Leica officially announced the new Leica M6. This updated M6 features some technology from Leica’s MP film camera, but stays true to the M6 design, featuring the anti-glare MP-Style 0.72x viewfinder from the MP and features a solid brass construction with an LED light meter, center dot and battery warning light. It uses the same rear ISO dial and features ‘modern electronics,’ although Leica doesn’t elaborate on what exactly has changed electronically from the original M6 models.
This new camera costs $5,295, available for pre-order at leicastore.
Below are the detailed specifications of Leica M6:
| Camera | Analog rangefinder system camera (35mm) |
| Lens mount | Leica M bayonet |
| Lens system | Leica M lenses from 16-135mm |
| Type No. | 2248 |
| Order No. | Black: 10557 |
| Material | Closed full metal housing, top cover and bottom cover: brass, black finish |
| Operating conditions | 0°C to +40°C |
| Interfaces | ISO accessory shoe |
| Tripod thread | A 1⁄4 DIN 4503 (1⁄4”) with stainless steel in the base |
| Dimensions | 138mm x 77mm x 40mm |
| Weight | 575g (without battery) |
| Viewfinder | Large, bright-line rangefinder with automatic parallax compensation |
| Parallax compensation | The horizontal and vertical difference between viewfinder and lens is compensated automatically in line with the relevant focus setting. Congruence of viewfinder and actual image. The size of the bright-line frame matches the distance: – at 2m: the exact sensor size of approx. 23.9 x 35.8mm – at infinity: (depending on focal length) approx. 7.3% (28mm) to 18% (135 mm) – less than 2m: less than film size |
| Viewfinder magnification | x0.72 (all lenses) |
| Wide- base rangefinder | Split and superimposed image rangefinder shown as a bright field in the center of the viewfinder image |
| Shutter type | Focal plane shutter with rubber liner, mechanically controlled |
| Shutter speeds | Mech. shutter: 1s – 1⁄1000s Flash Synch: up to 1⁄50s |
| Shutter release | Two-stage: Power up (activation of exposure meter) – Release Integrated standard cable release thread. |
| Loading | Manual with quick wind lever or LEICAVIT M, motorized with LEICA MOTOR-M, LEICA WINDER-M, LEICA WINDER |
| Rewinding | Manual with telescopic rewind knob |
| Frame counter | On top of camera. Automatic reset after removal of bottom cover |
| Working range | 70cm to ∞ |
| Focus mode | Manual |
| Exposure metering | TTL (exposure metering through the lens), with working aperture |
| Metering cell | Silicon photo diode with convex lens to the top left behind the camera bayonet |
| Film speed range | Manual setting from ISO 6/9° to ISO 6400/39° |
| Metering principle | The light reflected by a metering spot in the center of the 1st shutter curtain is metered. The metering spot has a diameter of 12mm and therefore corresponds to approx. 13% of the full negative format or around 2/3 of the short side of the corresponding frame in the viewfinder. |
| Flash unit connection | Via accessory shoe |
| Synchronisation | On the 1st shutter curtain |
| Flash sync speed | 1/50s; slower shutter speeds possible. |
| Flash exposure control | Via computer control of flash unit or via guide number calculation and manual setting for the required aperture |
| Power Supply | 2 Silver oxide button cells (PX76/SR44) or 1 Lithium battery (DL1/3N) |
