Black Leica M6 — the discreet street photographer's choice, metered mechanical rangefinder commanding premium prices.
The Leica M6 in Black is the preferred finish variant of the iconic metered mechanical rangefinder, offering the discreet appearance that street and documentary photographers favour. The black finish is less conspicuous than chrome, making the camera more suitable for unobtrusive shooting.
The M6 Classic provides the same specification regardless of finish — fully mechanical shutter from 1 second to 1/1000s, TTL centre-weighted metering via LEDs in the viewfinder, and compatibility with all M-mount lenses. The 0.72x viewfinder is the standard magnification suitable for 35mm and 50mm lenses.
Build quality is Leica brass with black paint or black chrome finish. The black M6 is marginally more sought-after than chrome by working photographers, and the discreet appearance has made it the defining street photography camera for a generation of photographers.
The Black Leica M6 commands premium prices on the used market, with black finishes typically priced slightly above chrome. The discreet appearance, mechanical reliability, and built-in meter make it the definitive working photographer's Leica M.