Leica M6 Meter Repair: What's the latest?

[Arthurwg]

Very many thanks. That's tremendously reassuring to have in mind in case mine ever fails.

+1

 

[brbo]

So there was a joint effort by many many repair services to pretend there was no fix for dead M6 classic circuit board for many years? That really is great to hear!

I hope the similar conspiracy can be put on hold for M6 TTL for a while so people can get their TTLs fixed... A spay of WD-40 on the ISO dial and... voila!


I'm not being sarcastic. With this secret now out I might be able to sell my OEM circuit board and get some money back (99.99% chance it's in perfect condition if I'm reading the last posts correctly, right)? Any takers? 50% off if purchased in the next 24h!

 

[Radost]

 

[aoresteen]

I am so glad that my IF, IIF, M3, & M4P do NOT have light meters in them! They are very robust and all can still be serviced.

I use a Sekonic L508 & the tiny Voigtlander shoe mount meters.

 

[Nitroplait]

I am so glad that my IF, IIF, M3, & M4P do NOT have light meters in them! They are very robust and all can still be serviced.

Don’t compute. Your M4P is just like an M6 and can be serviced just the same.
We are just talking about the meter here.
Can your meters be serviced when they are 40 years old?

 

[chuckroast]

I am so glad that my IF, IIF, M3, & M4P do NOT have light meters in them! They are very robust and all can still be serviced.

I use a Sekonic L508 & the tiny Voigtlander shoe mount meters.

Well, M6 bodies can still be serviced, just not the original meter boards.

But I'm with you. I prefer any Leica up to- and including the M5 to anything after.

 

[aoresteen]

Don’t compute. Your M4P is just like an M6 and can be serviced just the same.
We are just talking about the meter here.
Can your meters be serviced when they are 40 years old?

Well, M6 bodies can still be serviced, just not the original meter boards.

But I'm with you. I prefer any Leica up to- and including the M5 to anything after.

I never said that the M6 mechanical parts could not be serviced - they can. The internal meter is the issue with the M6.

My point is that my Leicas do not have internal meters and I don't have to worry about them.

So far my Voigtlander & Sekonic meters have not needed servicing so I do not know the status of their repairability.

And yes, my cameras with internal meters CAN still have the meters be serviced.

I have had the meters in my Pentax Spotmatic, Spotmatic ESIIs, Olympus OM-1s and my Olympus OM-2s serviced in the last 5 years and they can be serviced today. All are much older than the M6. The ESII is from 1973, the OM-2 is from 1981. The Spotmatic is from 1967.

 

[brbo]

I have had the meters in my Pentax Spotmatic, Spotmatic ESIIs, Olympus OM-1s and my Olympus OM-2s serviced in the last 5 years and they can be serviced today.

And now you can have M6's meter serviced as well.

 

[chuckroast]

And now you can have M6's meter serviced as well.

I don't think that's been in question. The specific question is whether the original M6 meters can be repaired. 'Last I knew, they could not.

I have the schematics here for that meter as well as a sample board to see if it can be fixed by "other means", but the circuitry appears to be either some kind of custom analog chipset or it is made with standard parts whose identifiers have been removed. So ... no joy on that front..

 

[brbo]

Ok, original meter circuit board can now be replaced and not repaired. Same as broken glass can't be repaired but must be replaced.

Can current M6's meter be repaired or would it be replaced? Were the pressure plates in new M6 that were scratching the film repaired or replaced?

(I guess it makes a big difference, somehow...)

 

[chuckroast]

Ok, original meter circuit board can now be replaced and not repaired.

This is the part that I was unclear on. I had not heard that replacement boards for the original meters were available, only for the later meters, and those boards would not work in the original M6.

Who is sourcing the replacement meter boards for original M6s? Leica or someone else? Pricing?

 

[brbo]

It's all in this thread... Right here.


Original classic M6 meter can be replaced (Amsterdam Camera Repairs is doing the replacements and supplying replacement boards to 3rd party repair shops). Meters in M6 TTL can not be repaired. 2022 M6 is currently in production and can be serviced by Leica.


Funny thing... A couple of years before ACR came up with the replacement M6 circuit boards, Cameraworks-UK were previewing similar project, but went silent on this until November 2024 when they published on their FB page that they are woking on a solution and that they should roll out replacement service in 2025. They also posted a picture of the circuit board (with ACR logo).

