[Leica] To M7 or not to M7, c'est la question

["Emanuel Lowi" <mano@proxyma.net>]

I've handled the M7 a bit and I think it's an excellent machine. Bravo Leica! 
I bet that AE metering is accurate. The M6 meter was already very reliable when used
right. Now, with those stepless shutter speeds, accuracy must be still greater. 
But there remain a few nagging problems with the thing -- the battery cover and the
sticky DX film chamber are at least reasonable concerns. And, let's face it, battery
compartments & film load/unload have never been Leica's strengths. Time to deal with
this, I'll say. 
They'll probably be making the M7 for at least the next decade. It has always been
Leica's way to add improvements during production. I look forward to those.
Meanwhile, I am a happy Hexar RF user. With all the latest Leica glass, it makes a
superb kit. 
True, in many ways, the RF is not a Leica. But in other ways, it is. 
The M7 with motor or Rapidwinder still costs about US$2750. At the price I paid for
the Konica (<$700), I'd feel swinish griping about its few shortcomings. 

Emanuel Lowi
Montreal
- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html