Help with Blinking Light on M7

[leitz_not_leica]

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Thanks Hagen, I do have the manual (didn't read it), but it is in storage, as I'm on assignment in Trinidad.

[Guest hagen]

After I read about this phenomenon I tried to reproduce it on my M7 - and it worked. I don´t now if this is related to the old DX reader which without any doubt had a design flaw.

Yours Olaf

 

I tried it as well but no way to reproduce it. Clean the contacts inside.

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[Eelco Beket Amsterdam]

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[Guest Seb V]

That blinking light is the reason i have given up on the m7 and switched to mp. The light is the exposure compensation led and is activated by pressure on the exposure compensation dial/combined manual film speed dial. When my light blinked, which was often, it was because my nose pressed against the dial. I stopped the light blinking by turning the dial a few times and then putting it back to DX mode. Try that.

[dfbldwn]

Someone is telling you nonsense.

. . .

For removing the old DX-reader, it is necessary to remove the camera's top cover, as well as the "leather" lining of the body, but that's no big deal. Everything works perfectly now, and the film canister just drops out as it did in earlier M's without any DX-reader.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

 

My sincere thanks for your input Andy. You are a major resource on this forum, especially regarding the M7's features and benefits. I am sure your information in the quote above is technically quite correct.

 

To clear up any misunderstanding, I never discussed a working DX-code reader. I only requested removal of the faulty one, and specifically declined any fix or replacement. No optical reader was ever offered, much less under warranty.

 

As far as "nonsense", I have a lot of confidence in Dave Elwell at Leica NJ. He is extremely responsive. But any employee, no matter how talented, will still be limited by the information and instruction the parent corporation gives him.

 

My other source that the old DX reader "cannot" be removed has provided me both camera service and advice of impeccably high quality.

 

Just this month, I received an offer for a $600 rebate on purchase of Digilux-3 from Leica. It is significant because it was sent to an address which I used when I registed my M7 over five years ago. I have never received a hint, by email or regular post, that the DX-code reader fix was available.

 

This forum is a good resource. I learn that an optical reader is now available under warranty repair. Unfortunately, my 5-year warranty expired a few months ago.

 

Note to self: Avoid being an "early adopter" of Leica photography gear.

 

I post this so that those of you who have gotten the optical reader in your M7, at no charge, know full well the privileged treatment and information you have received.

 

- Dave

[Guest hagen]

Dave, the CS in Solms is very well known for its customer focused solutions. If I was you I would call the CS in Solms and discussing the matter directly with them. I'm sure they will find a solution you can live with

[dleb]

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Hello,

If my experience can also help other photogs:

I have also had this intermittent blinking LED problem for long despite some interventions of Leica Switzerland. It has been eventually been solved this summer by Leica Solms who replaced the spring DX reader by the new optical DX reader (existence of which I have learnt in this forum: thanks to you). I have tested my M7 with 6 different types of films and the problem seems to be definitely gone. The contact with Leica Service Solms has been excellent; the repair was done timely and I am very happy with the quality of their intervention.

[leicapages]

I noticed this lower blinking dot on my M7 as well. Whatever I tried it kept coming back. So it was time to send it back to Solms. Got it back repaired and free of cost. So far, the issue has not come back. Touch wood...

[LKSC]

Can I ask those of you who have had the replacement optical reader installed whether it affects the use of IR films?

[etp095]

does anyone know the price of the optical reader upgrade for the m7?i'm buying one second hand and hope it doesn't have this dx problem.

[dfbldwn]

Can I ask those of you who have had the replacement optical reader installed whether it affects the use of IR films?

For IR photography, I think we're supposed to buy an M8 [/ducks & runs away]

[budrichard]

I've got two M7's both with the older style readers, until I read one of these Threads, the blinking light was of no concern to me and still isn't. One of my M7's blinked and I reset the dials and it went away but it never bothered me anyway.

I suppose I will eventually have them upgraded but they work so well that I can't bear the thought of being away from even one of them.

Kinda like 'The Princess and the Pea' ! The Princess and the Pea -Dick

[andybarton]

does anyone know the price of the optical reader upgrade for the m7?i'm buying one second hand and hope it doesn't have this dx problem.

 

Solms will replace the old non-optical DX reader free of charge. My M7 came back from there having had the reader changed, only 3 weeks ago.

[andybarton]

My sincere thanks for your input Andy. You are a major resource on this forum, especially regarding the M7's features and benefits. I am sure your information in the quote above is technically quite correct.

 

To clear up any misunderstanding, I never discussed a working DX-code reader. I only requested removal of the faulty one, and specifically declined any fix or replacement. No optical reader was ever offered, much less under warranty.

 

As far as "nonsense", I have a lot of confidence in Dave Elwell at Leica NJ. He is extremely responsive. But any employee, no matter how talented, will still be limited by the information and instruction the parent corporation gives him.

 

My other source that the old DX reader "cannot" be removed has provided me both camera service and advice of impeccably high quality.

 

This forum is a good resource. I learn that an optical reader is now available under warranty repair. Unfortunately, my 5-year warranty expired a few months ago.

 

Note to self: Avoid being an "early adopter" of Leica photography gear.

 

I post this so that those of you who have gotten the optical reader in your M7, at no charge, know full well the privileged treatment and information you have received.

 

- Dave

 

Perhaps Leica will not replace one of the spring readers with another one, but they do replace them with optical DX readers, at no charge, even on early M7s (as mine is). They have extended the warranty on this item.

 

Here is part of an email I received from Solms, earlier this year, prior to mine being sent there for the work

 

your information is correct. We still replace the old DX-readings against new ledges f.o.c. Please be kind enough and send in your camera to our workshop here in Germany. Our techncians will take care. Our adress you'll find on that URL below.

http://us.leica-camera.com/service/service_and_repair/headquarters_germany/

[guywalder]

Solms will replace the old non-optical DX reader free of charge. My M7 came back from there having had the reader changed, only 3 weeks ago.

 

Excellent news!

 

err, any idea if they still upgrade early M7 finders??

[andybarton]

They will replace the finder if you pay them to do so.

 

They don't do it foc. (At least they didn't do mine).

 

Without ever having used an MP finder, it's not something that I am worried about.

[guywalder]

cheers Andy,

I dont have a comparison with the MP either, although I do notice a level of finder 'flare' on my early M7 that I would be happy to see the back of...

[etp095]

thanks for the information about the upgrades.

[tgray]

I've shot HIE on my M7 with the new DX reader and saw no problems.

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[alun]

The old optical reader in my M7 was replaced under warranty. At the same time a malfunctioning circuit board was replaced. Solms also upgraded the finder to the MP finer at no charge.

 

This fixed the DX related problems but still just occasionally the little red dot does flash. When it does I give the ISO/compensation dial on the back plate a rap with my thumb and the light stops.

 

Camera works faultlessly other than that...