Leica IIIa scratches my glasses

[MikeMGB]

This is my first film Leica. I just ran my first roll through it and found the eyepieces have scratched the lenses of my glasses.

Unfortunately to see the full frame I have the press the camera against my glasses. I would assume the best fix for this is an external eyepiece? Or does anyone have any other solution?

 

[Bill Clark]

Welcome to Rangefinder forum.

Can you see/focus without glasses on?

The left round window used for focus has an adjustment that moves counter clock wise. I move it til it's in the 12 o'clock position to get proper focus without my glasses on.

Hope this helps you.

 

[02Pilot]

Go to your local hardware store with the camera and find a couple of appropriately-sized O-rings and glue them to the eyepieces (use something like contact cement so they can be easily removed). That should protect your lenses.

 

[MikeMGB]

Thank you for the responses, unfortunately removing my glasses doesn't work, I tried that today.

I like the o-ring idea but I'd rather not glue anything to the camera. However I just found out the eyepiece on the right, which is the one I believe is the problem, unscrews. I may see if I can find an o-ring that will fit round it and cover the sharp edges.

Thank you for the welcomes, I haven't shot film in 15 years but have recently started digging out some of my camera collection and running film through them to see which ones I really like.

 

[Bill Clark]

Another option is to use sn external viewfinder mounted where the bracket for the flash on the top of the camera.

 

[RichL]

Had the same problem. Cut a hole in a piece of gaffers tape and put on the eyepiece. Protects my glasses with no noticeable standoff.

 

[MikeMGB]

Had the same problem. Cut a hole in a piece of gaffers tape and put on the eyepiece. Protects my glasses with no noticeable standoff.

Thank you! Tape is easy, non permanent and easily replaced when it wears out! 🙂

 

[Richard G]

SBOOI EVF is second only to the lenshood for the indispensable LTM Leica accessory.

 

[greyelm]

Here are some custom made protector patches made for the soviet copies of the Leica II. The soviet eyepieces are slightly smaller in diameter but you may be able to enlarge the hole for the Leica. The seller Aki-asahi is well respected.

http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/html/zorki-1/eyepatch/index.php

 

[Shac]

greyelm - thank this is great I haven't visited aki-ashi's site for a while - but do use his larger eyepiece protectors - they work extremely well

 

[aizan]

There really should be some company out there making rubber eyepiece replacements for classic cameras. If they can do hoods and grips and stuff...

 

[571514m3]

the eyepieces have scratched the lenses of my glasses.

This is a common problem. Reality is that a lot of humans wear glasses. Cameras do not like glasses and there is only one easy answer: have cataract surgery to insert high quality multi-focal lenses.

No glasses ever again. Perfect vision.

I tracked the ophthalmic development and did it 3 years ago and never looked back. It pays for itself over 10 years (no glasses) and your photography will improve because there is one less problem to worry about.

And for most of us, we will look better (not just see better). As a quality of life issue the results are amazing.

 

[lxmike]

the same thing happened to me with a, (now sold), IIIa ruined a very expensive pair of spectacles

 

[presspass]

I've had the same experience, but with the diopter adjustment on the rangefinder window. When it's raised, it scratches my glasses. I will try a bit of gaffer tape and see if that solves the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[MikeMGB]

I've had tape on mine for a few weeks now, problem solved.