I feel I need an M7

[Fred]

I love the M7, there is more to it than just the auto bit. I prefer the larger shutter speed dial (that rotates in the opposite direction to the other Ms apart from the M6 TTL) I find it much easier to use without taking the camera away from the eye. Also you get longer stutter speeds than 1 sec in AE.

 

[Nick R.]

Since you have a field camera in your sig, I have to believe you already have a good incident meter. It surprises me then that you're using the little camera mount VC meter, which, if you continue to use it, will always get in the way of your shooting, i.e. chasing the needle. With the incident meter, once you take a few readings you can set your camera and make slight adjustments as you go based on educated guesses. Then again, there's no reason not to get the M7 if that's what you want.

 

[RicardoD]

This may be blasphemus to suggest, but if you are trying to shoot unpredictable moving kids with a narrow DOF nothing beats a DSLR. In this situation I just put the 50mm F1.8 canon lens on my Canon 300D, set to aperture priority with the appropriate autofocus spot set, and then blast away. With my little toddlers this is the only thing that is working for me. Once they hit the age when they will sit still for a moment I can start trying to get some good rangefinder photos of them with good DOF.

 

[JohanV]

Since you have a field camera in your sig, I have to believe you already have a good incident meter. It surprises me then that you're using the little camera mount VC meter, which, if you continue to use it, will always get in the way of your shooting, i.e. chasing the needle. With the incident meter, once you take a few readings you can set your camera and make slight adjustments as you go based on educated guesses. Then again, there's no reason not to get the M7 if that's what you want.

Actually Ido have a "Konica Minolta auto meter VF" which I use in the studio, but it would get in the way if I had to use it together with the M2 & M3. And of course with b&w, you can afford to be a good stop off, so the little meter is all right, just as an internal light meter would be...

 

[JohanV]

Once they hit the age when they will sit still for a moment I can start trying to get some good rangefinder photos of them with good DOF.

That sounds like good advice... 😉

 

[anaanda]

If you have money to burn, then buy it, if not ...well...Its true you have to love your camera but remember its you that counts not the camera..Some photographers take better pictures with throw aways than with Leica's...but hey I shouldn't talk I have an xpan but I only paid $1300 for it where as the Leica M7 with a lens is around $5000... no? I am not going to lie, I always shoot aperture priority, but I hate full auto. My Xpan is perfect for me, its both a standard and wide angle, 35 and medium format in one camera!!

Bottom line... Rent one or borrow one first and then see..

 

[JohanV]

I get your point, but of course I already have a 35, 50, 75 and 90 lens, so I am just looking at acquiring the M7 body.

 

[IanForber]

SO wish I could think of a good excuse to persuade me (and more importantly, my wife) that I need an M7...if you can, do it.

 

[ywenz]

You don't need an M7. The AE feature is not all that useful.

 

[ch1]

This may be blasphemus to suggest, but if you are trying to shoot unpredictable moving kids with a narrow DOF nothing beats a DSLR. In this situation I just put the 50mm F1.8 canon lens on my Canon 300D, set to aperture priority with the appropriate autofocus spot set, and then blast away. With my little toddlers this is the only thing that is working for me. Once they hit the age when they will sit still for a moment I can start trying to get some good rangefinder photos of them with good DOF.

Not only is this NOT blasphemous - it is the best suggestion possible for the type of shooting described.

Last year I took an Intro to DSLR Photography course after buying a D70. The students were a mixed bag of ages, genders, experience with film and digital etc. But at least three of them were grandparents who were frustrated trying to chase around squirmy grandkids and realized that digital (be it DSLR or P&S) was the best solution.

Different tools for different circumstances. Enjoy the M7 - but either the grandkids are an excuse or you're going to be disappointed when it proves of little greater advantage to what you already have.

 

[JohanV]

Well the GAS attack was so fierce that I just had to give in. The Belgian importer had one (1) chrome M7 .72 sitting on his shelf, and now it sits on my lap. It is absolutely gorgeous, a dream to hold and USE (yes gentlemen, user, not collector).
I'll post a pic when my first roll is done.
Now where did I leave my gas-mask?

