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Leica R6

LEICA R6

This is my favourite camera, I know it instinctively now, which is just as well as everything on it is manual!

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The Leica R6 was made from 1988 to 1992, (mine is one of the first batch, made in Germany in 1988), a slightly updated version the R6.2 was made until 1997. It is manual exposure only, with a Leica developed and manufactured mechanical shutter. It was aimed at professional photographers and was significantly more expensive than other Leica Cameras of the time.

 

The R6 depends on batteries for only for 2 functions: exposure metering and the electronic self-timer, everything else can be used without power. Meter modes are selective and integrated (centre weighted) including TTL flash exposure. Viewfinder back-lighting is provided which also illuminates the aperture setting.

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The R6 and the R6.2, are the best mechanical SLRs ever produced. (Of course there are Leicaflex and Nikon F4 fans that might disagree). Famed documentary photographer Sebastio Salgado is a Leica R6.2 user.

 

Sadly, even if the era of film cameras is not over, (in fact there is a resurgence), the era of the mechanical SLR is over. They are just too expensive to produce. The R6.2 cost just as much as the R8 in 1996 and Leica ultimately discontinued it due to faltering sales.

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Leica R6
Leica R6
Leica Vario-Elmar Lens
Leica Elmarit 135mm Lens
Leica Elmarit 28mm Lens
Leica Summicron 50mm Lens
Leica R6
Leica R6
Leica Vario-Elmar Lens
Leica Elmarit 135mm Lens
Leica Elmarit 28mm Lens
Leica Summicron 50mm Lens

Manufacturer / Brand: Leitz Wetzlar Germany / Leica

Year Built: 1988

Serial Number: 1762606

Film Format: 35mm

Features: 

 

Metering: The R6 has two metering modes. The light-meter/power-switch is located beneath the shutter-release/shutter-speed dial. The switch controls the integral metering or selective metering mode.

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  • Full-field integral metering, is unique because it covers the entire field evenly, i.e. it's not centre-weighted. You can see the unique gold-coloured full-field metering pattern through the lens mount.

  • Selective metering, meters only the small portion of the scene as indicated by the outer frame of the focusing circle. It's a bit bigger than a pure spot-meter but is eminently usable.

 

Eyepiece shutter: The R6 has an eyepiece shutter (which only a few high-end SLRs have). If your eye is away from the shutter and you meter, stray light can enter through the eyepiece and through your metering off. Very few SLRs have this - most notably the Nikon single-digit F series and the Canon EOS 1 series. It's not as important with the R6 since it's manual metering only.

Lenses: R mount, 3 cam

  • 2.8 / 135mm Elmarit - R (Serial: 2296868)

  • 2 / 50mm Summicron -R (Serial: 3438439)

  • 2.8 / 28mm Elmarit - R (Serial: 3367730)

  • 4 / 70mm - 210mm Vario-Elmar - R (Serial: 3557692)

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