Curious about those who use Leica M7 and their experience regarding ease of use

[Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi everyone and a warm greeting from Thailand.

I am interested in buying a M7 to complement my other M film cameras. 

Currently i use M2 and M4 as my daily driver with Sekonic twinmate as my external measuring tool for when the light get tricky. 

However, sometime i just want to take the focus off the light metering and just focus with taking pictures and the moment im in. 

For anyone using M7, how is the experience of using it if i were to use it purely in AE mode. Kinda treat it like digital or point and shoot camera. 

Is the AE light metering yield acceptable output? do you find it a bit off and need further manual adjustment when light is tricky? 

Thank you for your opinion 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[TomB_tx]

I recently added an M7 to my group of Leicas. I've used Ms since 1968, and the M6 has been my favorite for years. But I have also had Zeiss Ikon ZM - which also has aperture preferred operation, and in my old age found it very convenient. However, its "exposure hold" operation is more awkward, requiring separate button push to lock in the exposure.

The M7 uses the half-press of the shutter button to hold the exposure (like the Leica R models and digital Ms), so when you understand the Leica center-weighted metering pattern it's very easy to shift the view to meter the area you want, then half-press to hold the exposure and re-frame for composition. But when you are in a hurry the metering pattern most often gives good results without needing to do this.

Although I have M2,3,4,5, & 6 the M7 may be my favorite film M. (Waiting for it to come back from service as it had sticky frame line masks when I got it - otherwise it is pristine.)

[Clook]

As Tomb_tx says - the exposure lock is very useful on auto mode and the metering pattern has not given me any problem in challenging conditions.  I have an M6 and M7 but much prefer to use the M7 for the auto function and speed of use. I also like the ability to automatically shoot long exposures.  Generally I think it is a great camera, the only thing being the slight worry that comes with relying on ageing electronics and perhaps the difficulty of repair.

If it packs in I still have the M6. 

[Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot]

Thank you for the input guys. Really appreciated it.

Luckily my local dealer have one M7 with full box and paper available and the owner is letting me come and test it tomorrow. Will definitely go try shooting for a roll and develop to see the result from the AE. 

But from the replies in this thread. I'm 90% sure i will take the plunge lol. 

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

On 7/23/2024 at 1:25 PM, Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot said:

Thank you for the input guys. Really appreciated it.

Luckily my local dealer have one M7 with full box and paper available and the owner is letting me come and test it tomorrow. Will definitely go try shooting for a roll and develop to see the result from the AE. 

But from the replies in this thread. I'm 90% sure i will take the plunge lol. 

Do it. I’m fortunate to have all the film Ms, the M7 is my fav for my shooting style. 

Is it a 0.58 or the 0.72 or the 0.85 finder? 

[Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot]

On 7/26/2024 at 3:51 AM, TheGodParticle/Hari said:

Do it. I’m fortunate to have all the film Ms, the M7 is my fav for my shooting style. 

Is it a 0.58 or the 0.72 or the 0.85 finder? 

It's 0.72 finder and the experience is superb as everyone here said. 

Now i face a new dilemma instead. One of local collector also interest in parting with his M7 a la carte blackpaint which is really gorgeous haha 

[colonel]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It is the easiest to use M, due to the aperture priority and large speed dial. It is very slightly bigger and heavier then simple meter cameras, like the M6 and MP, or some non-meter cameras. In practice this makes no difference.

Edited July 30, 2024 by colonel

[TomB_tx]

I got my M7 back from DAG last week - he fixed the sticking frame masks, and now it works perfectly. I've been shooting it in parallel with my Ziess Ikon ZM, which also has an aperture-preferred auto mode. Both cameras are very nice to use. The main advantage of the M7 is the simple exposure lock by half-press of the shutter button, so  good companion to my M10 that works the same.  I also prefer the M7 meter readout. I'd say both have very good "feel" of operation, and see why some could prefer either. The ZM has a smoother and lighter shutter button - likely because the M7 needs a tactile "wall" after the exposure freeze to keep one from taking the shot before intending to. (Kind of like pistol triggers: very light and short is great for target accuracy, but not ideal for duty use. Some triggers need to "pull" while others just "touch". Keep your finger away until ready.)

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

7 hours ago, Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot said:

It's 0.72 finder and the experience is superb as everyone here said. 

Now i face a new dilemma instead. One of local collector also interest in parting with his M7 a la carte blackpaint which is really gorgeous haha 

M7 black paint is gorgeous. Do you have any black paint lenses already? 

[Albo]

The Leica style of meter, with it reading from a central dot, throws me off sometimes in mixed / difficult lighting situations. You gotta know where to take the reading from. Coming from an FM3a, I had several mishaps.

 

I also find the half stop readings in the viewfinder to be distracting and promoting indecision.  Seeing the shutter speed in the finder as an actual number is great though.

 

Make good use of the off switch. I ran a pair of batteries down in storage due to some pressure on the shutter button.

[Nachapon Dumrongthumavoot]

9 hours ago, TheGodParticle/Hari said:

M7 black paint is gorgeous. Do you have any black paint lenses already? 

Yes, part of the reason i'm kind of interest in M7 a la carte blackpaint is because i already collect some blackpaint collection already so the M7 blackpaint would integrate well into the collection. 

Currently i have M2 button rewind and m4 mot both in original blackpaint and original 50 1.2 AA and 35 steel rim goggle in blackpaint. so all item are in black accent already haha 

 

[Likaleica]

Buy it.  The value will only go up.  

[robert blu]

it's a great camera! Go for it, you will enjoy!

[George Stoichev]

Hi,

I never used M7, but I understand why you want to have it.In the past I had same feeling, BUT with time I figured out that I pre-meter the light and when the moment comes just shot.Let’s say I’m on a street when the light is everywhere almost the same, I meter and than await the moment to shoot. 
If you take M7 you should also spend some time, despite the fact that it has AE, why, because if the light conditions changed dramatically you have to ajust the aperture to avoid lower speed and receive blurry picture.

Apparently with M7 you would be quicker, but if you ask me with some mili seconds.

[TomB_tx]

34 minutes ago, George Stoichev said:

Hi,

I never used M7, but I understand why you want to have it.In the past I had same feeling, BUT with time I figured out that I pre-meter the light and when the moment comes just shot.Let’s say I’m on a street when the light is everywhere almost the same, I meter and than await the moment to shoot. 
If you take M7 you should also spend some time, despite the fact that it has AE, why, because if the light conditions changed dramatically you have to ajust the aperture to avoid lower speed and receive blurry picture.

Apparently with M7 you would be quicker, but if you ask me with some mili seconds.

I agree in theory, but after acquiring an M7 earlier this year it has become my favorite film Leica (although the M4 I got in '68 is my sentimental choice). I still pre-set exposure by eye for the conditions and usually match the meter, but the M7 in auto mode works exactly like my M10, so they make an ideal pair.