M7, A Second View

Andy Charrier

Andy Charrier
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[/B]Dear Friends

One month ago a wrote my first impression about my brand new M7. It was my first time with a Leica and also the very first time with a rangefinder cameras. Now, with a little more experience I woul like to write a second view about my Leica.
I m a Nikon SLR 35 mm users so this is my comparison chart.
The first thing I notice when I hold in my hands was that the body was cold very cold.
That’s mean that the camera was build completely of metal. That was really great. Cold and heavy, very heavy too. So the camera was build inside also of full metal.
My Leica M7 is as heavy as my Nikon F100 maybe even more. But that doesn’t really matters me at all. I am used to carry for long periods in the outdoor a Nikon F4 extremely heavy.
I bought some weeks ago the Leica hand grip. It looks made of steel too. But when I hold in my hands it was very light. Very, I mean VERY disappointing :bang: . I think this tool is useful in my case, is well constructed and keep the line of Leica stile, you can change film without taking it out. But is not long enough and breaks the line of the camera body. Strange. I liked Bessa R grip that’s long enough and doesn’t cut the camera form. I will used it for a while until I get used to handle with out it. The grip stay separate fron the camera body, that is very strange and I ignore really why. The grip also have a little “nail” in the back side that can maybe damage the camera cover. The cover feels good but Matus classic M6 leather is slip less.
I wrote in my first impression that the M7 had two sharp endings above close to the rewind crank. Im not saying that this sharp endings are hurting my face, not at all. But when you handle it gives a strange feeling in my hands. Matu`s new classic M6 has more rounded and softer finish I liked it a lot, I prefer that. The plastic battery compartment cover is still very disappointing to me, I cant understand it. M6 is also plastic but inside it has a steel screw that keeps the batteries firmly inside and gives a hard finish to the top. I still cannot understand why the camera is sooooooooo extremely battery dependant. I think is a very big mistake of the Leica Company. M6 works with out battery in any single speed even the flash works without problem. M7 flash wont work with out battery and I am very used to used fill flash with my Nikons. About flash… every single person who said that they don’t use flash in his Leica pictures is in some way recognising that they don’t know how to really use it. I mean, to use it in the way you don’t notice at the first look. Im working for about 5 years with my Nikon SB50 fill flash and is really complicated. Just take a look at the National Geographic magazine and if you learn to “read” light you will see what I say in almost every single photograph. That’s the main reason why Metz create an advanced dedicated Flash for Leica M system that is capable of sync speeds up to 1/1000 So why my camera hot shoe cant work without batteries?! :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:
As I can imagine AE for old Leica users could be a big cultural shock as I read in the web this days, but I think is a great idea. Im 34 years old and I have been living the last 15 years in a digital world so I need an AUTO something in my camera. But why not add a design with a full mechanical/electronical hybrid interface to create an all mechanic camera like the MP or M6 with AE, so difficult cannot be for Leica engineering. Maybe in 15 years more with the M8, who knows. I would choose this changes much more than an autofocus system like the Contax G2 that looks for me much more like a point and shot camera. To understand the secret meaning of the frames systems is still very difficult to me . I never know wich frame selector Im using. I know I will get more used to it with the years but why not show the frame number in the LCD camera back panel (just joking!) :) . The frame counter is something that I like a lot. It looks old and rough that’s nice. I will hate to have every each number as other modern cameras. It was extremely difficult for me to charge the film but in this weeks I learn to do it even in dim light but it is very slowly, but gives character to the camera. That’s my main reason to reject Voigtlander Bessa cameras as second body. But the chamber is too thin.
The quick-wind lever has a plastic moving finish is soft and useful but MP lever is made of steel, it would be nice to have the option to choose between both. Shutter speed dial of M7 is great big and solid. M6 is so little. Any way I love the filling of Nikon F4 or Sony F828 digital camera dial ring. Rewind crank is a little bit slippery and too short (size matters!!) it would be much faster and easy to hold a little bit longer.
My 35/1.4 (old? 2722437) summilux is so little I cant really hold it but this a SLR lens professional deformation.
Anyway my beloved brand new black German girlfriend with her sexy red point is still the sweetest thing I ever had. I’m still in love with her exactly the same as the first day maybe more and more. Smooth, soft, cold and heavy are only excellent adjective for this STATE OF THE ART baby. Those who know can not explain, those who do not know can not understand. As you may probably share with me the picture is not inside the camera body not even in the lens. The picture is an abstract idea and you need sometimes a powerful tools to create that idea. But photography, photography is not about pictures it is about cameras. Isn’t it? That’s why we are in the forum.
Thanks a lot again and a gain and sorry for so many bored words :eek: . I promise you this is the last time.
Thanks Matu again for all you time and patience with me Im very gratefully with you again. Congratulations for you new M6 Titanium guachita. ;)

I will love to hear ALL your comments .

