Considering parting with my M7 in order to get a BP MP

[Sunyforreal]

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There’s nothing inherently wrong with my M7 or M7s in general. I actually love it more than any other camera I’ve owned and like the ease of use aperture priority provides me. However I feel like I’m gravitationally pulled to owning a black paint MP as my forever film camera. I’ve shot fully manual cameras before and have no qualms with giving up aperture priority even though I enjoy it in the M7. Unfortunately I can’t afford to keep the M7 and get an MP. So if anyone is considering trading their black paint MP for an M7 and cash, I’m in the market 😅

Edited January 15, 2022 by Sunyforreal

[jnero]

I had a similar problem up until a few weeks ago. I have a silver MP and a black chrome MP (a la card, that's why it's black chrome). But I really wanted to have a black painted MP, which I then use quite often until the brass comes out. I think only we leica users can have such a problem.

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[Sunyforreal]

1 minute ago, jnero said:

I had a similar problem up until a few weeks ago. I have a silver MP and a black chrome MP (a la card, that's why it's black chrome). But I really wanted to have a black painted MP, which I then use quite often until the brass comes out. I think only we leica users can have such a problem.

Haha no kidding. That’s exactly why I want one. Owning a camera and wearing it until it brasses is incredibly charming to me. 

[Knipsknecht]

Hmmm, actually I wouldn’t part with my M7 to get a MP. The ability to shoot in aperture priority helps me taking (sometimes) better pictures or at least in a little bit easier way. The MP is a M6 in a nice black skirt😉.

[Ouroboros]

4 minutes ago, Knipsknecht said:

…..The MP is a M6 in a nice black skirt😉.

But unlike the M6 it isn’t prone to acne. 😊

[malligator]

27 minutes ago, Knipsknecht said:

Hmmm, actually I wouldn’t part with my M7 to get a MP. The ability to shoot in aperture priority helps me taking (sometimes) better pictures or at least in a little bit easier way. The MP is a M6 in a nice black skirt😉.

I shoot my M-A (and future MP) in aperture priority all the time. What you do is give your aperture setting priority over the shutter speed--no auto-exposure mode necessary.

[oldwino]

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I sold my M7 to get a BP MP. It was worth it. 

Then I sold my MP to get a M2 (and some lenses). Jury is still out on this decision. 

[Sunyforreal]

11 minutes ago, oldwino said:

I sold my M7 to get a BP MP. It was worth it. 

Then I sold my MP to get a M2 (and some lenses). Jury is still out on this decision. 

I’ve heard many good things about the M2. But I don’t think I could do without the internal light meter. But if I was going to buy an older M, it’d probably be an M3. I’m a big fan of the 50mm focal length and would love to try that .91 viewfinder.

[Sunyforreal]

16 minutes ago, oldwino said:

I sold my M7 to get a BP MP. It was worth it. 

Then I sold my MP to get a M2 (and some lenses). Jury is still out on this decision. 

Scratch above, I was thinking of the M4, not the M2. The M2 is a great M as well though!

[johnwolf]

47 minutes ago, Sunyforreal said:

I’ve heard many good things about the M2. But I don’t think I could do without the internal light meter....

I felt that way when I bought my M6, but now find Sunny 16 or a small handheld meter more convenient. I like that I can meter without raising the camera to my eye. (I'd love a chrome M-A.)

But from years of using digital Ms, I do kinda miss aperture priority.

I've never owned a new film M and would be thrilled to do so.

John

Edited January 16, 2022 by johnwolf

[Danner]

The market for M7s has been very good lately, so the change to am MP might not be so hard on the pocketbook.  Personally, Id' go for the MP, as it's steeped in Leica tradition.  Also, I was (personally) never enthralled with the idea of an electronically controlled shutter in a film M.  Perhaps if one shoots E6, the AP mode would be an important consideration.  But for B&W and C41, the film latitude is enough to get printable negatives with stop-by-stop aperture selection, IME.

[TheBestSLIsALeicaflex]

Shoot M2's now, but 17-18 years ago my rangefinder kit consisted of an M7 and MP.  Put a lot of Kodachrome through the M7 during those final years but eventually felt it made me a lazy, happy snapper, and got rid of it in favor of another MP, this time black paint.  Black paint cameras are cool, right, if you want one, got to scratch that itch, and I did some traveling with those two cameras, but in the field black paint never really made much of a difference.  For sure, the MP is a different shooting experience, it will slow you down a bit and that may (or may not) result in better pictures.  Eventually I got rid of the modern M's because didn't think the frame lines were as accurate at the distances I typically shoot.  Frame lines of the older M's (esp. 50 & 35) are a bit more generous.  Then started a journey of older M's -- M4, a couple M5's, out of rangefinders entirely and back to SLR's, then returning with Zeiss, Nikon, rangefinders, an M3, and finally settling these last couple years on several M2.  That slowed me down even further, but once I learned Sunny 16 my mind typically moves faster than any inboard meter, barring complicated lighting.  They're all good cameras, capable of taking great pictures.  Each is a different shooting experience.  Long way to saying, go for it, switch up an M7 for MP,  change is good, but give some thought to an older M too.  Just my opinions based on my unique experiences, what I shoot, how I shoot ect.  Good luck with your decision, can't go wrong with any of those cameras.  

Edited January 16, 2022 by TheBestSLIsALeicaflex

[TheBestSLIsALeicaflex]

2 hours ago, Sunyforreal said:

I’ve heard many good things about the M2. But I don’t think I could do without the internal light meter. But if I was going to buy an older M, it’d probably be an M3. I’m a big fan of the 50mm focal length and would love to try that .91 viewfinder.

