Classics are works that are immune to the passing whims of the present. They are never rewritten, but re-interpreted on the basis of a changed world. The analog LEICA M7 is such a classic. Silver halide photography with a Leica M has a special appeal: the understandable process of exposing the film and the chemical processing of the same piece of material create an emotional relationship with the subject and the camera. The concentration when taking the photograph, the keen anticipation of the literally tangible images and the excellent results are all arguments in favour of analog Leica M cameras.

Compact 35mm rangefinder system camera with electronically controlled shutter and two mechanically controlled shutter speeds.

Leica M bayonet mount. Lens system Leica M lenses from 21-135 mm.

Viewfinder principle Large, bright line frame viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation.

Viewfinder optical system with reduced stray light sensitivity and optimum visibility of all bright line frames.

Eyepiece Calibrated to .0.5 dpt. Correction lenses from .3 to +3 diopter available. Bright line frames activated in pairs: for 28 and 90 mm, 35 and 135 mm or 50 and 75 mm. Automatically displayed when the lens is mounted. The preview selector can beused to display each of the pairs of frames. Alternative bright line frame configurations are available as part of the Leica a la carte range.* Parallax compensation The horizontal and vertical difference between the viewfinder and the lens is automatically compensated in line with the current distance setting, i.e. the bright line frame in the viewfinder automatically covers the section of the subject that will be captured by the lens.

Correlation between viewfinder and film images At the shortest possible distance setting for each focal length, the bright line frame size corresponds to an image size of approx. 23 x 35 mm. When set to infinity, depending on the focal length between 9% (28mm) and 23% (135 mm) more is captured by the film than is shown in the corresponding bright line frame.

Magnification 0.72x (for all lenses). Alternative viewfinder magnifications of 0.85x and 0.58x are available as part of the Leica a la carte range.*

Wide-base rangefinder Split and superposed-image ranger finder displayed as a bright field in the centre of the viewfinder image. Effective measuring basis 49.9 mm (mechanical measuring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.72x). For the alternative viewfinder magnifications of 0.85x and 0.58x available as part of the Leica a la carte range, it is 58.9 mm (mechanical measuring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.85x) and 40.2 mm (mechanical mea-suring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.58x) respectively.

Exposure metering through the lens (TTL), selectively with working aperture.

Metering principle The light reflected by a metering spot in the center of the first shutter curtain. The metering spot has a diameter of 12 mm and thus corresponds to approx. 13% of the full film format or approx. 2/3 of the short side of the applicable bright line frame in the viewfinder.

Metering range (for ISO 100/21?ï) From 0.03 to 125000 cd/m2 at room temperature, normal humidity and f/1.0. For ISO 100/21?ï this corresponds to EV-2 to 20 or f/1 and 4s to f/32 and 1/1000s.

Flashing of the left-hand triangular LED in the viewfinder indicates that the brightness reflected is below the metering range. Metering cell Silicon photodiode with focusing lens to the top left behind the bayonet.

Choice of automatic control of shutter speed . with corresponding digital display . with manual aperture selection (automatic mode) or manual shutter speed and aperture setting with adjustment using LED light balance.

Choice of automatic setting from ISO 25/15 to ISO 5000/38 for DX coded films or manual setting from ISO 6/9 to ISO 6400/39. Setting an additional exposure compensation (?}/ 2EV) allows speeds of ISO 1.5/3?ï to ISO 25000/45 to be used.

LED symbol for flash status, four-digit, seven segment LED digital display with points above and below (display brightness adapted to outside brightness) for: Film speed information, exposure correction warnings, automatically set shutter speed in automatic mode, indication of use of stored exposure setting, indication of brightness readings above or below the metering range in automatic mode and progress of shutter speeds slower than 2s.

Triangular LEDs give the required direction to rotate the aperture dial and the shutter speed dial to adjust the exposure. The LEDs flash to warn that the brightness reading is above or below the metering range.

Flash connects using accessory hotshoe with center contacts or standard flash connector socket.

Sync Speed = 1/50s; slower shutter speeds can be used (with manual setting only)

Automatic setting in AUTO mode; faster shutter speeds (1/250s, 1/500s, 1/1000s) available with manual setting if the connected flash unit has the High Speed Synchronisation function and an SCA-3502 adapter is used. Optionally with 1st or 2nd shutter curtain (with appropriate flash unit and SCA-3502 adapter) (With SCA-3501/3502 adapter or SCA-3000 standard flash unit, e.g. LEICA SF 20 / SF 24D)

TTL control with center-weighted integral metering.

Silicon photodiode with focusing lens at lower right behind bayonet.