35mm on an M3?

[semi-ambivalent]

I've owned an M3 and a 50mm Summicron V.4 for almost a month now. Smitten, although I still love my Nikon F. I am wondering how feasible it is to use a 35mm lens on the M3. Is an external viewfinder necessary, or can one just go with the flow of the 50 framelines?

thanks,

s-a

 

[BillBingham2]

A lot depends upon you and how you want to shoot. How exact do you want to frame. Perhaps one way to see is to put your F on a tripod say 10 feet away from the wall. Mark the edges of the frame when you have a 35 on it, swap to a 50 and mark them. Take a look and see what you think when you put your M3 on tripod and see what you think.

Remember your M3 does not have parallax correction, not a problem, just keep it in mind.

Best way to try before you buy. Good luck and let us know what you think.

B2

 

[Particular]

I had an m3 for years and used it with a 35mm and an external finder before I got a 50mm. It is nice to have accurate frame lines, and not need an external finder, but it suited me fine for a long time. I don't think my photography suffered.
If you want to use the m3 finder, you can put some black tape over the illumination window (next to the viewfinder on the front), which will hide the 50mm frame lines. I think the view matches a 40mm more closely, but is not great for a 35mm. It is worth a try though.

 

[flip]

Remember your M3 does not have parallax correction, not a problem, just keep it in mind.
B2

When I focus my M3, I certainly see the frame lines adjusting for something. Granted, the whole window doesn't parallax adjust if you're using it to frame 35, if that's what you mean.

 

[Rogrund]

When I focus my M3, I certainly see the frame lines adjusting for something. Granted, the whole window doesn't parallax adjust if you're using it to frame 35, if that's what you mean.

That's correct, the framelines on the M3 are parallax corrected.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I tried using an external finder for years on my M3 but most of the time it just frustrated me. For now I'm sticking to the 50/90/135 covered by the viewfinder, until I can find a spectacled 35mm at a price I like.

 

[raydm6]

If you already have the 35, maybe an M2 body?

 

[Livesteamer]

My first Leica (1990) was an M3 and a 35 Summilux with no goggles. Just use the whole finder and understand that your framing lack a bit of precision. Buy a J 12 from Fedka for little money and see if a 35 and M3 is for you.

Now I use the 35 Summilux on a M6 .72 paired with an M6 .85 for 50mm and longer. I still have the old M3, one of my favorites. Joe

 

[Vics]

I shoot 35mm on my M3 with the amazing Summaron 2.8/35. It has an ocular attachment (known as "goggles") that turn your 50mm framelines into a 35mm view. It works great and doesn't add much bulk to the whole rig. Many would like the goggle-less version and a finder in the accessory shoe better, but this was Leica's solution to the problem. Later, they solved it for good by releasing the M2.

 

[paradoxbox]

i use a color skopar 2.5 35mm on my m3 all the time and have no problem with it

you just can't have exact framing, you have to imagine that the photo you're taking goes a bit outside of the borders of what you can see.

i don't tape up the framelines as you can still use the framelines to help you keep parallax correction when shooting with a 35mm lens on.

 

[semi-ambivalent]

I had an m3 for years and used it with a 35mm and an external finder before I got a 50mm. It is nice to have accurate frame lines, and not need an external finder, but it suited me fine for a long time. I don't think my photography suffered.
If you want to use the m3 finder, you can put some black tape over the illumination window (next to the viewfinder on the front), which will hide the 50mm frame lines. I think the view matches a 40mm more closely, but is not great for a 35mm. It is worth a try though.

Black tape! This is the kind of fix I like. "Staying in the lines" has been the hardest to learn adjustment I've had to make compared to shooting my F, and this is a neat class-B solution.

Because of financial limitations I'll probably get a goggled 2.8 summaron (the images I've looked at are fabulous) so the problem sort of sorts itself out. Nice to hear the combo has good balance. Got to weigh less than an F with a 180/2.8. 🙂

Thanks all,

s-a

 

[sleepyhead]

About a year ago I bought a chrome Voigtlander 28/35 minifinder, which I always keep with my Leica M3 (if not on it). It's very small and unobtrusive, and it's allowed me to use my 28mm and 35mm lenses on the M3. However, it is not as convenient as using a body with those framelines, because framing and focusing are done with two separate steps.

So, I use the minifinder more to get a general view and place myself in relation to the subject, then I use the normal M3 viewfinder while shooting, with some "feeling" of how much more space will be included in the photo around the subject.

I have had particularly good success with a 28mm on the M3, where the 50mm framelines act almost like "rule of thirds" compositional guides. (I hope that makes sense to anyone other than myself!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Just use the whole finder and understand that your framing lack a bit of precision.

I'm going to try this next time. 😉


Recently shot a roll with a VC 35mm f/1.7 Ultron attached, Used a Leica VIDOM finder. It worked well enough, but having to do the parallex correction manually takes a bit of getting into the routine.

 

[begona]

I have M3 and had summaron with goggles and sold it...after that I bought M2 with VC 35mm f2.5 and I decide that m3 is my loved camera and agian I want summaron back 🙂 Now I am looking to trade my M2 for summaron... hehe 😀