Leica M6 .72mm Black Chrome

The Leica M6.72mm Black Chrome is a fully mechanical 35mm rangefinder camera with a 0.72x optical viewfinder, Leica M lens mount, shutter speeds down to 1 second, and a body weight of 530g — built for deliberate, tactile film photography on the street, during travels, or in portrait sessions.

Key Specifications

• Format: 35mm film (analog)
• Lens Mount: Leica M — compatible with the full range of M-mount glass
• Viewfinder: Optical rangefinder, 0.72x magnification
• Minimum Shutter Speed: 1 second
• Body Weight: 530g (body only)
• Finish: Black Chrome — deep charcoal tone with high durability and subtle gloss
• Exposure Control: Fully manual with built-in TTL light meter
• Camera Type: Analog 35mm rangefinder
• Use Cases: Street, portrait, travel

What makes the Leica M6.72mm Black Chrome special?

The M6 sits at a fascinating intersection: it's the camera that brought a reliable TTL light meter to the classic Leica M-series body without sacrificing the purely mechanical soul that makes these cameras legendary. Unlike the later Leica M6 TTL, the classic M6 has a standard-height shutter speed dial that many shooters prefer for its lower profile and more traditional feel.

The 0.72x viewfinder magnification is the most versatile option in the M6 lineup — it's wide enough to frame comfortably with a 28mm lens while still usable with a 90mm. If you're choosing between the.72 and the.85 variant, the 0.72 is the go-to for wide-angle and street shooting. The.85 is sharper for 90mm portraiture but tighter for anything below 50mm.

Black Chrome is a practical choice over black paint. Black paint has a more tactile, vintage appeal and wears to the brass beneath over time — which Black Chrome, by contrast, is significantly more durable, holds its finish much longer, and still looks refined and understated in the field. If you want a camera that ages gracefully without looking battered after a few rolls, Black Chrome is the smarter pick.

Compared to the Voigtlander Bessa R2M — often cited as the most reasonable M6 alternative — the M6 offers a more refined viewfinder, a more confidence-inspiring build, and that long-term value retention that Leica bodies The Bessa is a solid shooter but a noticeably different experience in the hand. Other alternatives like the Yashica Electro 35 or Konica Auto S2 offer great value for casual film shooters, but they're not M-mount compatible, so lens flexibility is entirely different.

For lens pairing, the 0.72 viewfinder pairs beautifully with the Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 — one of the classic combos for street work. The Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZM is a sharp, affordable M-mount option that works brilliantly on this body. Explore the full range of Leica M lenses to find your ideal match.

Who is the Leica M6.72mm Black Chrome for?

The M6 is genuinely one of those cameras that rewards a certain kind of photographer. If you shoot deliberately — thinking about each frame before lifting the camera — this is your tool. The fully manual workflow slows you down in the best way possible. Street photographers love it for its near-silent shutter and compact form at 530g. Travel photographers appreciate that it runs entirely without batteries for the shutter mechanism (the meter needs them, but the camera fires regardless), making it bulletproof in remote locations.

Portrait shooters who want to work with fast M-mount glass — think Summilux or Summicron focal lengths — will find the 0.72 viewfinder accurate and pleasant to compose through. The rangefinder focusing patch is precise enough for wide apertures when you've calibrated your technique.

This is not a beginner's first camera in the traditional sense — but it's absolutely learnable as a first serious film camera if you're committed. Once you're comfortable with the meter and manual settings, it becomes one of the most intuitive cameras you'll ever shoot.

If you're already shooting digital Leica M cameras and want a film body that shares your existing M-mount lenses, the M6 is the natural choice — same mount, same compositional feel, entirely different medium.

What we inspect on this used Leica M6.72mm Black Chrome

At Camera-tweedehands.nl, every M6 is hand-inspected for optical and mechanical function. The rangefinder patch is our critical focus point — we verify it is bright, clearly visible, and well-aligned both horizontally and vertically, as misalignment affects focus accuracy, particularly at wide apertures. We document the condition of the light seals around the back door and test all shutter speeds down to 1 second to ensure reliable mechanical operation.

We assess the Black Chrome finish for any brassing on the edges and baseplate, and photograph the body comprehensively so you can evaluate cosmetic condition before purchase. Each item comes with a minimum 12 months warranty — the exact term is shown on the variant listing. Returns are accepted within 14 days.