Leica's 40-year anniversary M — the M6 J, metered coupled RF, cloth shutter, 1994.
The Leica M6 J was a limited-edition anniversary M6 released in 1994 to mark forty years of the M system, produced in a small numbered run. It combined M6 metering with styling and a finder configuration echoing the original M3, making it a collector-oriented body.
It is a 35mm coupled-rangefinder M-bayonet camera with a horizontal-travel cloth focal-plane shutter and a through-the-lens centre-weighted meter using an LED display in the finder. It offers manual exposure only, the bright-line viewfinder shows frame lines with parallax correction, and the shutter is mechanical, with the battery needed only for the meter, not to fire.
It suits collectors and photographers who want a metered mechanical M in an anniversary specification for street, reportage and documentary work. The M3-style high-magnification finder aids precise focusing with longer and standard lenses.
Because it is a numbered limited edition, verify the number, packaging and originality, as these strongly affect value. Check rangefinder patch contrast and vertical alignment, confirm the meter LEDs respond and identify the battery type, and inspect the cloth curtains for pinholes and capping. Test slow speeds and confirm a clean bayonet and smooth transport.