I love my… I love my M7...

[erl]

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Seshiro, welcome to the forum and when opportunity presents, post some of your images for us to enjoy.

 

I am surprised to hear a Hasselblad user 'complaining' about the M7, or any Leica size actually. As a life long Hasselblad user and long time Leica user I now know the joy of many Leica models compared to carrying a large Blad kit, which mine is.

 

The Blad is still close to my heart but my M7 and M9 get the most work. My 111f epitomizes compactness but it is easy to 'switch' your brain to the other cameras ergonomics. I believe it is a perception more than the reality.

 

I would urge you not to part with the M7 just for the sake of acquiring an MP. The functionality of the MP is markedly slower than the M7, partly because of the rewind mechanism, but mainly because of total absence of metering, which means you must either guess or use an external meter. Many on this forum will tell you that is better, but never consider that some photographers actually like to work faster than a hand held meter permits. Ultimately, you must decide what influences your style and choose accordingly, whatever anyone says.

Edited February 11, 2015 by erl

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[Doc Henry]

Seshiro,

Welcome to LUF

As said Erl in comparison with MP , I like the A mode. This allows to shoot "decisive moments" , no problem

of exposure. I choose my subject, expected and shoot.

Among digital cameras Leica M8 (and M9) now used as back-up, when I photograph with M8 , I love also the A mode.

So that when I have my M7, in A, it's like I'm with my M8 but film

... and for these reasons I love my M7

Best

Henry

Edited February 11, 2015 by Doc Henry

[Doc Henry]

Here's one example why I love my M7 and why I shoot film

 

Same place, same time, but 2 different cameras: M7 with Ilford film other M8 CCD sensor.

 

The picture shows a freezing fog (-8 ° C) at the edge of a canal of our city, where the atmosphere is perfectly reproduced with the film: cold fog of microdroplets that touch your face in the form of tiny grains of the film

 

The 100% crop shows that the M7 has reproduced this freezing fog and the sensor can not reproduce these droplets due to the "smoothing" by M8 Software

 

That's why I love my M7, fidelity of what we see and what we photograph and I love also film.

And yet, I find that the M8 which has only 10 MPX does its job perfectly. This is one of the best Leica digital cameras without going to spend a fortune for more expensive cameras in my opinion.

 

 

1-The original photo: perspective and impression of a progressive gradation in gray and black giving a nice fog aspect, the grain contributes much to his general rendering

 

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M7 Summilux 35 Asph

 

2-The 100% crop left of trees with M7 , these grains irregularly distributed on the photo are like an "impressionist painting"

 

 

3-The crop 100% of the same trees with M8, smoothing the image,with a "flat" impression of image

no nuance in the scale of gradation

 

 

Leica M8 Summicron 28 Asph (like a 35mm)

 

You know now why I love my M7

 

Regards

Henry

Edited February 11, 2015 by Doc Henry

[atufte]

Great comparison, but i think this would be great thread for the "Film forum" category aswell...

 

Alex

 

 

Here's one example why I love my M7 and why I shoot film

 

Same place, same time, but 2 different cameras: M7 with Ilford film other M8 CCD sensor.

 

The picture shows a freezing fog (-8 ° C) at the edge of a canal of our city, where the atmosphere is perfectly reproduced with the film: cold fog of microdroplets that touch your face in the form of tiny grains of the film

 

The 100% crop shows that the M7 has reproduced this freezing fog and the sensor can not reproduce these droplets due to the "smoothing" by M8 Software

 

That's why I love my M7, fidelity of what we see and what we photograph and I love also film.

And yet, I find that the M8 which has only 10 MPX does its job perfectly. This is one of the best Leica digital cameras without going to spend a fortune for more expensive cameras in my opinion.

 

 

1-The original photo: perspective and impression of a progressive gradation in gray and black giving a nice fog aspect, the grain contributes much to his general rendering

 

[ATTACH]484233[/ATTACH]

 

M7 Summilux 35 Asph

 

2-The 100% crop left of trees with M7 , these grains irregularly distributed on the photo are like an "impressionist painting"

 

[ATTACH]484234[/ATTACH]

 

3-The crop 100% of the same trees with M8, smoothing the image,with a "flat" impression of image

no nuance in the scale of gradation

 

[ATTACH]484235[/ATTACH]

 

Leica M8 Summicron 28 Asph (like a 35mm)

 

You know now why I love my M7

 

Regards

Henry

[Doc Henry]

Great comparison, but i think this would be great thread for the "Film forum" category aswell...

 

Alex

Yes Alex you're right . I'll post

Thanks for your comment and your suggestion.

Best

Henry

[dfbldwn]

Year. Actually I just bought it because I was longing for an always with me point-and-shoot (wich is actually kind of a derision for such camera).

