Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/02/19

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Subject: Re: M3 look-a-like = M6-J
From: "Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu>
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 16:31:37 -0500 (EST)

I wrote:
>>I had the impression from what I read at the time of its release that the
>>M6J was an M6 with a different viewfinder.  Thus I find the pricing
>>unjustifiable.  Now I read from many of you that the M6J  is better made,
>>made by hand, uses different parts in other areas of the camera than the
>>viewfinder, etc.  Is this a "Leica legend," or does someone have really hard
>>information on this?
>
Lucien wrote:

>M6					M6J
>Viewfinder :28,35,50,75,90,135		35,50,90,135
>Magnification : +- 0,76	X		0,85 X
>Top cover: M6	ZINC			M3 like + M4 rewind lever  BRASS
>Base plate plain			Engraved like M3
>Covering: vulcanite like plastic 	real leather
>lever: regular				like M3
>chrom: shinny				less shinny
>shutter: regular			seems to be more like M3 sound
>(subjective)
>no engraving on the top			engraving like M3
>speed control regular			M3 like, less the hole for the leicameter
>+- 110.000 ex				1640 ex
>
>etc...
>
>The subjective impression is different. The M6J is much more confortable with a
>50mmm or a 90mmm (135 mmm ?!?). It is the only commemorative M6 who justify
his
>price and who was not made only for collectors. It seems that, like it was the
>case for the SL2, Leica loose money on that camera.(may be a legend).
>
>
>Lucien
>
Thanks for all this information.  It's very clear and complete.

Except for the different sound of the shutter (and I still believe it's the
same shutter) the rest of these changes, outside of the viewfinder, identify
the camera as a collectors' item as far as I am concerned.  Who needs the
extra cost of M3 type advance, speed control, etc., when those things don't
affect performance?   I still think that if Leica were interested in
photographers, and if this viewfinder is a real improvement (back to the
future?) they could produce the M6J for a price close to the regular
M6.--Charlie
Charles E. Love, Jr.
CEL14@CORNELL.EDU