M3: why 0.91 finder?

[wilt]

Maybe a strange question, but does anyone know why the M3 doesn't have a 1.0 finder? Was it ever considered in the design phase, and later dropped because of some reason? Why was it possible to do it in the Bessa R3 and not in the M3?

 

[erikhaugsby]

As far as I know a 1x finder would send the 50mm frames to the very reaches of the finder, creating a very inconvienent viewing experience. The .91x compromised to leave a decent amount of eye relief for glasses-wearers.

 

[FPjohn]

Relic Hunter?

Relic Hunter?

Hello:

Eye releif also means ease of viewing what is just outside the frame or about to enter it: one of the advantages over blind keyhole viewing of some camera viewfinders.

yours
Frank

 

[payasam]

Wouldn't know if it was considered: but if it was, there may not have been space enough. There's little difference between .91 and 1, and the first two answers are eminently logical.

 

[wilt]

Having some field of view outside of the 50 mm framelines is, as stated, an important design parameter. The thing is, it might be possible to achieve that, even with a higher magnification than 0.91 x.

Compare with telescopes, where the apparent field of view depends on both eyepiece design and magnification; choose another eyepiece design, and you can have a larger apparent field of view (with the same magnification). These larger-field-of-view eyepieces tend to have biggerand more complex sets of lenses and thus be more expensive (and heavy), so you have to make some kind of compromise.

I just thought the same stuff was happening in the design of rf viewfinder eyepieces.

 

[ffttklackdedeng]

I keep wondering what's the problem with opening the other eye for the 'context' once you have a 1.0x finder.. 😎

 

[MikeL]

Wilt, if you have a chance look through a Nikon S2 rangefinder. Not much outside the framelines, especially if you wear glasses, but both eyes open is really nice. I have a 1.25x magnifier (copy) which works okay, but the images from each eye don't line up like they do on the Nikon 1.0x rangefinders.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[ffttklackdedeng]

Somebody should finally start to make a 1.18X magnifier or a 1.39X one..

 

[rogue_designer]

the 1.0 on the Canon P gives plenty of room around the 50 framelines - even for me (a glasses wearer) - I have a hard time seeing the 35 lines sometimes, but I've adapted. And having both eyes open is a huge bonus for me.

I've never understood the .91 or smaller - and even tho I love leica cameras and would like an M mount body, loosing my lovely viewfinder is one of the biggest reasons I haven't swapped over.