Andy Charrier.
 
Andy,
I'm amazed how a Nikonian gets to become a Leica lover, I understand you like the machine and how well it's made, but such luxury only will bring you work... the M's are very spartan, your M7 has it´s AE system but is still a simple camera, that converts you in a craftman that has to work his way out to the picture.
I hope you enjoy this "different" not better nor worst way of making pictures.
Please finish soon your film and share your pics with us in the gallery.

I'm still green that you found that M7 before me.

Pablo
 
I thought you were a racist pig referring to your sexy black German girlfriend but then "I got it". Enjoy it. One word of advice, having a very cold American wife, be careful sleeping with your cold german girlfriend next to you.
 
Good assesment Andy

You through me off with the comment on your black German girl friend. I thought we were going to see some glam shots!

I like your observation about the feel. Even my wife commented on it the first time she used it, and she is a through and through cheap digital shooter. Doesn't know a camera from a scanner.

I also especially like your observation about the plastic wind lever. H E L L O... give me an all metal one, like an M3, MP. No can do, according to Leica. Really weak.

I think you'll get used to holding it sans grip and eventually ditch that. I like the feel in my hands and I think I'd actually be scared of dropping it with something between my hand and the camera.

I can also tell you that you will be able to load the camera blindfolded after not too long. You figure out where to hold the bottom (your mouth, pocket, armpit) and thread the film and it's very easy. Now, the bottom, old roll taken out and Luigi's half case are a bit of a juggle, but even that you make due.

And lastly, the counter. WOW. I can read it with the glow from my watch! At first I hated the white dial: but, it's grea and very ledgible. Now, I can't read the Voigt or F3 dials in the dark, but I almost always know how much film is left in the M7

In short, yeah, a few flaws, but by and large it's a great camera (as it shouldbe for the bucks) and you will grow to love it even more

David

Andy Charrier said:
Dear Friends


The first thing I notice when I hold in my hands was that the body was cold very cold.
That’s mean that the camera was build completely of metal. That was really great. Cold and heavy, very heavy too. So the camera was build inside also of full metal.
My Leica M7 is as heavy as my Nikon F100 maybe even more.


I bought some weeks ago the Leica hand grip. It looks made of steel too. But when I hold in my hands it was very light. Very, I mean VERY disappointing :bang:

The frame counter is something that I like a lot. It looks old and rough that’s nice. I will hate to have every each number as other modern cameras. It was extremely difficult for me to charge the film but in this weeks I learn to do it even in dim light but it is very slowly, but gives character to the camera.

The quick-wind lever has a plastic moving finish is soft and useful but MP lever is made of steel, it would be nice to have the option to choose between both.

Anyway my beloved brand new black German girlfriend with her sexy red point is still the sweetest thing I ever had. I’m still in love with her exactly the same as the first day maybe more and more.

Andy Charrier.
 
Andy Charrier said:
[/B]About flash… every single person who said that they don’t use flash in his Leica pictures is in some way recognising that they don’t know how to really use it.

I don't use flash because I don't wish to use flash. It is not as attractive as natural light, it breaks the mood of subjects and attracts attention. I can use fill-flash as well as anyone, thank you: it is not a complex matter.
 
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Maybe worth pointing out the flash needs batteries to work. So does a Sony 828... Why not just carry a spare battery set and forget that battery dependency "problem." :)

Looking forward to seeing your M7 pics, Andy! Have fun...
 
