[Leica] M6TTL/M6 Leica Pres Visit

[Mike Austin <maustin@uswnvg.com>]

Hello,

I meet the President of Leica USA this morning.  We talked about my M6TTL's
misalignment, and we talked about my concerns about the rangefinder.  I showed
him the printout of the Luggers comments about QC.  I also pointed out the
praises Luggers made of their Leica equipment.  He listened carefully.  He read
about several of the longtime users experiences with Leica quality, then and
now.  

He said that Leica does monitor quality control of their products.  He assured
me that our comments, both good and bad, will be sent to Germany.  He will make
sure that the End-Product Manager receives our comments.  In the end, he
offered me several choices: 

A)  A new M6TTL out of the box as soon as my dealer receives it.
B)  A new M6TTL checked out by Leica USA and sent directly to me.
C)  My M6TTL sent back to Leica USA to have them go over it again.

I said that I just want one that works.  So, later in the day, I chose option
A.  The President was kind (of course), and listened very carefully about the
comments I made.  He read carefully some of the comments given to him.  

My feeling was that Leica USA was there for the Leica customer.  Im very
impressed that he took the time to talk to me.  Very impressed.  Im glad I had
the opportunity to talk to him.  So, now we know he has our comments with him.
The raw comments were left intact.  

When I went there this evening to look over this M6TTL that came, we first
checked the infinite focus.  It looked ok.  Theres something about the
magnification of the viewfinder of the M6TTL.  Its either the magnification or
the darkeness that another Lugger mentioned about the M6TTL's viewfinder.  Not
sure, but you can somehow notice that the viewfinder is different between the
M6 and the M6TTL.  Infinite focus looked ok. 

Then we checked the vertical alignment.  The vertical alignment just did not
look right.  We put a 90mm and a 35mm lens on the M6TTL.  Still the same.  The
subject that we were focusing on just did not appear sharp.  We tried the
loaner M6.  The images looked sharp.  We grabbed the M6TTL; the image looked
fuzzy.  We tried again, and again, and again.  It just looked fuzzy.  It was
not sharp as the M6.  We grabbed another M6TTL, the silver one (not that it
made a difference what color the M6TTL was).  I recall that the M6TTL silver
was looking off in the vertical and infinite, but not much.  

Im thinking to myself that is so unreal.  I grab the loaner M6.  Im thinking to
myself, "Why does this loaner M6 look so much better that the three M6TTLs?
Why? Why? Why?"  I asked the dealer what his eye was telling him.  It appears
off.  I took a breather walked around the store a little.  Then decided to bag
the whole idea of owning an M6TTL.

I told the dealer lets just bag it with the M6TTL.  I asked that he grab one
of the M6's that was up on the shelf in the box.  I opened one up, took out
the M6, put the 35mm lens on it.  Checked infinity and vertical in one look.
"Unbelievable...How can that be???"  If nothing changed between the
rangefinders of the M6 and the M6TTL, now come the new M6's viewfinder out of
the box nails it....right from the git-go??  Checked it again.  Boom, nailed
it.  Its just like the loaner M6.  But what changed?  Im hearing that its
the same...the same...just a little taller.  The infinite focus stop feels
solid.  Boom. Nailed it again.  Vertical?  Its a sharp image.  Sharp.  I
grabbed the M6TTL and look.  Forget it.  

I was looking at a tower.  With your eye, you can see two support beams run up
side by side, parallel with each other.  I put the M6TTL up to my eye to see if
I can discern the two.  Nope, not clearly as with my eye.  I put the M6 up to
my eye.  Two distinct lines running parallel with each other up the tower as
seen through the M6's viewfinder.  You can see the space between them.  

I decided to take this M6 instead of the M6TTL.  I dont know.  I really dont
know.  Everything I see through this rangefinder on the M6 looks right.  I dont
have confidence in the M6TTLs viewfinder.  The M6 just appears to be more
pleasing to my eye when viewing through the viewfinder.  Images seen through
the viewfinder of the M6 are sharp.  

I told the dealer that I feel good about this one.  Lets take this one.  I have
a bad vibe about the viewfinder on those M6TTLs.  My eye is not liking it at
all.  I feel good about this M6's viewfinder.  Im sorry, but I just dont see it
in the M6TTL.  Images in the M6's viewfinder look....bigger, brighter, than
what is seen through the M6TTLs viewfinder.  

Im going to ride my motorcycle now.  Go take some pictures with this M6.  Lets
see what happens.  I cant explain it....I really cant.

Happy shooting!!!!

Thanks.