i have handled a m7 in a shop recently, liked it quite a bit, though the iso/EV-adjustment wheel seemed a bit fiddly and plasticky to me. how easy is it to change settings accidentally? can you use it without taking the camera from your eye or in very low light? does it still feel that cheaply after a while in use?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), April 26, 2002

Answers

Stefan,

i have been using an M7 for a while now. The wheel does seem a little flimsy at first, but it is easy to get use to. I think we are just spoiled by the M6. I am sure it is made of superior materials. I have had no problems with accidental resets.

There is a very clear stop and an audible "click" for each 1/3 step. Easy to change with the camera at eye level, though it does take both thumbs to do (at least for me) - you just go by the sound.

Lowlight is easy as well, since you can feel each stop. You become very tuned to this after a couple of rolls.

Enjoy!

Anam

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), April 26, 2002.

Well I still haven't used/aquired a M7, but I can tell you about my backside from a M6 point of view...."firm, round and somewhat proportionate to the rest of my body".

And it doesn't feel too "cheaply after a while in use", but thanks for asking :-) .....Gees, I am sounding like "Uncle Phil" now.

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), April 26, 2002.

The M7 I used for a day I kept moving the ISO dial accidentally. Maybe it's because of how I am used to holding it when I take it in and out of the bag, that's when I moved it. I don't know why Leica abandoned the firm, positive ISO setting mechanism of the M6's (well, I probably can guess why: cost cutting). The AE compensation feature of the dial has a lock button (of course, the button is on the wrong side of the dial, at least for me)yet the ISO setting itself is much easier to twist than the shutter speed dial! My solution by day's end was to set the camera to DX and set the lockable compensation wheel to adjust for my re-rating of the film. I could still nudge the ISO dial off the mark but then the DX-diode in the finder alerted me. I hope by the time the prices of the M7 have fallen (when the early rush is over)they might beef up the ISO dial. If not, there'll finally be an intelligent reason to put black tape on a Leica.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 26, 2002.

Oh.....we're talking about that! Sorry...better answer Jay

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), April 26, 2002.

Oh.....we're talking about that! Sorry...better answer Jay

Kirstan, Is this from an admirer's view or a user's opinion?

-- Andy Wagner (awagner@midwest-express.com), April 26, 2002.

Depends what you are referring to Andy. I've always admired the backsides of a Leica M6 user.....oh, I mean the M6. And it's Kristian Andy, I don't call myself Kirstan unless the parade is on.

Sorry for screwing with your post Stefan :-) Couldn't resist

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), April 27, 2002.

my problem is with the diode. i often like to rate my film at something other than what it says on it's box and if i do that, even manually, the lower red led lights up. i feel that it should only light when you are doing exposure compensation.. oh well, a minor complaint.

-- Tristan (emulsion71@hotmail.com), April 28, 2002.