Understanding Leica M6, M6 TTL and MP metering

Some find Leica metering on rangefinder cameras a little fickle. It isn't! You need to understand how the metering works and how it changes with lens focal length and focusing distance!

[@Riccardo_Mori]

RUclips needs more photography channels as informative and no-nonsense like yours, Jonathan. Found you by absolute algorithmic chance, now a happy subscriber. Keep up the good work! Cheers, //Rick

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thank you!

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

@januszzalasa1247 u

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thank you!

[@longhairwhocares]

These are really good videos, man. You're a good translator of the complex into plain English, and as a photography moron I appreciate that. 🙏

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thank you! Much appreciated.

[@downtofun]

Super clear and informative. The visual was very helpful. Thanks kindly for sharing!

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Glad it was helpful! The Leica M6 is a great camera but you do need to understand the metering.

[@brendanhayes5565]

Thanks Jonathan, once again another great video, have never owned or used a viewfinder camera 📷 only SLR’s, looking at buying a Leica M6 soon, so this was very helpful, cheers Mate 🇦🇺

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thanks for commenting. Leica M cameras are fantastic but very different to SLRs. They can take some time to master but it’s worth the effort.

[@cheungarrie123]

Thank you for the information. That explains why I had some erratic exposures with a 50mm lens. But knowing that now, it’s still hard for me to improve with the way I take pictures. Often times on the street, I have to roughly get the exposure correct while anticipating a moment, then adjust the focus.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Many photographers will take a reading to give a reference point and then estimate, adjusting a stop or so either side as light changes. It gets easier and more accurate with experience.

[@KNOWphotosplease]

This is an extremely helpful explanation! Thank you.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Glad it was helpful!

[@blackbelt4488]

As a lifelong Nikon F2 shooter, using the illuminated triangles on the M6 instead of the needle scale took me some getting used to. But I find that I am very pleased with my M6, with 35 Summacron, exposures. Very informative video, thanks.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Yes, once you mastered the finder and meter Leica M cameras are fantastic.

[@AM-kn1ln]

Thanks for the super informative video, love the diagram

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thanks for commenting - glad it was useful.

[@prasanthmenon8521]

Very informative. Thanks!

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Glad it was useful. Thank you for commenting.

[@clintwoosley9512]

Thanks. Very helpful!

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Glad it was useful!

[@devroombagchus7460]

Thanks! Very clear. As a side point, I always wondered why the rangefinder has frame lines for 135. The view is much too small for me. Even with 90, I have to remind myself that I get only a small portion of what the finder shows. But then it is good to know what the light meter sees.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Yes, I agree. The 135 lens frame is small, particularly with the cameras with 0.72 magnification. It’s better on the Leica cameras with the 0.85 finders.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

They do but they’re not particularly good to use.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

But always try these things yourself. It might work for you very well.

[@rayray7561]

Nicely done.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thank you

[@mikkaprouzinen2500]

very informative. Thank you

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Glad it was helpful. Enjoy your Leica!

[@TheAppleman352]

Great video

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Thank you. Hope it was useful.

[@bonging40s]

Great video, thanks for making it. If I understand correctly, if you set your shutter speed and aperture first, and then focus, you can run the risk of missing exposure?

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Yes, focus first to correct any parallax error and then calculate exposure.

[@jimtong]

Thanks you so much for explaining.

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Hope it was useful

[@brainkrieg26]

I know this doesn’t apply to the M11, but do you know if your center metering charts apply all the way up through the M10 series?

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

The Leica M8 onwards has a different shutter without the metering spot so, no, this isn’t applicable.

[@ergutz8536]

Hello how about faulty counter frame ? Just got mine I noticed that the counter frame starts at 25 when I load a film , Tnx

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

It happens but isn’t common. If the camera is regularly serviced it won’t be an issue.

[@knal8748]

If the light meter doesn’t work, does it means TTL flash won’t fire?

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Depends which model. On the Leica M6 TTL faulty circuits may prevent the flash firing. Always test before buying.

[@TheVFXbyArt]

4:53
Hmmm… i though it would be the reverse: spot meter with wide, wide avg metering at 75 mm

[@WorldwideCameraExchange]

Watch the video again from start to finish and I hope it’ll make sense! It can be confusing and is something seldom understood (which is why some user’s experience erratic exposures). It is explained in the Leica M6, Leica M6 TTL and Leica MP instruction manuals too.