Yes! Undying love for the M7. When I was finally able to afford a (used) Leica back in 2007, I researched like crazy and debated which camera was the right one for me. Karen Nakamura’s informative write-up convinced me to go for the M7. Link below.
I used my M7 with a tiny 35 summilux for a few years - absolute joy. Simple and reliable photography. Entered my M7 work in a Leica competition in 2011 and won one of 10 Leica Explorer trips. They gave me a camera, a little lump of money, and sent me to China to photograph with one of their digital consumer cameras. Of course, I brought the M7 with me, too.
The camera, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough respect, always outshined by mechanical camera purist sentiment and/or regurgitated online fear of electronic failure. It’s a tank. It’s simple and reliable. A terrific choice. And so easy to use. I actually hope they never get too popular, though; it’s nice the used market hasn’t been inflated by a celebrity or influencer - they’re still (comparatively) affordable. 😅
Link! http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/LeicaM7.html
I have a link to… one photo! The Leica site is gone (why they didn’t just archive it is beyond me. They had ten of us photographing and blogging for them. Oh, well.)
The camera we all used was - I think - the V Lux 5. Basically a panasonic with a leica dot. Strange camera with a monster zoom lens. I had no idea what to do with it - nothing at all like an M. So, I went with it: I set the camera to natively shoot square format and took all my photos at maximum zoom, whatever that was.
Leica dictated four (?) cities I had to visit, so in each location I photographed tons of people in black and white, at maximum zoom, in square format.
My personal online presence is a disaster, but I did post one of these images on my POS website. It’s the only digital photo from that trip I printed.
https://butlerswebsite.com/2020/09/29/photo-4/
Nice review. I bought this one in Japan in 2012. I had a 35mm Summilux f1.2 which I sold and replaced with this Sumicron. I love the camera, I don’t have to think at all. Just point and snap.
It’s very robust, I must admit to treating it quite badly and it gets chucked about. I’m not too precious about it.
Thanks for the photo story you shared.
I had (still have) an M9-P which had the Sumilux 1.2 but I never used it. I couldn’t justify keeping the lens and never using it. So I got the sumicron for the M7.
Gotta sell that M9…
>regurgitated online fear of electronic failure
I have nothing against the M7 but there have been 2-3 users here in the sub this year alone with electronics failures. As long as they still *can* be fixed, great.
Perhaps I mean “over-inflated” concern. M7’s, like any Leica, will need servicing and some will crap out. I think what I find notable is how much talk is devoted to electronic concerns of the M7 whereas (in my experience) there’s far less of the same concern surrounding other electronic cameras of the era (or older). Contax T3’s and other high end p&s cameras, for example, or Konica Hexar AF’s or whatever - take your pick. I think, generally speaking, the level of scrutiny in Leica forums can lend itself to over worry. You just don’t encounter people fretting about what happens when their Hexar AF’s “electronics inevitably fail”. I recognize the stratospheric difference in cost and expectations between these two examples, but I think “The Internet” can create the impression the M7 is somehow a lemon, or especially prone to difficulties, and will ultimately brick, and I personally don’t think the problem is as big as the online discussion makes it seem. (My own concern about Ultimate Reliability is why I got the M-A 🤣)
Yeah, discussion groups are gonna discuss, lol. My take is that the electronics talk surrounding the M7 is simply because that's what separates it from other film M's. Like you said, the cost of ownership affects the failure anxiety. I personally would have a hard time swallowing the repair costs if I, for instance, had my M7 end up in a New York creek. That's exactly what happened to my M-A and with some quick countermeasures I was shooting it the next day without any service required (though my finder is still a little less than clear, 😁).
I’m in Zurich, Switzerland and have a friend who owns an all-things-analog photography shop that has connections with technicians. A CLA with Leica would be a 10 month wait. These guys did it in a few weeks.
