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Hello all,

 

I've just bought (through a dealer online) a second-hand M7 with a 50mm F2 lens. All I know is the ser. nr. 3328314 and that the supposed age is about 2008-2009 (?) but there's no passport or original proof of purchase with the camera.

 

Can anyone offer advice as to what issues (if any I should look for in the camera)?

 

I've heard that early models (how old?) can have an unreliable DX film speed sensor and that also there were issues with a defective finder design. "A lack of a proper baffle often would let the same light that comes through the fluted window to light the finder lines would also light (flare) the rangefinder spot."

Does anyone know at what point in the history of the M7 this was fixed?

 

Thank you for your help.

Victoria

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Hi Victoria, and welcome to the forum :)

 

Here are a couple of threads and a link to the Leica Wiki that seem to indicate your M7 is more recent than 2006, approximately when the DX encoders were switched to optical. That said, people still have minor issues and sometimes just set it manually.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M7

 

Leica M7... chances used body will have old DX coding? - Photo.net Leica and Rangefinders Forum

 

M7 serial number for MP viewfinder - Photo.net Leica and Rangefinders Forum

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Thank you Steve for your reply and links. Informed and interesting reading!

I'm expecting the camera tomorrow so will see and I hope that I don't suffer some of the unfortunate anomalies that some others have suffer.

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Hi Victoria

 

Welcome to the forum. I can fully appreciate your concern, with you having just leapt into the world of Leica!

 

Don't attach too much importance to these things. I have owned a few M7s over the years, with both mechanical and optical DX readers, and with early and late VFs. In fact I had one of the first M7s when they were released. The earlier mechanical DX reading system is not a major worry, nor is the earlier vs later VF argument.

 

All M7s are wonderful cameras. I am sure you will enjoy the experience of using a Leica M camera, and there is a massive amount of advice on this forum should you require a steer on things, or if you feel you have encountered a problem.

 

Let us know how you get on. And post some pics as and when!

 

Regards

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I wouldn't lose sleep over it and hope you enjoy it, Victoria. Even my brand new M7 had to go back to Solms for a couple of months for a top plate with the tiniest of play in it. A little while later, I notice the exposure compensation LED flashes even though the camera's DX coding works (it displays it correctly on turn on). All I do is rotate the exposure compensation dial back and forth and it goes away.

 

Sometimes the film advance may get really tight, kind of like the way it is at the end of the roll. All you need to do if this happens is rotate the rewind knob back and forth and then it will advance normally.

 

M7's are great little cameras and the Aperture Priority AE is great for street photography.

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:-)

Bring it on I guess! I love street photography and photo journalistic type work and was tempted to buy one just because although I've got a fleet of digital cameras, I love film and want more than my little Lomo camera can offer me especially as I mainly shoot B+W and don't want to carry around a larger SLR. As advanced as a Nikon F100/FM3a/F6 might be, they've just ended up feeling too modern and too familiar to me. I had moved from Nikon to a Fuji X-Pro1 which I do love but it's still digital and so thought the next logical progression was an analogue rangefinder.

Edited by VictoriaC
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The M7 would in that case be perfect with a 75/90 Summarit and a wide-angle and maybe a 35 Summilux. Still could end up with more than half of the film rolls running through the T3 - with pictures practically indistinguishable from ones taken with a 2/35A.

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If you have doubts about the DX code reader, with the camera electrics turned off at the switch, advance the film and then turn the camera on. The film speed being read will be displayed in the viewfinder for a couple of seconds.

 

With both the manual and the DX reader the flashing red dot, that is supposed to only come on when setting an ISO different to the rated speed, will sometimes start flashing. Using the above check will show that the correct film speed is being read.

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:-)

Bring it on I guess! I love street photography and photo journalistic type work and was tempted to buy one just because although I've got a fleet of digital cameras, I love film and want more than my little Lomo camera can offer me especially as I mainly shoot B+W and don't want to carry around a larger SLR. As advanced as a Nikon F100/FM3a/F6 might be, they've just ended up feeling too modern and too familiar to me. I had moved from Nikon to a Fuji X-Pro1 which I do love but it's still digital and so thought the next logical progression was an analogue rangefinder.

 

You sound like a very smart woman!:p

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Actually I've been reading about the T3 online and I must say it sounds very interesting as would a Nikon Ti35. Let me get to grips with this M7 first. I spent most of last year carrying my X-Pro1 and two Lomo LC-As with different films in them. And that was just for recreational photography. Eventually I just felt enough was enough, I want to go back to one (exceptionally good) camera photography (and I want to use film).

Right… off to collect the camera!

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Ever tried a Contax T3?

:)

 

I loved that camera - jewel of a Zeiss 35mm lens. Took it with me everywhere, loaded with BCN 400.

The only camera I ever really regretted selling.

 

The Contax wins out over the Nikon Ti35.

I think the Contax is more reliable, more pocketable, easier to use, better lens.

 

Oh and Victoria, welcome to the Forum. I'm sure we will all look forward to seeing the results from your new M7.

Edited by MarkP
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Just got home with the camera and quite frankly it's in mint condition. I've bought it from the guys at Red Dot who are lovely. It even still had the sticker on the base plate and the strap and body show no sign of ever being used!

The box and paperwork too is in mint condition and a sticker on the box mentions that it has the new VF fitted. A look inside the film compartment confirms it also of course had the updated DX contacts.

I put a film (Tri-X 400) in it in the shop and the shop found that they had a 2nd hand yellow filter which I bought too as well as a strap and walked out with it around my neck and promptly found a church across the road to try some shots. I'm up to 10 photos on the 36 exp roll and look forward to finding other subjects to photograph and getting through a few rolls of film.

I might also go back to Red Dot and see if they've got the VF 1.5x magnifier which IMHO would be a nice addition to increase the VF to 0.9 magnification. Otherwise it seems perfect and I love it!

Edited by VictoriaC
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In case you're a fast reader, here's more links:

 

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/media/i3d/01/A/man-migrate/MANUAL000013587.pdf

http://www.fotopro.ch/dateien/dokumente/Gebrauchsanweisung-Leica-M7.pdf

Leica FAQ — Leica M7

http://www.overgaard.dk/pdf/M-System_Brochure_en.pdf (10MB file)

 

Also for care and feeding your M7, here are two relatively new film emulsions a number of us on the forum are enjoying :)

CineStill Film

“LomoChrome Purple 101” - Lomography

 

enjoy!

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