 

[pbjbike]

Congratulations, Johan! The AE should be a big help with tricky lighting and fast moving subjects. You mentioned enjoying shots taken at maximum aperture, however:

Zone focusing is the only way to go, IMO, with subjects like children or at an event like a wedding. M's are perfect for this, since the finder is always "in focus". It's what most wedding photographers used before autofocus 😉. Try a roll using ZF and you will be free to concentrate on the less technical aspects of photography, like composition. Have fun with your new gear!

 

[JohanV]

Thanks, pbjbike, I will certainly try this.

 

[pmu]

As mentioned before, handheld incident light meter is the way to go... First I hesitated about getting an M2 because it had no light meter, but learned to work with it very quickly. Now I use handheld meter even when I'm shooting with my Nikon F5 -- and F5:s light meter is propably the best built-in meter you can get! 🙂

 

[julianphotoart]

I was going to say to buy ZI instead but if the issue is, at least sometimes, not keeping up with re-setting the film speed on meter and/or camera, then maybe ZI isn't best since you have to manually set the speed.
Konica RF and M7 on the other hand automatically read the film-speed. I have to admit to having had bad enough GAS to have acquired all 3 (Konica RF, ZI, and M7).
Konica RF not only has the automatic reading of ISO when you put in the film canister, but also has auto film advance and not-at-all-finnicky AE and AE-L settings. I don't like auto film advance and I don't like the volume of the sound it makes.
M7 has auto reading of ISO when you put in the canister, has quietest shutter, has manual film advance, has AE and AE-L settings (though AE-L is finnicky), is not completely battery dependent (albeit only at 1/60 and 1/125) and has Leica build.
ZI does not auto-read the ISO, has not-so-finnicky AE and AE-L, has louder shutter than M7, has buttery-smooth film advance, is totallyl battery dependent, is comparable (at least to me) to Konica in build quality, and has best viewfinder of the three.
I don't think M7 is necessarily THE answer. If you have M7 money, why not get the titanium "Limited Edition" Konica RF with the 50mm f1.2 lens.

Julian

 

[JohanV]

As mentioned before, handheld incident light meter is the way to go... First I hesitated about getting an M2 because it had no light meter, but learned to work with it very quickly. Now I use handheld meter even when I'm shooting with my Nikon F5 -- and F5:s light meter is propably the best built-in meter you can get!


Errrrrr...
A handheld incident meter is lovely in the studio, but I cannot see myself jumping in front of whoever I want to photograph waving a handheld meter in front of them towards my camera to read the exposure.
Just won't work I'm afraid...
However much I prefer reading incident light to reflected, it just isn't practical.

 

[BudGreen]

This thread must be about out of steam, since it sounds like you have an M7 in your hands, but I'll add this: I use both an M7 and an MP. Between the two I shoot about 3-4 rolls per week. The word "need" and "Leica" don't really go together, but I've found the M7 to be a great tool for fast moving subjects such as children. Enjoy your camera.

 

[JohanV]

I guess you are right, I dont't "need" a Leica. But boy, do I want one.
And since I am now the happy curator (never think 'owner') of several M's, including the M7, my happiness is absolute and complete.

(Cue: Chorus of "All you need is Love!")

 

[Huck Finn]

I don't think M7 is necessarily THE answer. If you have M7 money, why not get the titanium "Limited Edition" Konica RF with the 50mm f1.2 lens.

Julian

Wouldn't the answer to your question be because the 0.6 magnification is less than ideal for the 50/1.2 lens they're selling with it in that LE kit? Heck, the effective base length of the Bessa R3A is almost as good. And with a low magnification like that, why did they clutter up the viewfinder with the addition of 135 frame lines to the screen that displays frame lines for the popular 35 mm focal length? They should have just left the 135 frame out since the rangefinder isn't designed to focus it adequately anyway.

 

[ddutchison]

...
A handheld incident meter is lovely in the studio, but I cannot see myself jumping in front of whoever I want to photograph waving a handheld meter in front of them towards my camera to read the exposure.

No-no-no-no-no. Take the readings where you stand - if it's overcast, you don't even have to worry about which direction it's pointed. Add or subtract a stop or two if the subject's in different light (it's all about developing an instinct for light), then don't touch the meter again until the light changes.