The M3 is unique with that big, bold and beautiful viewfinder.  Part of me wishes I never sold my SS, but I don't shoot the 50mm focal length much anymore.  I have a dual range Summicron, and have to force myself to put film through it.  Over time I've gravitated more to the wider angles.  

Use to think I needed an inboard meter too, that it would be a great loss not to have one, but I discovered just the opposite -- it's liberating not to have to check the meter in your camera.  Meter once, and if the lighting doesn't change much, just fire away based on that reading.  You don't have to meter for every shot.  Only meter when the light changes substantially.  Quickly, you'll learn different lighting situations, how to handle minor changes in light, that you'll have to open it up a couple stops for shadows, or indoors, with this lighting, with this film, requires such 'n such exposure setting.  Sounds hard but it isn't.  But go with what your gut tells you is right for you.  We're all different, and what and how shoot differs.

Edited January 16, 2022 by TheBestSLIsALeicaflex

[farnz]

If you're changing from your M7 to an MP don't forget the rewind mechanism.  

After having my BP MP for a few years I got fed up with forever winding the knob between thumb and forefinger for what seemed like hours on end and acquired a screw on swivel-handle winder accessory that fit over the knob, which helped.  Unfortunately it's easy to mark the top deck if, in a hurry, you don't pull the knob far enough up and the swivel carves a roundel into the luscious black paintwork.  Plus none of the available swivel-handles (I had a Wassermann) pack down flush with the MP's body and tend to snag things.

I borrowed a friend's M7 briefly and was immediately taken with its sloped, pack-away well thought out rewind handle.  The answer for me was an a la cart BP MP with an M7 rewind handle.  Alas I never managed to order one and the a la carte scheme is no more.  I've seen one or two for sale but they're asking silly money.

It's a small thing (until you need to rewind a film in a hurry) but I urge you to think about it before you make the leap.

Pete.

Edited January 16, 2022 by farnz

[kivis]

Funny I never have had any problem with the old style rewind, plus I actually prefer it. Different horses.

[Sunyforreal]

13 hours ago, Danner said:

The market for M7s has been very good lately, so the change to am MP might not be so hard on the pocketbook.  Personally, Id' go for the MP, as it's steeped in Leica tradition.  Also, I was (personally) never enthralled with the idea of an electronically controlled shutter in a film M.  Perhaps if one shoots E6, the AP mode would be an important consideration.  But for B&W and C41, the film latitude is enough to get printable negatives with stop-by-stop aperture selection, IME.

I do occasionally like to shoot Provia 100f. That’s something I had considered too, if moving to an MP would considerably affect my hit rate for proper exposure with slide film. But I know all the greats used to shoot Kodachrome way before the M7 existed, and if they could do it, I see no reason why I couldn’t do it either (specifically talking about exposing, not composing!)

[Sunyforreal]

13 hours ago, TheBestSLIsALeicaflex said:

The M3 is unique with that big, bold and beautiful viewfinder.  Part of me wishes I never sold my SS, but I don't shoot the 50mm focal length much anymore.  I have a dual range Summicron, and have to force myself to put film through it.  Over time I've gravitated more to the wider angles.  

Use to think I needed an inboard meter too, that it would be a great loss not to have one, but I discovered just the opposite -- it's liberating not to have to check the meter in your camera.  Meter once, and if the lighting doesn't change much, just fire away based on that reading.  You don't have to meter for every shot.  Only meter when the light changes substantially.  Quickly, you'll learn different lighting situations, how to handle minor changes in light, that you'll have to open it up a couple stops for shadows, or indoors, with this lighting, with this film, requires such 'n such exposure setting.  Sounds hard but it isn't.  But go with what your gut tells you is right for you.  We're all different, and what and how shoot differs.

I really appreciate your insight. The M3 and a DR Summicron is a classic match. That’s a lens I’d love to have, I’ve heard it’s a wonderful pair with black and white film. I’m in no rush to make this decision and in the mean time will be happily shooting my M7. It’s great to be blessed with these types of problems anyways!

Edited January 16, 2022 by Sunyforreal

[rtai]

The MP is a beautiful camera. If I wanted to keep one for the rest of my life - BUT NOT AS A USER - rather as a piece of art I can use once in a blue moon when I want to shoot a roll of Ektar I would get one. If I decide to give up digital and go back to film I would buy 3 M7 bodies in .58x, .72x and .85x, then send them to Leica for CLA and MP finder upgrades and use them forever.

[Sunyforreal]

3 hours ago, farnz said:

If you're changing from your M7 to an MP don't forget the rewind mechanism.  

After having my BP MP for a few years I got fed up with forever winding the knob between thumb and forefinger for what seemed like hours on end and acquired a screw on swivel-handle winder accessory that fit over the knob, which helped.  Unfortunately it's easy to mark the top deck if, in a hurry, you don't pull the knob far enough up and the swivel carves a roundel into the luscious black paintwork.  Plus none of the available swivel-handles (I had a Wassermann) pack down flush with the MP's body and tend to snag things.

I borrowed a friend's M7 briefly and was immediately taken with its sloped, pack-away well thought out rewind handle.  The answer for me was an a la cart BP MP with an M7 rewind handle.  Alas I never managed to order one and the a la carte scheme is no more.  I've seen one or two for sale but they're asking silly money.

It's a small thing (until you need to rewind a film in a hurry) but I urge you to think about it before you make the leap.

Pete.

I think a BP M7 would probably be the perfect camera. Off topic but with the resurgence of film lately, would love for Leica to bring back the M7 and I think it would make a great addition to the M-A and MP. If they hadn’t already used the name, a name like M-E (for M Electronic) would be perfect.

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[Topsy]

2 hours ago, kivis said:

Funny I never have had any problem with the old style rewind, plus I actually prefer it. Different horses.

Me too. 👍