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videoguy916

Leica M7 LED problem

By videoguy916, in Film Forum

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videoguy916   

videoguy916
Posted

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Hi, I am new to the forum and new to Leica. In fact, I just bought my first Leica this evening, a black M7. (I owned a M2 for about a week I got in a trade, but had to resell it before using it, before I was interested in owning a Leica).

 

However I was a bit naive going into it. I found a nice article detailing what to look for when buying a Leica M (change in shutter speeds, etc).

 

However I think my M7 has a problem that I have not been able to find any info on ANYWHERE on the internet, and I have been searching for hours.

 

A little backstory:

 

The guy I bought this off of was the original owner, and he said he bought it ten years ago. He said he has run around 10 rolls of film through it, and hasn't used it for years. It's in mint condition cosmetically. I would believe his 10 roll claim.

 

While looking at the camera, I noticed that the LED lights in the viewfinder were quite blurry, doubled, and seemed to be reflecting.

 

He had no idea if this was a problem or not, and neither did I. I didn't have my glasses at the time and thought it may just be my eyes. I thought I was getting a good deal, so I bought it without thinking about it much further. Upon getting it home, I have wiped off both sides of the viewfinder, the rangefinder, and the lens.

 

I cannot figure out what the problem is, so hopefully you can help. I am adding two pictures here. The first one is how I assume the LED's should look, and the second one is how mine look when I look through the viewfinder.

 

Any ideas are welcome. I am hoping that this is not a major issue, as I really want my first real Leica purchase to be a positive one.

 

Notes:

-The seller put in brand new batteries today. They say CR 1/3N on them.

-This is my first Leica, but the actual view through the viewfinder, and focusing through the rangefinder seem to be working fine.

-My serial number is 2885xxx

 

How I think it should look:

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/videomatt916/goodviewfinder.jpg

 

How mine looks (the best I can demonstrate):

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww48/videomatt916/badviewfinder.jpg

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andybarton   

andybarton
Posted

Welcome to the Forum

 

It's going to need a trip back to Leica in Solms, I'm afraid. They will fix it for you and make sure that everything is to specification. Ask them to change the DX reader at the same time (which they will probably do anyway)

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budrichard   

budrichard
Posted

The M7 is made to be used in AUTO and the shutter speed is only for information.

I would use the camera for a while and find out if their are any other problems before sending it in for service or ask for your money back.

BTW, when not in AUTO. how do the exposure markers look?-Dick

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videoguy916   

videoguy916
Posted

When not in Auto, the numbers look identical, still blurry and double-vision like. The camera is metering (correctly I assume). With changing light, the numbers change, etc.

 

It just seems that the LED lights are not projecting into the viewfinder at the correct angle or something?

 

I am sure that this doesn't affect the camera's ability to take pictures. It seems just to be a cosmetic issue, but one that bothers me a bit, and I hope to get fixed.

 

Has anyone had anything similar with their LEDs?

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videoguy916   

videoguy916
Posted

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The framelines are pretty crisp. Definitely not blurred like the LEDs. There is no corrective lens on the viewfinder.

 

However, I had a friend play with it today, and he said that the LEDs looked pretty crisp to him, at least not hardly readable as they are to me.

 

I think the problem could be my eyes. For the past year my eyes have been deteriorating (retinal tears, holes, floaters, etc) with no Dr. able to figure out what is going on.

 

So it is possible that somehow the way the LEDs are projected into the viewfinder, doesn't mix well with the way my retina sees them, and they look doubled and blurred to me. I don't know.

 

I can't find a single thread anywhere with anyone having a similar problem not being able to read the LEDs.

 

If someone does have a similar issue, please reply to this thread, but in the mean time I am going to assume it is my eyes.

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jpattison   

jpattison
Posted

Can you find a local Leica dealer to assess he viewfinder?

