I bought a used Leica M6 classic recently. I've been shooting with it and have been fairly satisfied.

However, I've become paranoid about little things about it. For example, the shutter click sounds louder to me than an M6TTL I demo'd at a local camera shop. It also sound louder than a friends M6. Not that much louder, but enough to make me jealous of the other models.

Also, my meter might be overexposing by 1 stop or less, which I know isn't really a bad thing anyway since I can easily compensate for it. It could also be that I have to get used to metering a scene using a center-weighted system rather than Nikons 3-D matrix system.

Anyway, I'd just like to know how much it would cost to get a Leica looked at/repaired/CLA'd/adjusted/ or whatever the process is to make a used body as good as a brand spanking new one to last the rest of my lifetime. Is that too much to wish for?

Anyway, any info would be greatly appreciated?

Also, I'm in Minnesota, so I know I'd have to figure in the cost of shipping and insurance to the New York person whom everybody says does a good Leica-fixing job.

Thanks.

-- victor virtucio (danzfotog@yahoo.com), October 03, 2001

Answers

I don't know how much a CLA is, but you can get a precise estimate by calling Don Goldberg at DAG Camera Repair -- 608 838-4769 in Wisconsin. He's one of the best in the business and his prices have always been fair, the work exemplary.

I think you might be suffering from a little Leica Expense Remorse ... don't worry, it will pass. Take lots of pictures. They're just cameras. ;-)

BTW, the M6 is not a centerweighted metering camera. The meter is a limited area spot meter... the reading is 100% from a centrally located spot about 12mm in diameter (you can see it on the shutter curtains with the shutter wound and the lens off). Put that portion of the frame onto something 18% gray in your picture, set the exposure, then reframe and release the shutter.

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), October 03, 2001.

Victor:

Send your M6 to Leica USA in NJ. They will give you an estimate for a CLA and any needed repairs. A CLA usually costs about $300, and your M6 will be returned to you in almost new condition! I have used them for a complete overhaul and CLA of two M3s. They did a superb job and now the M3s look and handle better than my M6 TTL!.............

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), October 03, 2001.

Might be mistaken but $300 seems a bit high for a CLA, I have been very satisfied with Sherry Krauter , 118 Purgatory Rd , Campbell Hall , NY, 10916 tel 845.496.8834 .

She does very good work for fair prices.

There are other indy leica repair shops that have also come highly recomended , but I haven't any experance with them , sure others will pipe up or look back at the arcive .

Have heard and seen horror storys of repairs done at Leica NJ , fingerprints on the inside of the viewfinder window ect ,

But nothing but praise for the indys .

-- Charles C. Stirk Jr. (ccstirkjr@yahoo.com), October 04, 2001.