What about the M7?

[alandash]

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I hardly ever see as many comments about the M7 as I do about the M6, M4, M2 and M3. Was it unpopular or unreliable? The M5 was ugly, so I can see why I hardly hear about it. I heard comments that criticized the quality of the M7.

 

Alan Dash

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[BrianUK]

Not ever having owned a M7, defintely I'm not the best person to comment on whether it is any more reliable or unreliable that the other Ms you mentioned - I just don't know.

 

I've read some comments about the early M7's 'flaky' DX coding... and plenty of others saying it has given no trouble. Perhaps those with personal and informed knowledge will respond, anything I write will be heresay.

 

I would say, though, that my own reason for not deciding on a M7 is that without batteries it only has two speeds: 1/60 and 1/25 second, and the LEDs blink whenever exposure compensation is engaged or the ISO altered different to the DX coding. For me, these are the main deal-breakers.

 

But if one gifted came my way, I wouldn't say no

[BrianUK]

Oh... and the M5 is not 'ugly'... it's a solid hunk of gorgeousness

[ldhrads]

M7 is a great camera, even if I just sold mine!

Closest film Leica to the M9, MM if you are working with either of them.

Beautifully built, nice to hold. Like an M6 but with Auto mode and a few other minor changes.

[gberger]

I had two M7's - - one for me and one for my wife (a much better photographer!). When my eyes started to worsen (macular degeneration), I gave my M7 to a good friend who uses photography as part of his livelihood.

 

The M7 is a superb camera. You can use it in the Auto mode, or use it like an MP / M6. Two cameras in one. Additionally, the shutter speeds are more accurate, due to the redesign to accommodate the Auto mode. (see Puts' writeup) We never had problems with either M7 camera. As for the battery question, they're small, and you can carry a spare set or two in your pocket. IMO, the "Battery Syndrome" is a non-starter.

 

Just my two cents.

[payasam]

My guess is that in time there will be more discussion of the M7. It is still relatively new and perhaps has not been sold in large enough numbers. As it was much too expensive for me, I just bought a Hexar RF to replace my M2.

[Keith (M)]

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I hardly ever see as many comments about the M7 as I do about the M6, M4, M2 and M3. Was it unpopular or unreliable? The M5 was ugly, so I can see why I hardly hear about it. I heard comments that criticized the quality of the M7.

 

Alan Dash

 

If you scroll down the topic list slightly you will see this thread:-

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/showthread.php?t=273201 which will help answer your question.

 

 

Sent from my iPad Mini using Tapatalk

[pico]

You do not read much about it because the M7 is just fine, good camera!

[erl]

I have 4 film M Leicas.

111f

M6

M6TTL

M7

If I could only keep one, It would be the M7.

OTOH, ..... no not going there!

....... I am keeping them all!

[hamey]

Having several R bodies, my M7 feels lonely as it doesn't get used much, nevertheless it has been

A very good camera, no problems at all.

 

I remember on this forum it was canned, quite a few members considered it not a true Leica M as it

Required BATTERIES to operate the Electronic shutter.

I wonder how many of those Knucklheads who criticised it went out a bought the digital M's.

 

The M7 is still being made and it sells for the same price as the MP.

 

Remember the Electronic Shutter is considerd to be more reliable then the Mechanical one.

 

Canon's 1DX Electronic shutter has a shutter rating of 400,000, some time ago, Nikon F5 went up

to around that figure.

 

Image of my M7 taken with a Canon DSLR and the Leica R 21-35mm.

 

GO FOR IT.

 

Ken.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[LMBSGV]

My only complaint about my M7 is the bad photos it’s owner manages to take. The complaints about the batteries are rather silly since they last for months and carrying a spare set in one’s camera bag is all that’s required for new ones if you fail to notice the flashing low battery in the viewfinder. For many years, I owned and loved (and still do) an M2. The M7 is the one I use daily and occasionally create something that captures the essence of what I wish. It's the ultimate 35mm film camera.

[jmwhite1]

Contrary to the more common practice of abandoning film for digital, I traded my used M-9 for a brand new M7. As good as the black and whites are from the M9 and the Monochrom (which I still have), the weak link is getting the image to paper. The only decent digital prints I have ever seen have been from digital files printed on silver gelatin paper using laser or some sort of light exposure. So many people say inkjet prints are rivaling traditional B&W darkroom prints; I just can't agree. The prints I get on Oriental Seagull paper with my M7, Tri-X, and the V35 Focomat enlarger blow away anything from an inkjet printer. I have both Epsons 7800 and 4880 and Canon's Pixma Pro-1 printers and use them with a RIP. I have the Piezography B&W system dedicated to one printer. They produce good output but when compared with a good darkroom print it's a no brainer. The M7, with Leica glass, produces near medium format quality in a small compact system, and the metering system is spot on most of the time. The ability to get incremental shutter speeds keeps the exposures very consistent.To me, the whole battery thing is easy: like the fellow mentioned earlier, you carry a spare. They are tiny.The obsolescence issue is always something to think about, but as the camera is still in the lineup, I don't see it in any more danger than the M9 or the Monochrom. So far it has been a solid performer.

[sblitz]

i print at home with an epson r2880, an excellent printer. printing from digital files from m9 vs scans of photos from my m4 or m6 and the difference is enormous (to my eyes) compared with what appears on screen. point is, even printing from digital scan of film the difference in the print is so clear, makes me want to sell my m9 for an m7 just to get a faster film camera than the m4 or m6 for those times when needed.

[MarkP]

If/when I buy a film M it will be an M7. I have an M9, Monochrom, and M on the way. So for me the M7 is the film equivalent to these digital Ms (as described above).

[tomlianza]

I sold my M7, but not because it was a bad camera. Quite the opposite, it is a first rate camera. I found that the automation was not for me. I have an M2 and an M6 and M9. The M9 is closest to the M7 in the area automation. I am finding that I am using the M9 less in automatic mode, As a starting point I set the shutter speed to 1/ISO and just set the f# from there, just like the classical photography rule: sunny f/11 (or f16 for slide film). RAW processing has made exposure compensation much easier in post processing. Enjoy the M7 but try to work around the automation and enjoy photography again.

[Guest Ansel_Adams]

I think the M7 is very much in the shadow of the M6, which is a better balanced camera overall and much more were sold, so there are more users out there.

[erl]

There was a time when more people thought the world was flat too!

Were they right?

[Guest Ansel_Adams]

There was a time when more people thought the world was flat too!

Were they right?

 

Subjectively the world is flat, so yes they were right in a sense.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[jip]

I've got a M6TTL, love it, would like a M7 maybe because sometimes automatic shutter speed thing is a good thing... but would I spend more money and sell my M6TTL to get one? No...

[kivis]

I had a lovely almost brand new M7 ala carte. It was excellent beyond my wildest imagination. Due to personal neurosis and M3 snobbery on my part, I had to sell it because it was just too electronic for me. I know...stupid.