Coming back to the Leica M7

[Roastchestnuts]

I am excited to say that I finally picked up a m7 again from camera west. After getting a m8 and really enjoying it I really missed having a more modern film M. Some back story. At the height of covid I was shooting a m6ttl and m7 combo. I loved that combo but wanted to consolidate to 1. I traded both in on a new M-A. The m-a I got (Brand new from leica) ended up with a light leak out of the box. I ended up getting it repaired from leica. But after that experience I decided to sell the m-a for a m10p to help me shoot less film. Long story short with the m10p got traded for a q2m then to a M10m and now the m10m sold to pay for bills. Now I have a m8 and M3 (m3 I have had for nearly 20 years) combo but I really wanted something full frame and with a meter. I honestly could never get the digital m10 to look like film. (m8 doesn't look like film really but its fantastic in its rendering, Unique to anything i have ever used period!) anyways this brought me back to a metered M. With a newborn getting more and more wiggly every day I wanted something that has some automation. This leaves the M7. I am thinking I am going to keep this one till it bricks. Hoping the things that annoyed me about the m7 prior wont annoy me this time around. the biggest thing was I kept leaving the camera on in my bag. But since having the digitals I have gotten better about this. crossing my fingers! Crazy how we come back around on things. Next on the list to get back is a 28mm summicron v1.

A shot of my m6ttl and m7 combo from 6 years ago! cant believe that was this long ago.

 

[steveyork]

Man, everyone has this story, where they cycle through gear until they find what fits. I did that. M6 --> M6ttl --> MP --> MP & M7 --> M4 & M5 --> SLR's --> back to rangefinders, Nikon, Zeiss, Leica M3 --> Leica M2. Once I hit a M2, it sort of clicked, and that's where I've been for the last 7-8 years w/ no desires to change. This period also reflected a focal length change, gravitating from 50mm to 35mm, and away from modern asphericals. I've recently considered digital, but only because of traveling, but still think I can safely do film. Here's hoping that the M7 is the answer for you. The journey to find what works can be annoying, and frustrating, but unavoidable, part of the experience.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Man, everyone has this story, where they cycle through gear until they find what fits. I did that. M6 --> M6ttl --> MP --> MP & M7 --> M4 & M5 --> SLR's --> back to rangefinders, Nikon, Zeiss, Leica M3 --> Leica M2. Once I hit a M2, it sort of clicked, and that's where I've been for the last 7-8 years w/ no desires to change. This period also reflected a focal length change, gravitating from 50mm to 35mm. I've recently considered digital, but only because of traveling, but still think I can safely do film. Here's hoping that the M7 is the answer for you. The journey to find what works can be annoying, and frustrating, but unavoidable, part of the experience.

Thanks! The M2 is a underrated camera. Last summer I shot with a ricoh gr1s all summer and had a fun time with the aperture priority quickness. I think i will be happy with the m7. I thought about a m6ttl but I got the m7 for 300$ less than the cheepest m6ttl I could find. and I really think I am going to like having the aperture priority with the new born. I think honestly I could be happy with an m4 again but having my m3 still it didn't make much sense. the m3 I have is the smoothest operating m I have used. film advance is like butter. I hear you on the 35mm. I float around with that. sometimes I love 50mm and some times I love 35mm. Actually my favorite is the crop on the m8 with 35mm. Its a 46mm. its almost perfect for me. and because its a 35mm the zone focus is the same. What I think people like about the 43mm on the new q343. I think In an ideal world Id shoot 28mm and 50mm and skip the 35mm. Cant wait to throw my trusty 50mm elmar M f2.8 on the m7.

