[Leica] my M7

[Francesco Sanfilippo <fls@5senses.com>]

All this talk of improvements to the M6 makes me want to share
what I think are subtle, yet important features that need to appear 
in the next M camera incarnation, without ruining the M mystique.

1.  A small, clear window in the back plate so one can see which film
one has loaded in the camera.......I hate it when an M6 is put away for
a few days, then I pull it out to shoot and I have NO CLUE what film is
loaded!  Sure the ASA dial says 100, but is is Sensia II, Astia, Provia, 
Ektachrome, or what????  Come on, every camera has a viewing window
so we can see our film type at a glance.  Very necessary.

2.  A slightly protruding shutter speed dial.  Keep the design, look, size,
and feel the same, but just move it a fraction of an inch towards the front 
edge of the body so I can change the shutter speed without looking up.
Kinda like the dials on the R8, but more sturdy and more resistant.

3.  A different ASA dial, please!  I am tired of having to turn my finger at
an awkward angle to change the ASA.  Can't we have a sliding scale or
something a bit easier to change?  Plus, every dial I have seen stops at 
different places for each ASA setting......some slightly before, some dead
on, some slightly after.  Not good.

4.  An "R" lever that stays in place.  Half of the times I go to rewind,
the "R"
lever springs back to its resting position and the spool spins rapidly
backwards.
We need some sort of locking mechanism so this does not happen.  I should not
need to forcefully keep my finger on the "R" lever as I rewind.

That's all I can think of now.  Notice I did not say "put the shutter speed
and 
aperture in the viewfinder window."  I like the uncluttered window of the
M6....
let's keep it that way.  

Francesco