Prices of Leica M6 surpassing M9 and M240

darkosaric · Mar 26, 2021

Leica is expensive, yes, nothing new there.
But M6 prices are going up like crazy, not sure why. I paid my M6 10 years ago around 1000€, now they go way over 2000€, and I see they have been sold, not that this price is there and nobody is buying it.
From all M bodies that I have and have used - M6 feels to me cheapest of all. M3, M4, M1 .... they all feel better.
Is this internal light meter so important to people? To me for sure is not.
What are your toughs about this?

BradS · Mar 26, 2021

I have (or have had) M2, M4-P, M5 and M6. The M6 is by far my favorite of the lot. With the M6, Leica finally got everything "right" (or at least as right as Leica got things) - light meter, hot shoe, easy film load, ergonomic wind lever, 28mm frame lines. If mine fell into a 3000 foot crevasse, I think I might replace it with the current MP - it is as close as one can get to the M6.

The prices are rising because...well, supply and demand. Demand for film and film cameras is and has been increasing while supply of film cameras is decreasing (as they end up in collections, die, or are "fixed" by arrogant morons who think they can DiY).

EDIT: and yes! the built in light meter is a game changer! It makes all the difference in the world. It is a small, hand held camera. The last thing I want is to have to carry another peice of gear (a light meter) to use it well.

warden · Mar 26, 2021

BradS said:
EDIT: and yes! the built in light meter is a game changer! It makes all the difference in the world. It is a small, hand held camera. The last thing I want is to have to carry another peice of gear (a light meter) to use it well.

Yep - lack of a meter is why my M3 gets little use. I don't mind the lack of a meter on MF but for 35mm I've found that it helps.

Patrick Robert James · Mar 26, 2021

It is the youtube crowd of young'uns who have driven the price up with their videos. Frankly the meter in the M5 is better. You can see where you are at. Or the Konica Hexar which is far better for metering than an M6. If you think the M6 has gone up, check out the prices of the M7. I saw one on the Leica Store Miami for $5000 not long ago. Jeesh...

film_man · Mar 26, 2021

Supplies are getting smaller and interest is probably picking up, lots of people with digital Ms now want to try a film one. Compared to the digital stuff getting an M6 for 2k is still cheap. As for the price of digital Ms, they're digital they will all eventually slide to 1k or so as newer models come out.

All the film bodies will go up, as long as the only other option is a new MP/MA for £4k then used ones will appreciate to 2, even 3k. The M7 is an exception, nothing like it is offered so the price can go super silly. Also, good luck finding one of those .52 or .85 finder ones.

As for the internal meter...I wish my M4 had one. It makes the camera so much more usable. In daylight I can get by with sunny 16 but indoors you need a lightmeter and it is just a faff.

logan2z · Mar 26, 2021

I often wondered if the meter was the big draw of the M6 - based on the responses to this thread, it seems it is. I assume that the complete set of framelines is also part of the M6's appeal.

I have to believe that the price of the M6 is pretty much at it's peak now. Any higher and you may as well just go for a new MP.

narsuitus · Mar 26, 2021

darkosaric said:
Is this internal light meter so important to people? To me for sure is not.

When I was looking for a 35mm rangefinder, I considered the M3, M6, and MP. The internal light meter was not important to me. The ability to handle a 35mm lens was important to me. I ended up with the M6 because it was the first one available in good condition for a reasonable price.

Pieter12 · Mar 26, 2021

Contrast this with the member who posts he's looking for a $10 Leica!

logan2z · Mar 26, 2021

narsuitus said:
When I was looking for a 35mm rangefinder, I considered the M3, M6, and MP. The internal light meter was not important to me. The ability to handle a 35mm lens was important to me. I ended up with the M6 because it was the first one available in good condition for a reasonable price.

You chose well. The M3 doesn't have a 35mm frameline.

4season · Mar 26, 2021

Although it incorporates more plastic parts and doesn't have some of the luxurious detailing of the older cameras, I think the M6 is one of the better choices for someone who simply wants to shoot with a Leica M camera. But at current prices, I personally find it hard to get excited!

logan2z · Mar 26, 2021

Old Gregg said:
M4 was a cost-cutting move. Recovery post-M5. Canada. No meter.

That refers to the M4-P and M4-2, not the M4 which came before the M5 and which is generally regarded as one of Leica's best. The majority of M4s were manufactured in Germany, only a handful were made in Canada after the M5 debacle.

https://lhsa.org/2017/07/m4-the-story-of-one-of-lecias-most-popular-rangefinders

BradS · Mar 26, 2021

another thought...

