The Main Switch; The Shutter Release Button - Leica M7 Instructions Manual

9
8
a

The main switch

The main switch (9), designed as a click-stop
lever, is on the front underneath the shutter
release button (8). To turn on the camera, move
the lever to the right, to cover the red marking (b).
In its idle position, i.e. when it is to the left and
the red marking is visible (a), it turns off the
camera electronics and, at the same time, me-
chanically blocks the shutter release to prevent
accidental exposures.
If the shutter is cocked when turning on, the
exposure meter is also activated. Initially, the film
speed is displayed or flashes in the viewfinder for
2 s (depending on the setting, for more details see
the section "Film speed displays in the viewfinder"
on page 80/81). The display then changes and the
the exposure meter results light up for 14 s. If the
shutter is not cocked when turning on, there is no
display.
In manual mode the shutter can be released im-
mediately after the main switch is turned on;
when set to aperture priority mode you must wait
approx. 2 s (until the film speed display has gone
out).
Note: If the camera is being transported in a bag,
for example, or will not be used for a long period,
b it should be turned off at the main switch.

The shutter release button

The shutter release button (8) has two pressure
levels. Pressing it down lightly to the first pressure
point activates exposure metering if the shutter is
cocked. After the shutter release button is re-
leased, the metering system and the display in the
viewfinder remain active for approx. another 14 s
(for more details see the sections under "Expo-
sure metering" on page 96).
With the aperture priority mode, pressing down to
the 2nd pressure point locks the metered exposu-
re value, i.e. the shutter speed determined by the
camera (for more details see the section
" Metering memory-lock " on page 98).
Going past the 2nd pressure point releases the
shutter.
73