C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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rangefinder-35mm
The M6 takes the M4-P body — full mechanical rangefinder, mechanical shutter to 1/1000s — and adds a TTL silicon meter with a simple two-arrow LED display in the viewfinder. Nothing else electronic. The result is a camera that meters when you want it and runs perfectly without a battery. Price-stable as anything in 35mm: an M6 bought in 2010 sells for more in 2026.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The M that finally got a meter without losing the mechanics. The default working rangefinder for two decades.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica M (bayonet) |
| Years | 1984–2002 (Classic), 1998–2002 (TTL — separate model) |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/50s |
| Meter | Center-weighted silicon, TTL off-shutter-curtain |
| Weight | 560 g |
| Battery | 2× SR44 (meter only) |
Released 1984 to replace the M4-P. Production split into "small letters" (early, engraved logo subtle) and "big letters" (later, prominent red Leica dot) — both share specs but small-letter bodies command a premium. A 0.58x magnification finder was offered for wide-angle shooters; 0.72x was standard; 0.85x for telephoto. Replaced by the M6 TTL in 1998 (taller top plate, TTL flash metering, reversed shutter dial direction), then by the M7 (2002, electronic shutter) and MP (2003, mechanical revival).
In 2022 Leica brought back the M6 as a reissue with refined internals (different meter, plastic gears replaced with metal, brighter LED) — same name, considered a separate model in this index.
The M6 is the camera that took rangefinders from "the previous generation's tool" to a continuously professional choice. It bridged the M4 era and the digital M era; many photojournalists who started on M4s ended their careers on M6s. The waiting list culture (still real in 2026 for new MPs and reissue M6s), the price floor that won't break, and the cult around chrome vs black, small vs big letters — all of it coalesces around this body.
Any Leica M-mount lens, including LTM via screw-mount adapter. Common pairings: Summicron 35/2 (V4 "King of Bokeh," V5 ASPH), Summicron 50/2, Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH, Elmarit 28/2.8, Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8. Voigtländer M-mount lenses are competent budget alternatives. Zeiss ZM lenses are excellent. SF20 / SF24D flashes; M-Winder; Leicavit hand-advance trigger.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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