Leica M

Minolta Man wrote:

Their current lineup is the M6 and M7..


Wrong. The current models are MP and M7.

The M6 has not been produced for more than a year.

Wrong. The current models are MP and M7.

The M6 has not been produced for more than a year.


Shame too because the MP is a step backward. The metering in the M6
was very nice-too bad they didn't retain it (an improvement) and go
back to the hogged-out top rather than the diecast pot metal-for those
prices they could have used Inconel or Rene 41-and the older cassette
engagement to allow for use of the superior no-felt reloadable
cassette. I do think the new range/viewfinder magnification is nice.

(Ted Azito) wrote:

Shame too because the MP is a step backward.


It is none the worse for that. There is clearly a market for a simple
camera made to old-fashioned standards of workmanship. And one that
is not dependent on a battery for operation - the battery is only
there for metering.

Shame too because the MP is a step backward.


It is none the worse for that. There is clearly a market for a simple
camera made to old-fashioned standards of workmanship. And one that
is not dependent on a battery for operation - the battery is only
there for metering.


The M6 was an otherwise all mechanical camera that had TTL metering.
If the meter or battery failed you still had all the traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering and has the older
awkward rewind knob. The M7 is an electronic camera, might as well
have bought a Hexar, if the rengefinder coupled up properly, which
people are now saying it did. If the battery or micro fails you have,
I think, one default shutter speed.

(Ted Azito) wrote:

The M6 was an otherwise all mechanical camera that had TTL metering.
If the meter or battery failed you still had all the traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering and has the older
awkward rewind knob.


Nonsense! The MP has the same TTL light meter as the M6.

However, it does not have the TTL auto flash metering of the M6 TTL.

http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte...t/index_e.html

As for the rewind knob, most MP users will be happy with it. But you
can fit a rewind crank that is similar to that of the M6/M7.

Very informative post. Tell us more about this keychain battery holder,
sounds kinda cool.

John

"Roger" wrote in message
...
Ted,

I suspect you have a couple of points confused here.

The M6 was offered in two versions. The first, what is now known as
the M6 Classic, offered ttl exposure metering only. It had two LEDs in
the VF to indicate correct exposure setting and the brightness of the
LEDs indicated exact or +/- .5ev settings. The second was marketed as
the "M6 TTL" for labeling distinction. It was about 2mm taller than
the M6 and offered ttl exposure metering and TTL flash exposure
metering. IIRC the meter indication was three LEDs.

The MP is a bit "retro" and is styled much more like the M3 series.
However it does have a ttl exposure system with LED readouts, but it
does not have the TTL flash metering system. The MP also includes some
viewfinder corrections that plagued the M6 series. The loss of the
rewind crank is seen as a big improvement by some. I had a M3 and
learned to rewind the film quite quickly, but you had to keep a finger
in constant contact with the raised knob. On the MP, there is a very
adequate brake on the rewind knob so it doesn't backlash if a finger
slips off the knurled knob. There are horror stories of the angled
rewind knob on the M4/M6 series getting knocked off during brutal
usage. That's not going to happen with the MP. There are also
accessory and aftermarket third party cranks available if you can't
get the hang of the "default" rewind knob.

The M7 is a big departure from the more traditional and strictly
functional designs of the MP/M6. The camera retains the time-tested
shutter design but adds electronic timing in addition to the basic
mechanical timing. You now have intermediate shutter speeds available
in automatic electronic mode and a fully mechanical choice in manual
mode. The viewfinder display contains more information than just
exposure and focus/framing. With the electronic timing the camera can
be coupled to compatible strobes to offer a much higher effective
flash synchronization speed.

The batteries are, btw, quite compact and long lasting and I have a
gizmo for my key chain that carries a couple. I've never had a battery
quit in the field on my M6 Classic.

Regards,
Roger

On 15 Jun 2004 16:02:56 -0700, (Ted Azito)
wrote:

Shame too because the MP is a step backward.


It is none the worse for that. There is clearly a market for a simple
camera made to old-fashioned standards of workmanship. And one that
is not dependent on a battery for operation - the battery is only
there for metering.


The M6 was an otherwise all mechanical camera that had TTL metering.
If the meter or battery failed you still had all the traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering and has the older
awkward rewind knob. The M7 is an electronic camera, might as well
have bought a Hexar, if the rengefinder coupled up properly, which
people are now saying it did. If the battery or micro fails you have,
I think, one default shutter speed.

