Hello there. I'm seriously thinking about getting the M7 but wanted to hear from M users who are shooting with it. Do you shoot faster having the read out in the viewfinder? How do you compare shooting with this as opposed to the M6? Let me know. Tha

-- Gabe Sachs (egabe@earthlink.net), April 17, 2002

Answers

Leica M7 Report by Erwin Puts

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), April 17, 2002.

M7 thread

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), April 17, 2002.

Another M7 Review

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), April 17, 2002.

I don't think I've quite decided how it's really helped me, although I know I got a great shot on auto that was quick and had I used the m6 the neg wouldn't be as good..I would have adjusted development or printing or played in the digital darkroom. The camera is wonderful but so is the m6, m3 etc. I wouldn't break the bank to get one but now would not be without it. The ability to hold the exposure I find quicker than changing the f stop.

-- gary brown (drdad1111@yahoo.com), April 17, 2002.

This is going to sound silly, but the thing I like most so far about the M7 is the on/off switch. The AE is handy, but the aspect of it I like the most is having the shutter speed visible in the finder.

Frankly, I haven't shot enough yet with it to come to any firm conclusions. Another couple of weeks will tell the tale. I wouldn't break the piggy bank to get one if you already have a TTL with the finder you prefer.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), April 17, 2002.

I'm considering buying a second M body to complement my M6 TTL 0.58. Yes .. the one thing which attracts me to the M7 is the off/on switch. But, I'm wondering if the money might better be spent on a nice M4, perhaps given some TLC by Sherry. Built-in meters are nice, but I don't absolutely need one.

-- Tom (therbert@miami.edu), April 17, 2002.

An M4 is a thing of wondrous beauty. I've owned two of them, amd remember them with great fondness. IMO their visual aesthetic is unsurpassed, and they are the quintessential minimalist M. I don't miss them, however. I sold both my M3 and last M4 when I got my first M6, and I've never looked back. Function trumps form for me, and I think the M6 is much more functional than the M4. The .58 TTL for me was like a dream come true, and I can't wait for the low-mag M7 to come out. That fabulous wide-angle finder with AE *and* the on- off switch? Pinch me, I'm dreaming again :-)

-- Paul Chefurka (paul@chefurka.com), April 17, 2002.

I'm not comfortable simply pointing and shooting, so I take a reading by aiming the camera at something close to 18% reflective in the frame and use the exposure lock (shutter release halfway down). I suppose that saves me the few fractions of a second I would have used turning the shutter speed dial on an M6, but it's no big deal. On the other hand, in two outdoor portrait situations (one of my dog, the other of a person), being able to use a very wide aperture for shallow D.O.F. and a shutter speed of 1/500th or 1/1000th has been a godsend (although at least so far, a very slow process).

-- Michael Stern (hoof@optonline.net), April 17, 2002.

See also the review of the M7 in the FAQ: nemeng.com/leica/ 002bb.shtml

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), April 17, 2002.

I love my new 0.72 M7. Traded in my beloved M6 classic for it, but I don't have a second of regret (so far.) Unbeatable for street and candid: fast and intuitive (I love the AE lock on the shutter button!). They didn't take away anything from the M6, they added features: AE, DX coding, an even quieter electronic shutter AND fast flash sync with appropriated Metz 54. DX is beyond criticism. You don't like AE? Just use it manually. Sure, a Metz 54 is expensive, but who's counting if you buy a M7? Okay, electronic shutter may die due to battery failure, but you still have mechanical 1/60 and 1/125 shutter speeds in case. I think it's a nice compromise. And I carry extra batteries. One thing I really dislike and am disappointed with: the twist on battery compartment cover. You don't sccrew it in, you just turn it a quarter turn. I WILL definitely lose it some day, so I'm going to order a spare one, maybe two. Other than that, pure joy!

Olivier

-- Olivier Reichenbach (olreiche@videotron.ca), April 17, 2002.

You folks are rapidly convincing me that I will get a 0.72 M7 to complement my 0.58 M6TTL. I've got lots of time to wait, though, and would hope that in a year, we might see some rebates/ Leica Days offers on the 0.72 M7.

-- Tom (therbert@miami.edu), April 18, 2002.