Leica M6 Battery Problem

Arthurwg

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Joined

Dec 16, 2005

Messages

2,783

Location

Taos NM

Format

Medium Format

• Sep 24, 2025

• #1

For some reason, it seems that my M6 is eating batteries. The meter works when a new battery is installed, but after a week or so the battery goes dead and the meter will not work. Obviously there must be some kind of battery drain when the camera is inactive. Has anyone heard of this or experienced a similar problem? Can it be repaired?

 

Pieter12

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Joined

Aug 20, 2017

Messages

7,803

Location

Magrathean's computer

Format

Super8

• Sep 24, 2025

• #2

Do you advance the film immediately following an exposure? The meter switches off once an exposure has been made and switches back on when the film is advanced. It should turn itself off after 10 seconds and on again once the shutter release button is pressed. Maybe that is the not working with your camera and why it goes through so many batteries. Leica claims about 4800 exposures per set of batteries.

 

Saganich

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Joined

Nov 21, 2004

Messages

1,294

Location

Brooklyn

Format

35mm RF

• Sep 24, 2025

• #3

Yea, I had this issue with an M6ttl 20 years ago. From what I understand regarding the M6ttl, setting the shutter to B is the only way to completely kill current drain from battery. I'm not sure about non-ttl versions.

 

250swb

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Joined

Apr 22, 2012

Messages

1,569

Location

Peak District

Format

Multi Format

• Sep 24, 2025

• #4

Set it to 'B' to turn the meter off. It will time out automatically if you have your camera in a bag, but if the shutter button is pressed against something it will keep it switched to 'On' unless set to 'B'.

 

mshchem

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Joined

Nov 26, 2007

Messages

15,217

Location

Iowa City, Iowa USA

Format

Medium Format

• Sep 24, 2025

• #5

I have an M6ttl that required the switch under the shutter button to be replaced. Otherwise set to bulb. Ye will replace switch for a couple hundred bucks but prepare for a wait.