M7 0.85 Pros and Cons?

[johnastovall]

I've been looking at the M7 and some used prices look interesting.

What have your user experiences been with it? I read conflicting reports as to it being nosier than the M6 or the same.

Pro's, Con's or comments? How does the M7 compare to the M6 (non-Ttl) 0.85

I just love to over research any purchase.

 

[Harry Lime]

It can be difficult to see the 35mm frameline makings with the .85 finder. This is an even bigger problem if you wear glasses. My M6ttl was a .85 and I had it changed to a .72 for this exact reason (and I don't even wear glasses). You also gain markings for the 28 with the .72 finder. I also have the optional magnifier, so I can turn the .72 back in to a .85 The .72 is accurate enough to focus a Noctilux close up at f1.0.

The M7 is one of the quietest M bodies around. I have 6 bodies and the only one that comes close is my well used M2. At very slow speeds (1/30th) the M7 is nearly silent.

New out of the box the M7 was smoother than my M6ttl (also purchased new). They are now almost even, but the M6ttl took a few years and a couple of hundred rolls to break in. The M7 has brass covers, so some day it will look nice and worn. But that's probably a while off. The black anodizing is very tough. It scratches, but is thicker than the anodizing on my M6ttl, which after just a few years started to show bald spots.

The M7 is a very, very good camera. I mostly shoot it in manual mode, but every once and a while the AE mode is very handy if I am trying to quickly grab a shot. My M7 was from a very early batch and still had the M6 style finder, so it flared occasionally. Sherry Kraueter upgraded the finder and now all is well.

I suggest keeping a spare set of batteries taped to the neck strap. The M7 will get about 60-70 rolls on a fresh set of good Lithium batteries, but as we all know they tend to run out at the worst moment...

 

[bob338]

I've been looking at the M7 and some used prices look interesting.

What have your user experiences been with it? I read conflicting reports as to it being nosier than the M6 or the same.

Pro's, Con's or comments? How does the M7 compare to the M6 (non-Ttl) 0.85

I just love to over research any purchase.

i've had an M7 .85 for a couple of weeks now and would not trade it for any other camera i can think of. if you don't need 28mm framelines, it is just about a perfect viewfinder(in my opinion,) lots of space to see the whole frameline and easier to focus with 50mm lenses and longer. i also have an m6ttl .85 and i haven't noticed any big difference between the VFs in them, but i really haven't looked for one.

as far as the shutter is concerned, i think it's actually quieter than any of my other cameras(m2, m3, m6, m6ttl and way quieter than any voigtlander i have owned.) but again, i have not sat down and tested them with a db meter.

another nice function is that in AUTO mode, the shutter does not have to correspond to stepped shutter times. meaning if you want to shoot a scene at f8, it will set the shutter at a 1/400 or 1/320 instead of at 1/250 or 1/500 like on any other M camera. you aren't limited to the numbers on the shutter speed dial. i use the camera in AUTO mode most of the time.

the used one i just bought is black chrome and it has not worn very nicely. black chrome is kind of ugly when it gets down to the zinc(or whateverit is) top plate. mine has also been recovered in griptac covering and i like it enough to be considering doing my m6s in it as well.

i'm sure you'll get many differing opinions on this camera, but i think it is the best of the M bodies...

good luck...
bob

 

[kipkeston]

I loved mine, but wanted to try the 8, so it left me. Don't know anything about .85.

 

[johnastovall]

I understand the MP anti-flare system can be done to the M7.

 

[visiondr]

My M7 is the smoothest M camera I've ever had; and I've owned an M4, M4-2, M6, M6TTL and MP. The shutter sound is a very soft "snick" and the winding action is perfect.

 

[Beemermark]

I agree with all the other comments. I own/or have owned an M2, M3, M4, m6 and now the M7. The flare in the M6 sucks, my M7 must be a later model because it has no flare and the VF is great. Very quiet camera. My only complaint is trying to get the exposed film canister out. It hangs up on the little prongs that read the film speed. Easy way to get it out is to use my leatherman pliers.

