Any real difference between Voitlander's 25 & 28 Viewfinders?

[wrs1145]

I've ended up with a 25mm VF and a 28mm lens. Is there any real difference between a 25mm. VF and a 28mm. VF to warrant me to have to replace it?

 

[Retro-Grouch]

The 25mm lens is 72 degrees of coverage, the 28 is 65 degrees. For me, that's a sizeable difference that would warrant a matching finder. On the other hand, all accessory finders are approximate, offering at best parallax correction lines, but not expanding or contracting frame lines as focus changes (and with the change in focus point, a slight but noticeable change in lens focal length). A rangefinder camera's built-in viewfinder is better for correcting these errors, but far from perfect. The real question, as I see it, is what your style of shooting is like. If it's fast, and approximate, you might have no need for the 28mm finder. A more studied approach, with a need for more accurate framing, might call for the matching finder. Really, only you can decide!
I love shooting with rangefinders. But when I really need precise framing, I'll switch to an SLR with a 100% viewfinder. Perhaps heretical for devoted rangefinder shooters, but, as they say, the right tool for the job.

 

[Evergreen States]

It might be worth experimenting shooting tests at different distances and seeing if you can learn to estimate framing using the 28mm finder. I generally prefer careful composition in my work, but when using, say the 14mm lens on a Fujifilm X-Pro1, one can estimate framing pretty reasonably using the whole viewfinder.

It's generally a good idea to see what you can do with what you've got before spending more money.

 

[wrs1145]

Many thanks, guys. I'm a fast shooter, so I'll try it out.

 

[agentlossing]

TTartisans just put out a very cheap 28mm finder, that's metal and glass. No framelines, much like the old Canon hotshoe finders, but you can get it for around 40 bucks, and the optics seem pretty clear.

 

[wrs1145]

That's a super buy.