[Leica] Why I like my M6

[DFeldman@aol.com]

I am not a professional; I don't even think I qualify as an advanced amateur.
However, I like the M6 just as it is. I shoot mostly B&W, and I do all my own
processing.

I confess to being a bit abnormal when it comes to price/performance issues -
I am always willing to spend a lot more money to get small improvements in
quality. I find most discussions of Brand X vs. Brand Y boring and irrelevant,
because they try and compare differences that I will never see. I know that I
would have a hard time seeing the difference between a Nikkor 50mm and a Leica
50mm lens in my pictures. Maybe someday I will make large enough images to
tell the difference, and mentally, I hope that Leica lens are "the best", but
I don't lose sleep over it. 

Why do I spend the extra for Leica equipment? Because I like the way it feels
as I take the picture. The M camera lets you see the whole scene in focus in a
bright viewfinder. You set the exposure, focus, and "click" you have the
picture. Picture taking with the M6 is a very sensual experience - everything
about it screams "this is the way it is supposed to be!" Every so often I take
out my Nikon FM to shoot with, and it never is as fun to use (I don't have any
big tele's).

Regarding autofocus and autoexposure, they obviously have their place. If I
were making my living shooting sports, I sure would have an autofocus camera.
Similarly, if I were getting paid for work that required fill flash, a
different camera would be in order. I do not believe that there can ever be
one perfect camera. The M6 is designed for available light, candid,
photography. Keeping things simple (Ted, you're right!) is what it is about.
When I hear about computer-based matrix metering, I have to wonder - you only
need to pick two numbers, f-stop and shutter speed. Why do you need a computer
to do that calculation? Use a meter, think for a second, set the exposure, and
bracket if you need to.

My one wish is that I could afford to get a couple more lenses to play with!

Sorry for rambling on, but I really think there needs to be one, high-quality,
fully manual, no batteries required camera on the market.

David Feldman
Davis, CA