Leica M3, 35mm lens - bare?

[kshapero]

Anybody shooting their M3 with a 35mm lens without goggles or external VF? It's a stretch but I think it can work.

 

[Particular]

If you tape over the frame line illumination window you will have a frame that is somewhat wider than 50mm, but not quite 35mm.

When I first got my M3 I got a Canon 35/2 to go with it (all I could afford). My photography teacher saw this and said: "Son, you need a viewfinder with that". He then handed me a Nippon Kogaku 35-135 zoom viewer, which I still have and will never sell.

You could shoot all your photography from the hip, but sometimes it is nice to be able to frame accurately.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

After speaking with Sherry K over the phone one of the many topics landed on the M3 viewfinder and lenses wider than 50mm. According to her if you block off the frame line mask and use the entire viewfinder without lines you get roughly a 40mm view.

 

[nksyoon]

I've used my M3 with a Minolta 40/2 before, worked well.

 

[semordnilap]

I did that for about 8 years. M3 with a 35 and a 90... Learned it pretty quick.

 

[dave lackey]

Anybody shooting their M3 with a 35mm lens without goggles or external VF? It's a stretch but I think it can work.

Let us know how it works...

 

[kshapero]

I'm gonna shoot a roll with a 35mm lens.

 

[sc_rufctr]

I'm gonna shoot a roll with a 35mm lens.

I would... I have an M4-P but I just love my M3.

Recently I bought a Leica Elemarit 135mm and it's much easier to focus that lens on my M3 rather than my M4-P. That M3 viewfinder has never been bettered IMHO.

 

[jsrockit]

Why put yourself through this?

 

[ferider]

Chinese cookie says: "an M2 is in your future".

 

[Nikkor AIS]

I use the 35 1.4 Summilux and the Leica M3 combo all the time. Fantastic combo. The focus is dead on @ 1.4 and I kind of like the fact that there is a little bitty extra outside the viewfinder on the M3. The guy who sold me the M3 tried to talk me out of buying it because he felt it was a big deal. I just saw myself with the M3 and the 35 1.4 Summilux and I knew all would be well.

 

[semordnilap]

Why put yourself through this?

I did it because that's what I had at the time. If you have other options I wouldn't recommend it–nothing wider than a 40, which works fine on an M3–but you can learn lenses pretty quickly if you shoot them a lot, I think.

Also, it can be much smaller than using a 50.

 

[semordnilap]

Gregory, What a great cat shot...!

 

[Steinberg2010]

I love it too!

 

[Tipton]

I never have problems using a 35 on mine. On my old M3 I used a 35 for over a year, never took it off, and made some of my favorite photos with it. Now that I have another M3, I've been using the 40 Cron on it, and since Saturday, the 35 1.2.
Go for it, just use the whole VF and know that you'll get a tiny bit more coverage than what you see, you'll be fine.

 

[jsrockit]

To me, it's just not a good way to compose... it seems that people tend to compose towards the center when using this type of option... instead of using the entire frame.

 

[Tom A]

The M3 with the taped over frame line illumination window works fine. Rangefinders are not precise in framing - it depends on the distance to the subject, the lens and the framelines are just guidance - not an exact view.
I often use the M3 and M2 with black taped illumination windows, the M3 for 35 and the M2 for 28. Just stick a couple of pieces of black tape on the base-plate (or in my case, the Rapidwinders) and pull off as needed. Much less of a heartbreak loosing those than having finders bouncing on the street!

 

[furcafe]

Did it w/the 40/2 M-Rokkor back when it was my only Leica mount lens. If I didn't wear glasses, would probably work for 35mm, too.

Anybody shooting their M3 with a 35mm lens without goggles or external VF? It's a stretch but I think it can work.

 

[kshapero]

Gregory , great post and great shots.