Best and brightest

[akptc]

Aging is not what's it's all cracked up to be, I am finding out the hard way. I am "only" 43 but it's getting harder and harder to clearly see and focus the RF patch on my beloved R-D1. This morning I played a bit comparing the clarity of the VF/RF patches on the R-D1, Hexar RF, and an M6 and - surprisingly - found the Hexar RF's patch to be slightly easier to see and focus than the others. I am sure it's specific characteristics of my eyes (eye). I am delaying getting glasses 'cause I just plain hate wearing them, even sunglasses.

So I wonder, is the end of RF fun in sight for me 😉 or should I be looking at other bodies/viewfinders? My research shows lots of folks claim the M2 has the best and brightest VF; many others say the same about the M3. I could live without a meter but which VF/RF patch is better (brighter?)

Then again some people say that the M7 or the MP have the best VFs. I don't see much difference between the M6 and the M7 finders; confusing stuff. I once tried an M3 but don't recall the VF clarity or RF patch definition. I know this question has been asked and answered many times, mostly in bits and pieces here and there but I am hoping to get a definitive, "cross my heart - hope to die"-type answer here...

- thanks a bunch

 

[oftheherd]

Lots of folks use glasses and find out how to do so with cameras. However, if you are sure that isn't you, you might want to consider trying contact lenses.

 

[ferider]

In the end, whatever camera you use, it is important how clean it is ...

When I played with an RD1 I noticed something strange: the VF was clearly
brighter than on my Ms, but in a restaurant environment in the evening
it was very hard to focus, while no problem with my M6 I had with me
back then. So apparently, brightness and contrast are not the same.

One thing that speaks for the M3 is that the RF patch is bigger than
for any other Leica.

Best is to do what you did, just try ....

Roland.

 

[iml]

I wear glasses and have no problem focusing an M6 or a Bessa, or an Olympus 35 RC, even in very low light. It really all depends on what prescription you have. But if you think you need glasses or contacts, you should have an eye test and make sure, there's no sense having worsening sight.

I use a 1.25 magnifier on my .72 M6 and 95% of the time use a 50mm on it, and focusing it is easy and quick, but it's not exactly difficult even without the magnifier. YMMV, but you'll only know when/if you start wearing glasses or contacts.

Ian

 

[akptc]

My personal fears and likes aside (I get week in the stomach even thinking of putting on contact lenses), I found that even when I wear sunglasses (I live in sunny Arizona), I found it is easier to get a comfortable distance between my eye and VF with glasses off.

One thing makes me curious though – many of the old fixed-lens rangefinders that I’ve tried had big and bright, often yellow-wish or even orange RF patches that remained very visible and easy to focus with even in dark places. Is there no way to hack an M-body to result in a higher-contrast RF patch? I think I read somewhere that one could put some kind of a sticker on the RF window to achieve something like that… not quite sure on this though. Has anyone seen such a thing?

 

[john neal]

Andy,

Interesting, I have come back to rangefinders because of worsening eyesight (presbyopia). I can no longer see to focus most SLRs due to the split circle blacking out, even with a 50mm lens, and + dioptre correction lenses of various strengths.

I find my M3 and MP are a doddle to use, some of the fixed-lens types are more difficult, but that depends on brightness and contrast of the vf/rf combination, as you seem to have found. I looked through a ZI and Hexar at the weekend, and they both have very nice vf displays, but (for me) not as good as the MP. The big surprise was the quality of the Minolta CLE vf - very clear and easy to use.

If you are worried about contact lenses, don't be. I started using them about 6 years ago, having felt much like you. I hate glasses of any description and now get very grumpy on the odd day when I cannot wear my contacts for some reason (hay fever, cold, etc).

Whatever, you need to be happy with your kit, so don't feel hide-bound to follow any particular code, just make sure you look after your eyes 🙂

 

[colinh]

Is there no way to hack an M-body to result in a higher-contrast RF patch? I think I read somewhere that one could put some kind of a sticker on the RF window to achieve something like that… not quite sure on this though. Has anyone seen such a thing?

If there were such a thing (made by collecting lots of fairy dust, melting it and pouring a film) I imagine Leica would have bought it all up and put it on their cameras.

Don't listen to what "people" say (except me, of course). Not many people have tried out *lots* of different M cameras (ie. multiples of each type). For instance, *my* M7 has a much better RF path than *my* M2 and M3. So what?

