| Year | Model | Name | References | Quantity | Serial Number | Notes |
| 1999 | M6TTL | Black Paint "Vaclec Havel" | 355, 357 | 1 | 2500000 | was presented to the Czech President Václav Havel at a reception in May 2000. The set also included a silver chrome-plated Summilux-M 35 f/1.4 ASPH. that also bore a special serial number 4051036, which stood for Havel's date of birth |
| 1999 | M6TTL | Ulrich Mack | 357 | 1 | this camera was presented to Ulrich Mack in celebration of his 65th birthday. The Leica M6 TTL featured a black finish and included an engraving on the top plate that read "Mack. 65" alongside two laurel leaves | |
| 1999 or 2000 | M6TTL | Millennium | 355, 357 | 2000 | 2500001-2502000 | The deep black painted M6 TTL was intended to be reminiscent of earlier Leica cameras. Individual elements, such as the film quick-release lever and the rewind button, were derived from the Leica M3. The cameras also featured special numbering on the hot shoe (0001/2000). Black-painted Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. and Summilux-M 50 f/1.4 lenses were also offered with the cameras |
| 2000 | M6TTL | Öresund Bridge | 355, 357 | 150 | 2554501-2554650 | Nordisk Foto Import A/S Denmark commissioned this special series to mark the inauguration of the resund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden. The block leather-covered, black-painted camera had an engraving of the Danish part of the Öresund Bridge on the back of the top plate and special numbering on the hot shoe. 50 cameras were delivered without a lens, 25 with a matching Sum-micron-M 35 f/2 ASPH. and 75 with a Summilux-M 50 f/1.4, each also with a matching engraving and painted black. |
| 2000 | M6TTL | NSH (Nihon Siber Hegner) | 355, 357 | 400 | 2680501-2680900 | a special series similar in appearance to the Millennium camera, was commissioned by the Japanese Leica distributor Nihon Siber Hegner. In addition to the black paintwork, the film quick-release lever and the rewind button from the Leica M3, the camera had special numbering (SH001/400) on the hot shoe. |
| 2000 | M6TTL | Dragon 2000 | 355, 357 | 500 | 2688001-2688500 | this special edition was released for the Chinese market, in the year of the dragon. The black painted camera had an engraving of a dragon on the back of the top plate, which took the form of a 2 followed by three zeros. The special numbering was engraved underneath. |
| 2000 | M6TTL | Black Paint "LHSA" | 273, 314, 355, 357 | 1150 | 2480340 (unconfirmed) - (unconfirmed) | black painted camera was delivered exclusively to members of the LHSA (Leica Historical Society of America). The top plate was milled from solid brass, and all controls as well as the base and top plate were covered with deep black lacquer. The traditional Leica lettering was engraved on the top of top plate, together with "Leica Camera AG, Solms Germany". The back of the top plate was specially engraved with the LHSA logo and the words "SPECIAL EDITION". The Leica M6 engraving was omitted on the front of the camera and the Leica dot was painted black. One of the challenges in creating this camera was that the original painting process was not environmentally friendly and had been discontinued nearly thirty years prior. Additionally, when the M6 was introduced in 1984, Leica had switched to a cast zinc top plate for its M cameras. The black paint required a brass top plate, but all the original dies had been scrapped years earlier, making it cost-prohibitive to produce new tooling. Fortunately, new technology emerged that allowed for the use of CNC machining to create a brass top plate without the need for the original die-stamping process. |
| 2000 | M6TTL | Green M6/Safari M6 | 355 | |||
| 2000 | M6TTL | ICS (Import Camera Society) | 355, 357 | this special series was commissioned by the Japanese distributor Kanto. The black-painted Leica M6 TTL with black leather cover had the engraving "ICS" (Import Camera Society) on the back of the top plate as well as special numbering. | ||
| 2000 | M6TTL | Kanto | 357 | this special series was commissioned by the Japanese distributor Kanto. The silver chrome-plated camera bore the special engraving "offizieller Service Partner 2000 Kanto" on the top plate and had special numbering on the hot shoe. The series was delivered with a matching Summicron-M 50 f/2. | ||
| 2000 | M6TTL | Test the Best | 357 | a special version of the black chrome-plated Leica M6 TTL for the Swiss market. The camera had a special engraving on the top plate with the outline of Switzerland and the words "Test the Best". | ||
| 2000 or 2001 | M6TTL | Martin Luther King | 355, 357 | 2 | in honour of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and as part of a travelling exhibition by Benedict J. Fernandez, Leica Camera AG produced two examples of the M6 TTL with a special engraving of Dr. King's signature. The cameras were equipped with a Summicron-M 50 f/2 and delivered in a wooden box with red-brown silk. One camera travelled with the exhibition, the second was sold at auction as part of an art package in 2002. The proceeds were donated to the Martin Luther King Jr. Centre for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Nomi Baumgart! | 357 | 1 | with a special engraving of the German photographer's name on the back of the top plate, this single camera with a Noctilux-M 50 f/1, a hand-signed fine art print of her "Wisdom of the Ocean" and two books also hand-signed by Nomi Baumgartl were sold at an auction in 2005. The proceeds went to the organisation Programa Comunitário da Reconciliação (street children in São Paulo). | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | William Klein | 355, 357 | 1 | 2555500 | designed by American photographer William Klein for Leica France. The camera had an Asian water snake leather cover dyed grey, and was painted anthracite-metallic with a Summilux-M 35 f/1.4. It was sold at auction in London for the benefit of Reporters Sans