In praise of the Leica M7

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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I had one, loved it but got paranoid of its reliability. Am I overacting? Have another chance at an attractive price.
 
I had two for about three years, nothing ever really went wrong with them although I had the MP finder and optical DX upgraded by Solms under warranty on one. I never suffered from paranoia but had my own sneaking suspicions - let's put it that way.

So I sold them and replaced them with two MP bodies with the same magnification; a 0.72x and an 0.85x. So far the MPs have been great and I don't even think about the cameras. I liked the M7s a lot but I don't miss them particularly and I don't feel that I'm not getting shots that I otherwise might have gotten if my cameras had AE.
 
My M7 has gone three times to Leica for service and my former MP two times ... As a reliable camera I prefer M4-2 / M4-P...:)
 
Mines been trouble free since I got about 3 years ago. In the meantime, my M6 developed a sticky frame selection lever.

I just don't get the reliability paranoia about the M7. The one I'd be worried about is the M9 :p
 
I have been using 2 M7s for about 3 years. One purchased new with the upgraded finder and one purchased used without the upgrades. So far no issues.
 
Being offered a M7 Chrome at around 2200USD, mint. Without the upgraded finder and DX reader, and out of warranty.

Having doubts about the reliability, thinking of going MP!
 
I found the AE to be spot on on mine. Sold it several years ago to finance purchase of the M8. It was the only new M camera I have bought and I enjoyed it immensely. However, I found that my own habits kept me from using the AE and because of this when I had a choice between the M6 and M7 to sell, the M& went. If I was going to buy another M body today, it would be the MP rather than the M7 again.
 
My M7 has never presented a reliability problem since I got it, used, in 2005 even though it is my most heavily-used film body. I did have DAG install the RF patch fix & it's been to Leica NJ twice for repairs, but for problems that I caused (damage from a fall & a burnt shutter curtain). I've never noticed a problem w/the DX detector, but I've always set ISO manually, anyway.

Bottom line, probably my favorite modern M body as a user & the M8 & M9's BFF.
 
Used a M7 for four or five weeks and ran several rolls of film through the camera without any problems.

. . . . . then went into the camera shop one day and they had just received a new Black Paint MP. I did want a fully mechanical body, AE was not a feature that I needed, I had other cameras with AE.

>>>>GAS<<<<

Traded the M7, since I bought the camera used from them they provided a 100% credit and there have been no regrets.

If the MP was not there at that moment in time I most likely would still be using the M7 with no regrets.
 
I've had a M7 for a few years now. No legitimate issues ever. Maybe once or twice the film advance acted peculiarly.

The amount of quirks I've witnessed in a few short weeks with my M9 makes the 7 look like a long distance runner...
 
jsrockit said:
For what? ?
Click to expand...

M7:

1) to repair a jammed shutter (curtain stuck in open position) Leica USA
2) to adjust un-even frame-spacing (after repair #1 ...)
Leica USA
3) to adjust un-even frame-spacing / faulty ISO dial (after repair 2) Leica Solms

(camera came back with test-certificate and new one year warranty)

The M7 has still un-even frame-spacing and sometimes a faulty ISO-setting in DX mode. The camera was bought used with 1 year warranty and factory refurbrished (with optical DX reader and MP "upgrade" VF)


MP:

1) to service bouncing shutter at 1/1000s & 1/500s, faulty electronics, loose rewind knob, and sticky shutter button (Leica Japan)

2) to service again sticky shutter button and put a cable back into the camera that stuck out from below the top-plate after service-trip #1

camera was bought used with remaining 3 years passport warranty
 
I loved mine enough to throw an M6TTL Millennium top plate on it. Should be back from DAG within a month or two.
 
Miss mine a great deal, sold it a few months back. I'll be buying another, the best camera(s) I've ever owned from the German guys.
 
Mine, bought in 2004, has been trouble-free, until last year when it developed a small electronic problem. The exposure meter stayed on all the time the camera was switched on -- would never go off -- and when the camera was switched on, it did not display the film speed for 2 seconds as it should but went straight to the meter display. I've had it repaired, and all seems fine now, and at the same time the optical film speed reader was installed, and it was generally serviced.
 
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