Andy, glad you basically like your new M7. As to faults, no camera is 100% perfect so don't sweat the small things. The advance lever can be replaced with a solid metal one like the MP has. Leica can do it, so can DAG in the US. But keep in mind that the plastic tipped one has been around since 1967 and how many times has anyone actually seen one broken? The plastic tip is actually moulded to a metal substrate that fits over the metal part of the advance lever and is secured with a screw. Bascially it could fall off if the screw came off (it's on really tight though) but to break the plastic would take enough of a whack to do a lot more damage than just the plastic tip because the plastic they've been using since the M4-P/M6 era has a much higher modulus of elasticity than the type used on the M4 and on most other cameras with plastic wind tips.

As to not having all speeds mechanical as well as electronic, if you're familiar with the construction of the M body you would have a hard time trying to figure out where to fit the electromagnets for the shutter control without removing something from under the top plate, either the mechanical speed escapement or the rangefinder would have to be omitted, and IMO Leica made the logical choice.

The plastic battery cover is pretty lame, not because it's plastic (some plastics are more durable than metal), but because it only takes a quarter turn for it to pop off and, being under spring pressure, to go flying, and the batteries hit the ground rolling. I'd have designed it with a half turn latch concentric to a hinged cover. The film speed dial on the M7s I've handled also had very weak detents, easy to upset.

As to using flash, it's not the battery thing that frustrates the use of the M for daylight fill, it's the 1/50 top sync speed. It can be done but with more limitations than even the cheapest entry-level AF-SLR.

The M Leica, including the M7, are definitely ecclectic items, it's not surprising people either love them or hate them.
 
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> I'm amazed how a Nikonian gets to become a Leica lover

It's easy. Just look through the Leica viewfinder.

The first time my daughter, Nikki, saw the M3 she remarked "Daddy, your camera is beautiful!" She was 5 at the time. Now 7, she has shot with the M3, Nikon SP, Nikon S3, and Retina IIIS.
 
Your demands, sir, are unreasonable! Just kidding, but as others have said, there are parts of the M design that are simply not solveable without changing the form of the camera. For example, if you want AE, then you are going to have to live with battery dependency. The fact that they give you 1/60th and 1/125th is two more speeds than 99% of the cameras currently available. Even an old Canon F1-N will only give you one speed if the batteries die.

As for flash, well I will admit that I don't have much experience with it, but for the type of photography I do, I am not really interested in it. So much about using rangefinders is their unobtrusiveness and their ability to take photographs in low light. I agree that flash can be very useful, but it is also the equivalent of lighting a optical explosion in the face of your subject. Before I got my Leica I used to go to parties with a Canon T90 and a 300TL flash. Whenever I took a shot, I blinded every single person in the room. People were not usually so pleased. When I came back shooting a Leica with a 50/1.4 and Delta 3200, the people were much more natural, relaxed, and interested in being photographed. The pictures came out vastly better.

Anyway, such is my experience....
 
Also, I think part of the joy of photographing available light is that you see things more as they look to you. Flash can remove the shadows and change what you saw in the scene in the first place. As for outside, I find that most situations that call for fill flash don't make good photographs anyway...the photos are much better lit if the person is facing the sun, not with the sun behind them. But, to each his own. If you like flash, you like flash. I just don't think it is the M system's forte, even if the Metz can sync to 1/1000th.
 
I don't like flash but I've used it occasionally. The little Leica flash works quite well and is all you really need and simple to use. I just wish you could conveniently bounce flash with it.

 
Peter, I don't mean "Nikonian" in a despective way, I also admire this camera's, is just that the world sometimes is divided in 2, Leitz and Zeiss school, isn't Canon Leitz or Nikon Zeiss, I thought Andy could have chosen a new Zeiss Ikon or a beatifull Nikon SP.
Anyhow I love great photographic machines, I would have them all if I could, I think the only ones I don't like are cheap digitals.

Pablo
 
matu said:
Peter, I don't mean "Nikonian" in a despective way, I also admire this camera's, is just that the world sometimes is divided in 2, Leitz and Zeiss school, isn't Canon Leitz or Nikon Zeiss, I thought Andy could have chosen a new Zeiss Ikon or a beatifull Nikon SP.
Anyhow I love great photographic machines, I would have them all if I could, I think the only ones I don't like are cheap digitals.

Pablo
Oh I know that Pablo! :) Lots of good cameras around and plenty to choose from as you say!!

 
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