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User comments btil June 2003

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> Posted by Eduardo Bermudez on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 11:11 pm: > > Thanks a lot Sonny. I'm really concerned about the possible shutter > problem now, since the camera is brand new. Unless the problem is > caused by my inexperience with the M7 shutter button. And I'll look at > the Bokeh info. Thanks again, > > Eduardo

Eduardo, It is not something caused by your inexperience with the shutter button. Is the camera from a Leica dealer? I had a problem out of the box with my film counter, and Leica USA gave me amazing turn-around in straightening the problem, after I called my dealer.

Maybe they just jacked up the serial number and ran a new M6 under it, but I had my camera back in just a week. That was a while ago, and things change, but it seems to me you can get some results from your dealer.

Sonny

where did you buy your camera? If it is
 
Sonny, I’ll shoot new rolls to see if it happens again. This time I may shoot the same scene varying the speed and recording the information. Thanks again,
Eduardo
 
I’ve done just what I said I would in my last post. No problem. So… I’ll keep shooting and see if the problem repeats .
 
Something very strange happened to me in Paris, after using my M7 for a couple of months and some 25 or 30 rolls of film, the camera flashed the red dot in the viewfinder and defaulted to ASA 100 while the DX coding should have read 400, the actual film in the camera. For an instant the actual 'bc' flashed in the camera so I attributed this problem to low batteries. I replaced the bateries, but the camera refused to read the correct DX code for two rolls in a row. I wrote Leica and all they did is send me detailed instructions on how to send the camera to solms; what I really wanted was some answers whether this was due to low batteries, but they did not respond, seems their policy is to get the cameras and not provide any explanation or advise in any manner. Can anybody provide any comments or advise. The camera has been working properly eversince but.......I have my doubts now about its reliability. For extra information, it was a cold, windy, humid day in Paris (2 celcius), this shouldn't have anything to do with it, I suppose.
Thanks for all comments and advise
 
If you had the camera set to "DX", and the film you used was indeed a DX-recognised film, then perhaps something is wrong. Did this happen repeatedly?

On the other hand, if the camera wasn't set to DX (in other words you were stting film speed manually), the camera will not flash the speed that has been set manually but instead the default film speed.

I would imagine that this was what caused you to think that it wasn't working properly.

I myself had an experience using 1600 film that I wanted to push to 3200. I set the film manually to 3200 but I was wondering why 3200 wasn't showing up in the viewfinder! I thought something was wrong, but in fact no.

You would think that the camera would flash the actual film speed set (DX or manually set, whatever), but no.

Perhaps Leica debated whether it should flash the default speed of the film being used. This way, you'll be sure to remember what film you put inside in the first place.
 
I just purchased an M7 with a .85 viewfinder, 90 mm lense and a 28 mm lense with the separate viewfinder. I have always been an slr (leicaflex and R8's) user. I am having trouble focusing (i wear glasses). did i make a mistake and how can i improve my focusing techniques. I am totally new to the rangefinder camera. thank you, louis cicalese
 
louis,

I own a M6 along with 2 Leica SLRs, and as with yourself I also wear glasses.As much as I like the M system for its portability,I find myself prefering the SLRs finder over the M's. It is only when I use the M6 for long periods of time, to the exclusion of the SLRs, that I become use to it.I also use the M camera with 50mm and wide angle lenses, leaving the short tele (90mm) and longer lenses for the SLRs.There are those tho who can use the 90mm with their M cameras. BTW,the only M camera I've owned whose finder was great was the M3.
The only advice I can give you is to practice with your M7 to the exclusion of the SLRs until you become use to it. Life with your M camera should improve.
 
bob, thank you for the reply. i guess i will have no choice but to put the slr's away and use the m7 exclusively. all decisions should be so hard to swallow. thanx again, lou cicalese
 
Mark thanks for your reply, I checked many times to make sure the camera was correctly set on DX, the problem happened for three rolls in a row. I wrote Leica twice already, they haven't responded yet (except for the initial reply with instructions to send the camera in, what is wrong with their customer service anyway?) I changed batteries and then cleaned the DX contacts and the contaxt in the back of the camera. The camera has been functioning fine ever since but now I am in Cairo, and the weather is not has demanding has it was in France so far and I haven't use the camera has intensively. I will wait and see what happens.
I worried because I found on several web sites reports about the camera failing to read the DX coding and that the owners had no recourse but to send the camera in for repairs and wait weeks to get it back. I find it even stranger that I don't get any replies on my inquiries from Solms customer service, except for the initial one saying: send the camera. Notice that in the manual there are no troubleshooting guidelines. Pisses me off that after spending 7000 dollars on a camera, lenses and a flash, customer servise is so louse at answering some of my simple questions. Appreciate comments from anyone. Still, I like the camera...if it keeps working fine....I might even love it. I have my doubts about Leica's agility and desirability to answer customer inquires over the phone or the net. Happy to ear all your comments
 
Rodrigo, if the contacts are anything like my old HP 41C / HP 67 calculator, the contacts don't corrode (gold plated) they get DIRTY. The solution is to gently clean them with an eraser (yes the pink think at the end of a wooden pencil). Yes only the pink ones! Worked great. Good Luck.

Gerry
 
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