M7 returns, at last

[hlockwood]

I received my M7 today, back from Solms. I had the MP upgrade to the VF and the DX-reader upgrade. The flare is gone; even pointing the camera almost directly into the sun, there is no flare. DX reader? Drop the film in, drop it out. Very nice.

But it was a long wait. Leica NJ received the camera on 8 Jan., returned on 22 April. Solms also did a complete CLA, including a shutter re-calibration, rf adjustment, DX re-calibration, light seals replacement, exposure meter adjustment, etc.

I'm happy to be back in action.

Harry

 

[1057368]

congrats!
They could have very well given you a brand new camera!

 

[Phoenix]

Hi Harry, was this just an upgrade, or did your M7 have some problems. Can you give us some idea what Solms charged for all of this? thanks, elijah

 

[sepiareverb]

Yikes that's a long time. Drop-in/drop-out film loading should be worth it in the long run.

 

[johnwnyc]

Sounds like a good bit of work, but let's be honest here -- that's a ridiculous amount of time for Leica to have the camera. What, they still have only 3 people working at the shop? Sheesh.

 

[hlockwood]

Hi Harry, was this just an upgrade, or did your M7 have some problems. Can you give us some idea what Solms charged for all of this? thanks, elijah

The M7, bought new 8 months prior, was sent to NJ (then on to Solms) for the VF and DX-reader upgrade. I had been informed, in writing, that the upgrades were covered under the Passport warranty. Solms, not realizing that the camera was under warranty, sent an invoice for $1060 for the upgrades and an extensive CLA. (Why did a coddled new camera need such extensive work? Dunno.) Well, the CLA charge was dropped, but the upgrades, it turns out, are not actually covered, so a charge of $415 remained for the upgrades. But since Leica had accepted the camera for the upgrades under warranty, they had a choice of either reneging or eating the upgrade charge. To their credit, they opted for the latter. The negotiations over the charges added about a month to the turnaround time.

Harry

 

[ilia]

Hi,

could you explain me what is Drop-in/drop-out film loading ?
can you provide any links ?

thx

 

[parasko]

Hi,

could you explain me what is Drop-in/drop-out film loading ?
can you provide any links ?

thx

ditto! What is this? What is the DX upgrade?

 

[saltyfli]

I, also have never heard of the DX upgrade or drop in film loading upgrades. Please explain them . My M-7 has the upgraded flare resistent veiwfinder, it is one of the newer ones that came that way so the flare problem is thankfully not a issue .

 

[itf]

Hi,

could you explain me what is Drop-in/drop-out film loading ?
can you provide any links ?

thx

Makes it like a P&S 😛. The camera just reads from that funny little set of black and silver squares what the iso of the film is and how many frames as well as how much latitude in exposure the film will handle. Know how you usually just put film in a P&S and start P&Sing, no changing the lightmeter dial?

 

[hlockwood]

I, also have never heard of the DX upgrade or drop in film loading upgrades. Please explain them . My M-7 has the upgraded flare resistent veiwfinder, it is one of the newer ones that came that way so the flare problem is thankfully not a issue .

The DX-reader upgrade replaces the mechanical reader with an optical reader. The film cassette is no longer held in by friction, as on old-fashioned Leicas. 😀 The immediate effect is that removing the film after exposure doesn't require banging the camera on the palm of your hand (or on a nearby table top 😱) to loosen the cassette; it just drops out under gravity. It is definitely not drop-in, drop-out as in a P&S.

Harry

 

[itf]

Sorry, just having a laugh. I was referring to the actual DX coding and not the loading of the film. People might actually be most familiar with DX through using P&S cameras, that is not familiar with it at all because you don't have to do anything to set the ISO.