Can I depend on the M7 as my only travel body?

[Biggles]

I have learned to travel with two camera bodies on photo vacations. Because Murphy is my travel agent.

 

[tightsqueez]

Reflecting what other's have mentioned before... always take a backup! I'd rely on the M7 100%... I only know this because the one I own has already done so!

 

[sepiareverb]

Because Murphy is my travel agent.

Can't remember how many assistants named Murphy I've had.

 

[gavinlg]

Get an MJUII or Stylus Epic as a backup.

 

[Rob-F]

I was photographing in washington DC with both the M7 and M8.2. After an hour or so, the LEDs in the M7 went dead. No problem, I thought, this is why I carry spare batteries. I changed them. Still nothing. Thinking I had a dead M7 on my hands, I put the M7 back in the bag and proceeded to shoot with only the M8.2. Later that day . . .

Idly toying with the M7, I stroked the winding lever. Et Voila, the camera came back to life. I had gotten so used to not having to wind the M8.2, I carried the same rhythm to the M7, which of course must be wound. The M7 was fine. It was pilot error.

A couple of days ago, the M7 made a blank frame while I was out shooting. It clicked--though very softly--and wound on normally, and there was no picture. The rest of the roll was fine.

I always have several cameras on a trip, even if one of them is a little D-Lux 4 P&S.

 

[Tim Gray]

Idly toying with the M7, I stroked the winding lever. Et Voila, the camera came back to life. I had gotten so used to not having to wind the M8.2, I carried the same rhythm to the M7, which of course must be wound. The M7 was fine. It was pilot error.

Reminds me of the first time I thought my M6 jammed. I kind of freaked out - it jammed at frame 25. I was worrying what was I going to do, how I was I going to get the film out, etc. Then I realized I had probably loaded that cheap 24 frame roll of Tri-X I bought at the grocery store on closeout.

 

[maddoc]

My M7 failed just before a longer trip and so did my MP... In both cases I brought my M4-P and had no problems ...

 

[mervynyan]

No, I would not want M7 as the only camera I carry. M7 failed me in Bolivia, the rewind crank broke off. It failed me in Bulgaria, the rewind switch on the front was missing. Luckily in both places I found skilled SLR camera repairmen to get it fixed.

I am also carrying MP at the time but don't feel safe lugging over 10k worth or gears. So now I have Canon F-1 SLR as backup.

 

[Bingley]

For reasons of size and weight you may wish to carry a small, lightweight backup rather than a second M camera body. For example, an Olympus XA or a Rollei 35 or a Minox GT nicely minimize size and weight. They also provide the benefit of greater "pocketability" for those portions of a trip where that may be appropriate.

-Randy

Excellent advice, IMO.

 

[peter_n]

Have taken M7s and mechanical Ms on various trips with no problems. Mostly I took two Ms but on one I took one M and a Canonet QL17 and took the best pix with it too! I've only taken mechanical Ms on trips to freezing/tropical destinations though. However if you really fancy an M7 get one but whatever you get follow the crowd; bring a backup.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Wow, I can't believe Leicas fail that much! I guess in the end all cameras can fail...

It's great there are very small cameras, like the OlyXA and the OlyStylusEpic: while using your Leica, you can have those two -each one inside left and right pants' pockets- ready to use without and with flash, just in case...

But because of its mechanical shutter speeds I would trust in an M7 as my only camera anytime if I had one!

Cheers,

Juan

 

[mfunnell]

So now I have Canon F-1 SLR as backup.

Rugged and reliable? Yes. Compact and lightweight? Not so much. I guess it depends on which are more important in the circumstances.

...Mike

 

[David Hughes]

Just my 2d worth...

Just my 2d worth...

Well, I dunno; doesn't it depend on the type of travel we are discussing?

Sometimes I go to expensive and exotic places that I'll never see again. I could justify 6 cameras and heaven only knows how many lenses for that but seldom do (mainly because of the weight). But I'd like to make the point that a coupled range-finder alone won't cover everything.

Going a few miles down the road to an airshow or just taking a walk round the local woods (where there are deer to be seen and photographed) would justify a 180 or 200mm or longer and that means the SLR. And in the spring a macro gets a lot of use (SLR again). Add a CRF for landscapes etc and that's two totally different cameras with two totally different sets of lenses and batteries and filters etc.

Now extend that decision to somewhere more important and you're adding a back-up CRF and a back-up SLR body. Plus you might want to go for a stroll and a meal in the evening and lock the cameras in the hotel's safe; so an Olympus XA, XA2, µ-II or a Contax, APS etc comes in handy. Means a small pocketable one with a more than decent lens in it.

Thinking about hotel safes suggests two gadget bags, one each and a careful split of lenses and bodies between them so tha you can survive a bag being snatched and it gets complicated doesn't it?

Or you could take (say) a Leica CL and one of the pocketable ones. Or one of those twin lens things that were so popular years ago. Without changing lenses but just by moving a lever you could go from a wide angle to a portrait lens. Pentax made a nice one... Or two Olympus (µ-II or III zooms), Pentax (928M), Minolta (Riva 90), Rollei (Prego 90), Nikon (Zoom 90), Yashic (Z-up 110) etc P&S's with a 28 -90 ish zoom lens of decent quality and built in flash. These days you could get a dozen on ebay for nothing like the price of the M series body.