Subject: Leica M
From: (Ted Azito)
Date: Tue, Jun 15, 2004 7:02 PM
Message-id:

Shame too because the MP is a step backward.


It is none the worse for that. There is clearly a market for a simple
camera made to old-fashioned standards of workmanship. And one that
is not dependent on a battery for operation - the battery is only
there for metering.


The M6 was an otherwise all mechanical camera that had TTL metering.
If the meter or battery failed you still had all the traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering

SNIP

Are you sure about this? Doesn't the MP have exposure metering if not TTL flash
metering?

Check out my photos at "LEWISVISION":

http://members.aol.com/Lewisvisn/home.htm

Remove "nospam" to reply

***DUE TO SPAM, I NOW BLOCK ALL E-MAIL NOT ON MY LIST, TO BE ADDED TO MY LIST,
PING ME ON THE NEWSGROUP. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. :-) ***

We're both wrong. The M7:

Shutter
Horizontally running, rubberized cloth focal plane shutter. Extremely
quiet. Controlled electronically, plus two mechanically-set shutter
speeds : 1/60 s and 1/125 s.

Shutter speeds
stepless from 32 s to 1/1000 s in the ‘AUTO' automatic shutter speed
control mode. In the manual mode, from 4 s to 1/1000 s in full steps,
plus ‘B' for time exposures of any length. Flash synch speed 1/50 s.

Shutter release
Three stages: energizing – metered exposure value storage – release.
Release button has an integrated thread for standard cable releases.

The MP:
Exposure metering through the lens (TTL), selectively with working
aperture. 'Metering principle' The light reflected from a measuring
field in the center of the first shutter curtain is measured. The
measuring field has a diameter of 12mm and is therefore equal to
approx. 13% of the total negative format or in the viewfinder approx.
1/2 of the short side of the valid viewfinder frame. 'Measuring range'
(at ISO100/21°) From 0.03 cd/m2 to 125,000 cd/m2 at room temperature,
normal humidity and aperture 1.0. For ISO 100/21° this corresponds to
EV -2 to EV 20 or f/1.0 and 4 s ("B" setting) to f/32 and 1/1000 s.
Flashing of the left-hand triangular LED in the viewfinder indicates
working in conditions of low light. Film speed setting range Manual
setting from ISO 6/9° to ISO 6400/39°. 'Exposure mode' Manual setting
of shutter speed and aperture, compensation using LED light balance.


From Leica Camera's web site (I still want to say Leitz...)

I didn't see the characteristic M6 battery port on the MP's front,
it's there.

TTL flash is overrated IMO but can be useful sometimes. I don't like
proprietary flashes, I've never used anything but Vivitar 281/283s and
the vintage Honeywell potato mashers that still work well if you
replace the nicads and the caps. (Ed Romney's books have paid
themselves off nicely for that alone.)

I was going by what I'd read on the third party web pages and should
have checked Leica's web site, which is awkward IMO, but that's no
excuse. I stand my ground on the rewind isssue though: the angled one
works better. I also think getting rid of the no-felt, infinitely
reusable cassette was a big error.
I have never bought B&W film in anything but 100 foot rolls for at
least 20 years.

traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering

SNIP

Are you sure about this? Doesn't the MP have exposure metering if not TTL flash
metering? BRBR


That misstatement was corrected earlier,--the Leica MP has a meter in it. It
is internally very similar to the M6,--mechanical shutter w/ TTL metering. The
M7 has a similar shutter to the Nikon F3,--electromagnetic release and
electronic with only two backup mechanical speeds.

dan

Subject: Leica M
From: (EDGY01)
Date: Wed, Jun 16, 2004 10:44 PM
Message-id:

traditional Leica
functionality. The MP doesn't have any metering

SNIP

Are you sure about this? Doesn't the MP have exposure metering if not TTL
flash
metering?




That misstatement was corrected earlier,--the Leica MP has a meter in it.
It
is internally very similar to the M6,--mechanical shutter w/ TTL metering.
The
M7 has a similar shutter to the Nikon F3,--electromagnetic release and
electronic with only two backup mechanical speeds.

dan



Thanks Dan :-).

Check out my photos at "LEWISVISION":

http://members.aol.com/Lewisvisn/home.htm

Remove "nospam" to reply

***DUE TO SPAM, I NOW BLOCK ALL E-MAIL NOT ON MY LIST, TO BE ADDED TO MY LIST,
PING ME ON THE NEWSGROUP. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. :-) ***