In any case, I heard that the Zeiss Ikon viewfinder is the "best". I just don't dare try it, having acquired the M's.

colin

 

[akptc]

John, thank you for the encouragement wrt contacts. It just might be one of those times to “be brave” and try them 😱

Colin, I agree with you and Roland, there is no substitute for trying the VFs firsthand. I plan to do more of that over time (not much opportunity to do that in my neck of the woods).

I sweare though, fairy dust or not, I did see a website where a guy makes and/or sells some kind of a fancy external patch or sticker that is placed on the RF window to darken the RF patch. I just cannot find the darn URL.

 

[colinh]

I sweare though, fairy dust or not, I did see a website where a guy makes and/or sells some kind of a fancy external patch or sticker that is placed on the RF window to darken the RF patch. I just cannot find the darn URL.

I never doubted that someone was trying to sell something. 🙂

colin

 

[cmogi10]

John, thank you for the encouragement wrt contacts. It just might be one of those times to “be brave” and try them 😱

Colin, I agree with you and Roland, there is no substitute for trying the VFs firsthand. I plan to do more of that over time (not much opportunity to do that in my neck of the woods).

I sweare though, fairy dust or not, I did see a website where a guy makes and/or sells some kind of a fancy external patch or sticker that is placed on the RF window to darken the RF patch. I just cannot find the darn URL.

http://www.leicagoodies.com/shade.html

there you go!

 

[akptc]

http://www.leicagoodies.com/shade.html

there you go!

Aha!!! I knew I wasn't going senile 🙂 Thanks a lot for the link! I am going to try this on my M6 and report back here.

 

[cmogi10]

Let me know if it works!

 

[ferider]

Aha!!! I knew I wasn't going senile 🙂 Thanks a lot for the link! I am going to try this on my M6 and report back here.

I had one - came with my used M6. I took it off. Framelines are more contrasty
but overall get darker, the patch too. This is designed to fix the M6
flare problem which is no issue for M2 and M3 (Hexar, etc.)

Roland.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Yep...I remember being 43....
Not that it was all that long ago, but about a year before that, I had to get glasses.

If it's just "old age" can't see up close, the worst part is not being able to see the settings on the camera. I still find I can focus pretty well, but a few weeks ago I set the ISO 2 stops from where I'd intended because I'd been too lazy to put on my glasses.

These are handy. Besides, Samuel L. Jackson and the coroner on CSI NY wear them, so they MUST be cool.

 

[akptc]

I had one - came with my used M6. I took it off. Framelines are more contrasty
but overall get darker, the patch too. This is designed to fix the M6
flare problem which is no issue for M2 and M3 (Hexar, etc.)

Roland.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast :angel: I am hoping my eyes might react differently…

Yep...I remember being 43....
Not that it was all that long ago, but about a year before that, I had to get glasses.

If it's just "old age" can't see up close, the worst part is not being able to see the settings on the camera. I still find I can focus pretty well, but a few weeks ago I set the ISO 2 stops from where I'd intended because I'd been too lazy to put on my glasses.

These are handy. Besides, Samuel L. Jackson and the coroner on CSI NY wear them, so they MUST be cool.

Steve, I thought you were younger than me! Btw, thanks for the link, the glasses look pretty comfy.

(hey, are you getting the monsoon weather we are having on the west side?)

 

[nikon_sam]

I'll be 47 in about 5 weeks and I know I need Reading Glasses...just Reading Glasses...
I can see far but anything closer than 10"- 12" hurts...
Just this morning I was trying to read the date on a penny...I think it read 1988...
I have NO problem focusing through the viewfinder on any camera I own...

 

[akptc]

Sam, which rangefinder bodies do you use? I am far-sighted as well.

 

[sepiareverb]

Bring the camera with you next time you go to the eye doctor- ask him for a reccomendation. Mine was thrilled to have something interesting to think about beyond his usual stuff. He really got into it, and I got my diopters all set. This was while I was still shooting SLR's- with the RF's I'm still seeing fine (knock wood)

 

[back alley]

the zeiss ikon finder is by far and away the brightest and, for me, the easiest to focus quickly.

 

[akptc]

Maybe I should swap my M6 for a ZI body...?