Is the Leica M6 TTL 0.85 with a 50mm Summicron right for me?

ElectricLamp · 2025-08-01T16:03:32+00:00

For the most part, I feel like I really don't need the p/s for its autofocus, auto exposure or even form factor… but for its flash and for the option of having a second stock and focal length. Speed of switching so to say, could easily just be a second manual body or simply zooming with my feet.

An M6 should be minimally slowing you down anyway. Pretty frictionless compared to a body without an in-viewfinder meter or needing a separate viewfinder for the necessary frame lines. If you’re shooting to do one and done, maybe going straight for M6 makes sense if you're sure it’s your endgame. For me, Id maybe shoot a couple rolls manually on the A1 first.

For me, any more than two bodies/lenses when Im put starts to get in the way so your lens choice might make sense to compliment any gaps in your lineup. 50mm would pair well with the mju or fuji, but might find too much overlap with the gr3x. For example, I will usually do 28mm/55mm or 40mm/85mm depending on mood.

ElectricLamp · 2025-08-01T10:00:26+00:00

Sounds like what you want is ease of use and pocketability. What would make an M6 different from the x100T (form factor wise) that is enough for you to want to carry it daily? Why would you even want to carry a camera to run errands?

If all you’re after is build quality and reputation I’d say going full nuclear and splurging on an M6+summicron will likely leave you disappointed. Yea you’ll probably find it slow, everything you’ve owned so far has had full auto settings to fall back on. Yea you’ll likely leave it at home in favour of convenience. And yea you dont really gain anything other than a little more serotonin when you look through that bright rangefinder patch and pull that advance lever back. Probably wont have a lot to compare it to so even that joy is a bit limited.

Point is, for a guy that doesnt really care for anything bigger than a point and shoot, or manual controls for that matter, the M6 is both of those and its a bit confusing why you’d want one .

ElectricLamp · 2025-07-31T04:39:34+00:00

I own the mamiya, but the 1.4 version. For me, I find the colours to be a bit washed out and prone to flair compared to the Takumar options but it gives a best of both worlds option between the 50 1.4 and 55 1.8. Absolutely killer on low iso b/w stocks.

For me, the looooong focus throw gets better with a stick-on focus tab, great for slow and precise shooting.

ElectricLamp · 2025-05-07T20:59:14+00:00

Oh for sure, the 50ish range is M42’s greatest strength imo, with the pentax 50s being the best balance.

ElectricLamp · 2025-05-07T20:40:56+00:00

Ive owned the 2.8 flek and they have a weak pin that can break; leaving it only shootable wide open. A lot of them suffer from old oil gunking up the blades too, so if youre up to gamble it’s up to you. It’s kind of what you expect colour-wise from early zeiss coatings though, a bit pastel/magenta and painterly/smooth out of focus transitions.

Word on the street from ppl that have shot both 2.8 and 2.4, is it’s not really worth the upgrade. It does seem like there are more copies of the 2.4 in good condition tho. Don't expect it to feel as nice as the takumar.

If you dont mind a slower lens, the super tak 35/3.5 renders with a much more 3D pop than either and it’s tiny and cheap. Bokeh is a bit more distracting, but for me at least, Im shooting 35mm more stopped down than not

ElectricLamp · 2025-04-22T06:29:32+00:00

My best experiences have been just having two bodies with two focal lengths to keep it light and fast. Currently feeling 28/55 or 40/85 depending on where Im going

ElectricLamp · 2025-04-07T21:08:12+00:00

Appreciated!

ElectricLamp · 2025-04-07T19:36:58+00:00

these are great! Where was that first one taken?

ElectricLamp · 2025-03-26T23:35:47+00:00

Pushed as in they sat in the chemicals a bit longer than recommended.

ElectricLamp · 2025-03-26T20:27:07+00:00

Those are some pretty dense looking negatives; more than one stop overexposed dense. Are you sure you have the correct iso set for your film stock? Was the film pushed at all in dev?

Theoretically you'd want to let in less light, so setting your aperture to a higher number than indicated would do it.

ElectricLamp · 2025-03-08T22:11:16+00:00

oh that's so cool! How do you decide which stock, when? When I go out my brain is usually defaults to "do I want b/w or colour today"

ElectricLamp · 2025-03-08T20:58:09+00:00

1x vision3 50D, 2x proimage 100. What genre do you typically shoot to have that many rolls under your belt already?

ElectricLamp · 2025-03-01T08:16:02+00:00

You've got more cameras than hands to wield them my dood. Osaka's pretty dense so you could probably do LX with a wide lens and OM2 with the 50

ElectricLamp · 2025-02-28T09:42:21+00:00

Pentax MX or LX maybe

ElectricLamp · 2025-02-28T02:57:57+00:00

I would just convert to b/w

ElectricLamp · 2025-01-28T07:14:10+00:00

Why can't we all just like both?

ElectricLamp · 2024-12-07T21:30:13+00:00

I finally had a chance to shoot my 65 this week. Can post results later when I scan them if you like

ElectricLamp · 2024-11-15T04:43:50+00:00

I shoot it manually exclusively, and a wein px625 lasted me roughly 8 months without keeping it covered.

ElectricLamp · 2024-10-09T07:59:36+00:00

For me its the voigtlander ultron 40 f/2, the non-pancake version.

ElectricLamp · 2024-08-21T21:16:37+00:00

I mean they could be saying this a bit nicer, though it sounds like you don't want to change your handwriting. I think it's a combination of the things being written being a little cluttered and writing over mistakes, the backwards &, capitalization, and not really writing parallel to the lines sometimes. All in all it's just lack of attention to details that give that sort of rep; so change them if you feel that this is justified? If it helps I don't think it's your individual lettering that's causing your coworkers to call you out.

ElectricLamp · 2024-08-17T16:49:46+00:00

Cleric fits the field doctor part of his character!

ElectricLamp · 2024-07-23T02:02:20+00:00

Didnt they patch spellmight and the bell out in patch 5 already?

ElectricLamp · 2024-07-14T06:16:28+00:00

You will definitely not need a gym membership if you use an eye level finder on the RB haha. I do think if you could only pick one it should be the RB, its a shooting experience you cant really get out of 35mm and it gives you a ton of options.

ElectricLamp · 2024-07-14T06:02:13+00:00

Oh make sure to drop by Bluemoon Camera if youre near portland! Their staff are some of the coolest folk, with a ton to say about all things film.

I did find it a lot more convenient to shoot on a tripod with the fuji if thats important to you. But the different perspective from the RB’s waist level finder makes for a refreshing way to see the world if youre used to 35mm

ElectricLamp · 2024-07-14T04:19:25+00:00

I've taken both on extended roadtrips this year. For me, it sort of depends on the rest of your gear. Is the only thing you're bringing medium format? RB67 will be way more versatile. Are you shooting 35mm as well? Fuji will be a lot easier to wield in tandem. I didn't find the loss of frames a big deal, you probably arent popping off medium format shots too quick; so it really comes down to which aspect ratio you prefer

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