Leica M7 Rangefinder 35mm Camera w/ .58x Viewfinder, Black (Model 10501)

Rating:
Summary: Leica M7 rangefinder camera optimized for wide angle lenses
Review: This version of the Leica M7 has the same features as the standard M7 with 0.72x viewfinder, most notably aperture priority automation and TTL (Through The Lens) flash, but lacks the frame line for a 135mm lens. It is designed for those interested in using primarily wide angle lenses and for those who wear eye glasses. Unfortunately, the Leica M7, unlike the Leica MP, is virtually dead except for two shutter speeds when your batteries die out. And yet despite this inconvenience, the Leica M7 is the quietest, best handling Leica M rangefinder camera I've come across. Regrettably, the 0.58x viewfinder model is no longer in production, except via the expensive Leica A La Carte program, so if this version of the M7 appeals to you, buy it soon!

Is the Leica M7 a 35mm camera for everyone? Of course the answer is no, since a rangefinder camera, unlike a single lens reflex (SLR) camera, has a very limited range of lenses. It is superb with wide angle and normal lenses since it is often easier to focus with a rangefinder than a SLR, and can be as fast, if not faster, than the latest autofocus SLRs. The Leica truly excels as the ideal tool for discrete documentary photography, producing what the late Henri Cartier-Bresson referred to as the "decisive moment" photograph. So if you care deeply about making great documentary photography images, then perhaps the Leica M7 should be your premier 35mm camera.