Right,I have a plan.

The person who posts the closest 'specs' to the new M camera will win 10 rolls of their favorite film(not P/P!).

Tony knows who I am,he has my IP address and can if he wants get my home address.So,I will send the film to Tony if you don't want to give your address.

OK,the CLOSEST SPECS.Let's go,you have nothing to loose......

-- Phil Andrews (philandrew@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002

Answers

1) max shutter speed 1/1000

2) flash synch at 1/50 or up to 1/1000 with compatable flash

3) min shutter speed 4S on manual, 32S on AE

4) Metering pattern identical to current M, non-selectable pattern

5) Film speed range ISO 6 - 6400

6) Autobracketing to +/- 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments

7) Weight 590G

8) Dimensions same as M6TTL

9) Price $2499 net actual, USA body bought out of NY

10) First production models actually shipped October 2002

11) M7X -- revised model, with fixes for all original model's bugs, to be released in October 2004.

:-),

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), February 16, 2002.

Jack, are you Withheld himself??

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), February 16, 2002.

Why not give them something they'd be more likely to use like a glossy brochure about it?

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), February 16, 2002.

I've already put down my deposit for the M7 brochure. Can't wait for it to arrive. I heard it comes with a monkey on a lease that takes the picture for you. Totally automatic.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.

Does the monkey come in titanium?

-- Marke Gilbert (Bohdi137@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

1. Electronically-timed rubberized-cloth horizontal FP shutter.

2. Speeds B, 1-1/1000 (manual); 4sec-1/1000 stepless in AE with AE- lock integrated into shutter button. (Similar to R4)

3. On-off swich surrounding shutter release.

4. Flash sync 1/100, 1st-curtain sync only. 1/100 backup speed. (Similar to R5-R7). FP high-speed sync available only with certain existing Metz flashes (40MZ3i, 54MZ3)will require new module (not 3501/3502). Revised version of SF20 with FP HS sync capability TBA at Photokina.

5. Finder displays shutter speeds in red LED numerals at bottom in AE. In manual mode red LED graphic -2 to +2 stops in 1/2-stops. (Similar to display in R7)

6. Metering pattern familiar white spot on curtain.

7. Autobracketing only with revised M-Motor, promised availability by Photokina 2002, delivery likely spring 2005. (Similar to R8)

8. DX coding, but this will be the first major bug and most people will not use it.

9. Camera powered by the same 3v as M6TTL (no room for second battery) but battery life approximately half. Provision for camera to be powered by batteries in Motor-M, but see #7 above for details as to time of availability.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

M7 (with included chimp)

Phil, might as well send me the film.

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), February 16, 2002.

And the winner is ...........the chimp.

-- Phil (philandrew@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

Identical to current M6ttl but with new Foveon 3X chip instead of film. Where film cannister once was is where the new rechargeable battery goes. Where the take up spool was is where the new round compact flash card will go. If you want to view the photos, you will have to purchase a tethered 5 inch viewing screen that costs $10,000. The rewind knob will be replaced with a switchblade knife to protect you from thieves. Boy, I'll be glad when this cold medicine wears off .... and it's a good thing my boss buys all my film. -----------------------------------------

-- Dayton P. Strickland (daytonst@bellsouth.net), February 16, 2002.

...what Jack said.

Plus, the M7 will look great against a black turtleneck sweater. (This comes from a reliable source!)

Dennis

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

How much to lease a monkey?

-- gerald (sanford@usa.com), February 16, 2002.

Same as Jack. Passport warranty has been shortened to 1 year. Bugs are getting too expensive to fix in the long run. First camera on the street August, 2002. Special orders available in Red, Green or Yellow same as Hasselblad.

;)

-- Mark A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), February 16, 2002.

psst. click here for the photo of the prototype M7

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

Can you say, "Hexar RF," with a Leica red dot pasted over it?

-- (bmitch@home.com), February 16, 2002.

THE KING OF THE RANGEFINDER LONG LIVE THE KING KONICA HEXAR RF.

-- richard b (rubyvalentine@earthlink.net), February 16, 2002.

Same as Jay plus it will have a Leica logo on the front.

-- ferdinand (gdz00@lineone.net), February 17, 2002.

can we all please wait till 24 feb and then go crazy. I am getting a little sick of speculation. It seems that it is taking forever to get to the 24 Feb, especially with M7 posts every two minutes. Be patient, and I am sure we'll all be disspaointed with the M7 when it comes out. How's this for managing expectations? marketing at it's best!

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), February 18, 2002.

I'm sure the chimp is right, but seriously, I would be surprised if the shutter speeds are not stepless from 4secs to 1/4000, not 4secs to 1/1000. On/off switch around shutter collar, AUTO not A on dial, shutter speeds in finder, manual on 1/60 and 1/125, uses 2 lithium CR125s, increased flash sync, same size as M6TTL, compatible with M motor.

-- David Killick (dalex@inet.net.nz), February 18, 2002.

What the hecks a Hexar ?

-- Tony Brookes (gdz00@btinternet.com), February 18, 2002.

Tony,

Go to this site to see the Hexar. It is a Leica-like RF camera from Japan. Hexar

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), February 18, 2002.

Tony, There is not much more I can say from what Cameraquest has said, apart from in shooting situations, the Hexar gets the job done. It's not that I'm lazy and don't want to work with manual, on the contrary, that's my preference but, when time is tight and the moment is more important, I'll take aperture priority any day. For instance, I live in NYC; on 9/11 there were 3 cameras on my desk : an M4, an FM2 and a Hexar RF. Which cameras made it out the door with me that morning? The Hexar and the FM2. But, where was my M6? Yes, you guessed it. In Jersey being repaired for the umpteenth time (this time from the bodge job the Golden Touch lady had done). I got THE SHOT with the Hexar; exposure was 2000 of a second @ 4 (something that the Leica M can only dream of). Don't get me wrong, I love my M6 and it would have been with me on that infamous day but Hexar RF WAS. I've been wanting a 28mm lense for the M6 and Hexar. The Sumicron at $2000, give me a break, in this economy? Even the Elmarit is too expensive. I settled for the Hexanon 28mm. Drop dead gorgeous. Hope you now know what an Hexar is. Do yourself a favour and get yourself one like every other user of M's. Have a nice day.

-- richard b (rubyvalentine@earthlink.net), February 18, 2002.

There is NO M7 coming out...

That is my official guess....

-- JT (fotoopp@aol.com), February 20, 2002.