CANON Model 7 rangefinder camera
Canon and Nikon both used to make rangefinder cameras, and they were all high-end rangefinder cameras. Even later Canon model 7 was close to M3 and had more light metering functions. Nikon did not imitate the Leica rangefinder. Nikon’s last rangefinder, the SP, was an imitation of the Contax rangefinder.
The shutter sound of CANON Model 7 is slightly louder than that of Leica. It has a metal shutter. When the shutter speed dial is switched from 15 to 8, it requires a little force and there is a clicking sound. It should be a kind of tactile feedback and sound prompt for switching the shutter speed to slow, which can remind the photographer that the shutter has been switched to a slow speed. But I don’t know if this change in feel is necessary, Leica doesn’t have it.
viewfinder of model 7
Manually selected, 35mm, 50mm, 85 and 100mm, 135mm wire frames. Leica automatically changes the framing according to the lens. I think manual selection is actually nothing. After all, in this era, playing film cameras is not about pursuing speed.
focus
The focus area is very clear, and the viewfinder magnification is not small, but it is slightly darker than the Leica M. As with all Leica imitations, the center focus area is blurred around the edges. Personally, I still prefer Leica’s center square, which has clear edges and is easier to focus on. Leica still does this better.
Pass the film
CANON Model 7 film transfer is very easy, a bit like Leica, but slightly looser than Leica. The slide wrench looks like the side of a finger, which is very cute and gives CANON MODEL 7 a gentle curve.
Metering
In 1961, Canon equipped the rangefinder body with an advanced metering system. The metering function of the Canon 7 in my hand was very accurate, which surprised me. But that plastic window always struck me as a little ugly.
Summarize
This is a pretty good rangefinder camera. If it had an M mount, I think its price would have doubled. Unfortunately, it is an L39 screw. Leica’s screws are very small, which makes it a bit uncoordinated on this large body. The Japanese like the Canon model 7 very much. They often customize some late-stage screw heads from Leica, such as the screw-mounted sumicron 35mm f2 asph and the screw-mounted summilux 50mm 1.4 E46, which they prefer to use on this body.