Thirty years ago, the price of a brand new Leica M6 was around $2000. The current sale price of a used Leica M6 seems to be right around $2500. All things considered, I'm not sure that it is wildly out-of-touch with reality....well, other than the fact that wages have been stagnant over the last 30 years....but when compared to price of a middle of the road mirror-less digital thingy or the current MSRP of the Leica MP ($5000+) it does not seem completely whacko for a good used M6 to fetch $2500.

The simple fact is, if you want a Leica with a built in meter, there are really only a few choices and to me two of those (M6TTL and M7) are ruled out because the cost of entry multiplied by the probability of it being bricked in the future is too high...so, that leaves, M5, M6 and MP.

Besk · Mar 26, 2021

Right on! I paid around $2100 for a LN used M6 about 25 years ago and didn't regret it. Have bought and sold several since for much less.
Looks like it is a good time to sell the one I have now - because I don't use it - use MF and LF mostly.

mshchem · Mar 26, 2021

I have a M6ttl with the 0.85X finder, I love it. I use a hand held Gossen Digisix meter, the size of a pocket watch. The LEDs flash if you have left the lens cap on. It's super fast to load, just follow the pictogram on the camera. You just drop the film into the camera, close the back plate and put the bottom plate on. Wind a couple frames and go.
I bought mine in silver from a dealer in Japan a couple years back. The dealer had 10 identical camera bodies NOS they had acquired from a collector. Mine had never been out of the box. I paid a reasonable price because he was trying to move the stock.

Huss · Mar 26, 2021

I prefer the black chrome on the M6 to the black paint on my MP. But I like everything else about the MP more.

Interestingly the M6 was the low water mark for Leica construction. Zinc bubbles, flaring finder etc.

Huss · Mar 26, 2021

p.s. if you are wondering about crazy prices, have you seen what Voigtlander Bessa R2/3 are going for?!!
Almost $2000. I had one, and frankly it is a very cheap feeling and using camera. I sold it off very quickly as I just did not like using it and would prefer to use any Leica M over it.

Craig75 · Mar 26, 2021

logan2z said:
That refers to the M4-P and M4-2, not the M4 which came before the M5 and which is generally regarded as one of Leica's best. The majority of M4s were manufactured in Germany, only a handful were made in Canada after the M5 debacle.

https://lhsa.org/2017/07/m4-the-story-of-one-of-lecias-most-popular-rangefinders

yes I have an M4 and you can tell immediately its of the highest build quality.

I am with op - I dont understand why an M6 is $1000 more than an M4 for instance - a crappy centre weighted meter for an extra $1000 seems a hefty premium

4season · Mar 26, 2021

IMO when it comes to beautiful detailing, the peak for Leica M seems to have been around 1960, with M3 details like bright chrome shutter speed dials, whereas later cameras seem to have been slightly economized, but I think the newer cameras tend to be better shooters.

Kodachromeguy · Mar 26, 2021

In a similar burst of inflation, have you seen the asking prices for the Leicameter MR-4 in working (or claimed to be working!) condition? Figure on another $100 for overhaul and 2-way shipping.

Sirius Glass · Mar 26, 2021

All of the posts on this thread just shows all of us what a great bargain the Hasselblad system is and it is so much more flexible, does not need viewfinder lines, lots of lenses and interchangeable film backs. Image how many lenses one can get if they ditch their Leica and buy Hasselblad!

darkosaric · Mar 26, 2021

Huss said:
if you are wondering about crazy prices, have you seen what Voigtlander Bessa R2/3 are going for?!!

Yes, I have noticed this as well! WTF? If you want a backup body - CL is much cheaper and not much worse than Bessa option. I got my CL for 150€ (light meter does not work, but I don't care).

logan2z · Mar 26, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
All of the posts on this thread just shows all of us what a great bargain the Hasselblad system is and it is so much more flexible, does not need viewfinder lines, lots of lenses and interchangeable film backs. Image how many lenses one can get if they ditch their Leica and buy Hasselblad!

As much as I love my Hasselblad, it's really not a substitute for my Leica. Different use cases.

Sirius Glass · Mar 26, 2021

logan2z said:
As much as I love my Hasselblad, it's really not a substitute for my Leica. Different use cases.

I agree. I use 35mm for when I am traveling and cannot take the time to work on every photograph, however most of my vacations are with the Hasselblad.

Prices of Leica M6 surpassing M9 and M240

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