[Leica] M7 Fantasies

["Fred Whitlock" <afc@cl-sys.com>]

Now that we have someone on the list from Leica (yes!), and perhaps someone
from Leica USA as well, could we start a discussion on what we would like
to
see in the Leica M 7?
- -----------------------------------------
I rather liked Howard Cummer's list of features for his fantasy M7.  I
would pass on the aperture priority AE, though, since that would involve an
electronically timed shutter.  I really would prefer to leave the M6
shutter alone.  I virtually never do flash photography with my M6 but part
of the reason for that is the lack of TTL flash control.  It's so much
easier to do flash photography with a Nikon F5 or N90.  So I too would
welcome TTL flash control in an M7.  I'll second the faster shutter speeds
but I'm leery about the 1/250 flash synch speed.  That would require a
vertically travelling shutter and, again, I'm conservative enough to prefer
to leave the M6 shutter alone.  

A higher eyepoint in the finder would be a plus for sure.  I'm a wide angle
kind of guy and therefore have reserved enthusiasm for the new .85 finder. 
I would have plenty of enthusiasm for a higher eyepoint "wide angle" finder
understanding that the finder image would be even smaller than it is now.  
I would also support seeing the shutter speeds in the finder.  I do use an
M5 and appreciate that feature enough to want it in my M7 as well.  I find
the meter indication in the M5 finder to be distracting and much prefer the
red lights of the M6.  So I would just add the shutter speed display in the
lower left corner just like in the M5.  And speaking of the M5, yes, I
agree with Howard that the M7 should be the size of the M6.  The M5's size
and meter display are my only complaints I have about that otherwise
outstanding camera.  If an M7 never appears on the market, I'm still
content.  The M6 has been in production for a long time and it's easy to
see why.  It doesn't require a lot of improvement.


Fred
Maplewood Photography
http://www.maplewoodphoto.com