35mm lens on a Leica M with a .85 viewfinder

[Asim]

problem or not? i keep hearing different things from different people.

 

[johannielscom]

Seems like a lot of options on wearing glasses.

What can I deduct from that? You're probably wearing them yourself.

In which case, a 0.85 VF might not be such a good idea. But what do I know, I'm not wearing any, so maybe others can comment on the glasses + 0.85 VF combo?

 

[Robert Lai]

In my case, I've made the problem worse by using a 1.25X magnifier at the same time.
It gives a 1:1 view of the world, so I can look with both eyes open. So, basically my M7 0.85 becomes a super M3.

If I use 35mm, I have the Summicron (8 element) with the M3 finder goggles. It makes use of the 50mm frame line. This is perfect if I don't use the magnifier. If I use the magnifier, I still have to roam around a bit to see all the edges.

Without the 1.25x magnifier, I find the 35mm frame lines too far away for use with glasses on. It is virtually the entire finder. I do have a 35mm CV external finder for such occasions. As I said, it's basically like an M3 finder.

The benefit is at the 135mm end, where the 0.85 finder kicks butt!

 

[Fraser]

I had a m6ttl .85x and used it with 35mm and it was fine (I don't wear glasses) but now having a .72x it is much easier and a more relaxed view.

 

[RichardB]

All my M's are 0.85 except my M3 and the 35mm is used about 50% of the time with no problem without my glasses and with a slight diopter correction.
But you really have to try it yourself.-Dick

 

[peter_n]

I don't wear glasses and I'm lucky enough to have very good eyesight. I use my 0.85x MP for 75, 90, 135 & 200mm lenses and use the other two Ms for the mid-range and wides. I have no problem seeing the 35mm frameline; but I like to see outside the frameline too and there isn't enough room for me there on the 0.85x mag MP.

 

[sanmich]

I do wear glasses, and I like to see around the frame.
0.72 is great for 50mm
0.58 is a treat for 35/28
I would own a 0.85 only if I was to use extensively focal lengths longer than 50.

 

[raid]

I don't wear glasses, and I love the .85 VF.

 

[semilog]

I use a 35mm on my m6 0.85 about 0.85 of the time ;-). But I'm farsighted so I don't wear glasses when I shoot.

 

[roundg]

I don't wear glasses. My experience is that using 35 on 0.85 is even better than a 0.72.

 

[ChrisN]

I wear glasses. With the .72 viewfinder, I can't "see" the 35 framelines but I'm conscious of where they are as long as I don't try to look at them. (If I move my eye off-centre I can look at one side frameline but then I can't see the other side at all.) The .58 framelines are great. The .85 finder would be impossible for me. I envy you folks without glasses!

 

[FrankS]

I wear glasses and using a 35 on my M6 with .85 magnification viewfinder, was a problem. I coulld not see all the framelines at once. The M6 was sold. The standard mag of my M2 is perfect for me for use with a 35mm lens.

 

[LeicaTom]

I added a Leitz rubber eyecup to my LHSA M6 TTL BP 0.85 and with the 35mm frame brought up it fills the entire finder when you have eye socket pushed against the rubber eyecup, you see all 4 frames well, it also makes focusing faster too.........but, I do use my 35's more on my M8 than the M6.
(I'm still 20/20 in my shooting eye *the right one*, but who knows how much longer that's going to last, I'm nearing 50.....)

Tom

 

[Livesteamer]

I wear glasses and the 35mm lens on my M6 .85 is usable but not great. I use it now and then. I also have a chrome M6 .72 and find the two M6's make a great pair. The M6 .85 for 50 on up and the M6 .72 for wide angle and general use. I will only put the Noctilux on the M6.85. It delivers much better accuracy than the M6 .72 when the Noctilux is wide open, which is about the only time I use it. Joe

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I have that combo & wear glasses. The best way to describe the viewfinder is like looking through an SLR viewfinder. I agree that the .85 is better for the 50mm lens. But, the caveat is that the rangefinder was designed to view outside the photographic image to see what was entering. With the .85 viewfinder & a 50mm lens the image is similar to a 35mm lens with a .72 viewfinder.

 

[kshapero]

Hmmm, so how would my 40 mm work on my soon to arrive M6 .85? Which frameline would it choose? I'm thinking all things considered the 40 mm might work just fine with a little imagination. eh?

 

[judsonzhao]

Depends on how thick your lens of glass : )
I'm not joking.. I didn't wear glass when I use rangefinders, .85 is just fine for 35mm, great for 50mm

 

[Calzone]

Hmmm, so how would my 40 mm work on my soon to arrive M6 .85? Which frameline would it choose? I'm thinking all things considered the 40 mm might work just fine with a little imagination. eh?

K,

Pretty much I use the entire VF'er on my 0.85 MP when using my 43/1.9 Pentax-L. I use a 35mm LTM to M-adapter for the 135mm framelines which provides the middle rectangle for "the rule of thirds." For me (I wear glasses) it seems like an engineered match in heaven.

With a 35 I like the faster focus provided by the added magnification. Since I am use to using a 28 Cron on a Wetzlar 0.72 M6 where I have to scan I don't mind doing the same with a 35 on my 0.85 MP.

Also know that my MP has black paint and that my 35 of choice is a black paint 35 Cron ASPH to go with a chrome 50 Lux ASPH and a chrome 90/4.0 Macro Elmar to be an optimized camera. The M6 kinda has the 28 Cron permanently mounted unless I borrow the 28 Cron for use on my Monochrom.

Thinking of getting either a 35 Cron or 35 Summaron with googles. Understand that I had Sherry strip out the 75mm frames so my 50mm frames are uncluttered.

Cal

 

[Ronald M]

Even 50 is tough with glasses. .72 is fine.

35mm is impossible with glasses. .72 if I dodge around a bit. without glasses it is fine.

Bottom line is external finder, corrective diopter, for 35 milimeter with eyes so it brings up 50 mm frame lines but the eyes make the image smaller so 35 is squeesed into 50 lines.

 

[Andy Kibber]

As you can see from the responses, some folks think the 35mm frame lines on a .85 VF are fine and some folks have problems with em (I'm in the former camp). Yer gonna hafta try it yerself.