Quality Of The Rf Patch Of The Canon 7

[Vincenzo Maielli]

What is the quality of the rangefinder patch of the Canon 7 or 7s, in respect of the coeval Leica M cameras? And the brightness of the viewfinder?
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[xayraa33]

it is quite good, although the M Leica one is still superior.
the quality of the rangefinder patch can vary on the 7 just like they do on 50 to 45 year old Leica M3's.
the Canon 7 finder is biased to near sightedness which can be a bit of a problem if you are far sighted like I am.

 

[awilder]

Having briefly owned a Canon 7, I can confirm the eyepiece is indeed a -1 diopter lens and can make the patch harder to see clearly if your are not nearsighted or are presbyopic like myself. Fortunately, the eyepiece can be easily unscrewed and with a little luck a plano optical glass can be easily exchanged for the -1 diopter lens. Like the M series and unlike the Nikon RFs, the patch is virtually colorless and easy to use even in poor light. The Leica is still superior mainly because it's got a sharply defined rf border allowing for the addition of vernier alignment rather than strictly relying on coincidence. It has a longer base length for greater focusing accuracy at near.

 

[DavidC]

The Canon 7 rangefinder patch is not clearly defined as in a Leica and the viewfinder sometimes suffers from ghost images around the patch. In a 7s the ghosting will not be a problem although I have only briefly looked through one. However, the .8x magnififcation of the Canon fits the 50mm frameline nicely as opposed to a .72x in a Leica. But in terms of focusing ease, the post-flare Leicas clearly beats the Canon.

 

[Mackinaw]

The Leica is still superior mainly because it's got a sharply defined rf border allowing for the addition of vernier alignment rather than strictly relying on coincidence.

I agree 100%. As much as I enjoy shooting with my 7 and 7sZ, any Leica M is easier to focus because of the sharp-edged rangefinder patch.

Jim B.

 

[Bingley]

The Canon 7 is a contemporary of the M4. I've compared viewfinders of both cameras side-by-side (obviously, we'll need to account for sample variation here). In terms of overall brightness, a clean 7 viewfinder is close to a clean M4, although the M4 is slightly brighter. I find the framelines on the 7 sharper, easier to see, and they are labeled. The rangefinder patch on the M4 is better defined than on the 7, and is also a little larger. Overall, IMHO, the viewfinder of the M4 is ahead of its Canon contemporary, but not by that much.

 

[niimo]

I used a 7 for about 6 months with my 0.95 and I found it quite sufficient. I created many sharp images with it. I now use an M3 with the same lens and I really do not see a huge difference in the RF patch, although the viewfinder is noticeably brighter.

Off topic, but neither viewfinders compared to the Bessa-R I had (and sold) a while back. Brilliantly bright. Why I sold it? Meh, who knows.. Easiest focusing I've ever done though.

 

[Bill58]

I've heard here and there that the new Zeiss RF VF is exceptionally bright.

 

[harry01562]

There is too much variability on these cameras to give a simple answer to your question. A good 7s will approach the M3 in similar condition. The M3 VF is larger, and brighter, with a "better", more clearly defined RF patch.

Both the 7's and the M's are getting old, and some have been carelessly stored or abused. The prism surfaces are sensitive, and easily damaged by environmental conditions. Each camera should be evaluated by a physical inspection. If buying a camera that cannot be checked, a clear understanding should be reached between seller and buyer on the condition of the VF and RF, and return of same should be a condition of sale. This is something that many buyers take for granted... but it should be spelled out BEFORE the sale. Especially in auctions, anything that isn't stated cannot be implied.

Both are exceptional cameras, and a nice example will give years of pleasure. A poor example will be expensive or impossible to repair, and isn't a bargain unless it's a gift.

Harry

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

Thanks to all very mutch.
Ciao.
Vincenzo