

Rollei 35, Nikon FM2

This is a nicely made excellent camera to use with M lenses. Metering is good, easy to use and accurate enough for slides. Camera body is small, handles beautifully, has convienient controls, etc. You can get a rapidwinder for the camera and have near motor drive speed with Leica's quiet operation. I find I can take pix with an M6 much faster than with any other camera that I have used. Leica glass is outstanding...truly. Years ago when I had Nikons, I looked at Leica users as rich snobs....then I used a 50/2 Summicron. WOW. Sharp saturated colors like nothing I'd seen before. I like the soft M6 covering better than the older vulcanite - it doesn't seem as prone to drying and cracking.

Rangefinder washout. Supposedly there are ways to modify the camera to minimize this problem but it shouldn't happen as it doesn't happen at all in my M3s...BUT you have better frameline selection in the M6. Does not feel as solidly built as other Ms. No selftimer -- come on!! I have the little screw in self timer but that is a pain to use. I mean how much technology or cost would it take to add one to the M6?

I have had the M6 for 3 months. I ended up selling it because I find the rangefinder washes out too easily in some circumstances (at least compared to my older M and screw leicas). The metering is really the main tool in an M6 that separates it from earlier Leica M cameras. If you hand meter, there is no advantage of having an M6 over, say, an M4. OTOH, M6 prices have never been better and I would consider the M6 classic a great buy in M Leicas. Obviously, rangefinders are not suited for macro or long distance photography but they do what they are good at better than SLRs.

Customer Service

None needed.

Similar Products Used:

M3 (SS, DS), M4, M4-P

A tank. Precise. Small. Total manual control. Vast used affordable lens availabilty.

A tank. Total manual control. Sell the farm for a new lens. Thief target.

The best RF. An heirloom.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

IIIf, IIIg, M3, M2, M6, Hexar, Contax G2, Bessa R, Retina IIIC.

Simplicity of design and use. The more you use this type of camera, the more you pay attention to what you are doing. Once you do this, you will appreciate your own results.

Use of long focal lenses is restricted.

The beauty of the camera is in its simplicity. It is only when you use the camera with the lenses that you realize that ''what they say'', is true.

Customer Service

Very polite and responsive. Had frustrating meter issue which seems to have been corrected after 4 visits.

Similar Products Used:

Leica CL, another simple package. Nikon S2 and Nikkormat for 35 mm.