Krnome
Established
Hello! I just wondering if anybody has a opinion on Leica Rangefinder orange contrast filter? They are very expensive, any idea how to take shortcuts?
Contrast filter on Leica Rangefinder
- Thread starter Krnome
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johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
You mean the OKARO filter that can be mounted on the RF or VF window of Leica II, III camera's, I presume?
Easiest and cheapest is to fit a small piece of a gel filter to the front of the RF or VF window. You can experiment with different colors until you find one that increases contrast most for you.
Or, buy an early Leica II, they have a yellow VF window in-camera and off-factory!
Easiest and cheapest is to fit a small piece of a gel filter to the front of the RF or VF window. You can experiment with different colors until you find one that increases contrast most for you.
Or, buy an early Leica II, they have a yellow VF window in-camera and off-factory!
Major Tom
Established
Well, next to impossible to find on your own. Proverbial needle in a haystack.
You might make a want to buy ad on the RFF classifieds and maybe someone will cut you a better deal.
yossarian123
Sam I Am
Call Tamarkin Camera here in the US. There's a good chance he'll have something like that in stock.
David Hughes
David Hughes
HI,
Be careful if buying, there's the OKARO which fits the IIIc to IIIf and the ORAKO for the II and IIIa/b.
Both are expensive and sit on ebay's BIN lists for a long time.
So either get lucky over the price and version or else use a bit of yellow or orange gelatine.
I've often wondered how difficult it would be to put the gelatine inside the top cover with a bit of glue...
Several of my RF's seem to be slightly blue tinged over the view finder with yellow RF spots. That could be worth playing with: or you could buy a FED 2 (bluish VR and yellowish RF) and get it completely checked and so on for a fraction of the price of the ORAKO or OKARO.
Regards, David
Be careful if buying, there's the OKARO which fits the IIIc to IIIf and the ORAKO for the II and IIIa/b.
Both are expensive and sit on ebay's BIN lists for a long time.
So either get lucky over the price and version or else use a bit of yellow or orange gelatine.
I've often wondered how difficult it would be to put the gelatine inside the top cover with a bit of glue...
Several of my RF's seem to be slightly blue tinged over the view finder with yellow RF spots. That could be worth playing with: or you could buy a FED 2 (bluish VR and yellowish RF) and get it completely checked and so on for a fraction of the price of the ORAKO or OKARO.
Regards, David
Krnome
Established
Okay! Where will I find this orange gelatine? How do I see the difference between the III Okaro and the II Okaro? Another thing I have tried is wearing light brown sunglasses while shooting, which helps to some extent but is not optimal.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
What is an ORAKO CHROM worth nowadays? I have one somewhere but haven't used it for years. When I did use it, I always found it more use on the "wrong" window than just on the RF patch window.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
archive59
Established
Use a piece of processed film to cut into the required size.
As the filter is on one or other of the rangefinder windows it gives a contrast between the patch and the background.
Luddite Frank
Well-known
Do you know anyone who is involved in local theatre ?
They should be able to procure for you a small piece of gel...
I used a piece of Roscolux R-22 in a couple of my Leicae - just cut-out a little disc, and slipped it into the little ridge that is just inside the rim of the VF / RF lens bezel.
I just cannot fathom paying $75 USD and up for the official Leitz filter. 😡
Bar8barian
Established
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Thanks, I expect you're right as I only have a scribbled note I wrote ages ago. No reference to where I got the dud info.
Regards, David
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Looked on ebay.co.uk and they are asking 75 to a hundred quid... 99p would seem a fairer price to me (but not to any other buyer).
Regards, David
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear David,
Well, quite. But whether I would bother to find mine and sell it would be heavily influenced by whether it was 99p or a hundred quid.
Thanks for checking, by the way.
Cheers,
R.
Penny Lane
Hopelessly Citrophile
This is exactly what I did for my FED-1 which has a beam splitter that's less than OK. My father is chief technician at the local theatre, so I got a bunch of gels to experiment with (also red, green & blue for tri-chrome photography and whatnot). I cut a small circle that just jams into the window bezel, and the RF is now quite OK. Though I really should've gotten a fresh beam splitter (which I may still do at some point).
Start with a colour that's opposite that of your RF patch's colour and work from there to achieve the best compromise between contrast & brightness.
Derk
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
You are driving a hard bargain! ;-)
Seriously, I've often wondered why our Chinese friends don't make them and sell them on ebay for a couple of pounds. I've various Chinese bits and pieces like lens caps, body caps and so on and have no complaints about them.
Equally, I've wondered why Leitz saw it as an optional accessory. A few experiments with it in various colours and then making it a standard part of the cameras would have been a great improvement. I think it first appeared in the late 30's so they'd plenty of time to mull it over.
Regards, David
dourbalistar
Buy more film
Does anybody know if Rick Oleson's DIY rangefinder modification would work on screwmount Leicas (specifically a IIIc)?
Robert Lai
Well-known
If you're going to pay 100 GB pounds for this device, isn't it cheaper and better in the long run to have DAG put a new mirror and beamsplittter in the RF?
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Robert,
No, the effect is not the same. I used my ORAKO (on the "wrong" window) for years and it is quite different from even the best unfiltered RF. Personally I'd recommend the orange gel trick.
Cheers,
R.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
How do you unscrew the rangefinder window ring? Do I need any special tools? (I have a Leica IIc).
Dralowid
Michael
Nowadays having the beam splitter replaced doesn't seem so expensive, especially in the light of the enormous prices asked for the little filters.
