Leica M5 and 28mm

[Pieter12]

I want to use a 28mm on my M5. Does the entire viewfinder frame (beyond the 35mm guides) give an adequate approximation of a 28mm lens angle of view?

 

[Calzone]

P,

28mm on a M depends...

I wear glasses and though my M6 has 28mm frames I have to scan with my eye when composing carefully.

I imagine if I did not wear glasses that the 28mm frames otherwise would be fine.

BTW 28mm is my most favored wide FOV. Fo me I imagine an equalateral triangle where the distance from my subject is a line that would divide an equalateral triangle (a triangle with three equal sides) into two equal halves.

The 2x3 aspect ratio is also easy to remember. Between the aspect ratio and my equalateral triangle I pretty much can visualize my framing before I lift the camera to my eye.

Also use the 90 mm frames as the center rectangle of following the rule of thirds. On my M4 I use the 90 mm frames as my reference and can easily "build-out" imaginary 28 mm frames. It ends up being a great compositional tool.

Cal

 

[rhl-oregon]

Short answer (though less informative than Cal’s): yes.

I framed this to include the banner as well as the man setting up his tent and the overall context—a homeless camp near an interstate viaduct. M5, CV 28/1.9.

 

[danielsterno]

Short answer (though less informative than Cal’s): yes.

I framed this to include the banner as well as the man setting up his tent and the overall context—a homeless camp near an interstate viaduct. M5, CV 28/1.9.

Very nice image Robert....

 

[rhl-oregon]

Thanks, Daniel. It’s from a 2011-2013 period where I was documenting Occupy and a related homeless-centric movement, SLEEPS (Safe Legally Entitled Emergency Places to Sleep), in Eugene, Oregon.

This camp was across the boulevard from the local Ninth District Federal Court. I was there when it was shut down and the activists moved elsewhere. Now there are a couple of city-sanctioned/activist-run sanctuaries.

Back to topic: M5 VF margins approximate 28, but with my Hexar RF I can frame 21mm without resorting to the OVF.

 

[Calzone]

Thanks, Daniel. It’s from a 2011-2013 period where I was documenting Occupy and a related homeless-centric movement, SLEEPS (Safe Legally Entitled Emergency Places to Sleep), in Eugene, Oregon.

This camp was across the boulevard from the local Ninth District Federal Court. I was there when it was shut down and the activists moved elsewhere. Now there are a couple of city-sanctioned/activist-run sanctuaries.

Back to topic: M5 VF margins approximate 28, but with my Hexar RF I can frame 21mm without resorting to the OVF.

Robert,

The homeless problem is so different on the west coast. Still sad though.

Cal

 

[bhop73]

P,

28mm on a M depends...

I wear glasses and though my M6 has 28mm frames I have to scan with my eye when composing carefully.

I imagine if I did not wear glasses that the 28mm frames otherwise would be fine.

Same issue here. I also wear glasses and the frame lines on my M6 are pretty much unusable. I have however recently bought a voigtlander 28mm external finder, to use with my M2 and found that I can actually see the frame lines on it with my glasses on, so I use it with my M6 as well.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

If no glasses, I used and using several RF cameras with 35mm frame and entire VF as 28mm.
Oly XA VF served same way as 35/28 VF on hotshoe for Orion 15 and now for Ultron 29 1.9.

 

[dourbalistar]

A previous owner had DAG add 28mm framelines to my M5. They are pretty much up near the edges of the viewfinder, with the bottom frameline running even with the edge of the meter readout bar. Unfortunately for me, I don't use 28mm much and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to see the framelines because I wear glasses.

 

[Calzone]

Same issue here. I also wear glasses and the frame lines on my M6 are pretty much unusable. I have however recently bought a voigtlander 28mm external finder, to use with my M2 and found that I can actually see the frame lines on it with my glasses on, so I use it with my M6 as well.

B,

No shame in using an external VF'er.

I have a Zeiss 25/28 that I sometimes utilize for that "all at once" look of a wide, but most of the time I shoot "naked" meaning without the frames.

Another thing to consider is with film I tend to stop down to F5.6 and set the distance scale at 7 feet or 2 meters. DOF allows me a "kill-zone" from 5 feet to about 10 feet. Pretty much I use it as if a point and shoot . I meter off the back of my hand which happens to be like metring off a grey card.

Point and shoot. Target zone is 7 feet.

Cal