Head to head · specs cited · drawn to scale

Canon AE-1 vs Leica M6

Every spec below is quoted from the makers' official pages — where a figure isn't published we say so rather than guess. Sizes are drawn at true relative scale from published dimensions, and the bag-fit row is computed against our measured bag catalog.

The 3 biggest published differences

AE-1 Canon FD
M6 Leica M
Overview
Type 35mm SLR35mm rangefinder
Format 35mm35mm
Lens mount Canon FDLeica M
Released 1976-19841984–2002 (reissued 2022)
Film camera
Film format 35mm35mm
Metering Shutter-priority TTL CdS meteringTTL selective metering, LED display in finder
Shutter Electronically controlled, horizontal-travel cloth focal-planeHorizontal-travel cloth focal-plane
Shutter speeds 2 to 1/1000 sec plus B1 s – 1/1000 + B
Battery 1x 4LR44 / 4SR44 6V2× LR44 / SR44 (meter only)
Body & Handling
Dimensions (W×H×D) 141 × 87 × 48 mm138.6 × 77 × 38 mm
Weight (body) 590 g575 g
Weather sealing —, not published—, not published
Shutter durability —, not published—, not published
Price
Launch price —, not published—, not published
Size, to scale
AE-1141×87×48M6138.6×77×38

Front view, drawn at the same scale from each maker's published W×H (mm).

Smallest bag that fits
Body Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20 V2 Fits
body only · View at B&H Photo Video
Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20 V2 Fits
body only · View at B&H Photo Video

Sources

official · AE-1 specifications: Canon Camera Museum (official manufacturer spec page) · accessed 2026-07-10
“141 x 87 x 48 mm, 590 g (Dimensions & Weight)”
official · M6 specifications: Leica Camera AG (M6 reissue datasheet, PDF) · accessed 2026-07-10
“Dimensions (width x height x depth) approx. 138.6 mm ... Weight approx. 575 g. Figures are from Leica's current M6 reissue datasheet; the original 1984 manual contains no spec table, so we cite the reissue with that caveat.”

M6 dimensions carry medium confidence (archived-source caveat on its fit page).

Spec values are the manufacturers' published figures, compared factually — we don't rank cameras. Fit verdicts are planning estimates from published interior dimensions, not guarantees. See methodology.

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