logan2z Posted November 28, 2020 Share #41 Posted November 28, 2020 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) 1 hour ago, Jon Warwick said: I assume using a “native” 0.85x viewfinder is brighter and clearer than simply bolting on Leica’s 1.25x magnifier onto a 0.72x viewfinder? FWIW, I have a .72 VF on my M-A and occasionally use a 1.25x magnifier when using longer lenses. I can't say I've ever noticed a change in brightness/clarity when using it. The magnifier might be a better option over the 0.85 VF if you ever plan on shooting with wide angle lenses. Edited November 28, 2020 by logan2z Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 28, 2020 Posted November 28, 2020 Hi logan2z, Take a look here CLA M7 ....or sell for new M-A?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
tom0511 Posted November 28, 2020 Share #42 Posted November 28, 2020 vor 23 Stunden schrieb sblitz: At some point in time the M7 will become a paper weight -- unlike the MP it cannot work without the battery except at 1/60 and1/125. I had an M6 and the flaring was terrible, and I have an M4, no flaring, and it is my favorite far and away, but the viewfinder is not as bright as the MA, which makes sense, there have been advances in glass chemistry since 1968. The M2 and M3 have fewer lens frames and the older methods of film loading, etc., yet the M4 was built using brass and before Leica was finding ways to cut costs. This is how the flaring showed up in the M6, different (less expensive) condenser. If you and many others love the M7, go for it, I have toyed with getting one many times, but my friend at a Leica dealer in NYC always steered me away for the reasons mentioned. Either way, these are first world problems and you are going to enjoy regardless, a great position to be in. I can see the temtation of a camera (or a watch) without any battery. However in a practical point of view changing a battery every couple of months (or years) is not really a problem, and I bet as long as we live there will be batteries available.Overall a mechical shutter usually needs more often CLA than an electronic one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock Posted November 28, 2020 Share #43 Posted November 28, 2020 29 minutes ago, tom0511 said: I can see the temtation of a camera (or a watch) without any battery. However in a practical point of view changing a battery every couple of months (or years) is not really a problem, and I bet as long as we live there will be batteries available.Overall a mechical shutter usually needs more often CLA than an electronic one. I bought a Seiko Quartz watch when I was promoted at Liverpool Street in June 1981. It is now on it's 9th battery so changing the battery every 4 years or so is not too onerous a task. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 28, 2020 Share #44 Posted November 28, 2020 50 minutes ago, Matlock said: I bought a Seiko Quartz watch when I was promoted at Liverpool Street in June 1981. It is now on it's 9th battery so changing the battery every 4 years or so is not too onerous a task. I may have misinterpreted the statement earlier in the thread, but I thought the 'paper weight' comment was related to the possibility of failed (and unrepairable) electronic components in the camera which would render it useless. I don't think it referred to dead but easily replaceable batteries. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock Posted November 28, 2020 Share #45 Posted November 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, logan2z said: I may have misinterpreted the statement earlier in the thread, but I thought the 'paper weight' comment was related to the possibility of failed (and unrepairable) electronic components in the camera which would render it useless. I don't think it referred to dead but easily replaceable batteries. You are correct but I was simply replying to Tom's point regarding the aversion to battery reliance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 28, 2020 Share #46 Posted November 28, 2020 1 minute ago, Matlock said: You are correct but I was simply replying to Tom's point regarding the aversion to battery reliance. Ah, got it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nowhereman Posted November 28, 2020 Share #47 Posted November 28, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 2 hours ago, logan2z said: FWIW, I have a .72 VF on my M-A and occasionally use a 1.25x magnifier when using longer lenses. I can't say I've ever noticed a change in brightness/clarity when using it. The magnifier might be a better option over the 0.85 VF if you ever plan on shooting with wide angle lenses. We all seem to see things like this differently. I bought a 1.25x magnifier years ago and found the viewfinder image markedly darker, which is why I chose to change from the 0.72 to the 0.85 VF when I changed to an MP (no flare) viewfinder. And it is only when reading wattsy's post above that I learned that the 0.85 viewfinder could be darker than the 0.72 one, meaning that the difference was so small that I never noticed it, in contrast to what I noticed with the 1.25x magnifier. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
