jke
Well-known
My cameras both have the type on the right and I have never had any problems getting the film in or out of my camera. Your mileage may therefore vary.
Typical M7 reliability?
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pfoto
Well-known
I've had the same experience with the mechanical readers - no problems. However I read somewhere recently that the optical readers were beginning to be a bit troublesome.
furcafe
Veteran
I've had my M7, bought used, for over 3 years & the only mechanical glitch has been that the DX reader (old style) has occasionally been wrong, but that's easily remedied by manually setting the ISO & ignoring the over/underexposure lights. Otherwise, the problems have been my fault: a scorched shutter from intense sunlight & a top plate that was knocked loose by a fall (which had no functional effect on the camera, BTW). 1 caveat: since you seem to go to a lot of cold environments (Alaska, Mongolia), I suppose the M7 is more vulnerable to battery problems due to low temperatures.
tmfabian
I met a man once...
the M7 has been very reliable for me, i've taken it out in downpours, treated it less than kindly, and have even taken it apart a few times for the joy of it and it's held up very well. That being said, there's no reason to want more than your m6, the m7 is only quicker if you shoot in AE mode and that's only for flat lighting anyway(there's no quick way to adjust exposure) plus the m6 doesn't need batteries.
jke
Well-known
Of course, the last advice is the best. Stick with your M6. That's a great camera, perhaps one of the best. The fastest way to shoot with an M6 is to take the batteries out and use a hand-held incident meter (I have a Sekonic L-308.) Take a reading, set the camera and then blast away. Think in stops and only change the settings on the camera if the light changes more than one stop. Make your adjustments to the shutter speed or aperture, depending on how you are shooting (aperture where speed is needed, shutter where depth of field is the concern.) Those little red arrows in the M6 viewfinder can be way too distracting given the latitude that most negative films have for proper exposure these days.
visiondr
cyclic iconoclast
I disagree. Using AE on the M7 there is a very fast way to adjust exposure. Once the shutter speed is locked (second detent on the shutter release) you can open or close the aperture to adjust exposure in as fine an increment as you'd like. It is very quick.
pfoto
Well-known
Yes but you may not want to mess with the aperture for DOF reasons.
visiondr
cyclic iconoclast
Of course.
There is always a compromise.
Our job is to balance competing interests in the service of the image.
There is always a compromise.
Our job is to balance competing interests in the service of the image.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Alternately, I simply move the camera to adjust exposure, lock it with the detent, and recompose. Fast and reliable. Of course the larger, more ergonomic shutter speed dial the M7 has inherited from the M5 makes changing shutter speeds pretty quick even in manual mode.
lewis44
Well-known
I do exactly the same thing and it works great. Set the aperture and then do the above and you get exactly what you want.
visiondr
cyclic iconoclast
Yup, that's another method I use. Plenty of ways to use that M7!
RichardB
Well-known
I have two M7's both with Motor M and both are first versions. No problems.
The best way to adjust exposure is to meter that part of a scene that will give the best exposure of a Gray Card if possible, then hold that exposure with the shutter button, reframe and fire.
Only M7/Motor M problem is using the Motor for cotinuous shooting in either Mode I or Mode II as the exposure captured for the first shot if using the shutter button hold feature is lost on the next and all subsequent shots. In that case revert to using ala M6.-Dick
The best way to adjust exposure is to meter that part of a scene that will give the best exposure of a Gray Card if possible, then hold that exposure with the shutter button, reframe and fire.
Only M7/Motor M problem is using the Motor for cotinuous shooting in either Mode I or Mode II as the exposure captured for the first shot if using the shutter button hold feature is lost on the next and all subsequent shots. In that case revert to using ala M6.-Dick
tmfabian
I met a man once...
Don't get me wrong, I love my M7 and I do use it in AE ALOT but i wasn't really talking about something that's within a stop or 2 for adjustment, that's fairly simple and in most cases can be adjusted with your method and the pointing it at something in the midtone range and locking it.
This image was more of the scene i was talking about, where AE would not have been able to deal too well, which is the reason I popped it on manual and went to town. (Sorry, it's an M8 shot, but it represents my train of thought)
sepiareverb
genius and moron
That looks like a job for the M5!
Michiel Fokkema
Michiel Fokkema
I bought mine secondhand a year ago and it still works flawless.
Except that the baterry compartment cap tends to fall off. Its secured now with a piece of tape. A bit strange for such an expensive camera.