This is no derision. Many of us enjoy referring to our M7 as our little point-and-shoot! Especially with the short focus-throw ELMARIT-M 50mm 1:2.8 collapsible

 

I'm one of these guys complaining about the fact the M7 isn't fully mechanical and 2.5mm taller than the classic Leicas.

Both were my objections. If limited to only two shutter speeds for battery-free operation, I would have chosen 1/50 (for flash sync without batteries) and 1/250. Leica's choice of 1/60 and the adjacent 1/125 is useless to me. As far as the 2.5mm increase in height, I got used to it, mostly because the M7's other features and benefits precluded further use of my old M6 classic. All of us with initial discomfort get used to it with time.

 

it also encourages friends (wich are mostly not into photography) to shoot one or two frames on it and later enlarge them in my dark room, sharing the joy of film photography..

Wow! You must have world class charisma to get people like that interested into film photography, much less with a rangefinder! I call that a signal achievement.

[McGirton]

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The few mm more didn't bother me after shooting with an M2 and M6 for quite a while. But that being said, my medium format camera is a Mamiya RB67 Pro SD

 

I'm more bothered by the electronic components compared to the all mechanic M bodies. But I did the step and don't regret it yet. It's such a quiet ninja shutter, just lovely. And in addition to that I have never heard of M7 electronics giving up.

 

While I love purely mechanical Leicas, personally I don't see the MP as "endgame" camera for me. I don't like the rewind knob (that's why I gave up on my M2) and I don't like the small shutter speed dial (that's why I gave up on the M6). If I could switch those out it might be an option, but the low light capabilities of the M7 and Flash TTL support would be greatly missed.

[dfbldwn]

It is to say I've always been longing for the MP.

A couple of months and a few rolls of film later I still think of going for an MP in the future

Two alternatives to purchasing an MP I forgot to recommend to you:

 

;a used M4-P (you will need an external meter, the MP as an excellent internal meter)

The M4-P with serial number after 1642551 has the M6 (and therefore the M7) viewfinder. I am very happy with my M4-P (Canada, 154xx s/n) and they really are tough as a tank, long lasting and, when requiring repair, it's easy to find qualified techs to do the job.

 

;a new R3M. The 1:1 viewfinder focuses well and shoots very nicely with Leica glass up to 90mm focal length at f/4 or smaller aperture and has a GREAT light meter for a slide shooter.

[Ellie]

My M7 today,

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The lunch room (Ilford XP2)

 

[Doc Henry]

Ellie welcome to the M7 club

The camera seems new. What is the lens mounting above ?

Thanks for posting

Best

Henry

[MaDeVa]

Ellie welcome to the M7 club

The camera seems new. What is the lens mounting above ?

Thanks for posting

Best

Henry

I guess it is a Summarit-M 50/2.5 with its screw hood

[Ellie]

Ellie welcome to the M7 club

The camera seems new. What is the lens mounting above ?

Thanks for posting

Best

Henry

Thanks for the welcome!

 

I got the M7 new from Leica a littie more than three years ago, it's a ALC 0.85. At the same time I got a Summarit-M 50/2.5 (used in the lunch room shot above).

 

I still only have this lens for the M7

 

Edit: Thanks MaDeVa

Edited April 13, 2015 by Ellie

[Doc Henry]

Thanks for the welcome!

 

I got the M7 new from Leica a littie more than three years ago, it's a ALC 0.85. At the same time I got a Summarit-M 50/2.5 (used in the lunch room shot above).

 

I still only have this lens for the M7

 

Edit: Thanks MaDeVa

Ellie , thanks for your reply.

Don't forget to share some of your pictures in "Other - I like film". Thanks in advance

A  recent picture taken with the M7 and a Summicron 28 asph :

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205842-i-like-filmopen-thread/?p=2795861

 

MadeVa "the eye of the master" 

Best

Henry

Edited April 13, 2015 by Doc Henry

[Doc Henry]

The few mm more didn't bother me after shooting with an M2 and M6 for quite a while. But that being said, my medium format camera is a Mamiya RB67 Pro SD

 

I'm more bothered by the electronic components compared to the all mechanic M bodies. But I did the step and don't regret it yet. It's such a quiet ninja shutter, just lovely. And in addition to that I have never heard of M7 electronics giving up.

 

While I love purely mechanical Leicas, personally I don't see the MP as "endgame" camera for me. I don't like the rewind knob (that's why I gave up on my M2) and I don't like the small shutter speed dial (that's why I gave up on the M6). If I could switch those out it might be an option, but the low light capabilities of the M7 and Flash TTL support would be greatly missed.

Hi Mc, each camera has its particularity to me

M7 with its automatism (Aperture priority for example) is used for difficult situations ,

without missing his photo.

