[Leica] M6 85 versus 72

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@sympatico.ca>]

I  used my original M6 since about 1988, until I bought the HM model when
it first came out.  At the time the 85% viewfinder seemed like a revelation
to me, and I rarely touched my first camera since then.  Perhaps because of
this underuse, The .72 M6 developed a shutter problem which I finally did
something about by sending it to Gerry Smith for a CLA at Kindermann about
a month ago.

Gerry did a great job (for which he charged a high price but then it was
the first CLA for the camera in about 13 years).  The camera came back
working like new.  The shutter is quieter and smoother now than my newer HM
model.  And the rangefinder alignment seems perfect.

But I have now noticed something strange.  Now that I have been using the
repaired camera quite a bit in the last few days, I think I actually prefer
the smaller magnification  than that of the 85% HM model.   I seem to be
better able to compose pictures with the framelines, especially with the
50mm lens attached.  It seems less work for me to check out the corners of
the frame.   And I shot a whole series of pictures with the APO 90 at f2,
at varying subject distances.  All were perfectly focused.   So focusing
accuracy of the smaller magnification viewfinder isn't an issue, at least
for me.

I suspect that my HM M6 will be developing shutter problems about 2 or 3
years from now, if I don't remember to take it out of my camera bad and
exercise its shutter every month or so.

dan c.