Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/01/14

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Subject: [Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?
From: ric at cartersxrd.net (RicCarter)
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 13:27:54 -0500
References: <165D117A-997C-4A7D-A313-71C5091D2869@mac.com> <69D2976F-799E-4311-B2C7-3A4FB582168C@cartersxrd.net> <B7652864-8E67-40FB-A2FD-811C185E165C@mac.com>

PS:

Mine is one of those previously owned by Sonny,

so that speaks to long term performance

ric


> On Jan 14, 2015, at 11:46 AM, Mitch Zeissler <zeissler at mac.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Ric ? You're echoing my own findings. 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Mitch Zeissler
> ===
> Website: http://exploratorius.us
> 
>> On Jan 13, 2015, at 11:02 AM, RicCarter <ric at cartersxrd.net> wrote:
>> 
>> I've found my M7 as reliable as my M6
>> 
>> I find the  M7 is also quieter than the M6
>> 
>> I've found the DX reader unreliable, so I set ISO of film manually
>> 
>> M7 has a HUGE advantage over the M6 if you do very long (2-30-second) 
>> exposures
>> 
>> ric carter
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Jan 13, 2015, at 10:38 AM, Mitch Zeissler <zeissler at mac.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> This is to all the M7 users out there.  
>>> 
>>> I've been searching high and low online for anecdotes of long term M7 
>>> reliability and satisfaction (and I'm talking years, not a few days, 
>>> weeks, or months).  I know about the early issues with the mechanical DX 
>>> reader, the switch to the MP viewfinder later in production, etc.  What 
>>> I'm interested in is whether the M7 is more/same/less reliable than an 
>>> M6, M6 TTL, or MP, particularly the electronically controlled shutter 
>>> curtains.  Anytime I read about an M7 issue, it's usually followed by a 
>>> dog pile of non-M7 users just dragging it through the mud ? like it's 
>>> the modern version of the M5. 
>>> 
>>> I've got an M7 and like it, though I've only had it for a few months (it 
>>> has the optical DX reader [useless for my bulk loaded film] and the MP 
>>> viewfinder upgrade).  I've also got an MP and like it.  I bought both 
>>> used in great condition, each at an excellent price, and they both date 
>>> back to 2002-2004.  
>>> 
>>> I recently discovered that my primary hand meter (a Sekonic L-308DC) 
>>> doesn't measure nearly as well in very low light as the M7 does.  
>>> Actually, the hand meter didn't measure anything at all (ISO 50 @ 
>>> f/1.2), while the M7 gave a reading of 3.5 seconds.  I've since 
>>> confirmed this repeatedly; once the light gets dim, the M7 begins to 
>>> really shine and is able to shots I simply cannot obtain with the MP.  
>>> I've got other hand meters and have tested them with the same results. 
>>> 
>>> Up to this point I've been leaning toward the MP and hand meter combo as 
>>> my primary camera.  I'm asking because whichever route I go ? MP, M7, or 
>>> the new M-A ? I'll want a second body of the same model.  That way I can 
>>> have a different emulsion in each camera (B+W in one and color in the 
>>> other), and one body can always be used as a backup whenever the other 
>>> is being serviced. 
>>> 
>>> So based on the low light metering, I'm now flip-flopping on the M7 and 
>>> whether to rely on it as my main camera.  An M7 would give me all sorts 
>>> of benefits that the other M bodies would not, but it seems to be 
>>> treated like the red-headed step-child of the modern M cameras. 
>>> 
>>> What is your experience with the M7?  Has it had the same level of 
>>> reliability as the M6 or other M bodies?
>>> 
>>> If you don't want an M7 dog pile here, please send me a response 
>>> privately ? either way, I'd like to hear about your long term M7 
>>> experience. 
>>> 
>>> Mitch Zeissler
>>> ===
>>> Website: http://exploratorius.us
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from hjwulff at gmail.com (Henning Wulff) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)
Reply from philippe.amard at sfr.fr (philippe.amard) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)
Reply from sonc.hegr at gmail.com (Sonny Carter) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)
In reply to: Message from zeissler at mac.com (Mitch Zeissler) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)
Message from ric at cartersxrd.net (RicCarter) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)
Message from zeissler at mac.com (Mitch Zeissler) ([Leica] Long term M7 satisfaction?)