Frontières. The camera had two special engravings: the signature "William Klein" in red on the top left of the top plate and the motto and name of the organisation in black on the back of the top plate (handwritten) - "Il n'y a pas de liberté, sans liberté de la presse - Reporters Sans Frontières" (There is no freedom without freedom of the press). |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Sheikh Al-Thani | 357 | 6 | this special series was given as a gift from Sheikh Al-Thani to six famous photographers: Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Khalifa Al-Obaidly, Richard Avedon and Sebastião Salgado. The cameras were a silver chrome version with a green leather cover. The name of the sheikh was engraved on the top plate of the. The cameras also bore the engraved dedication "As a gift to [photographer's name". They were given away with a matching Summilux-M 50 f/1.4. | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Sheik Saud | 355 | 16 | ||
| 2001 | M6TTL | Sheikh Al-Thani Photography Competition Qatar | 357 | 16 | this special series was commissioned by Sheikh Saud ben Mohammed ben Ali Al-Thani, a member of the ruling Royal Family of the Emirate of Qatar. The special edition consisted of 16 M6 TTL 0.85 cameras with orange-coloured leather in a silver-chrome finish. The cameras were intended for winners of the photo competition in the coming years (2002-2017) and had a special engraving on the top plate with an edition number on the hot shoe. They were supplied with a matching Summilux-M 50 f/1.4. | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Hansa | 355 | 100 | 2753001-2753100 | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Safari | 357 | 300 | special edition for Leica distribution in Hong Kong. The cameras were paint-ed green and had a green leather coating. They also had special numbering 001-300/300. | |
| 2001 | M6TTL | Titanium "LHSA" | 355 | 1000 | ||
| 2001 | M6TTL | Titan | 357 | in this special series the brass controls were first nickel-plated and then titanised. Brown buffalo leather was chosen for the cover. Three lenses were also offered in the titanium version for this special series, also in a limited edition: a Summicron-M 35 f/2 ASPH., a Summicron-M 50 f/2 and an APO Summicron-M 90 f/2 ASPH. | ||
| 2002 | M6TTL | "1984-2002" "Die letzten 999 M6" ("The Last 999") | 355, 357 | 999 | 2755001-27600000 | this edition marked the final examples of the Leica M6 TTL. Each camera was delivered as a special edition, complete with a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by Hanns-Peter Cohn and Ralf Coenen. The cameras were elegantly packaged in a wooden box with a black silk inlay. Each featured the engraving "LEICA M6 1984-2002" on the top plate and bore a special numbering of 001/999. They were available in either black (0.58 or 0.85) or silver chrome-plated versions (0.58 or 0.85). |
| 2002 | M6TTL | 50 Years Elcan | 357 | a special series was produced on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Ernst Leitz Canada - Elcan. It consisted of a black chrome-plated camera with a black embossed calfskin leather cover and the special number on the hot shoe as well as a Noctilux-M 50 f/1 with special engraving. A white maple leaf and the lettering were engraved on the top left of the top plate of the Leica M6 TTL. | ||
| 2003 | M6TTL | flags per country (12) | 355 | 150 |
Leica M6 TTL
In 1998, Leica introduced a TTL version of its popular M6 rangefinder camera, which features a precision flash exposure metering system designed to work seamlessly with external flash units215. With the new model, M6 TTL, utilizing flash technology has become easy and convenient, thanks to completely redesigned microprocessor-controlled electronics that enable precise exposure metering215. The meter reads the flash through the camera's lens, calculates the appropriate flash exposure, and communicates this information to the flash unit215. This means users can achieve well-exposed shots with the exact flash intensity they desire215.
Even in low-light conditions, the new Leica M6 TTL promises exceptional focusing accuracy, thanks to its bright viewfinder and wide-based rangefinder215. Additionally, the camera's shutter operates nearly vibration-free, ensuring sharp photos even at slow-sync flash speeds215. With TTL flash control, the resulting images are well-balanced, with natural background light blending smoothly with an optimally lit foreground215.
The redesigned viewfinder of the new Leica M6 TTL includes a flash symbol to indicate flash readiness and verify operation215. A red dot illuminated between two triangles of the exposure meter in the LED of the viewfinder will signal to the user if the exposure is accurate215. Leica's new camera also features an enlarged shutter speed dial with an inverted direction for setting exposures215.
One of the advantages of the Leica M6 TTL is that it allows photographers to view the subject through the viewfinder, which, unlike SLRs, remains open during the exposure215. This helps photographers identify issues like closed eyes or turned faces that can ruin portrait shots215.
Leica also introduced a new flash unit, the SF20, specifically designed to work in tandem with the new M6 TTL and compatible with the RS model as well215. The SF20 connects directly to the hot shoe on either camera without needing an adapter and offers controlled overexposures and underexposures of up to three stops. The new M6 TTL is also compatible with other flash units from the SCA3000 system via the 3501 Adapter215.
The body of the M6 TTL is available in black chrome with either a 0.72x or 0.85x viewfinder magnification215. Additionally, it can be found in silver chrome with a 0.72x viewfinder magnification215. A flash symbol on the hot shoe distinguishes the new M6 TTL from earlier models215.
All models are available with a suggested retail price of 2395 USD for the 0.72x versions and 2495 USD for the 0.85x version215.