Cheers,
Michiel Fokkema
Except that the baterry compartment cap tends to fall off. Its secured now with a piece of tape. A bit strange for such an expensive camera.
Cheers,
Michiel Fokkema
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Email Leica and tell them what's going on (or falling off), I'd bet you'd have one in a matter of days.
Michiel Fokkema
Michiel Fokkema
I still have the cap. the cap is secured with tape. will they sent me a proper replacement that will not fall off, or just another crap plastic one?
cheers,
Michiel Fokkema
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I've never had one fall off, I suspect it is busted.
amateriat
We're all light!
Having owned and used two examples of the camera I like to think of as having "influenced" the creation of the M7 (Konica Hexar RF), I'll say this much about the M7, which I have handled:
- If anything, the M7's shutter should be more reliable than the M6's on account of the lower parts-count for the electronic shutter. There's always the issue of the electronics themselves, but can think of precious few cameras with electronic shutters that gave out until perhaps twenty years out at least. There are exceptions, of course, but there are legions of mechanical-shutter'd cameras that made the D.L. in the same time period, if not earlier.
- Shutter-speed accuracy: not much guess-work here: 1/500 sec. on an M7 should remain 1/500 sec. for as long as the thing holds out. One less thing to have tweaked every so often. Shoot slide film without fear.
- Battery-dependent? Easy to carry a spare set. Certainly easier than dealing with anything digital, which require several bits (spare battery plus charging apparatus), especially in remote locations. Truly a non-issue.
- Back to that shutter. What's quieter than a typical Leica M at slow shutter speeds? A Leica M7, that's what.
- Motor drive: Okay, this is where the Hex has a leg up, IMO, since they managed to build it into the body, but not make it bigger than a late-model M's favor is the ability to work sans motor, which is more quiet, but bulkier (and no motorized rewind, but you can deal with that).
- AE. I don't care what anyone says, an M7 (and Hexar) simply gives you a choice: AE when things are happening crazy-fast, and fully metered manual, when you feel the need for it. The M7 is not taking anything away from you here; unlike multi-mode-happy SLRs, you get one Auto mode plus a truly useful Manual mode, in uncluttered form that doesn't obfuscate.
Given the bucks, I'd probably have an M7 as Camera #3 to my Hexars as a non-motorized option. As things stand, I'll be lucky to get an ZI. But I'm betting you'll be crazy-happy with an M7. Buy it, then go forth and photograph.
- Barrett
- If anything, the M7's shutter should be more reliable than the M6's on account of the lower parts-count for the electronic shutter. There's always the issue of the electronics themselves, but can think of precious few cameras with electronic shutters that gave out until perhaps twenty years out at least. There are exceptions, of course, but there are legions of mechanical-shutter'd cameras that made the D.L. in the same time period, if not earlier.
- Shutter-speed accuracy: not much guess-work here: 1/500 sec. on an M7 should remain 1/500 sec. for as long as the thing holds out. One less thing to have tweaked every so often. Shoot slide film without fear.
- Battery-dependent? Easy to carry a spare set. Certainly easier than dealing with anything digital, which require several bits (spare battery plus charging apparatus), especially in remote locations. Truly a non-issue.
- Back to that shutter. What's quieter than a typical Leica M at slow shutter speeds? A Leica M7, that's what.
- Motor drive: Okay, this is where the Hex has a leg up, IMO, since they managed to build it into the body, but not make it bigger than a late-model M's favor is the ability to work sans motor, which is more quiet, but bulkier (and no motorized rewind, but you can deal with that).
- AE. I don't care what anyone says, an M7 (and Hexar) simply gives you a choice: AE when things are happening crazy-fast, and fully metered manual, when you feel the need for it. The M7 is not taking anything away from you here; unlike multi-mode-happy SLRs, you get one Auto mode plus a truly useful Manual mode, in uncluttered form that doesn't obfuscate.
Given the bucks, I'd probably have an M7 as Camera #3 to my Hexars as a non-motorized option. As things stand, I'll be lucky to get an ZI. But I'm betting you'll be crazy-happy with an M7. Buy it, then go forth and photograph.
- Barrett
spicoli
Established
Well I bit the bullet and picked up a "near mint" M7 from Tamarkin. It should be here by the weekend. FYI: $2417 shipped. A little more than I wanted to pay but Ive bought from them before and I trust 'em.
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