nzeeman -- over the last few years, there have been a number of threads at RFF comparing the P and the 7. You can find them online via Google. Here's one such thread:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-18096.html. Dante Stella (
www.dantestella.com), Karen Nakamura (
www.photoethnography.com), and our own head bartender have written articles on both cameras. RFF member Sonnar2 also has articles on Canon rangefinders and lenses on his website.
I have both cameras, and they are solid, well-constructed, and fun to use w/ LTM lenses. Apart from the meter, the biggest difference between the two is the viewfinder. The P's finder is 1:1, and has framelines for 35, 50 and 100 mm lenses visible all the time. I wear glasses and find the 35 framelines hard to see, but the camera is a joy to use w/ the 50 and 100 mm lenses. The 7 has .85 magnification (or so), and switchable framelines for 35, 50, 85/100, and 135 lenses. I find the 35 mm framelines easier to see on the 7. Other differences: the 7 is slightly larger than the P, and slightly heavier; it's comparable in size to an M5, I've been told. The P is a little taller than a Leica MP, but otherwise comparable in terms of dimensions and weight. The 7 has no accessory shoe; the P does. The P has no shutter lock; the 7 does. One major consideration may be whether you intend to use an accessory viewfinder. If you do, go w/ the P.
My P has been CLA'd, and its shutter is very quiet, close to Leica M. I find it works v. well for street photography. I like to use my 7 for landscapes, where the switchable framelines are an asset.
I have no idea what prices are like for either camera in Europe, let alone Serbia, but here in the U.S. a clean P body can be had for between $250 and $300. The 7 is a little cheaper.
Good luck!
