M6 which finder?

[orenrcohen]

I am currently a digital R-D1 shooter but want to shoot film as well.. Having come into photography in the digital age this will be my first foray into film Leicas.. I shoot generally 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm on the R-D1 and will be using these lenses for the film camera as well. I've decided on an M6 so that I can have an onboard meter.. Comes down to choosing between the .58 and .72 framelines. I do wear glasses but my vision doesn't nescessarily require me to when I shoot.. Usually shoot the R-D1 with no glasses out of necessity so I could use a .72.. I was leaning toward the .58 for the 28mm framelines but I will also be frequently using 50mm lens as well.. Can anyone speak to usability of the .58 with the 50mm? I've read some posts out there of .58 having a fuzzy focus in the rangefinder.. Please advise?

 

[Graham Line]

Go for the .58 if you use wide angles almost exclusively, the .85 if you favor a 50 or longer, and a .72 if you use a range of focal lengths.
I have used a 50mm on a .58 with no problems.

 

[orenrcohen]

OK.. Thanks for the vote of confidence on the .58.. is there any truth to something I've read that the .58 superimposed image is less sharp in focus in the RF? Somewhere I read it was somehow fuzzy.. any truth to this?

 

[payasam]

No reason why the R/F image should be fuzzy: the design is the same for all. I'd recommend a 0.72 if you can shoot without your glasses: greater focussing accuracy.

 

[orenrcohen]

Hmm.. ok.. trying to get my arms around this.. why is the .72 more accurate?

 

[Graham Line]

OK.. Thanks for the vote of confidence on the .58.. is there any truth to something I've read that the .58 superimposed image is less sharp in focus in the RF? Somewhere I read it was somehow fuzzy.. any truth to this?

Bear two things in mind: The newest M6 is now umpteen years old, and people love to share their worst experiences as universal gospel.

If the camera is clean and properly adjusted, all finders are equal in terms of brightness and accuracy. I like the .58 because I like 28s but used an M2 with a 35mm and its .72 finder for many profitable years. It's a matter of selecting which camera best suits your specific needs.

 

[maajka]

I have only used one Leica so far, an M6 with .72 finder.
But my opinion is, since you have 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses, and you are used to the crop factor, .72 finder is perfect for you. With .85 you are losing 28mm framelines, and with .58 the 50mm and other framelines will be smaller. (I find 50mm with a .72 finder a little too small).
Or get .85, sell the 28mm and buy 75mm (or 90mm) to get rd1 equivalent.

 

[35mmdelux]

My fav by far is the .58 Leica. My 2nd fav is the .72. The .58 is the hardest to acquire.

 

[payasam]

"...why is the .72 more accurate?"

Optical range-finders work on the principle of triangulation. Greater magnification means a greater effective base length.

 

[Mephiloco]

After having an M2 for a while, I think if I could do it again I'd get an m3 or something with higher magnification. In my opinion the only advantage of the lower magnification is for framing, whereas higher magnification makes focusing easier with 50mm and longer lenses. Also, considering my fastest lens is a 50/1.5, it'd be nice to be able to focus as accurately as possible at 1.5.

I personally don't find it hard to visualize what 35mm looks like on a higher magnification body. I don't have a 28, and anything wider requires an accessory finder. I'd say go with the higher magnification if fast 50's are your MO

Edit: Woops, reread, lower mag is better since you're going to be shooting 28-50

 

[Turtle]

the 0.58 is far better IMO for 28mm if this FL is important to you on full frame (not it is a much wider FOV than it was on your RD-1). Add glasses into the mix and the 0.58 is a much better choce for 28mm. However, if you are more likely to find the 35mm the widest FL you use (as it is as wide if not wider than the 28mm on the RD-1) then a 0.72 is feasible, cheaper, easier to find etc. You will only find the 0.58 in the M6TTL, Mp or M7 not the M6 classic/non-ttl.

First decision is how important 28mm will be on a full frame film camera.

 

[orenrcohen]

Recently acquired an Elmarit 28mm 2.8 so that will spend alot of time on the camera.. Will also be using a fast 50 though; a Cosina Voigtlander 50mm 1.1. A CV 35mm 1.4 will also be in the mix but mostly I'll be between the 28mm and the 50mm..

 

[Turtle]

sounds like you may have some probs here. A super fast 50 on a 0.58 is not my idea of fun, but a 28 is passable on a 0.72 which will be better for teh 50mm

 

[nome_alice]

0.72 is the best trade off for you with that lens line-up. shooting 28 on the 0.72 is fine. the 28 framelines aren't perfect, can be a bit hard to see sometimes, but eh it's 28mm - if you can see it through the viewfinder it's probably going to make it into the shot 😉

 

[Benjamin]

.58 is rather specialised, and I can only imagine that the 50mm framelines will rather closely resemble the 90mm frames of a .72 finder..

I personally wouldn't be into that, though you could always add an eyepiece magnifier if you end up leaning towards wider lenses.

.85 is good with a 50mm, though the M3's .91 mag. is better.

.72 is excellent with the 35mm.

.58 is excellent with the 28mm.

What do you like the most?