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Why would anyone do this to a Leica?

I would love to own an M6-TTL, but they are too expensive, I would love someone to beat the crap out of the body so that I could buy it at a discount

Hi Stone, nice to see you in APUG again. Fun question: would you buy cheap M6-TTL with a engraved writings "I love Justin Bieber", but you cannot hide it ?
 
Other hypothesis:
the wife factor: yes it's a Leica, but it's cosmetically very bad, so I paid it half the price. Do you think I would have ever bought a Leica in good conditions?;
the criminal factor: less likely to undergo an armed robbery;
the political factor: your insurrectionalist-anarchist friends (or Marxist-Leninist, or whatever) will not consider you any more greet-worthy if you go around with a properly shiny Leica.
the religious factor: if you are a pastor, your "sheeps" will begin thinking they pay you a bit too much for the sermons you deliver; or you happen to be a Tibetan monk and your Abbot is not going to compliment you on your purchase of a new shiny Leica
etc.

Well, it devalues it so it could be a nice purchase. Mechanically could be much better than cosmetically.
 
If you do not like diods or an internal meter get the more durable M4,if meter is important get an M5. The M6 has internal plastic components that are not as long lasting as previous M cameras. Of course,if the price is right an M6 is ok.
 
Hi Stone, nice to see you in APUG again. Fun question: would you buy cheap M6-TTL with a engraved writings "I love Justin Bieber", but you cannot hide it ?

It's nice to be back

And yes, I would certainly take that camera, I would probably take a rotary tool to it and scratch it out, but even if I couldn't hide it, I would, why not, great conversation piece, and no one would suspect I were up to no good with a big "justin bieber" logo on my camera

This is the first time that I hear that M6 has plastic internal components. Can you please send some reference or plastic part list to support this?

I second this, would love to know more.
 
If you do not like diods or an internal meter get the more durable M4,if meter is important get an M5. The M6 has internal plastic components that are not as long lasting as previous M cameras. Of course,if the price is right an M6 is ok.

Interesting, because I have pounded film through M6's for about ten years now and no issues. Also, a good friend of mine who is a long time member of Magnum says the M6 was the most trouble free M he ever used, called it "An absolute workhorse". Maybe that plastic is well placed then...?

And while I like the M4, my M3 and M6 are by far my favorites, even with the batteries out...
 
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Condition vs cost and decide if you want the camera. I think the camera looks abused rather then distressed or just heavy wear. I would want the camera to be repaired so the cost would have to be adjusted for that. But most likely I would just move on and look for a different camera. I did just purchase an FM2n with moderate wear and I am ok with that. It's wear with no dents and not with intentional abuse. Anyway I bought it for $60.00 and sent it out for a CLA for another $63.00 (Garry's Camera) and now Its my regular camera to take photos with. I like it a lot.
 
Interesting, because I have pounded film through M6's for about ten years now and no issues.

Agreed, I have had my M6 for approximately the same amount of time and the only issues that I have encountered are the banality of the images produced.

Of course, that could be operator error!