Leica M6 TTL

M6 TTL

The Leica M6 TTL represents the modernization of the wildly successful Leica M6 platform. Released in 1998, its primary upgrade over the 1984 "Classic" version is the inclusion of TTL (Through-The-Lens) flash metering. When paired with a compatible flash unit (like the Leica SF-20), the camera reads light bouncing off the film plane to automatically cut the flash output for perfectly exposed flash photography—a huge advantage for documentary and event photographers.

To accommodate the new TTL flash circuitry, Leica made the camera body approximately 2.5mm taller than the standard M6. Alongside this, Leica completely overhauled the shutter speed dial. It is significantly larger, making it easier to turn with one finger while looking through the viewfinder. Crucially, it rotates in the opposite direction of older M cameras; turning it right or left now intuitively matches the direction of the LED arrows inside the viewfinder.

The internal light meter was also refined. Instead of the two simple red arrows found on the Classic M6, the M6 TTL uses a 3-LED display (an arrow for under, a central dot for correct exposure, and an arrow for over). This makes finding the exact exposure much faster and more precise. Despite these electronic upgrades, the core of the camera remains a fully mechanical cloth focal-plane shutter, meaning it can fire at all speeds (except for the TTL flash functions and meter) even without batteries.

History

The M6 TTL was a relatively short-lived but highly impactful model that bridged the gap between Leica's mechanical past and electronic future.

The Viewfinder Revolution (1998 - 2000) The M6 TTL is historically significant because it established the modern standard of offering different viewfinder magnifications to suit specific focal lengths:

• 0.72x (1998): The standard all-rounder, excellent for 35mm and 50mm lenses.
• 0.85x (1998): A high-magnification finder. It drops the 28mm framelines but makes focusing 50mm, 75mm, and 90mm lenses incredibly precise.
• 0.58x (2000): Introduced two years later, this low-magnification finder is a godsend for glasses wearers and wide-angle shooters, allowing clear visibility of 28mm and 35mm framelines without the clutter of the 135mm frameline.

The Transition to the M7 Production of the M6 TTL ceased in late 2002 to make way for the Leica M7, which introduced a fully electronic shutter and Aperture Priority auto-exposure. To celebrate the end of the M6 TTL run, Leica produced a final batch of 999 cameras ("Die letzten 999 M6") featuring the solid brass top-plates that were about to be used for the M7 and MP [1].

Legacy Today, the M6 TTL is highly sought after. Many shooters actually prefer it over the newer Leica MP because of the larger, more ergonomic shutter speed dial and the superior 3-LED meter display, making it arguably the most "usable" mechanical Leica for fast-paced street photography [2].

Sources

• [1] Andrew Nemeth's Leica FAQ. M6 Variants and Differences. https://leica.nemeng.com
• [2] Emulsive. An In-Depth Guide to the Leica M6 TTL. https://emulsive.org
• [3] 35mmc. The Leica M6 Classic & Leica M6 TTL - A Review. https://www.35mmc.com
• [4] Flash of Darkness. The Leica M6 TTL 0.58 Review. https://flashofdarkness.com
• [5] Wikipedia. Leica M6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M6