purchased M7 - how old is that one? (serial# 3,328,xxx)

[Nitnaros]

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I had originally purchased a new Leica M7 from B&H in 2004 - serial# 2,854,142;

it got stolen earlier this year and I could kick myself for let that happen.

I purchased a used one on eBay, just received it from a Japanese dealer ... a total beauty, my first silver Leica.

(I also own an M8, M9 and M9-Mono; both M9 and M9-Mono currently with Leica NJ due to sensor corrosion; and my R9 / DMR has a stuck mirror, can't cock it, seems no repair available anywhere. So out of 5 Leica's, 3 defect, 1 stolen. And now one "replenished".

The M7 acquired is in terrific shape, makes me very happy. I did some research before I bought it to figure out at what serial# I get the improved viewfinder and DX reader. Hence wanted to get one with a serial# >= 2,9xx,xxx to be on the save side.

Mine is 3,328,xxx and the box has the sticker  "NEW now with improved viewfinder".
I guesstimate the camera is from 2006?

Anybody has an M7 with a similar serial# and has confirmed first-purchase date for the camera?

My experience with the M7 was terrific: I love the auto-exposure capability, the large shutter speed wheel and the fact that the light meter arrow in the viewfinder point in the right direction" for changing shutter speed when in full manual mode. Plus I find the exposure compensation via the film speed wheel very convenient. I thought hard whether to buy an MP instead; but its small shutter wheel and the imo not intuitive light meter arrow display turned me off (and its out of stock everywhere).

 

 

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[pridbor]

My M7 has S/N 2.782.xxx and has what looks like the  same 3 DX connectors like the ones in your image #3. So I don't know if you can assume that it's the "new" DX reader, or if I'm lucky to have the new one too ?

And I would also like to know how one can tell if one has the "new viewfinder" or not 🙂 If the box is truly the original one for your camera then you are in luck with the viewfinder.

Preben

[wattsy]

You need to look inside the film chamber to see if the newer DX reader is installed or not. The older 'mechanical' style has quite distinct metal nubs that make contact with the film cassette. The cassette is also usually a tight fit with the older system. The optical DX reader is flatter in profile and the cassette drops out easily from the chamber when the baseplate is removed.

Edited December 7, 2019 by wattsy

[sv.lad]

This is how optical DX looks like

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[Nitnaros]

thanks, sv.lad, I have to check that at my next film loading.

Saw another post here from someone with an M7 serial# of 4M+ and the statement that the camera was from 2016.

Anyone else, please, who can help with serial# / purchase year info, to track down better the age of M7's with a serial# in the 3M+ range ?

Txs, Peter

 

[sv.lad]

According to http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M7 it should be 2006 or 2007. I wouldn't worry about view finder if the serial number on the camera is the same as on the box.

[lincoln_m]

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If you look at the viewfinder window from the front at say a 30-45degree angle you should see the blue coating on the window surface. My used M7 294xxxx has the extra coating but initially had the old dx system. It was changed to the optical system when it went in for shutter repair and metering mess (twice) in 2018.