The production values of the M6 were similar to the simplified ones of the M4-2 but with a lighter, cheaper cast-zinc top plate (the M4-2 top and bottom plates were brass, using a deep-draw process similar to the previous M cameras).Īfter the M6 TTL came the M7 with aperture priority, and in 2003 Leica produced the MP. Production was moved to Solms in 1986, and the logo was changed to “Leica”. When it was first produced, the M6 was manufactured in Wetzlar, with the red dot logo saying “Leitz”. The M6TTL was a few millimetres taller than the M6, which then became known as the M6 Classic. It remained in production until 1998, when the M6TTL (with through-the-lens flash metering) was produced. This idea was simple and elegant and worked very well, and the camera was a real success. It was basically an M4-P with a new TTL metering system, centre weighted, reading from a grey spot on the centre of the cloth shutter. In 1984, manufacture was moved back to Wetzlar, and the M6 was born. All but the last few cameras were made in Canada. It was succeeded by the M4-P in 1981, the first camera to pair the 28/90, 50/75 and 35/135 frame lines. The M4-2 was born and was only in production for a couple of years, but it proved to Leica the viability of the rangefinder. ![]() A hundred or so were manufactured in Wetzlar, and then production was moved to Midland in Ontario, Canada. Walter Kluck, the CEO of Leitz Canada, managed to convince Leitz Germany to produce a new M4 with lower production costs. I know several modern Leica users who think it was the best film M of all. It’s a sad tale, especially because the M5 was a visionary camera.
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