Frame line accuracy

[d.dulin]

Thinking about having a MP framelines mask put into a M2 (sacreligious, I know) but I’m unsure of how accurate the framelines are considering 35mm framelines already fill the frame entirely. If it makes a difference I plan on shooting mainly slide film in this set up.

 

[Mute-on]

The MP frameline mask will show a smaller area than that of the M2, but the same as M6, M7 and M4-2.

In any event, the M2 has arguably the best 35mm framelines of any film M. Why on earth would you want to change them to MP?

If your frameline mask is delaminating, then that would be a different matter. In that case, Cameraworks UK makes a “free to air” replacement in stainless steel that is otherwise identical to original.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

MP framelines are the same as from M4-P, M6. In terms of accuracy.
Not something I would rely on for 35mm frames. This is why I stick with M4-2 as dedicated for 35mm lens M camera.

 

[Rob-F]

And I concur. For shooting at greater than minimum focus distance, My M2, M4-P, and M5 framelines are very accurate. Not so, my M6, M6TTL, M7, or MP. They are sized for the minimum distance. And the 50mm frame line is those is so small, it's useless. It covers the same as a 60mm lens at a distance of 12 feet or so.

Keep your M2 framelines. Or send them to me, I'll put them in my M6.

 

[a.noctilux]

I had that kind of utopia some decades ago concerning "accuracy of Leica M viewfinder" for slide use.


It would be valide only for one focal length and only one distance setting !
So not really usable in real life photo taking.


As a side note, "50mm" Leica M or LTM lenses can vary from 49mm to 53mm in real (measured by factory and marked on the lens as 1/10mm "code" ).


In my MP manual, we can read this kind of "precision":
- the framelines seen is for 23x35 format (good for slide) but valide only when set at closest distance (I think it's 70cm here not mentioned in my french manual)

- when set at infinity, the film receives more (larger) field depending on the focal length : 8% with 28mm and 23% more with 135mm

 

[Rob-F]

Well, sure; but at longer distances, say five or six feet to infinity, the framelines in my M2, for example, have always been close enough to what I got in the picture, that I never even so much as noticed any discrepancy. For my purposes, the M2/M3/M4/M5, sized for (I believe) more like a 2 meter distance, are much more useful than the ones set to minimum focus (yes, 70cm).

The framelines in the M8.2, sized for two meters distance, are much more reasonable, and it shows that Leica was, at least briefly, aware that minimum-distance framelines were not such a great idea. Strangely, they then supplied, for the M9, framelines sized for one meter. Not as bad as 0.7M; but not as good as 2M. There must have been some discussion and disagreement at Leica over frameline sizes. I don't know why they now privilege the minimum focus distance above all others.