Categories: Camera

Legendary Leica M6 Rangefinder Returns for New Generation

Leica have just unveiled a brand new edition of the legendary M6 rangefinder film camera.

The Leica M6 from 2022 is based on a modern version of the Leica M rangefinder with a 0.72x magnification, a battery warning indicator, a solid brass top cover and an abrasion-resistant lacquer finish.

The Leica M6 2022 edition will be available from November 3, 2022. The retail price will be £4,500.00 in the UK.

Leica Press Release

Leica M6 – An Icon of Analogue Rangefinder Photography Returns

Wetzlar, 20th October 2022. For more than 100 years, Leica Camera AG has been synonymous for cameras and lenses with permanent values such as reliability, consistency, and quality. With analogue photography experiencing a renaissance, the new Leica M6 represents Leica Camera’s continued commitment to these values. From 1984 to 2002, Leica handmade almost 175,000 units which served the best photographers as an instrument to capture their view of the world. This resulted in numerous captured moments which today represent a piece of contemporary history, cementing the M6’s special place in the world of analogue photography. With the new edition of the legendary rangefinder camera, Leica is now fulfilling the wishes of younger target groups, who want to experience being an active part in the photographic creative process. Even today, the M6 still offers exactly the right equipment to focus on the essentials when taking pictures.

Stefan Daniel, Executive Vice President Technology and Operations, explains: “The Leica M6 is a milestone in the corporate history of Leica Camera AG. Since 1984, countless iconic pictures have been taken with it; it was a part of the product range for over 18 years and is still a fascinating camera with an extremely high utility value. Conscious analogue photography as an antithesis to the flood of digital images is enjoying great popularity. Therefore, it was only logical for us to produce the Leica M6 again as one of the most popular representatives of this camera type.”

The Leica M6 from 2022 relies on a modern version of the Leica M rangefinder with a 0.72x magnification. It is equipped with a battery warning indicator and the top cover has also been redesigned, now being milled from solid brass and enhanced with an abrasion-resistant lacquer, replacing to previous version’s die-cast zinc. All its optical surfaces are now coated and thus less sensitive to stray light and the light meter now shows the correct exposure via a red dot in addition to the two arrow symbols originally used. The exposure meter in the M6 measures light via a brightened area on the mechanically controlled cloth shutter and recent achievements such as the optimized rangefinder ensure even more functionality.

The M6 remains true to itself and preserves all other typical character traits such as the slanted rewind crank for the film and, like the original from 1984, the new edition is also adorned with the red Leitz logo. A logo which has made history, because it is the name of the visionary entrepreneur Ernst Leitz who not only shaped the fate of Leica but of an entire market when he founded the Leitz brand in 1869. The courageous decision in 1924 to produce the world’s first 35-mm camera revolutionized photography and made it possible to capture the past 100 years in pictures.

Whether historic or new, the M6 concentrates on the essential photographic functions. Handmade in Germany, it is an extremely reliable companion for all those who appreciate the lasting and contemplative nature of analogue photography.

The Leica M6 is available globally at Leica Stores, the Leica Online Store and authorized dealers starting November 3, 2022. The retail price will be £4,500.00 including VAT.

Leica M6 – Technical Data Camera type	Analogueue rangefinder system camera (35 mm)
Dimensions	138 x 40 x 77mm
Weight	575 g (without battery)
Material	Closed full metal housing, Top cover and bottom cover: brass, black finish
Lens mount	Leica M bayonet
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
Viewfinder
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 2 m: the exact sensor size of approx. 23.9 x 35.8 mm – at infinity: (depending on focal length) approx. 7.3% (28 mm) to 18% (135 mm) – less than 2 m: 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
Shutter type	Focal plane shutter with rubber liner, mechanically controlled
Shutter speeds	Mech. shutter: 1 s – 1/1000 s Flash Synch: up to 1/50 s
Shutter release	Two-stage: Power up (activation of exposure meter) – Release. Integrated standard cable release thread.
Film winding
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.
Focusing