more pictures of the M7

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You will find photos of the new M7 on this site: http://www5.airnet.ne.jp/kagizo/leica/bbs/index.cgi?read=144 J.S.

-- Jürgen Schliehe (juergen.schliehe@t-online.de), February 21, 2002

Answers

Here it is (well done Jurgen!):

This new shot of the top plate reveals how little it really has changed!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 21, 2002.


Nice....and it should not change..

AUTO?

-- Anam Alpenia (aalpenia@dasar.com), February 21, 2002.


At last, a new Minolta CLE !!!

-- David Seaman (david@leicam.freeserve.co.uk), February 21, 2002.

This seems to confirm a lot, I think Leica should be congratulated for incorporating AE without spoiling the perfect ergonomics or basic functioning of the classic M design.

Now we know for sure the shutter range 4 secs to 1/1000, and flash sync remains at 1/50. Shutter readout must be in the viewfinder (or just maybe on a rear plate LCD!?!). Presumably those two back-up shutter speeds are on there somewhere?

Some wanted more but to me this is a near perfect evolution - new slower speeds, I never use higher than 1/1000, flash sync - don't care, I don't use it! and the same clear top plate and compact dimensions.

Now, (if it all works) - well done indeed.

Just don't forget to continue making ALL mechanical M's too for goodness sake!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 21, 2002.


Just noticed that white line by 1/60 and 1/125 - the mechanical back- up speeds? Perfect!

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 21, 2002.


Maybe that's a sign that here (or everywhere else but not here) you can use speeds halfways between each value?

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), February 21, 2002.

Maybe it's a secret sign that only freemasons can understand? Maybe it means that it has somewhere between 60 and 125 more moving parts than the normal M6. Or could it be that it takes around 90 more hours of loving polishing and twiddling to hand finish the shutter dial? Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Should keep the traditionalists happy - they can just throw away the batteries and pretend they have an M3 with the shutter inexplicably stick at 1/90.

I think the most impressive thing about this new camera is how it manages to provoke so much adoration for having finally incorporated a bit of early seventies technology. Well done Leica!

I also like the way it looks silver when viewed from the front, and black from above. How do they do that? No more silver/black dilemma. Brilliant.

They should call this the Turkey Special, IMO.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), February 21, 2002.


is it a bit higher than the m6? possible. where is the ev- compensation? you could use the iso-dial for that. the gap around the flash sync time could be a bit annoying in manual mode. finally a proper on-off switch. and no more double mentioning of the leica name on the frontplate. well done

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), February 21, 2002.

Just as long as it comes with the Elmar-M.

-- Glenn Travis (leicaddict@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

thanks Jürgen for posting these photos!!! How did you manage to find them???

The shutter speed dial shows: - no off-position, - flash still with 1/50 sec. - no speed shorter than 1/1000 sec. The body size seems to have the exact size of the M6 TTL. Quite a few speculations burn down to ashes with the appearance of thess pics.

Great piece of a camera again, I´am already convinced...

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), February 21, 2002.



Now that we have a clarification on the rumors, who plans one buying one? I am still undecided. Please make up my mind.

-- John Abela (jamriman@yahoo.com), February 21, 2002.

Just by typing in Leica M7 into google.com, I found 1,770 links to this yet to be released camera. I don't the the M6 TTL's got that much hype. I'm sure the price will be higher than the M6TTL. I for one am glad the body style has stayed the same.Keep it simple Leica. Too much Auto stuff and you should just buy a SLR. Anyone checked out Amaeture Photographer(UK)? I heard that they have a small article on the M7.

-- chris williams (LeicaChris@worldnet.att.net), February 21, 2002.

well, if you type in Leica M7 in the google search window it searches on both Leica and M7. If you type in "Leica M7" you get less than 400 hits, and I'm sure that the majority of those hits are from the last month of speculations on various message boards.

Regardless, I'm happy with what I see above and might actually be in the market for one of these. cheers,

-- Patrick (svenburg@yahoo.com), February 21, 2002.


Well, as power hungry as my M6 is just running a meter you will certainly need a pocket full of batterys to keep this baby working:-)

Regards Steve

-- Steve Belden (otterpond@adelphia.net), February 21, 2002.


It is a good solution. I am tempted mainly because of the longer shutter speeds available. Still I doubt I will buy one as it will cost more than an M6TTL. But it is a good solution to those who want AE shutter. I don't particularly as I like to set that and use the aperture to set exposure, but it would have its uses. Even if I did get one then I would certainly wait until all the electronics bugs are ironed out.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.


I think I am starting to want one of these.

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), February 21, 2002.

Has anyone noticed that because of the extra switch around the shutter button (is this the on off switch?) that the shutter button is now slightly higher than on M6TTL?

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), February 21, 2002.

"Anyone checked out Amaeture Photographer(UK)?"

Chris - see Tuesday's M7 thread.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 21, 2002.


