Did a 4 location wedding on Sat. Used new M7/.072, plus M6/058 & M6/ .085. My recent posts argued against M6 viewfinder flair, I was WRONG. The salon shots gave me a demonstration of flair I'll never forget. The overhead lighting must of been perfect for causing it. M7 electronically jammed on me again, just like it did when I first used it on a California trip. I think it is the switch. Turning on and off seemed to correct it. But during a wedding it wasn't exactly what I wanted to have happen. After my first posting of this hiccup, other new M7 owners e-mailed me saying they had experienced the same thing. Shot all the color with a D-1 X and all the B&W with the Ms. (about 50/50 ratio of color and B&W) The Leica shots using the speedster lenses came out fab. Using the right viewfinder definitely makes a difference in ease of focusing. My ratio of "in focus" shots, even using the Noctilux and 75 Lux wide open, has dramatically increased. In fact, I could hardly believe it, but I only missed a few shots per roll, and these were fast breaking opportunities. Frankly, I missed more shots with the Nikon AF due to focus hunt/DOF errors when using a 28/1.4 ASPH, 85/1.4 and 135/2 DC wide open. The Noctilux and 75 Lux shots are bringing a new look to my wedding work. The shallow DOF really adds to the romantic feeling. Much nicer than doing it in PhotoShop. So, if you're looking for justification to get a second M body during the rebates, and use a 50 or above, then check out the .085. And the new 28/2 is to die for. On the motorized .058 it really delivered. More from the front soon. Off to shoot a surf-side wedding in California next week. Got 8X Heliopan ND filters for the Nocti and 75 Lux as suggested by a fellow forum poster. That way I can shoot day, dusk and night while opened up more than normal. I may use only Rangefinders for this one. M7 loaded with color and the 2 M6s with B&W. I'll probably also take either a Mamiya 7II or a X-Pan. Rangefinders Are Us!

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 09, 2002

Answers

Marc,

Exciting post! Could you tell us a little more about the "electronic jamming" your M7 has experienced? I don't think I've ever had that happen to me with an auto camera.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), April 09, 2002.

marc -- with your noct, try the .85 with the 1.25 magnifier. brings you to 1:1, allowing both eyes to remain open, and increases accuracy by a hefty margin. the framelines are still plainly visible for the 50.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 09, 2002.

Marc I think I must be mising something here. You are shooting weddings for people with whom you have a legal contract and do this for a living. You are using 2 M6's that "flair" so you can't focus them, and a brand-new-under-warranty M7 that is jamming yet you seem delighted and not mentioning sending it back for repairs. Why?!!!

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 09, 2002.

ALEX, It's hard to say exactly what the problem is yet. But when it happens, the shutter button doesn't respond. Yet the switch is in the ON position ( no red dot showing). Since there aren't really positive click stops from ON to OFF you can slightly off-set the switch. It then acts as if in the OFF position. However, I'm reserving judgement until further use because I've been the victim of user error to many times in the past. I'll keep everyone posted if anything develops one way or the other.

ROGER, I tried the magnifier, but a 1.5X diopter wouldn't seat into the one I received. I ordered another, but they're still on back order from Leica. I still want to try it, especially with the Noctilux.

JAY, I don't recall saying that flair was a problem on all 200+ M shots that day, just a few candids inside a beauty salon before the "contract" stuff had to be shot. The M7 problem is a bit of a concern, but as you may have read I had 2 M6s and 2 Nikon D1-Xs there also... with a back up no more than 3 feet of me in my assistants' skilled hands. I've had Canon EOS and others fail on me at critical times to often in the past not to have a back-up at the ready...which is usually an M6 because it's never failed me yet. As a result I could fulfill the "legal contract" you mentioned many times over. I'm swimming in delicious pictures.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 09, 2002.

"I've had Canon EOS and others fail on me at critical times to often in the past not to have a back-up at the ready...which is usually an M6 because it's never failed me yet."