 

[girdwoodINC]

Loved my M7, just recently let it go as I hadn’t been using it as much as my MP - they’re highly underrated in my opinion

 

[Archiver]

A couple of years ago, I sadly let go of my M7 due to an unexpected situation. Although I barely touched it for years as I hardly shot with film, it was still a prized part of the stable. The feel of a film M is like nothing else. Congratulations on your new M7, may it bring you joy and many keepers.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Loved my M7, just recently let it go as I hadn’t been using it as much as my MP - they’re highly underrated in my opinion

I let mine too soon the first time. I think I had it less than a year. I dont mind rocking the electronicness of the camera especially since I still have my m3 and a trusty Nikon f2sb. I have always thought of the m7 as leicas answer to the f3 (although introduced much later than the f3) and there are plenty of people rocking the f3 these days. The only thing that I thought Leica missed the mark on with the m7 was the shutter. the Nikon fm3a had all mechanical speeds and aperture priority. I do know that the horizontal cloth shutter of the m7 is different though than the vertically traveling shutters. but hey you still have 125th and 1/60th as mechanical shutter speeds.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

A couple of years ago, I sadly let go of my M7 due to an unexpected situation. Although I barely touched it for years as I hardly shot with film, it was still a prized part of the stable. The feel of a film M is like nothing else. Congratulations on your new M7, may it bring you joy and many keepers.

sounds like my m10m situation. I wish I could have kept that one but had to let it go to pay for my daughters birth and a car project I have. I am excited to get a m7 in my hands again.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Its interesting that you dont see alot of m7 love on the forum too. at least more recent love. probibly the electronics. like I said above people still rock nikon f3s from the 1980s and they work fine. I actually had a f3 repaired as well. anyways The m7 needs more love. I remember wanting the m7 after watching the movie eurotrip haha. didnt age the best (the movie not the camera)

 

[JohnWolf]

…. I am thinking I am going to keep this one till it bricks….

Congratulations. I’m envious. After using digital Ms and aperture priority for many years, I’ve wanted an M7 to complement my M2. But from all I’ve read about repairability, it’s the bricking that gives me pause. I should probably take a leap of faith. Enjoy yours!

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Congratulations. I’m envious. After using digital Ms and aperture priority for many years, I’ve wanted an M7 to complement my M2. But from all I’ve read about repairability, it’s the bricking that concerns me. I should probably take a leap of faith. Enjoy yours!

I am not too worried about the m7 honestly. hahahahah the very least you have 125th and 60th if it does brick. no but seriously this one has been back to leica and cla'd. It should be good to go. I think Leica still repairs them as of now its just $$$ and time. But one of my rants is technicians should train more in circuit boards and electronics because everything in the last 20 years has a circut board.

 

[das]

Imho, the M7 is the best overall film Leica M for real-world usability. I would pretty much sell every 35mm camera I own before parting with it. It's around 20 years old and has not "bricked." The AE and AE-L are wonderful features to have, even if you don't want to use them, to get shots without having to fiddle with the aperture and shutter speed every time the light changes slightly. I would take the M7 over the M6/MP any day -- but it's definitely a good idea to get the MP finder upgrade if you can.

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Imho, the M7 is the best overall film Leica M for real-world usability. I would pretty much sell every 35mm camera I own before parting with it. It's around 20 years old and has not "bricked." The AE and AE-L are wonderful features to have, even if you don't want to use them, to get shots without having to fiddle with the aperture and shutter speed every time the light changes slightly. I would take the M7 over the M6/MP any day -- but it's definitely a good idea to get the MP finder upgrade if you can.

THis is how I have always felt about the m7! there are plenty of older film cameras that have aperature priority that still work. The Fe and Fe2 are ones that comes to mind that I own. The m7 also feels better to me than the m6ttl because of the brass top and bottom plate. People always say its bigger and its not bigger than the m6ttl. Also people say that It wont work with the goggled lenses: also not true. the finder windows still line up. Its a fantastic camera that I am excited to get my hands back on.

 

[38Deardorff]

THis is how I have always felt about the m7! there are plenty of older film cameras that have aperature priority that still work. The Fe and Fe2 are ones that comes to mind that I own. The m7 also feels better to me than the m6ttl because of the brass top and bottom plate. People always say its bigger and its not bigger than the m6ttl. Also people say that It wont work with the goggled lenses: also not true. the finder windows still line up. Its a fantastic camera that I am excited to get my hands back on.

No question the M7 is a cool camera. The difference with the FE & FE2 is that if they 'brick' you're out a hundred bucks...& it's easily & painlessly replaced.
Best of luck with your new one!

 

[Out to Lunch]

The M7 may be suffering from a reputation vs. reality problem, and bricking is not a common problem. Mine is just chugging along.

