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TEST RESULTS FROM OUR LAB
Viewfinder: The rangefinder patch area (it measured 4.1x2.6mm) was very bright with virtually no brightness loss but the viewing area within the framelines, was not as bright. With a white background, it appeared grayish. However, the contrast between the rangefinder patch and viewing field made focusing a bit easier. Good viewfinder magnification at 0.70X (slightly lower than claimed 0.72X). Screen image was 77 percent of picture area, an average result based on our standard. Parallax error correction was excellent. The on-film image was only 0.25mm above the finder image, a better result than any rangefinder camera we've recently tested. Time lag: Time between the shutter-release button activation at the contact point and exposure is very short at about 1/10 sec.
Shutter Speeds: Shutter speeds were extremely accurate -- from 2-1/250 sec, with no measurable error. Shutter speeds in the 1/500-1/1000 sec range were slightly slow, giving 1/4 f-stop to 1/3 f-stop overexposure.
Exposure accuracy (tested from EV1-17): In "Auto" (aperture-priority) mode, exposures were all very accurate. From EV1-EV4 a deviation was within 1/10 f-stop on the underexposure side. From EV5-EV11 it was about 1/5 f-stop toward underexposure, and from EV12-EV17, deviation was less than 1/10 f-stop. Exposure accuracy in manual mode could not be tested because finder readouts are not designed to function with back door open.
Sound test: Manual film-wind mechanism cannot be officially sound tested on our machine, but camera was very quiet during winding and shutter firing.
MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS
Camera: Leica M7 35mm rangefinder camera with Leica M-type bayonet lensmount. Street price, body only, $2,350.
Lens tested: 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH. Street price, $2,000. F/2-16 in half stops, focusing to 2.5 feet, 46mm filter thread.
Focusing and viewing: Combined, coincident-type , optical range/viewfinder with projected, auto-parallax-compensating framelines for 28mm 35mm 50mm 75mm, 90mm and 135mm focal lengths; manual frameline selector.
Shutter: Electronically timed horizontal cloth focal plane with manually selected speeds of 4-1/1000 sec, 1/50-sec flash-sync speed, plus B. Continuously variable speeds of 32-1/1000 sec in aperture-priority mode, manual, mechanical speeds of 1/60 and 1/125 sec operable without battery power.
Exposure control: Silicon photodiode in base of body reads off 12mm spot in center of first shutter curtain, providing through-the-lens measurements of about 13 percent of the frame area. Metering system is electronically coupled to shutter and ISO dial for match-diode metering or aperture-priority autoexposure. Manually set film speeds ISO 6-6400 DX settings ISO 25-5000 exposure compensation of ±2 EV. Metering range, EV2-20 with f/1.0 lens at ISO 100.
Flash: SPD cell in body provides TTL autoflash with SCA-3000-system dedicated flash units via four-contact dedicated hot-shoe.
Loading and winding: Manual bottom loading with removable baseplate, hinged back section. Ratcheted, single-stroke film-wind lever has 105-degree stroke; body accepts Leica Winder-M for single shot or sequential advance to 1.5 frames per sec.
Other features: Finder readouts display camera-selected shutter speeds in aperture-priority mode, exposure LEDs in match-diode manual mode, plus exposure lock, no-film, exposure compensation set and DX warnings, plus flash ready and flash OK indications. Battery check. Power supply, two DL 1/3 N lithium cells or (in an emergency) four EPX 76 alkaline cells.
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