 

[peter_n]

I used two M7s for about three years and liked them very much. Very well made, very quiet especialy at slow speeds where there is no buzzing or whirring. The newer M7s have an optical DX reader so the film cassette doesn't stick in those. I loved the 0.85x but it has already been sold. Terrific for lenses > 50mm. I use a Noctilux so it was perfect on that camera. I'm about to sell the 0.72x which got used a lot less than the 0.85x. I ended up much preferring the 0.85x magnification and even used wide-angle lenses on it with no problems. I strongly recommend the camera.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I was very happy with mine - never a problem. It was my regular shooter until I sold it to buy the M8. The AE (blasphemy for an M shooter) is quite addicting!

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

I had a .85 for a while. It made using a 35mm lens VERY uncomfortable. As for the M7 being louder than an M6, i dunno. Never compared them. Any rangefinder is quiet enough for any of my purposes. How much of a difference could there be? How significant is it in the way you shoot?

My advice, though, is the seriously consider a Zeiss Ikon. After a .72 and a .85 M7, i sold both and now have an Ikon. Cheaper, quicker, easier to use, and with a better viewfinder. It doesn't have the 'heritage,' true. But, what's that worth?

 

[whiteley]

i've never used a .85 finder in any body so can't help out there, but i did just randomly compare shutter sounds on my m6, m7 and m8 tonight. personally i found the m6 to be just a little quieter overall, but the loudness wasn't so much the difference as the kind of sound- the m6 made more of a plasticy "plink" and the m7 more of a metallic "plunk." overall the m7 feels more solid and tight in shutter and wind, the m6 being sloppier but smoother. however, the m6 had about 10X more film run through it than the m7. as for the m8, well, i love the camera but the shutter/wind sound by side with either 6 or 7 was really a bummer. all in all the M7 feels like the best built of the three but i have the least attachment to it...

 

[mfogiel]

I've bought Keith's M7 and subsequently I have had the 75mm frame removed (it was coupled with the 50mm - a real nonsense ) and the VF upgraded to the latest version. I have bought this camera for a specific purpose: shooting the 50mm lens in interiors, and this is where this M7 excels: super silent operation, precise and big 50mm framing/focusing, no fear to burn the curtains shooting against the sun... I wear glasses, so the 35mm frames are hardly useable. In any case, for 35mm shooting the Zeiss Ikon is a far superior camera. I have occasionally shot the 90mm using the 1.33x megaperls magnifier, but it is always a stretch on any rangefinder. A Luigi half case with grip makes the camera unconspicuous, improves the vertical handling and further dampens the shutter noise. A final point: the AE exposure for me is a must if you want to do fast street shooting, and here the M7 delivers pretty well.

 

[Harry Lime]

The one thing that bothers me about the Zeiss ZM is that the RF patch does not move with the framelines, so it does not stay centered within them as the markings compensate for parallax....

 

[Freakscene]

The 0.85 finders before the MP modifications flare more than any other Leica finders. If you get one with the MP finder, it makes a huge difference, but your opinions on it might vary.

My M7 0.85 has had over a thousand rolls of film through it since December 2003. It's the camera I use most and feel most comfortable with. I mostly use a 50/2 or a Noctilux. If you habitually use a 35, as many people do, it might be a bit tricky.

Marty
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene

 

[sepiareverb]

I like the .85 M7 for 50 and longer lenses. M7's are much quieter. The optical DX reader is much better than the original- I'll eventually get the optical upgrade in my other M7's. Only real drawback to the M7 is battery dependence- you only get 1/60 & 1/125 without batteries. But carrying spares eliminates this problem- my Rapidgrips are all stocked.

 

[RichardB]

I have two M7's and an M6 Classic all with 0.85 finders. I don't use glasses, so have no problems with 35mm lens usage.
As to noise and other issues, its really up to you to form you own opinion, frankly I don't really see much difference but do like the AE feature of the M7's. TTL flash exposure is also nice but I use the M6 with flash also and it works fine.
Frankly, I really think it comes down to cost and what you want to spend. An M7 will cost more than an M6 Classic and if you like AE and TTL, then the choice is easy.-Dick