"Even if I did get one then I would certainly wait until all the electronics bugs are ironed out. "

Exactly. I think aperature priority is just what i'm looking for. I sort of wish for a higher flash sync speed, but as I understand the M shutter, this is not possbile without a redesigned (and louder) shutter, something that I hope they don't do (the current M shutter is just great).

I'm going to wait at least 6 months if not a year after the M7 is released before I start to think about buying it. I want to make sure it is a gem and not buggy before spending that kind of money.

-- Tristan (tt@tristan.net), February 21, 2002.


i bet the switch around the shutter button is a button lock/off switch so that one can keep the shutter speed dial on auto all the time without fear of battery drain.

-- Tristan (tristan@tristantom.com), February 21, 2002.

>>>I also like the way it looks silver when viewed from the front, and black from above. How do they do that? No more silver/black dilemma. Brilliant. <<<

Also notice how the lens is an Elmar when viewed from the front, and a Summilux when viewed from the top. No more "which lens" dilemmas either.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), February 21, 2002.


Jurgen and Giles, thanks for the pix! I love looking at the camera even though I won't be buying one soon.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), February 21, 2002.

Such a radical change - not! A logical evolution that still looks a lot like a M3. Doesn't that number seven look great! Written European sevens have lines through them, but I suppose that would have been too much. I see the shutter speed dial goes the same way as the M6TTL. I wonder if the viewfinder still has the flashing diodes when not in AUTO - but then why get an M7 over an M6? Great scoopJuergen to get the pix!

-- David Killick (dalex@inet.net.nz), February 21, 2002.

Assuming that the pictures are correct [and I have no reason to believe that they aren't], Leitz, after years of research, has created a low tech version of the Nikon FE2. Now the lenses may be great, expecially if you are a professional and make a living at the trade, but most of those people that I now don't use Leica.

Nope, their market is with the eccentrics, like me, who do this, mostly, for fun. I didn't like the M6 and I won't like this one any better. For 35 mm use, I will probably buy an R2 so I can use my lenses. The M6 left the family a few months ago. The M3 should be home from repairs in May. We will give it a party. ;o)))

Art

-- Art (AKarr90975@aol.com), February 21, 2002.


Sorry, but I just dig the Leitz M6. As for 4s, haven't you ever heard of 'B,' 1 thousand 1, 1 thousand 2, 1 thousand 3; aah, you get the idea.

-- Glenn Travis (leicaddict@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

"... market is with the eccentrics" I'm one of the most screwed individuals around... I am eccentric who also does this for a living. Since I do this for a living, the money is always tight. I'm no Salgado... Yet! I would be happy if I could scrounge the cash for an old, beat up M2 and a 35mm. This new machine, of course, makes my mouth water, but it's not im my future! Bummer.

-- Lance Goins (goinsphoto@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

For everyone who makes fun of this camera because its technology is from the 1970s. You know you're going to buy one just as soon as you can.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), February 21, 2002.

Well, it's here, or almost here, just as spring is almost here. The design looks so wonderfully effortless. Bugs? Leica had 20 plus years to get rid of bugs. Yeah, I'm getting to line for this one.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), February 21, 2002.

I like it. I'm glad they have'nt messed with it too much. We can all buy the more feature-laden cameras if we want or need them. I t will be interesting to hear about the details, concerning the new shutter and battery dependancy. I wont make the mistake of selling another Leica, but I think I'll start myself an M-7 fund. My M-6 needs a mate. Cheers

-- Ronald Wills (youngdeer@earthlink.net), February 21, 2002.

Geewhiz, I'm going to buy a Leica M7 this summer in addition to the Leica R8 now. Whew, I guess that I can't wait to go for broke especially if I want to pick up some Contax gear (trading in Nikon gear) along the way.

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.

Has anyone noticed that the serial number of the black M7 in the picture is 2777001?

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), February 22, 2002.

Looks like a 2777002 to me, but maybe it's only my eyes. 002 sounds like a good idea here. And your 001 is... ?

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), February 22, 2002.

"For everyone who makes fun of this camera because its technology is from the 1970s. You know you're going to buy one just as soon as you can."

No way! One thing I'll never buy is another Leica.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), February 22, 2002.


Hello Juergen. I hope the M7 is a winner,but ..I STILL miss the Leica script engraved top plate. Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), February 22, 2002.

I'm not excited by it at all. I will stick to my M6ttl's and plough all my money instead into M2-R's and M4's. And vintage glass. Long live the Leitz era of quality and elegance.

-- sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), February 22, 2002.

Yes, I've said this already, but (alongside my M6TTL) I've always wanted to get an M3 (or maybe an M2 or M4*) for the same reasons that everybody else does. I'm still working on that (which of M2/3/4?, DS or SS M3?, what type of M4? etc), and the fact that now an M7 has just got off the boat isn't going to get me to change my direction here.

PS: I imagine the M7 is a TTL too, but who cares? That will at least allow us to go on saying just "TTL" when we mean an "M6TTL".

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), February 22, 2002.


Is it my just eyes or is the viewfinder a bit bigger?

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.

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