[Leica] Is the M6 TTL black paint a good replica ?

[Lucien <director@ubi.edu>]

The instant collector's corner.
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Last week (December 23 & 24), the Belgian dealers received
several LEICA M6 TTL in black paint finish.
Price is usually 120.000 BF (3.000 Euro or $), Belgian taxes
included (VAT 21%).
<http://www.leica-camera.com/news/specials/m6black_e.htm>

As a commemorative camera it's really nice.
Bravo!
It look really good with a black Elmar 50/2,8 (not included).

As a useable camera: the M2 rewinding knob don't make it the fastest.
But we have Richard Wasserman to correct that.
<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/5799/rewind.htm>

As a revival of the black paint M2, it's not a success.
The black paint is to perfect, to shiny (Shintaro Yaghinuma
work is much better in that respect).
<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/5799/shintaro.htm>
The edges of the top cover (brass) are to sharp, they don't
have the roundness of the old black paint (or chrome) M's.
The base plate and the rapid film advance lever derived from
the M3 are the nicest parts (closest to the original).
And the contrast of that shiny black with the Red Dot is to flashy.
They didn't put the Red Dot on the M6J which look like a M3.
Why did they put it on the M6 TTL black paint which look
like a M2 ?!?

The pictures of it are nicer than the real camera.
<http://www.leica-camera.com/>
<http://www.leica-camera.com/news/specials/m6black_e.htm>

IMO, it will not replace the M6J as the nicest remake.
(ouf!)
:-)

Happy "last year of the millennium" to all of you.

Lucien