Leica M6 TTL

The M6 TTL is the camera the naming confuses everyone about. Both it and the original M6 meter exposure through the lens; what the "TTL" in the name actually refers to is TTL flash metering, which the original M6 lacks. Introduced in 1998, it drives compatible flashes (like the SF 20) with through-the-lens flash control.

Spotting one is easy once you know the tells: the top plate is 2 mm taller to house the flash electronics, and the shutter-speed dial is larger and turns the opposite way — deliberately matched to the direction of the meter arrows in the finder, which many shooters find more intuitive. It launched with 0.72 and 0.85 finder magnifications; a 0.58 wide-angle finder joined the range in 2000.

For buyers: the community calls the 1984–1998 model the "M6 Classic" and this one the "M6 TTL" — listings that just say "M6" are usually the Classic, but check the top plate height and dial. The TTL is the more practical shooter's camera; the Classic has the purer original design and slightly smaller body.