Canon P, Canon 7 Viewfinders

[lmd91343]

The P's VF feels cluttered with the multiple framelines. I cannot see the 50mm framelines on the P with my glasses. I have have two P cameras and have used only one roll of film between them. The P looks "cool".

The 7 has better eye relief. It is easy to see bright the projected frame lines. I can see the 35mm framelines with my glasses. It has a greater BL and EBL. Also the 7 and 7s have built in light meters (coupled to shutter speed). On our head bartender's web site , he calls the 7s the most advanced LTM camera.

Both cameras are exactly the same size in depth and width. The 7 is slightly taller. The bartender also said the top and bottom plates of the 7 feel thinner than the P's. The P and the 7 plates are the same thickeness. I measured them with a micrometer.

 

[David Murphy]

The 7 has a better frame line system every thing lens being equal. The 7 is the way to go if you wear eyeglasses.

 

[hks3sgte]

which has brighter frame lines and rangefinder patch?

 

[theanalogue]

which has brighter frame lines and rangefinder patch?

I would definitely say the 7. When I go back to my 7 after using the P the difference is quite noticeable.

 

[John Shriver]

While I've never used a P, I would normally expect the bright line frame lines on the 7 and 7s to be "brighter" than the Albada frame lines on the Canon P.

You're looking through more air/glass surfaces in the Canon 7 finder than in the Canon P finder.

I'm quite happy from a practicality point of view with the 7s finder. One does have to concentrate on where the current framelines are, you can't just use the whole finder.

For "in your face" framelines, the Aires Viscount is something, the 45mm frame is bright yellow, the 80mm frame (for aux telephoto lens) is bright red. You won't miss them!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The framelines on the Canon 7 are projected onto the viewfinder, the Canon P uses a moving mask with framelines etched (or some process) on it. The Canon 7 framelines are brighter.

For long lenses, the Canon 7 is the way to go. A Nikkor 10.5cm F2.5 with a lens hood obstructs the RF window of the Canon P, makes the RF patch disappear. This does not happen with the Canon 7 as the RF window is positioned much farther from the lens.

 

[lmd91343]

which has brighter frame lines and rangefinder patch?

The 7. The 7.

I just checked 10 seconds ago.

 

[Bill58]

If you have a P w/ a dark patch (many have faded) for proper focusing, THE solution to the VF "problems" of the P is to use CV accessory VFs. They're super-bright and most have easy to use framelines w/ eyeglasses. Now what's the problem?

 

[Sonnar2]

Folks, this was discussed a thousand times here.

In the meantime, I prefer the answer that this is based on two individual cameras (all of them are nearly 50 years old and age differently like humans) and photograph and individual eyesight.

As to the pure facts: yes, the P/7 are slightly larger than a Leica M2-6, because they have longer bodies. And, no, the 7 isn't really bigger than a P, it just "feels" so. The P looks smaller through their long line, and depressed shutter dial area. Both have exactly the same baseplate size. The part of the 7 where the selenium meter is is slightly higher than the P, but a lot smaller than a P with attached Canon meter. The weight difference between the P and the 7 is exactly this attached Canon meter, which you save with a working meter on a 7 (the sensivity of both meters are exactly the same, and probably they share a lot of parts together). I haven't opened a P and a 7 yet but to my feel both cameras share most important parts too. I cannot agree with the talk claiming that a P is more "solid" than a 7, because both are pretty the same camera basically. Maybe it feels more solid because it's simpler. Anyway a good reason to buy a P.

Just from design, reflected framelines (of the P) are not so bright as projected ones (on a 7). This can be more important when shooting in low light condition than with daylight. But to my feel, the framelines are pretty good visible on a P. Even the 35mm for my eyeglass view. Even as an eyeglass viewer I prefer the P because of its hard plastic eyepiece. It will not scratch my expensive glasses to death like the metal eyepiece of the 7 does.

On the other hand, there are always people who like a 1:1 finder more, and others who prefer a minifiying finder. A 1:1-finder is "large" anyhow with a 35mm lens, but pretty good with a 50mm and really great with 100mm. If you prefer 85mm to 100mm you will eventually don't prefer a P over a 7. In direct comparison, a minifying finder feels "brighter" because of the minifying. It actually is brighter due to optical laws, but smaller to the same extend. I cannot compare the P finder with a M2 because I have none, but it is quite as bright as my brand new Bessa R3M, and MUCH brighter than my Nikon S2 of (nearly) the same vintage.

cheers,

 

[novum]

My P's viewfinder is in the same league as the M6 I sold, as far as brightness and usability is concerned, but I only shoot with 40 and 50mm lenses. I dislike the Populaire's permanent framelines, but in practice it's a moot point.