M6 TTL rangefinder 'white out'

[zoar]

I had been using Lutz Konermann's 'shade' on my M6 TTL for a couple of years, but recently I've taken up street photography and I find that the shade makes the framelines kind of dull and a little hard to see -- which for quick framing is problematic. After removing the shade I find that the rangefinder patch 'whites out' in many unpredictable situations so as to become useless. I do zone focus to the best of my abilities, but I just found out that the remedy for this problem is a $350 upgrade to the MP finder.

I wanted to know if there are other ways around this problem rather than shelling out $350 for a solution. I'd consider this to be a defect in the original product (I've heard other M6 users with this same problem), so it would be proper of Leica to offer a 'free' solution, or at least a low-cost option. $350 ain't especially cheap.

Sorry if this subject has been broached before.

 

[markinlondon]

I've been shooting with an M6TTL for about three years and had always thought the RF flare problem was overrated. Then I bought an M2 and went out on Saturday using both bodies in tricky lighting (strong backlight, light sources in the frame, etc). The M6 suddenly felt almost unusable compared to the older finder. My solution will be to sell the M6 and buy another body that doesn't exhibit this "feature".

 

[Ara Ghajanian]

Do the earlier M6 (non-TTL) have this same problem?

 

[markinlondon]

Do the earlier M6 (non-TTL) have this same problem?

Yes, according to this article. The problem began with the late production M4-2. But the M6 classic definitely flares.

 

[richard_l]

Do the earlier M6 (non-TTL) have this same problem?

Yes, but it's not a major problem (at least not with my M6).

Richard

 

[steve garza]

You can actually get the upgrade done for as little as $200 or so (maybe $175). Vheck w/ Kindermann Camera (Canada). The upgrade solves the flare, I don't think it improves the brightness of the VF. If you try a new MP, you will be tempted to start "shelling out".

 

[EmilGil]

In this thread, Simon "Larby" Larbalestier was quoted $190 for a M6-to-MP finder upgrade by DAG a few weeks ago (post #18). Not exactly free, but quite a bit cheaper than having it done by Leica.

 

[zoar]

Thanks, that's a *little* reassuring.

 

[drewbarb]

Some folks seem to be bothered by flare more than others, but it seems to me that once one uses an older body that doesn't flare, new bodies without the fix seem unusable. I sold my M6 and M4P largely because of this. The M3 never flares- it's finder is built completely different from all other other M's.

 

[jaapv]

Just shade the camera with your hand or wear a baseball cap.

 

[Trius]

Does the tape over the rf window trick work for the 6TTL? Or is that sacrilege in Leica-land? 😀

 

[zoar]

You can check Lutz Konermann's photo site for the 'shade':

http://www.leicagoodies.com/

It's an ingenious invention that does its job well, just that in quick street situations I have to see the framelines easily, or else I wouldn't have to take it off.

 

[ZeissFan]

Just shade the camera with your hand or wear a baseball cap.

That's very amusing but not really a solution.

A third hand would work better, I think, because it's difficult to focus with one hand while trying to shade the camera with the other hand, leaving no hand to actually hold the camera and press the shutter release.

I see the shade results in a 40% decrease in viewfinder brightness. That's quite significant. It seems "it has a special internal structure [that] allows for selective filtering of the light rays." That's quite a feat for $6. I would guess that it's a polarizing filter. Regardless, that is quite a drop in viewfinder brightness.

I would wonder if it would be better if this filter was placed somewhere else inside the viewfinder system, such as covering the offending prism.

 

[furcafe]

I just paid to have my M6 TTL (a 0.85, especially prone to the patch flare) & M7 (0.72) "upgraded" by DAG for the price mentioned above. It is my understanding that the fix doesn't quite bring the RF up to that of the MP, but it's close enough for me (i.e., not up to an M3, but close to an M2).

To help defray the cost, you might want to wait to have the work done when you need to have your camera CLAed.

 

[icebear]

Combine with CLA and have the upgrade done

Combine with CLA and have the upgrade done

I also was annoyed by the patch flare after I got used to my MP so finally I had the M6 .72 upgraded (at Leica, Allendale NJ) and they offerred a complete CLA for a little more since the camera needs to be opened anyway. So whereever you have the upgrade done ask for costs an additional CLA. In my case it is absolutely comparable to the MP in terms of flare resitency now. Still the MP finder is better when it comes to focussing - the patch just "pop's" into focus.

 

[kevin m]

If it bothers you then it's a real problem, no matter what anybody else says.
I had both my TTL's done by DAG a while back, and I believe it was less than $200 each. Transformed the cameras. That fix, along with removing the extraneous framelines, made me quit missing my M2. 😀

 

[Didier]

I have got the M7/MP finder upgrade on my M6 and since the SHADE is obsolete. Anyway it dropped away with certain bigger lenses like the 75 Summilux and 1.2/50 Canon. Compared to the upgraded finder the shade did not make much difference to the old finder.
Didier

 

[zoar]

I think I will get the upgrade at some point, but I did email Leica in NJ several days ago, and still no response.

I thought the MP upgrade would give you the exact same finder as the MP (but in an M6), but perhaps I'm wrong.