Leica Rumors has said that the new M6 film camera will be announced on Thursday, October 20, as we speculated in our article last Friday. LR also discloses the expected selling price and suggests that the new camera will be a limited edition of just 500 examples, although I remain unconvinced on this aspect.
The article also agrees with the rumour that the red dot on the M6 edition will bear the Leitz name to mirror the earliest examples of the M6.
Price surprise
Over the past six months, we have heard conflicting rumours on whether the new camera would be a series product or a limited edition. Many commentators expected series production, but LR is now convinced it will be a limited edition of 500 units. However, I remain unconvinced and I believe that it makes more sense for Leica to produce a series camera that will join the MP and M-A. I am therefore fairly confident the speculation of a special edition is wrong.
What is surprising is the price of the new M6. According to LR, it will sell for €4,800 in Germany. This, as suggested earlier, is slightly less than the cost of the current MP (€5,050) and M-A (€4,950), all including tax. If that price is mirrored in the UK, the camera would be £4,200, representing a bargain for collectors if it is indeed a limited edition. Here, the M-A currently costs £4,200, and the MP is £4,400. I think this is another indicator that the new camera will not be a limited edition.
You can find more information in the link below.
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OK, I was just at the Porto Leica Store and didn’t think to ask this question while I was there, but upon leaving the store it dawned on me.
I’ve been a product line manager for bigger companies than Leica and can tell you when a manufacturer does something like Leica with the M6, it is probably because they have enough supply to build a certain number of units and clear out their inventory of parts for that model.
So, when the sales person at Leica told me the M6 was sold out, I should have asked when they’ll be coming back in stock?
I really think this was a move on Leica’s part to sell out their inventory of parts, and they had enough for just the 500 units. Done!
I was told that the old parts (MP in particular) were running out. Many of the original suppliers were no long in business. However, they did manage to find new sources for parts and this is one of the reasons they felt confident in introducing the M6. I think the problem lies in capacity. There’s a lot of crafting involved in a film camera of this quality and there are only so many people who are trained to the necessary standard.
This post above your comment was a rumour before the M6 was announced. It was proved wrong when the announcement actual announcement was made. I had the chance to discuss this with Stefan Daniel at the LSI meeting in Dublin (October, just before the launch) and I gained the strong impression that the M6 is a long-term production model.
I believe the it will continue. But, as always, who knows?
Hi There Gary
I’ve spent a lot of time discussing this with Leica. They are completely committed to carrying on making film cameras – Their problems were:
1. that they were selling a steady stream of M-A and MP film cameras and wanted to continue with film, but many of the sub-suppliers had gone out of business and others were no longer suitable (and parts were diminishing)
2. They no longer had meters/electronics suitable for repairing the many many M6 (classic) cameras out there.
The classic lens series had been a success, so they thought that a re-made M6 could be used to develop new supply chains and inventory and production, not just for the new M6 but also for the MP, M-A and classic M6 cameras which need their electronics replaced. It’s an interesting point that my M6 (remake) which I got in November has the same rangefinder as my M11 (different from my son’s MP and the original). I guess Porto were sold out because demand has been much higher than expected.
As Mike says, the Limited Edition was a rumour and the new M6 is in serial production. They’ll make it as long as they can sell it.
So although your idea was a sensible one, in this case it’s not the case!
All the best
Jonathan
A Leica marketing boss said the camera is going back into normal production – not limited – I saw this on Three Blind Men and An Elephant on YouTube. Good news! Also the UK price is cheaper than the US for once – especially after tax…
Yes, you are referring to an old article which has been overtaken by events. See our most recent coverage from yesterday. The M6 is definitely a series production number. As for the price, I also was surprised that it seems higher in the US than in the UK, especially when you remove 20% VAT from the UK price. Compared to the US price, the UK net price is only £3,750 or $4,185. Odd, but there’s a buying opportunity there!
US prices have been significantly more expensive since probably 5 years now… I was reading on another forum about somebody who ordered the M6 from Leica Manchester UK and saved $1,400 by doing so…
With the strength of the US dollar versus pound sterling at the moment, buying Leica gear from the UK is very cost-effective. I recently purchased a brand new Leica Q2 Monochrom from Red Dot Cameras in the UK for significantly less than the lowest used price I could find in the US.
“Since the current M is unavailable in the US until at least 2027”
Where did that statement come from? And, does it apply to the M-A and/or MP film cameras? Or to the M11?
That was in reply to the statement from Tony Vidler earlier. As I said, I can’t imagine there is a problem with the M11, although M10 derivatives are fast disappearing. It makes more sense in relation to the film cameras which are in back order everywhere. Perhaps Tony can give us more info.
A missed opportunity if this truly turns out to be a limited edition… For those whose are still in disbelief about the resurgence of film the following tweet of Kodak just 2 days ago: “Over the last 18 months we’ve hired over 300 people, and we’re looking to hire more.” –Nagraj Bokinkere, VP of Film Manufacturing
Many old cameras are sold now at silly exorbitant price, while no manufacturer adventures to make a 500€ jewel film camera; just they make lomo like or plastic mainly crap products. So the industry of film cameras is rather missing. A paradox
Since the current M is unavailable in the US until at least 2027 the new 500 unit issue is solely for collectors – a strange decision!
“Since the current M is unavailable in the US until at least 2027”
What’s the story behind this, Tony. The M11 should be available now, although production of M10 derivatives, including the Monochrom have been discontinued, according to my sources.
Or do you mean the MP and M-A film cameras. They are indeed in short supply and have long waiting lists everywhere. As a result, I imaging this new M6 will be fully subscribed as soon as it is announced.
That was indeed my point Mike!
Not much of a price drop. So I ask why?
See my reply to Stephen. If this is a series production rather than a limited edition, the suggested price is totally consistent.
With Leica, 500 or less copies = for collectors.
My M-P 240 Safari kit was made in a “limited edition” of 1500. There were enough copies that some ended up in the hands of photographers rather than just collectors.
I also do not understand the 500 copies thing. So many people will be disappointed.
I agree with Jason’s reservations in the above article, that it doesn’t make much sense to make a limited edition and sell at below the current cost of the MP and M-A.
I am now betting that this will be a series production model and that the on-going film-camera lineup will consist of three cameras.
This reissue is good news, but I hate to see this camera limited to 500 copies.
Which world should be happy 😃 of the annunciation? The world 🌎 of photography? The world of collectors? The world of nostalgia?