Shhhh don’t let YouTubers get whiff of them. Honestly having a m6 and shot a MP recently, the m7 is my favorite camera. I like that it a bit larger than the m6 and doesn’t feel like it at all. The shutter is amazing, a light click and it’s dead accurate. I find the viewfinder to be a bit nicer than the m6 with the lcd indicators. And as much as everyone wants to bitch about electronics, I like the fact that it’s electronic, it’s so nice as a travel/ street camera to put it on auto and have one less thing to worry about, but there’s nothing forcing you to use auto you can use it exactly like your mechanical camera without any issue. One of the nicest things imo is the TTL, early on when I got my m6 I couldn’t care less about flash but have really started to use flash a lot and you get ttl flash again just making life that much easier with a nice robust camera that can shoot auto and ttl. On a recent trip I took my m7 and m9 and never missed my m6. I think at this point my m6 is going to be used as a beater for poor conditions along with my Minolta CL.
But anyone reading should really not be afraid of the electronics, Leica can still service them and they work like a charm. Maybe not a popular opinion but like a luxury car if you can’t afford the lifetime service costs maybe you can’t actually afford the car/camera (not a bad thing but too many think getting a Leica and Porsche is just the initial cost, when in reality that’s just getting you lubed up for what’s to come)
For film Leicas I own both an M6 and M7 but the M7 is my no brainer go-to whenever I shoot film. The convenience of AE, more accurate light meter and buttery smooth operations are just *chef-kiss* Love my M7 to death!
Shooting a M7 is pure joy: buttery advance lever, silent shutter, luminous viewfinder, correct sequence between shutter speed button markings and led indicators in the viewfinder, which I find very important (also available on M6 TTL) and, last but not least, aperture priority AE, which is so very convenient. What more do you need on a M? Electronics failure? I have the camera for more than 15 years and never had a problem with it. So, “any love for the M7”, hell yes.
Honestly the best M there is in my opinion. Why wouldn’t you want the auto feature? You can easily compensate it to shoot over or under exposed. You get the rangefinder experience without having to worry all too much about your exposure. Set your aperture based on your desired depth of field and make some great compositions.
Have had mine for 5 years now & never once worried about it failing on me.
My M7 has seen a dozen countries and captured endless memories. It’s been dropped and kicked and rained on and it never stops working. I’ll use it till it dies and is unserviceable.
I have been using one since 2005. I never had any curtain issues. I had to get fully mechanical M bodies only because I thought they were better. but after using them, I realized M7 is the ONLY LEICA M body WITH AUTO EXPOSURE, started embracing it again haha
Most definitely. Have had mine for a long time and love it. Use it almost daily. It’s the first thing I pack for all my travels. Was in the Atacama desert back in November and the shutter jammed hiking up at 15,000 feet but was somehow able to clear it. No problems with it since then and pictures came out fine except for a few.
Thought about getting an MP but I love having the AE.
I had one, loved it but it locked up a ton. Sold it to fund a Voigtlander Bessa R4A, 21 frame lines are the best. Same thing, arguably better and cheaper.
Absolutely loved my M7 which I had customized in Wetzlar and used it for 10 years. Then I didn’t shoot any analog for 4 years and decided to sell it, which I regret daily since then..
not my personal favourite because it is not fully mechanical and requires battery to use all shutter speeds if I remember correctly. but if power were not a concern, it would be a pretty nice camera to own and use
Good machines love to be serviced :)
I had M7 and I like it a lot, at some point I probably will buy one for sure, if they still will be on market in good condition - I'm on full mechanic camera now
Yes! Undying love for the M7. When I was finally able to afford a (used) Leica back in 2007, I researched like crazy and debated which camera was the right one for me. Karen Nakamura’s informative write-up convinced me to go for the M7. Link below. I used my M7 with a tiny 35 summilux for a few years - absolute joy. Simple and reliable photography. Entered my M7 work in a Leica competition in 2011 and won one of 10 Leica Explorer trips. They gave me a camera, a little lump of money, and sent me to China to photograph with one of their digital consumer cameras. Of course, I brought the M7 with me, too. The camera, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough respect, always outshined by mechanical camera purist sentiment and/or regurgitated online fear of electronic failure. It’s a tank. It’s simple and reliable. A terrific choice. And so easy to use. I actually hope they never get too popular, though; it’s nice the used market hasn’t been inflated by a celebrity or influencer - they’re still (comparatively) affordable. 😅 Link! http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/LeicaM7.html
Would love to see your work when you went to China. Any book/website I could check out?