 

[das]

The M7 may be suffering from a reputation vs. reality problem, and bricking is not a common problem. Mine is just chugging along.

All the internet M6 bros needed a reason to diss on it. 🙂..

 

[Out to Lunch]

All the internet M6 bros

and the mechanical mafia.

 

[38Deardorff]

and the mechanical mafia.

Call me in 50 yrs....😉

 

[Roastchestnuts]

Call me in 50 yrs....😉

In 50 years ill be 86. I hope Ill be shooting still but who knows. if the m7 last 50 years Ill be happy. Luckily I have a f2sb and a m3 that I am sure will last 50 more years unless my house gets nuked.

No question the M7 is a cool camera. The difference with the FE & FE2 is that if they 'brick' you're out a hundred bucks...& it's easily & painlessly replaced.
Best of luck with your new one!

yeah my fe has been working for nearly 50 years now and I think the leica is made just as well. If my leica works for just 20 more years Ill be happy. 20 years is also a long time to save up for a leica m4 if film is still going strong in 20 years. I saw a quote from somebody saying many of the canon ae1 cameras are still going and are made much more cheaply.

All the internet M6 bros needed a reason to diss on it. 🙂..

obsessed with the m6! dont get me wrong its a great camera but I do think the m4 and the m7 is made better. I blame matt day on youtube for the hype.

and the mechanical mafia.

I do love a mechanical camera. I fall into that category. I will say in more recent years I have embraced some electronic cameras. my m8 is nearly 20 years old and its great! I bought the m7 for the a mode and for photography sake. I want to be able to take photos quickly without worrying about exposure as much.

 

[das]

Another thought. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the M6 had become a staple for certain photojournalists, who often carried one alongside their Nikon F4/F5 or Canon EOS-1N or whatever. The 2002 introduction of the M7 coincided with the beginning of the widespread adoption of digital cameras. And the internet hate that the M7 (and the prior 1999 Hexar RF) received from many Leica fans (who had spent the prior 15 years fantasizing about their list of dream features for the next M) was pretty intense, mainly because of the electronic shutter and battery dependence (although the M7 has several manual backup speeds). Because most pros were going digital anyway, there was no need to upgrade their M6s to M7s. In fact, many pros ditched their M6s in droves during the first decade of the 2000s -- the era where you could find used non-TTL models for as low as $600. Because the M7 was never really put through its paces in a widespread manner as a professional platform, it probably never received the attention that it deserved.

And then many of the folks who had complained about the "electronically-controlled shutter" in the M7 had no problem several years later buying M8s, M9s, and M240s. 🙂.

 

[38Deardorff]

Another thought. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the M6 had become a staple for certain photojournalists, who often carried one alongside their Nikon F4/F5 or Canon EOS-1N or whatever. The 2002 introduction of the M7 coincided with the beginning of the widespread adoption of digital cameras. And the internet hate that the M7 (and the prior 1999 Hexar RF) received from many Leica fans (who had spent the prior 15 years fantasizing about their list of dream features for the next M) was pretty intense, mainly because of the electronic shutter and battery dependence (although the M7 has several manual backup speeds). Because most pros were going digital anyway, there was no need to upgrade their M6s to M7s. In fact, many pros ditched their M6s in droves during the first decade of the 2000s -- the era where you could find used non-TTL models for as low as $600. Because the M7 was never really put through its paces in a widespread manner as a professional platform, it probably never received the attention that it deserved.

And then many of the folks who had complained about the "electronically-controlled shutter" in the M7 had no problem several years later buying M8s, M9s, and M240s. 🙂.

To be honest everyone is aware that the M8 & M9 had more than their share of problems...... = reasons why people wouldn't spend (originally) $5800- $7000 USD for a camera body that was unreliable.....& then wait months for repair....that's especially true for the pros.
Well before the 80s pros used a combo of Leica M & Nikon.
IMO the M6 ttl/ M7 weren't hated.....(historically, that dubious honour may go to the M5 as the Edsel of Leica M camera design). I think sales of the M6ttl & M7 (as good as they may be) dropped off when they ceased to be supported by Leica. Like the highly respected Nikon F/F2...... Leicas have been valued for their reliability.....as tools that don't stop working. If it can't be repaired it loses part of its ultimate value.