I am a new Leica M6 user, having rented one and then having purchased a used classic. Now I intend to take the classic back for the newer TTL version. My question relates to the difference between the .72 and .85. In general use, I will shoot with the 35mm, the 50mm and the 90mm lens. In shooting the classic with the 35mm lens I like the positioning of the framelines, however with th 90mm lens it is much harder for me to focus. For 35mm lens use do the framelines on the .85 hinder its use in viewing the subject and framing? Is it a big trade off for 35mm lens use to get the .85?

Thanks for your response.

-- Edward Faye (edfaye@aol.com), March 03, 2000

Answers

I had the same question as you since I am looking into purchasing a new M6 pretty soon (right now I have a CL) . I checked out the .85 version and the 35mm framelines are hard to see, probably like the 28mm framelines on the regular one. So if you think about using the 35mm quite a bit I would stick to the .72 mag.

-- Julio Marcos (jmarcos@mybanana.com), March 07, 2000.

Absolutely: the M6 0.72 is a top gear if you wanna use the 35mm lens a lot and really, you cannot find a better mix. If you wanna use 75 or 90 (even 135) maybe it is better to buy a 0.85... I personnaly own a 0.72,a 21 and 35 mm ; I bought an old M3 for I am about to buy a 50mm f2 for it is still the best M camera if you wanna shoot with 50,90 or 135 lenses (still there is no 75mm frameline). An M3 is strong and it is the most wonderful viewfinder that I have seen in my life and it is cheaper than a new 0.85! But you need to fix a Leicameter MC or MR3 or MR4 (lightmeter) on it...

Regards, Minh

-- Minh Nhat (chrisminh@free.fr), March 08, 2000.

Well, I am using a 90mm with a .72 T6 and all i can say is that the photographs are super sharp. i have enlarged no more than 8X10, but they look very well focused. i generally shoot hand held at 125. i wonder if they would be even sharper if i were using a .85. somehow i really doubt it, but i don't know.

-- (chebaby@hotmail.com), March 09, 2000.

Shooting with 50-75-90 or even135 with a M3 is better for the viewfinder is much more precise and the frameview is 25 to 35% bigger than the 0.72 version. I donnot know about the 0.85 as I donnot own it. Regards

-- NGUYEN, Minh Nhat (chrisminh@free.fr), March 13, 2000.

The .85 finder in the M6 is a puzzle to me. It doesn't give you a real life size image like the M3 finder did, so it is hard to keep both eyes open when shooting without getting cross eyed. You can not see the 35mm lines without looking around to the very corners, which to me is very slow. I would never want to use that camera if a 35mm lens was may favorite focal length. By the way, I use a 90mm 2.8 with a Minolta CLE, which has less magnification than the .72 M-6. Have not had a problem even at f2.8 as far as focusing goes. It does take a while to get use to the little box that the teles bring up.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), April 29, 2000.

The real question is if Leica will come out with a wide finder. Say 21-25-28-35-50 (and maybe.....75). This would be a GREAT camera for someone like me. Imagine 21 and 25 lenses WITHOUT an external finder!

-- Josh Root (rootj@worldnet.att.net), May 03, 2000.

Josh

How about using a reflex? You get these features at no extra cost!

-- Robin Smith (rsmith@springer-ny.com), May 11, 2000.

The Leica 90 mm lens works better on 0.85 but not better than that on an M3. The Leica 35 mm lens works better on 0.72 than other Leica cameras. If you use 90mm lens more than 35mm lens then 0.85 is the way to go.

The shutter dial on 0.85 is bigger and has 'OFF' (battery) position.

It is more easy to use the dial on .85 but the 'OFF' is no better than the 'B' on 0.72. Just do not figure out why there is no lock on the shutter release which lock both the shutter and meter.

-- Kenny Chiu (amchiu@worldnet.att.net), May 17, 2000.

Ed

I had an M3 with a 50 Summarit and 135 Hektor, worked wonderfully, the 50 was full view and enjoyable. The 135 lens was at the tolerable window on an M3. But M3 has wider finder than the .85, so a 135 lens on the .85 will start "to get out of it."

I have an M6 non-TTL .72 because I now use 50 and 35 and 21 on the handheld. The 35 fills the finder nicely, not max (max would be a 28) that you would have to strain looking for corners, but 35 makes for full in it. And the max lens I use in it is the 50 which leaves an unused border +/- 1/3 distance from 4 edges to center without strainning.

For lenses above 50 now I use my R ... because I want to enjoy composing and "peering into or imerse into" the picture. At above 50 on a .72 is a litlle bit pushing it imo. I would feel like being outside of the scenes and not "in" it. The visible unused border is nice but it puts me out of the scene too much.

I might in the near future try to get a 75mm lens for the M6 .72, just because my zoom 70-180 R system lens is simply not for handholding, especially with a doubler ... it will likely ruin your wrist. And then there is also a consideration that the M6 non-TTL is becoming a collectible.

Good luck to you.

-- Robert S (rvrcity@erols.com), August 01, 2000.

Do you use the 35 a lot? Or do you use the 90 a lot, to the point where the a bigger window and better focusing are important to you.

If the former, the 35 frame on a .85 is something you can get used to, but you lose almost all the 'outside the frame' capability that rangefinders are so good at providing, helping you anticipate action.

If you wear glasses the .85 finder is no use with the 35mm.

An alternative is to get the .85, and a 35mm auxiliary viewfinder. Not a bad overall solution, especially if you go for more grab shots with the 35, i.e. situations where you guess focus or do not worry about change of focus very much. You would focus with the rangefinder that's built in, but view the scene with the auxiliary, which is, simply put the finest viewing system ever invented for its purpose.

The .85 is much better than the .72 with the 90mm, and perfect for portraiture.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), August 01, 2000.

I have the TTL 0.85x version and it is great to use with the 50mm and 90mm lenses. The 35mm lens is ok, I find it easier to just use the viewfinder itself rather than concentrate on seeing all of the 35 frameline at once which isn't that easy, this works perfectly although as pointed out by one person you lose the ability to see what's happening outside the frame area. Of course the 28mm is out of the question with 0.85x. Overall unless you were going to use the 35mm lens most of the time you would be pretty happy with the 0.85x version. As I mentioned it is really great with the 50mm lens as I find the 0.72x frame just a little bit too small with this focal length lens.

-- Terry Ashton (mahv@xtra.co.nz), October 19, 2000.

If you do decide to get the M6TTL (slightly taller, and so feels different to someone with small hands), you can pick up an auxiliary viewfinder for 35mm new-the Voigtlander 35mm auxiliary. It cost around $135 or so.

Auxiliary viewfinders, especially wide angle are quite useful, and less cumbersome to use than would appear at first glance. It increases your peripheral vision tremendously and you can keep both eyes open, and the image is bright (as if there were no glass at all) and life size. With a little practise, it can work quite well for you.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), October 19, 2000.