The Leica M7 is a
35 mm rangefinder
A rangefinder (also rangefinding telemeter, depending on the context) is a device used to measure distances to remote objects. Originally optical devices used in surveying, they soon found applications in other fields, such as photography an ...
camera introduced by
Leica AG in 2002 as a direct successor to the
M6. The electronic Leica M7 is a departure from previous mechanical designs for the M series.
Details
The M7 introduced auto-exposure in aperture priority mode: the user sets the aperture on the lens manually, and the camera chooses a shutter speed. Manual exposure is also available. The shutter is electronically controlled, but speeds of 1/60 and 1/125 of a second are mechanically governed if the battery fails. Unlike the
M6 TTL M6, M06, M.6, or M-6 may refer to:
Military
* M6 bayonet, a bayonet for the M14 rifle
* M6 Bomb Truck, a truck used to move bombs during World War II
* M6 Gun Motor Carriage, a United States wheeled Tank Destroyer of the Second World War
* M6 ...
whose "off" position only disables the meter, the M7 features a switch on the shutter release, which prevents both metering and the shutter from firing. The shutter release is redesigned with two distinct levels of pressure: the first detent locks the exposure reading, the second fires the shutter.
The M7 is also the first Leica M series to support film
DX encoding
DX (Digital indeX) encoding is an ANSI and I3A standard, originally introduced by Kodak in March 1983, for marking 135 and APS photographic film and film cartridges. It consists of several parts, a latent image DX film edge barcode on the film ...
and
exposure compensation
Exposure compensation is a technique for adjusting the exposure indicated by a photographic exposure meter, in consideration of factors that may cause the indicated exposure to result in a less-than-optimal image. Factors considered may include ...
using the dial that has been on the back of Leica cameras since the
M3. Originally used simply as a reminder of the sensitivity of the film, and then as film speed setting coupled to the
light meter
A light meter is a device used to measure the amount of light. In photography, a light meter (more correctly an exposure meter) is used to determine the proper exposure (photography), exposure for a photograph. The meter will include either a Di ...
starting with the
M6, the dial now controls exposure compensation on the M7.
The M7 offers viewfinders with magnifications 0.58, 0.72 (28 mm) and 0.85 (35 mm). The viewfinder optics are multicoated to reduce flare.
End of production
It's been reported on Red Dot Forum on 2018 May 24 that Leica has officially discontinued producing the M7 in both black and silver versions.
There might be cameras in stock at retailers but no new cameras will be available once the current inventories are sold. No more orders are being taken for M7s through the "a la carte" customization program.
See also
*
Leica M8
The Leica M8 is the first digital camera in the rangefinder M series introduced by Leica Camera AG on 14 September 2006. It uses an APS-H 10.3-megapixel Kodak KAF-10500 CCD image sensor.
As of 15 November 2014, the most recent firmware version ...
digital rangefinder camera
References
External links
Leica M7on luminous-landscape.com
by Karen Nakamura
Leica M7 Technical Dataat Leica Camera AG
{{Leica M film cameras
M7
de:Leica M7