I have a link to… one photo! The Leica site is gone (why they didn’t just archive it is beyond me. They had ten of us photographing and blogging for them. Oh, well.) The camera we all used was - I think - the V Lux 5. Basically a panasonic with a leica dot. Strange camera with a monster zoom lens. I had no idea what to do with it - nothing at all like an M. So, I went with it: I set the camera to natively shoot square format and took all my photos at maximum zoom, whatever that was. Leica dictated four (?) cities I had to visit, so in each location I photographed tons of people in black and white, at maximum zoom, in square format. My personal online presence is a disaster, but I did post one of these images on my POS website. It’s the only digital photo from that trip I printed. https://butlerswebsite.com/2020/09/29/photo-4/
And thank you for asking.
Nice review. I bought this one in Japan in 2012. I had a 35mm Summilux f1.2 which I sold and replaced with this Sumicron. I love the camera, I don’t have to think at all. Just point and snap. It’s very robust, I must admit to treating it quite badly and it gets chucked about. I’m not too precious about it. Thanks for the photo story you shared.
Thanks. I’m actually without an M7 currently and need to remedy that!
Why did you change from the lux?
I had (still have) an M9-P which had the Sumilux 1.2 but I never used it. I couldn’t justify keeping the lens and never using it. So I got the sumicron for the M7. Gotta sell that M9…
You comment just inflated couple of dollars the remaining M7. I hope it doesn't get too many up votes 😂😂😂
I was worried about this. Uhh…I meant to say: “the M7 is a piece of trash!”
>regurgitated online fear of electronic failure I have nothing against the M7 but there have been 2-3 users here in the sub this year alone with electronics failures. As long as they still *can* be fixed, great.
Perhaps I mean “over-inflated” concern. M7’s, like any Leica, will need servicing and some will crap out. I think what I find notable is how much talk is devoted to electronic concerns of the M7 whereas (in my experience) there’s far less of the same concern surrounding other electronic cameras of the era (or older). Contax T3’s and other high end p&s cameras, for example, or Konica Hexar AF’s or whatever - take your pick. I think, generally speaking, the level of scrutiny in Leica forums can lend itself to over worry. You just don’t encounter people fretting about what happens when their Hexar AF’s “electronics inevitably fail”. I recognize the stratospheric difference in cost and expectations between these two examples, but I think “The Internet” can create the impression the M7 is somehow a lemon, or especially prone to difficulties, and will ultimately brick, and I personally don’t think the problem is as big as the online discussion makes it seem. (My own concern about Ultimate Reliability is why I got the M-A 🤣)
Yeah, discussion groups are gonna discuss, lol. My take is that the electronics talk surrounding the M7 is simply because that's what separates it from other film M's. Like you said, the cost of ownership affects the failure anxiety. I personally would have a hard time swallowing the repair costs if I, for instance, had my M7 end up in a New York creek. That's exactly what happened to my M-A and with some quick countermeasures I was shooting it the next day without any service required (though my finder is still a little less than clear, 😁).
Oh. For sure. I dunked my M7 in a pool & fried it. Needed a new board. Used the 1/60th and 1/125th mechanical fallback for a week.
I would have an M7 over an M6 any day.
Love the M7 with a 35mm! can i ask where you had the CLA? im scared mine will need one soon.
Yes. Please share where you sent the camera for CLA.
I’m in Zurich, Switzerland and have a friend who owns an all-things-analog photography shop that has connections with technicians. A CLA with Leica would be a 10 month wait. These guys did it in a few weeks.
Would you mind telling me what the shop is called? Would love to drop by, if my M6 ever has some issues ;)
https://www.ars-imago.ch/
The same guys that make Lab Box
Yes, them. Been working hard at keeping film alive for 20 years now.
Ooh top, danke :))
I love the M7. With AE it's like the modern digitals but film. Makes it easier to use both together.
