Leica LTM Leica IIIa with 4.5/15mm Heliar

[TomN]

Last week I received a picked up a 4.5/15mm Heliar with the intention to put it on my IIIa. I sent the IIIa off in advance to get a problem fixed. I have put a couple of rolls through my M4 with the 15mm attached and I am impressed with this lens.

So today I got my IIIa back and there are a couple of issues. The first issue is that the shoe mount on my IIIa sits about 8mm to the right of the centre of the lens. How much of an issue is this in actual shooting conditions?

The second issue it one that I didn't expect. I cannot change my shutter speed whilst I have the external 15mm viewfinder attached. This doesn't prevent me from taking a photo obviously, but I am sure I will find it inconvenient at times. Has anyone else found this with the above combination, and if so, how do you deal with it?

Thanks in advance for any help/

TOM

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Solution - maybe.

Solution - maybe.

So today I got my IIIa back and there are a couple of issues. The first issue is that the shoe mount on my IIIa sits about 8mm to the right of the centre of the lens. How much of an issue is this in actual shooting conditions?

With the 15mm lens the field of view is so wide it won't be an issue.

The second issue it one that I didn't expect. I cannot change my shutter speed whilst I have the external 15mm viewfinder attached. This doesn't prevent me from taking a photo obviously, but I am sure I will find it inconvenient at times. Has anyone else found this with the above combination, and if so, how do you deal with it?

I have the 15mm Heliar and a IIIf. Whilst I agree the viewfinder partly obscures the mark against which you set the shutter speed dial, it is not impossible to change speed. I've just now fitted my camera up with the viewfinder in the right hand shoe of the VC dual shoe accessory. It raises the viewfinder sufficiently that there's no longer a problem. It just looks odd with the spare shoe exposed, but then I can mount my VCII meter there, which was what I intended when I bought the accessory shoe.

 

[TomN]

Thanks Leigh. You gave me an idea. I used my hotshoe to PC cord adaptor, pulled the cord out, and mounted the viewfinder. A little high, but works great.

 

[Time Freeze]

I have been using my 15mm Heliar on my 3F for the past 6 months. Although it's inconvenient at first, as I used the combo more changing the shutter speed became easier.

I love this combination of lens and camera: to me they are a perfect match. Enjoy.

John

 

[Melvin]

In my experience the viewfinder won't give you centered images on a Leica. It's probably a good idea, if you want something perfectly framed, to give it some extra room so you can crop it.

 

[Rob-F]

The 15mm lens covers so much width, you will never notice an 8mm displacement of the image. I'm sure I never remember, within 8mm, or even 16mm, exactly where I placed the frame edges! RF finders are not that accurate to begin with . . .

 

[Melvin]

The 15mm lens covers so much width, you will never notice an 8mm displacement of the image. I'm sure I never remember, within 8mm, or even 16mm, exactly where I placed the frame edges! RF finders are not that accurate to begin with . . .

I thought it was noticeable. I had a perfectly framed composition with two little pylons in the foreground framing the image, and when I developed the film they weren't centered. Not a big problem, I just cropped the picture when I printed it.

I've tested the parallax corrected finder on my M5 and it is surprisingly accurate at close range, at infinity of course you get a bit more but it's still accurately centered.
Don't get me wrong--I love my 15mm Heliar and it's a very minor issue.

 

[BillBingham2]

In my experience the viewfinder won't give you centered images on a Leica. It's probably a good idea, if you want something perfectly framed, to give it some extra room so you can crop it.

If you want perfect framing us an Nikon SLR.

B2 (;->

 

[TomN]

and here she is. this is a great combination and i love the way the IIIa feels in the hand compared to my m's

 

[Dralowid]

For interest's sake, CV 21mm finder clears shutter dial easily on IIIc but does not clear viewfinder on Standard or I. Michael