 

you say... "When not in Auto, the numbers look identical"

 

When you take it off auto, it should just show (not at the same time!) two triangular arrows with a dot in the centre. This is Manual mode and you set the shutter speed / aperture combination to suit, see the manual... download from this page...

Leica Camera AG - Photography - M7

 

 

John

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menos I M6   

menos I M6
Posted

This is a several times reported issue, that can occur with the LED display in the M7 if the LCD/ loupe in front of it is out of alignment.

 

The camera has to go to a specialist and the issue will be taken care of.

I have seen this issue with quite a few M7 bodies on offering in Shanghai camera shops.

It has nothing to do with the users vision or attachment loupes.

 

It is a repair, I am afraid. (I would bet, Don Goldberg or others could fix this as well)

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Ronan   

Ronan
Posted
This is a several times reported issue, that can occur with the LED display in the M7 if the LCD/ loupe in front of it is out of alignment.

 

The camera has to go to a specialist and the issue will be taken care of.

I have seen this issue with quite a few M7 bodies on offering in Shanghai camera shops.

It has nothing to do with the users vision or attachment loupes.

 

It is a repair, I am afraid. (I would bet, Don Goldberg or others could fix this as well)

 

Good to know! I tried a colleague's M7 today. Same issue!!!

 

It doesn't bother him since he shoots aperture priority most of the time.

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videoguy916   

videoguy916
Posted

Just as a follow up, the "problem" seems conclusive that it is with my eyes, and not the camera. Good for the camera, not for my eyes.

 

I had 5-6 people look through the M7, and none could figure out what I was talking about. "The numbers are crisp as can be!" everyone would state.

 

I looked through several other viewfinders with LEDs on DSLRs, and found similar blurry numbers. I believe it has something to do with my retinas, as I have had a lot of problems with them over the past 2 years.

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Ronan   

Ronan
Posted
Just as a follow up, the "problem" seems conclusive that it is with my eyes, and not the camera. Good for the camera, not for my eyes.

 

I had 5-6 people look through the M7, and none could figure out what I was talking about. "The numbers are crisp as can be!" everyone would state.

 

I looked through several other viewfinders with LEDs on DSLRs, and found similar blurry numbers. I believe it has something to do with my retinas, as I have had a lot of problems with them over the past 2 years.

 

Lucky I guess. My mate paid $300 to get his fix

But I'm willing to bet eyes are a lot more expensive to fix...

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tuanvo1982   

tuanvo1982
Posted

I have just bought one from Red dot and I got the same problem. Even I use magnifier with adjustment. However, I still got that. I didn't get that problem with my M8 or M6. I will call them up on Monday.

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tuanvo1982   

tuanvo1982
Posted
Welcome to the Forum

 

It's going to need a trip back to Leica in Solms, I'm afraid. They will fix it for you and make sure that everything is to specification. Ask them to change the DX reader at the same time (which they will probably do anyway)

 

Changing the DX reader is free or not ?

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tuanvo1982   

tuanvo1982
Posted

The problem

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marknorton   

marknorton
Posted

A few years ago, I showed the disassembled M8 frame lines which will be very similar to the M7.

 

Do a search on threads with Anatomy in the title.

 

You might find this gives you some info but unless you know what you are doing, it should go back to Solms. At 10 years old, it will probably benefit from a CLA anyway.

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tuanvo1982   

tuanvo1982
Posted
A few years ago, I showed the disassembled M8 frame lines which will be very similar to the M7.

 

Do a search on threads with Anatomy in the title.

 

You might find this gives you some info but unless you know what you are doing, it should go back to Solms. At 10 years old, it will probably benefit from a CLA anyway.

 

I will have a look of that now but I have just bought 12 hours ago. I don't know what RedDot does with this situation or I have to send it myself. It has 6 months warranty that they said.

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andybarton   

andybarton
Posted

The DX change is free of charge. If you have a problem with a recent purchase, RedDot will definitely sort things out for you.

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