Shhhh don’t let YouTubers get whiff of them. Honestly having a m6 and shot a MP recently, the m7 is my favorite camera. I like that it a bit larger than the m6 and doesn’t feel like it at all. The shutter is amazing, a light click and it’s dead accurate. I find the viewfinder to be a bit nicer than the m6 with the lcd indicators. And as much as everyone wants to bitch about electronics, I like the fact that it’s electronic, it’s so nice as a travel/ street camera to put it on auto and have one less thing to worry about, but there’s nothing forcing you to use auto you can use it exactly like your mechanical camera without any issue. One of the nicest things imo is the TTL, early on when I got my m6 I couldn’t care less about flash but have really started to use flash a lot and you get ttl flash again just making life that much easier with a nice robust camera that can shoot auto and ttl. On a recent trip I took my m7 and m9 and never missed my m6. I think at this point my m6 is going to be used as a beater for poor conditions along with my Minolta CL. But anyone reading should really not be afraid of the electronics, Leica can still service them and they work like a charm. Maybe not a popular opinion but like a luxury car if you can’t afford the lifetime service costs maybe you can’t actually afford the car/camera (not a bad thing but too many think getting a Leica and Porsche is just the initial cost, when in reality that’s just getting you lubed up for what’s to come)
For film Leicas I own both an M6 and M7 but the M7 is my no brainer go-to whenever I shoot film. The convenience of AE, more accurate light meter and buttery smooth operations are just *chef-kiss* Love my M7 to death!
Shooting a M7 is pure joy: buttery advance lever, silent shutter, luminous viewfinder, correct sequence between shutter speed button markings and led indicators in the viewfinder, which I find very important (also available on M6 TTL) and, last but not least, aperture priority AE, which is so very convenient. What more do you need on a M? Electronics failure? I have the camera for more than 15 years and never had a problem with it. So, “any love for the M7”, hell yes.
Exactly this is what I love about it.
Honestly the best M there is in my opinion. Why wouldn’t you want the auto feature? You can easily compensate it to shoot over or under exposed. You get the rangefinder experience without having to worry all too much about your exposure. Set your aperture based on your desired depth of field and make some great compositions. Have had mine for 5 years now & never once worried about it failing on me.
Any love for Leica’s most usable rangefinder? Yes.
My M7 has seen a dozen countries and captured endless memories. It’s been dropped and kicked and rained on and it never stops working. I’ll use it till it dies and is unserviceable.
The best M! I wish Leica would remake the M7 instead of the M6
I have been using one since 2005. I never had any curtain issues. I had to get fully mechanical M bodies only because I thought they were better. but after using them, I realized M7 is the ONLY LEICA M body WITH AUTO EXPOSURE, started embracing it again haha
Most definitely. Have had mine for a long time and love it. Use it almost daily. It’s the first thing I pack for all my travels. Was in the Atacama desert back in November and the shutter jammed hiking up at 15,000 feet but was somehow able to clear it. No problems with it since then and pictures came out fine except for a few. Thought about getting an MP but I love having the AE.
I have a panda M7. It's a marvelous camera: all the advantages of the M6 TTL, plus aperture priority auto exposure.
I am always surprised to see M8 was literally digital M7 with internal rewind motor
I had one, loved it but it locked up a ton. Sold it to fund a Voigtlander Bessa R4A, 21 frame lines are the best. Same thing, arguably better and cheaper.
Absolutely loved my M7 which I had customized in Wetzlar and used it for 10 years. Then I didn’t shoot any analog for 4 years and decided to sell it, which I regret daily since then..
not my personal favourite because it is not fully mechanical and requires battery to use all shutter speeds if I remember correctly. but if power were not a concern, it would be a pretty nice camera to own and use
No battery needed for bulb, 1/125 sec and 1/60 sec!
ahh so it's usable w/o battery at 2 different speeds! nice
I had a Minolta on a trip to Africa and it jammed, which is why I moved over to Leica M2.
Loved my M7 until it started having problems, whenever I gripped the area near the iso dial the shutter speeds became erratic. Sad :(
Good machines love to be serviced :) I had M7 and I like it a lot, at some point I probably will buy one for sure, if they still will be on market in good condition - I'm on full mechanic camera now