Canon 7

I've gone through a bunch of rangefinder phases, but ultimately they end up as dust gatherers as I end up back using SLRs or large format. Still, there's, there's no denying the appeal of a nice one.

 

I started down a path earlier this year of buying a Canon IVsb and a 50mm 1.8. I loved how that handled, but unfortunately it had pinholes in the shutter curtains so I didn't use it much. I still have it, but haven't gotten around to sending it off for service.

 

Not too long after, a Leica IIIc with a 3 lens kit(35/50/135). I've used that one a decent amount, but it still needs a service to take care of the slow speeds and also do a vertical alignment on the rangefinder. There's also no denying the fact that although these are wonderful feeling cameras, the separate viewfinder/rangefinder is a pain and the viewfinder is tiny. Plus, I need the awkward external finder(I have the pointy Leitz one) to frame for anything other than the 50mm and have to manually set the parallax correction. This finder also doesn't "zoom" per se, but rather just cuts off more of the frame as you dial in longer focal lengths so at 135mm you just have a tiny window.

 

The IVsb does have the nice advantage of having a zoom feature on the range finder that will also correctly frame the 135mm lens. Plus, it's also a combined viewfinder and rangefinder.

 

Still, the IVsb is undeniably a Leica III clone, and shares a lot of the annoying traits like bottom loading. I'm sure I could get use to it with enough practice, but loading film in either camera is a daunting enough task to keep me from using either a whole lot.

 

I don't have the desire to pay Leica M money for the rangefinder experience, but when one gets into LTM the selection of both cameras and lenses is excellent.

 

So, with all of that in mind I was in the local "slick new camera" shop today and noticed that they'd dropped the price dramatically-by about half-on a Canon 7 they've had for a while.

 

For those who don't know, the 7 series was Canon's last series of rangefinder cameras. They are probably best known for having the bayonet mount for the well known 50mm .95. Aside from that, though, they have a lot of redeeming qualities, and playing with this one sold me on the camera.

 

First of all, the 7 is a BIG camera by rangefinder standards. It dwarfs a Leica III and Canon IV. It actually looks and feels a fair bit like a Canonflex RM, and I don't think there's much question that the two cameras share some DNA. It's still bigger than an M3, though.

 

Still, though, it has a LOT of redeeming qualities missing from the Leica III series and other similarly styled cameras. The combined viewfinder/rangefinder is BIG and it has manually selectable frame markers for different focal lengths. The RF patch is bright and contrasty. Most important to me, though, is that it has a swing open back.

 

After looking through the viewfinder, this came home with me. The curtains have some wrinkles, which I understand is very common for this model. Still, though, it beats having silk curtains burn through from an uncapped lens. 1 second timed out just about right in the store.

 

In addition, amazingly enough the light meter seems to work. When I was taking this photo, it actually agreed with my D800 within about a half stop either way . My biggest problem is seeming o want to cover up the metering cell when holding the camera with my right hand.

 

Shown below is the camera with a 1930s Collapsible Elmar attached. It's almost comically small on the camera.

 

IMO, any person who has LTM equipment would be well served by looking at one of these. They're quite inexpensive(the ones with a CdS meter bring a bit more) and of course will work with your Letiz or other brand LTM glass. In a lot of ways, this camera is the M3 for LTM shooters.

 

Some of the various Canon LTM cameras are available from Japan at very modest prices -- like the Canon VL2 I have (e.g., link). I personally think the V range are good buys and "feel" as good any any cameras I have ever used.

The add-on light meters for the Canon VI (and P) that I have seen sometimes work and sometimes don't.

 

When they work, I believe that they are close, otherwise they pretty much don't move at all. A light tap sometimes helps.

 

I have never held, and mostly haven't seen pictures of the 7. Thanks for the nice picture. Most that I see are front view, not showing the top.

I have never held, and mostly haven't seen pictures of the 7. Thanks for the nice picture. Most that I see are front view, not showing the top.

 

Many of the photos that one sees of the camera are with the 50mm .95. I've never seen one of those lenses in person, but I believe it's quite large. Truthfully, by LTM standards the 7 is large enough that the little collapsible Elmar almost looks comically small on it. I'm not sure how well my photo conveys that. Even at that, though, lenses like the nice little Canon 50mm 1.8 are diminuative by SLR standards.

 

I've not seen this discussed, but the 7 and the Canonflex RM seem to have about the same relationship as the Nikon SP and the F. I've had an RM for a little while, and honestly the 7 does feel like an RM without a prism on top. The cameras really feel and handle about the same in my hands. BTW, the RM is closely associated with Bell & Howell, and the 7 manual on Butkus's site is also for the "Bell and Howell Canon 7."

 

I need to get the lights set up again and do a proper photo shoot with some of my cameras. The above was a quick snap with the flash bounced off the ceiling.

The three lenses my dad had for the Canon VI, as far back as I knew, (and I have now) are the Canon 50/2.8, Canon 135/4.0, and non-Canon 35/2.8. (He bought the Canon VI when I was about one year old.) I will have to look up who made that, but with lens hood it fits inside the Canon case. The lens hood also holds on the skylight filter, but it is really too small to hold without the hood.

 

When I bought my Nikon FM in 1979, I bought it with the AI 35/2.0 and not with a 50mm lens, as I always liked the 35mm lens.

 

Some years later, I bought a used AI 35-70 zoom, which got a lot of use.

 

As for LTM lenses, I now have a Canon 50/1.4 which isn't small, but smaller than SLR style 50/1.4 lenses.

The Canon 7 RF is one of my favorite cameras. The prices are quite reasonable. I finally broke down this year and bought a Canon 50mm f/1.4 for it. I just wish I had more time to use it.

Here is the Canon 7 RF next to a Canonflex RP with meter. The meters work fine on both cameras. The meter for the Canonflex co st about the same as the camera these days. I was able to get one long ago for a bargain price.