anyone use 35mm lens on M3 without external finder

[roundg]

Hi,

I am considering the possibility of using my 35 summaron on a M3. I don't like external VF. So how about just guess with the 50mm frame?


anyone use it in this way? how about it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[richard_l]

For what it's worth, I use a 40mm lens on the M3 and frame with the entire viewfinder. For my type of shooting, it works fine, but I would be uncomfortable trying to do this with 35mm.

Richard

 

[Xmas]

With a M3 it is easy to use both eyes, if you open the left eye, it will help with a 35mm.

Abram... the US street shooter used a 28mm on a M4 which is more difficult?

Noel

 

[roundg]

Thanks for all answers. Using 40mm with M3 50frame is not a problem for me. I will see how is going with 35 when I get the M3.

 

[photocrazy]

You can buy the goggled summaron which extends the 50mm frameline on M3 to 35mm. Actually, I quite like using goggled lens on M6, by which I can easily see the 35mm frameline since I wear glasses. If you are of P&S style, it's fine just to have a guessmate about the 35mm view. But ideally, you'd better have a 35mm frameline in the viewfinder.

 

[Rayt]

Using a 24mm on a .58x or a 28mm on a .72x are OK for me because I just mentally frame larger since I have a pretty idea what they cover.

 

[jaapv]

Just as long as you don't ungoggle a goggled lens (I can't believe I just wrote that 😀) Anyway. That will not work, as it won't focus.

 

[Paul Connet]

Just as long as you don't ungoggle a goggled lens (I can't believe I just wrote that 😀) Anyway. That will not work, as it won't focus.

I can't help but respond to this statement. A goggled Summaron without the goggles is quite useable, and it will focus, just not using the rangefinder. Without the goggles you must scale focus using the distance markings on the lens. Pretty much what you would do in street-shooting mode anyway.

I used mine for a year without goggles for daylight shooting at smaller apertures and it was a delight. In low light at wide apertures you have to be careful to get the distance correct because of the limited DOF.

Regards, Paul C.

 

[photocrazy]

An interesting thing is when I use 35mm asph on an M6 on the street, the combo will sometimes attrack attention. I think it's because the red dot is more eye-catching. When I put the goggled lens, the combo seems less attention-attracking as the goggles block the red dot. The whole thing look strange and more like a nouveau DC.

 

[jaapv]

I can't help but respond to this statement. A goggled Summaron without the goggles is quite useable, and it will focus, just not using the rangefinder. Without the goggles you must scale focus using the distance markings on the lens. Pretty much what you would do in street-shooting mode anyway.

I used mine for a year without goggles for daylight shooting at smaller apertures and it was a delight. In low light at wide apertures you have to be careful to get the distance correct because of the limited DOF.

Regards, Paul C.

How did you get around the infinity lock, that clicks and locks at infinity without the goggles by the little ball in the middle of the flange (at least if the lens is not worn) ?
It can be forcibly disabled of course, but I would not do that to my lens....That one can scale focus it is obvious in that case, but that is hardly what a rangefinder camera is made for.But you are right; I should have said : " The rangefinder will not function,nor the correct framelines."
On the other hand, it might have been a fixed-goggles version with the goggles removed permanently. Although that would be a pointless thing to do, it would not present the infinity-lock problem. But the framelines would still be for 50 mm and the rangefinder would still misfocus.

 

[Mackinaw]

To answer the original question, the total area shown in the viewfinder, outside of the 50mm framelines, is a good approximation of the 35mm field of view. Doable if you don't wear glasses, but a pain if you do.

Jim Bielecki

 

[Paul Connet]

How did you get around the infinity lock, that clicks and locks at infinity without the goggles by the little ball in the middle of the flange (at least if the lens is not worn) ?
It can be forcibly disabled of course, but I would not do that to my lens....That one can scale focus it is obvious in that case, but that is hardly what a rangefinder camera is made for.But you are right; I should have said : " The rangefinder will not function,nor the correct framelines."

I do remember that the ball detent had to be depressed to move the lens off of infinity, but finger pressure would do that easily. The whole point of my post was to assure anyone having one of these lenses without the goggles, that the lens is still useable. Scale focusing is eminently appropriate for quick, at the ready grab shots. More difficult in low light but still possible, and since you are not focusing with the rangefinder, a nice 35mm brightline finder makes it even better.

Regards, Paul C.

 

[roundg]

Thanks for all the discuss.

I just checked the M3 manual as my M3 is still in DAG. I think the total area of the VF as suggested by Jim is OK for 40mm lens, but a bit tighter for 35mm.

Anyway I would rather use my 35mm summaron on it without a goggle or external VF. Accurate frame is not my major concern with RF.

hehe, pls view the attached pic for the M3 VF view.