I know we are supposed to take seriously expensive cameras for serious photography but I've often been amazed at what I've squeezed out of a couple of pounds worth of second-hand P&S. Add a CR123A and / or CR2 battery charger and you'd be set up nicely. And think of the money you'd save to spend on film. You could even carry three P&S's with B&W, slide and colour neg film in each.

Just my 2d worth.

Regards, David

PS And don't you find that serious camera frighten people? But little P&S's don't and aren't taken seriously, even by the police looking for terrorists...

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Wow, I can't believe Leicas fail that much! I guess in the end all cameras can fail...


Juan

Not one of my Leica M's in the last 20 has ever failed.

Cheers,

Michiel

 

[David Hughes]

Wow, I can't believe Leicas fail that much! I guess in the end all cameras can fail...

Juan

Hi,

Well, they are just machines and a lot depends on how they've been used or not used or neglected or cared for; but there's a lot of people around the world repairing them with waiting lists...

Any other make of camera and there'd be a rant about them but Leica's reputation seems to stop that sort of thing. I guess people, on the whole are irrational. And, no one likes facts and figures getting in the way of a good story.

Plus a lot of users have bought them second-hand and so have no idea of their past. So stories with little real foundation build up and get added to, usually by the same poster each time.

Regards, David

 

[Austerby]

On an extended trip around SE Asia I had an M7 and MP with me. The MP had a minor problem (screw holding down the shutter dial worked itself loose), the M7 was fine throughout.

A second camera is a useful option anyway as it gives an alternative choice of film (colour + monochrome, fast and slow etc.) as well as a backup in the event of malfunction.

 

[robert blu]

I have an m7 since a few years and use it a lot. Never had a problem because of electronic. Only problem with RF calibration, but (depending on style you shoot) in extrene cases you can use it even without the RF with zone focusing. Of course you need batteries.
robert

 

[philipus]

Reminds me of the first time I thought my M6 jammed. I kind of freaked out - it jammed at frame 25. I was worrying what was I going to do, how I was I going to get the film out, etc. Then I realized I had probably loaded that cheap 24 frame roll of Tri-X I bought at the grocery store on closeout.

Funny, this is exactly what happened to my M3 yesterday evening. -10 outside and I think the camera has jammed but I realised that the roll I had picked earlier was a 24.

I am considering the Leica M7 though I also have a choice of M6 Millenium or M6 LHSA for a few hundred dollars more.

Would it be foolish to have a Leica M7 as my only body? Or do you think I should go with the Millenium or LHSA.

Any camera may fail. Depending on environmental conditions, I would suggest electronics fail faster than mechanical parts. That's a reason to go for the M6. Also, its meter is very good (and you noted yourself you loved the M6TTL, so you know how it works). The M6 works without batteries, which is in itself a security. IIRC the M7 only has two speeds without batteries. True, you can always bring lots of extra batteries (and you should) but the M7 seems to me to be less dependable compared with the M6 (and before someone pounces on me - yes, the M7 is very well built and a fine camera).

As for whether you should go for the M6 or the LHSA, let me tell you how I reasoned. I'm awaiting delivery of a Millennium. It was the logical choice for me because I come from an M3 background. I love the rewind crank and the film advance. Black paint is cool and will look great in a few years. The 0.72x VF is smaller than the M3 but I'm also into 35mm so this VF will fit my lenses (35, 50 and 90) well. There's always the 1.15x magnifier. A cosmetic reason for not getting the LHSA is that I don't want some unnecessary print on the camera (I also considered the Dragon and the ICS briefly decided against them for the same reasons). The one little thing which I don't like with the Millennium is the red dot, but that can be replaced.

So all things considered, I think you should go for the Millennium.

cheers
Philip

 

[Beemermark]

I was photographing in washington DC with both the M7 and M8.2. After an hour or so, the LEDs in the M7 went dead. No problem, I thought, this is why I carry spare batteries. I changed them. Still nothing. Thinking I had a dead M7 on my hands, I put the M7 back in the bag and proceeded to shoot with only the M8.2. Later that day . .
Idly toying with the M7, I stroked the winding lever. Et Voila, the camera came back to life. /quote]
I did the same thing last summer. Thought my M7 died, replaced the batteries, checked them twice, put it back in the back. Next day I remembered you had to cock the shutter to turn the meter on -🙁.

I have always carried two bodies, preferably two M bodies. A body with a body cap takes up little extra room. All your lenses, etc are usable on both. Walking around taking photos I can have a WA on one body and a Tele on the other. Or two different types of film (not as important in today's world)>

 

[shadowfox]

Maybe I'm missing something, but in this day and age, not bringing *one* digital camera in a long range travel is just plain... unwise.

I will bring film camera anywhere and endure any airport hassles, don't get me wrong. But I will always have one digital camera as my backup. That's why small ones like Olympus E-P2 is a perfect balance between quality and size.