first let me say that i like the m7, and i hope leica sells 10K a year, every year (and keeps making those fine lenses). however, in test firing several samples, i have noticed a starnge thing: at 1/1000th, there is a very small but detectable torquing of the camera. i do not feel this subtle jerking with mechanical leicas. has curtain speed increased (curtain speed of course is, for fast speeds, largely irrelevant to shutter speed -- it's the lag between first and second curtains that is crucial)?? has curtain mass increased?? have others noticed the same thing?? could it be a braking issue?? and eliot, i'm not making this up!!!

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 06, 2002

Answers

While the shutter is basically the same, it has been extensively updated. No more plain bushings, all the shutter's bearings now use rollers. They may also have changed the braking system; as well they should, it has been Achilles' Heel of the M shutter since 1954.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), May 06, 2002.

I sure have not its smooooooth to me

-- gary brown (drdad1111@yahoo.com), May 06, 2002.

Roger. Actually, the 1/1000 sec on the M7 sounds really smooth and quiet to me. More so than on earlier Ms and more so than the 1/500 on my M7. I don't notice anything like what you describe. But as John says, the shutter breaking mechanism is different on the M7, so maybe this is what you are perceiving.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 06, 2002.

I found that when anything seems weird or troubling with the M7, just re-boot it.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), May 07, 2002.

i agree that the shutter is far quieter smoother and more accurate. i do however perceive a slight twisting of the camera when fired at top speeds. it is a fine camera that really exudes they high quality of Ms of yore.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 07, 2002.

Roger- You say the M7 shutter is more accurate: Have you had it tested?

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), May 09, 2002.