Marc, you are a candidate for being my new hero ;^)

BTW, you mentioned a 50/1.0, 75/1.4 and 28/2.0, are you using any other lenses? Why is the 20 'cron "to die for"? Is the shallow DoFnow an essential component of your wedding style?

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), April 09, 2002.

marc -- you mention hearing from other m7 users about your problem -- how many? would any of them care to comment here. i am wondering if this is a major recall item in the making or just a question of technique. i read on another site that the problem may be caused by static discharge in the shutte release which "trick" the camera into thinking it has been turned off. thanks for your report.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 09, 2002.

Well my M7 has not stalled or frozen. It seems to work exactly as described in the camera manual. Roger: get a grip on reality. When has Leica ever had a "recall"?

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), April 09, 2002.

when has leica ever built an electronic rangefinder, dear sweet eliot? at least you're predictable!!

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), April 09, 2002.

Dan, yes indeedy, it was a real sinking feeling when the EOS-1v with a35mm/1.4 just decided to NOT work as the bride & groom where exiting their vintage Rolls Royce. My assistant crammed a M6 w/35 Lux into my outstreached hand and I just got the shot. Yes, I do use the really fast lenses as part of the technique. Wide open at fairly slow shutter speeds with a Metz or SF-20 fill flash freezing the foreground and the wide aperature capturing the ambient background. I always hated those wedding shots with the subject in front of a wall of black. Actually I gained confidence in working this way using a digital camera, then transfered the technique to the Leica work. The shutter speed /aperature combo has to be just right for the degree of action, or you get ghosting ( which in some cases is okay , like dancing shots at a reception because it shows the energy better than a static shot )

Roger my first posting of the (POSSIBLE) M7 gremlin was the week the camera was launched here in the US. 2 people responded that they had also experienced it. HOWEVER, it has only happened to me in the thick of shooting under pressure. I cannot for the life of me make it happen at home in my studio. Which leads me to suspect user error or some technique I'm use to with the M6 that ain't the same with this camera. However, the at-home test were with no film in the camera, so that's the next step. Time will tell.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 09, 2002.

Well, I took some pictures of indoor circus gymnasts with my M3 - which is supposed not to have any flare - but lo and behold, flare! No "flair" though, what the heck, must have been my trousers. Must depend on the light source.

-- David Killick (dalex@inet.net.nz), April 10, 2002.

Marc - when the M7 'locks up' I take it the shutter button still moves as expected - just no response?

I ask because I think the M7 switch in full "OFF" position actually locks the button mechnically so it can't be pushed - or so my fingers told me.

But maybe the 'physical' lock and the 'electrical' off occur at different places as the switch turns.

I've had F3s just - not shoot - sometimes. They don't have to be 'rebooted' - they usually went ahead and shot the next time I push the button, so in that case it's more likely the microswitch under the button just didn't make contact. Not as mysterious or disconcerting as what you mention.

I expect this will become like rangefinder flare - we'll go on for years with some people complaining about it and others reporting that they've shot X-many hundred exposures and NEVER had an M7 lock up on them...!

Glad to hear the .85 does make a difference - I'm beginning to think my next purchase will be a .85 M6 (that someone's dumping for a -7) to use with the 90 f/2. It's a lens I'd like to use more, but the TE just seems to nail focus at least twice as often. Was it the .85 that finally 'flared' for you?

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 10, 2002.

Andy, Quite frankly I don't remember if it was the .058 or .085. I'm not sure what difference it would've made. They're the same design.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 10, 2002.

I don't know why the magnification should make a difference either, but it definitely dows in my experience. I have an M6HM Classic that flares like a Kuwaiti oil well, but my .72 is generally immune to it. I've never seen my .58 TTL flare.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), April 10, 2002.

Marc

you mentioned SF-20 and Metz - what Metz flash do you suggest or is it best having both an SF-20 and a Metz......what kind?

tks

m

-- Martin (ducsurfer@rcn.com), April 16, 2002.