logan2z Posted November 28, 2020 Share #48 Posted November 28, 2020 20 minutes ago, Nowhereman said: We all seem to see things like this differently. I bought a 1.25x magnifier years ago and found the viewfinder image markedly darker, which is why I chose to change from the 0.72 to the 0.85 VF when I changed to an MP (no flare) viewfinder. And it is only when reading wattsy's post above that I learned that the 0.85 viewfinder could be darker than the 0.72 one, meaning that the difference was so small that I never noticed it, in contrast to what I noticed with the 1.25x magnifier. ________________________Frog Leaping photobook Hmm, you've piqued my interest. I haven't used the magnifier for a while, I'll try it again and report back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 28, 2020 Share #49 Posted November 28, 2020 5 hours ago, tom0511 said: Overall a mechical shutter usually needs more often CLA than an electronic one. True but the M7 shutter manages to be both mechanical and electronic at the same time. 😀 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsprow Posted November 28, 2020 Share #50 Posted November 28, 2020 I decided I wanted my film equipment to be non-electronic and the digital equipment (obviously) electronic. So I went from an M7 to an M4, which I dearly love. And to a Nikon F2 (ditto). I always had trouble with the M7 DX reading even after two trips to Germany, Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted November 28, 2020 Share #51 Posted November 28, 2020 Maybe, not good swap M7/M-A after all 🙃. Just in case, here in this forum, recently I've seen some people complaining "troubles" with some of their new M-A (use searches). As long time M-A user, I've never have a complain. Maybe the old "know-how" lost with departures of many-decades-workers ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmrider2 Posted November 28, 2020 Share #52 Posted November 28, 2020 Or maybe the new MA users don't know anything about film cameras! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arrow Posted November 28, 2020 Share #53 Posted November 28, 2020 I recently bought a second hand M-A. It works fine and I like it a lot. I also enjoy my old Nikon F2 likewise. It was some 200 EURO when I bought it a decade ago. I had CLAd for 35 EUROS in August. Yes, the CLA for that camera was only 35 EURO! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom0511 Posted November 29, 2020 Share #54 Posted November 29, 2020 (edited) ok, here I throw in another idea. It really does NOT matter at all which of those options is more reliable, or whoch produces more cost. They are all expensive! So choose the one which you enjoy shooting most, thats all thats count. Edited November 29, 2020 by tom0511 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Prime Posted December 6, 2020 Share #55 Posted December 6, 2020 (edited) I’m tempted by the M7 myself, currently an M3 user who doesn’t always want to use b&w film and with colour slide the exposure gets much more attention. I just ordered an old (is there any other kind?) Minolta X-500 as I have fond memories of growing up with one (the perfect ergonomics / capabilities for me at that time but oh no, I had to move ‘up’ to a DSLR) and it will bring similar exposure control functionality as the M7 (aperture priority). Once I’ve had a roll or two through that I may have to get my wallet out of the safe and look for an M7 more seriously. Edited December 6, 2020 by Mr.Prime Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted December 6, 2020 Share #56 Posted December 6, 2020 (edited) On 11/27/2020 at 11:04 AM, Mr.Prime said: An additional perspective - I've mostly regretted selling off my old cameras. It always seemed the best idea at the time, but now that I'm older I have some regrets, mostly for nostalgic reasons but those old cameras were good to me at the time and today I would love to have them still even if sitting idle - they are a part of my life history. FYI - I use an M3. I find it great to use, so glad I bought it. I would like an MP for the build-in meter and the ability to use 35mm lenses more easily but if I were to find an MP for sale I'd still keep my M3 for the reasons just given. Given the above, it sounds like you should get your M7 overhauled (CLAed) and keep it. Doing so will cost less money than selling off your M7 at a discounted price (because it needs a CLA) and paying the shortfall to get a new M-A. And you won't have regrets down the road to live with. With an overhaul, it will be returned to as new factory specs, having any worn parts replaced, new seals & lubricants, etc. Getting a film M overhauled turns back time for the camera and leaves it in as new condition, except for any cosmetic flaws it may have. You might contact Sherry Krauter, Don Goldberg and Youxin Ye to get cost estimates and wait times compared to Leica Wetzlar. All three of these independent Leica technicians are the best in the world at repairing M cameras and lenses. Edited December 6, 2020 by Herr Barnack 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Prime Posted December 6, 2020 Share #57 Posted December 6, 2020 A small confusion - I’m not the OP, but I think your advice in response to my post is solid. I wish I had an M7. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted December 6, 2020 Share #58 Posted December 6, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mr.Prime said: A small confusion - I’m not the OP, but I think your advice in response to my post is solid. I wish I had an M7. Oops. I should not post in the morning until after my third pint of coffee has had a chance to take effect. 😵 Edited December 6, 2020 by Herr Barnack Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
didier Posted December 6, 2020 Share #59 Posted December 6, 2020 A few years ago I sold my M7 (2014, when I bought the M(240), my first digital camera ever). I chose to sell this one and keep my beloved M6 TTL (with improved flare-free VF), M3 and M4. The dealer (Jean-Marc at Leica Beaumarchais on that time, as much a friend as a dealer as we spent hours discussing Leica and a lot of else during years...) told me he would have sold the M6 and kept the M7. I sold the M7 as I thought the electronics were not useful, and that the M7 would die one day, whereas my fully mechanical Ms would never... When looking back, I think I could have kept the M7, as the auto-aperture is a nice to have to have spot on exposures without effort... just my 2 cents... Didier Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
analog-digital Posted December 6, 2020 Share #60 Posted December 6, 2020 M6/M7 = MP Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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