 

[snusmumriken]

This is the part that I was unclear on. I had not heard that replacement boards for the original meters were available, only for the later meters, and those boards would not work in the original M6.

Who is sourcing the replacement meter boards for original M6s? Leica or someone else? Pricing?

I think the answer is in posts #17 and 19 in this thread.

 

[chuckroast]

It's all in this thread... Right here.


Original classic M6 meter can be replaced (Amsterdam Camera Repair is doing the replacements and supplying replacement boards to 3rd party repair shops). Meters in M6 TTL can not be repaired. 2022 M6 is currently in production and can be serviced by Leica.

Much clearer. Thank you.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

It's all in this thread... Right here.


Original classic M6 meter can be replaced (Amsterdam Camera Repairs is doing the replacements and supplying replacement boards to 3rd party repair shops). Meters in M6 TTL can not be repaired.

Have the light meters in the M6TTL cameras been troublesome or unusually delicate? Is that a reason to not buy a M6TTL?

 

[brbo]

Have the light meters in the M6TTL cameras been troublesome or unusually delicate? Is that a reason to not buy a M6TTL?

Not that I know of.

But some 10 years ago when my M6 meter began acting up and I was searching for best options to get it fixed (there were still a number of places that had replacement circuits), I remember people were also asking about where to have M6 TTLs meters fixed. So obviously there are TTLs with dead meters. Though, is meter in TTL more troublesome than the pretty reliable later M6 batches with revised circuit board? I have no idea, but I would be really surprised if Leica didn't learn from the experience of the early M6.

 

[mshchem]

I have a M6ttl that wasn't shutting off, Mr Ye replaced the switch under the shutter button, works perfectly now.

 

[M. Axel Wikstrom]

I haven’t used a meter in a long time. Sunny-16, experience, and a good compensating developer takes care of most any variation.

Meters are easier to fool than the above, and they slow the process with 35mm photography. I do use a spot meter shooting sheet film, 4x5 and bigger.

 

[dave olson]

My M6 is an original, and the meter is working fine. For my Ms without a built-in meter, I use the Voigtlander meter IIs. A little pricey, but compared to the Chinese stuff flooding the market, worth it. One sits on my M2 the other on my M4-P

 

[M. Axel Wikstrom]

Unless I’m using transparency film (rare) I generally don’t need a meter with 35mm. Spent a month photographing Chile and Argentina back in January and didn’t use a meter even once. A meter takes more time and gets in the way - learn to go without and your photography will probably improve.

 

[Logical1]

I have a pair of M6's. Both classic, one a 0.85. Both late production. One of the bodies, the meter quit working on. I swapped the batteries between the bodies and the original still did not function. The ultimate culprit was oxidation on the battery contacts in the battery compartment. When I cleaned them, the problem was resolved. The cameras are lightly used and I am the original owner of a chrome classic and second owner (20+ years) on the 0.85 black. I do not recall which one had the battery issue. The cameras are not stored in a humid or harsh environment. I recently picked up the Gossen battery for my 50 year old Luna-six 3 meter from B&H. It works great for my other cameras.

Mark J.

 

[Radost]

I have a pair of M6's. Both classic, one a 0.85. Both late production. One of the bodies, the meter quit working on. I swapped the batteries between the bodies and the original still did not function. The ultimate culprit was oxidation on the battery contacts in the battery compartment. When I cleaned them, the problem was resolved. The cameras are lightly used and I am the original owner of a chrome classic and second owner (20+ years) on the 0.85 black. I do not recall which one had the battery issue. The cameras are not stored in a humid or harsh environment. I recently picked up the Gossen battery for my 50 year old Luna-six 3 meter from B&H. It works great for my other cameras.

Mark J.

What did you use to clean them?

 

[Logical1]

According to most the wrong item. Gentle application of a pencil eraser.
Good luck.

Mark J.

 

[snusmumriken]

I would be lost at sea without the meter in my M6. I wish it were otherwise, that I could rely on experience and rule of thumb, but in reality the meter’s the only thing that convinces me I am anywhere near getting a photo.

 

[Pieter12]

I would be at sea without the meter in my M6. I wish it were otherwise, that I could rely on experience and rule of thumb, but in reality it’s the only thing that convinces me I am anywhere near getting a photo.

Try a hand-held meter. Does wonders.