Otherwise you can use as an MP , in manual for the measurement of exposure.

The sound of the M7 shutter is quieter than the MP

Best

Henry

[colonel]

Hi Mc, each camera has its particularity to me

M7 with its automatism (Aperture priority for example) is used for difficult situations ,

without missing his photo.

Otherwise you can use as an MP , in manual for the measurement of exposure.

The sound of the M7 shutter is quieter than the MP

Best

Henry

The shutter is quieter and the shutter speed is more accurate with the M7's shutter

 

As this is a M7 thread I can let rip

The M6 Classic shutter speed wheel is skin scraping. The M6 TTL was a big break through

 

Personally the MP has no appeal for me and yet the M7 is one of my favourite cameras. I would prefer a MA and a light meter if I wanted to go native. And a leather glove for my right hand

[Doc Henry]

The shutter is quieter and the shutter speed is more accurate with the M7's shutter

 

As this is a M7 thread I can let rip

The M6 Classic shutter speed wheel is skin scraping. The M6 TTL was a big break through

 

Personally the MP has no appeal for me and yet the M7 is one of my favourite cameras. I would prefer a MA and a light meter if I wanted to go native. And a leather glove for my right hand

Yes Harold and if you compare the noise of the M8 shutter .... ?

MP is more expensive than MA as you know

Mine is made in 2015 as shown on the box

Harold, M6 is like M7 right , but non electronic shutter ?

...  and no plastic gear in the MP

Best

Henry

Edited April 13, 2015 by Doc Henry

[colonel]

Yes Harold and if you compare the noise of the M8 shutter .... ?

MP is more expensive than MA as you know

Mine is made in 2015 as shown on the box

Harold, M6 is like M7 right , but non electronic shutter ?

... and no plastic gear in the MP

Best

Henry

I don't know the exact differences but the M6 TTL and M7 have the same shell, footprint and body fab. The difference is the brass top where the electronics are for the viewfinder LEDs and metering.

The M6 Classic has the same body but a zinc top with different button styles and a slightly shorter profile.

No idea about the plastic gear.

Rgds

[Doc Henry]

Hi Harold,

I read somewhere that the shutter is not the same

I'll get it and I'll post .

 

Otherwise difference between MP and M6

Quotation S Huff "Leica MP film camera review : film is not dead "

 

"Here is the partial list of enhancements that the MP has over the M6":

• New flare free finder
• New shutter curtains
• Slightly smoother film advance due to better internal parts (shutter break base board is made of bronze in the MP)
• Brass top and bottom plates. M6 is Zinc.
• Better paint job Well, the black paint is a beautiful sight IMO.
• It’s the same size as the M6 classic, smaller than an M6 TTL
• Better metering. The M6 classic wont meter in really low light, the MP will plus lower battery drain.
• Nice top plate engraving which is just cosmetic, but nice.
• Rewind knob is the old classic style which is good and bad. Its good because mid roll you can stop and it will hold its place. With an M6 if you let go it starts to spin and you lose it. The MP rewind is slower though, but very solid.
• Anti scratch coatings on windows
• When metering with the MP you have the red dot confirmation between the two arrows"

Best

Henry

Edited April 17, 2015 by Doc Henry

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Hoischen]

I fully agree with regards to the difference between analog and digital. I don't like digital photography either. I only use one small digital camera in case I need to quickly send pictures over the internet. But I own several analog cameras, among others one M5, two M6, two M7 and one Leitz Minolta CL. To take an analog picture is like celebrating instead of simply consuming when taking pictures digitally.

 

And it's the same with music. I own an Accuphase transistor amp and an Accuphase CD Player, but I much more like to listen to music from my tube preamplifier, the tube mono power amplifiers, the turntable and the cassette deck. It's an entirely different listening and feeling, the music is not flat but round, whole, and complete.

 

It's good to know that there are other freaks out there feeling the same!

[Doc Henry]

I fully agree with regards to the difference between analog and digital. I don't like digital photography either. I only use one small digital camera in case I need to quickly send pictures over the internet. But I own several analog cameras, among others one M5, two M6, two M7 and one Leitz Minolta CL. To take an analog picture is like celebrating instead of simply consuming when taking pictures digitally.

 

And it's the same with music. I own an Accuphase transistor amp and an Accuphase CD Player, but I much more like to listen to music from my tube preamplifier, the tube mono power amplifiers, the turntable and the cassette deck. It's an entirely different listening and feeling, the music is not flat but round, whole, and complete.

 

It's good to know that there are other freaks out there feeling the same!

You are right Hoeschen for both : tube amplifier and film camera

I call that : "High Fidelity for sound and for image" !

 

The proof here already posted in this thread  :

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/233570-i-love-my-m7/?p=2667106

 

Thanks for your comment

Best

Henry