New Leica Viewfinders Anyone?

The Leica 18 VF with the ZM 25/28:
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And with the Leica 21/24/28:
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Until I lined them up I hadn't noticed the Leica VF was longer than the ZM, as volume-wise it is MUCH smaller, seems tiny when on the camera in comparison to the ZM.
 
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The old Leica 24mm (left side of center row in post #6 above) has a lock. IMHO it is a very fragile piece of plastic and not much use. Far better a metal foot that fits really snugly into the shoe.
 
I have a hard time getting them off the cameras, I don't imagine a lock would help. The foot seems made to be quite snug- unlike with the Frankenfinder which needs to be locked down with the knurled ring.

My test film of the 24 FOV with the 18 is just dry, and looks quite accurate from what I remember shooting with it on Wednesday.
 
JSU said:
If framing accuracy is a consideration, I would avoid the Panasonic 24mm VF, it is very tight, closer to a 26mm. Also, this finder appears to display a 4 : 3 format such as is the camera for which it is intended, not a 3 : 2 format.
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I'm aware that the Panny isn't the most accurate, luckily for me its not really a consideration 😱 I was really interested in the "metalness" of it as I want to keep these finders on the camera in the bag even when a non-24mm lens is being used so I can switch really quickly.
 
I've losdt a few finders myself over the years. Get a roll of Scotch Black Photographic Masking Tape if the plain beige clashes with your Luigi half case. Run the tape along the top of your camera, then up over the top of the finder. Put a small piece of film carton or matchbook cover in the shoe before pushing home the finder makes for a tighter more secure fit.
 
...I use a 3M painters Blue tape, has less residual sticky after removal...doesn't last long,but..
I use it for my hasselblad chimney finder to keep it from rattling, and holds other loose 'blad parts good too...no worry on looks..I like a little color showing....best place i use it is on the summilux apsh 35 hood attachment ring that used to always be the surrogate for the aperture ring...big wrap of tape fixed that poor design.
 
Al Kaplan said:
I've losdt a few finders myself over the years. Get a roll of Scotch Black Photographic Masking Tape if the plain beige clashes with your Luigi half case. Run the tape along the top of your camera, then up over the top of the finder. Put a small piece of film carton or matchbook cover in the shoe before pushing home the finder makes for a tighter more secure fit.
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... and properly designed foot locks would stop you having to go through all that rigmarole.
 
I wish CV/VC would do the same (setscrew in the foot) for a little extra cost. I put a thin elastic cord on all of mine AFTER I lost a CV/VC 50mm finder!

One loop goes around the VF foot and the other is attached to the lug--very secure.
 
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The best solution, and as already mentioned just above, I have come across for making sure an external viewfinder doesn't slip out of a hot shoe is to use a rubber band.

Visualise a number "8" made by twisting the rubber band at a point just above it's center, the small top loop of the rubber band is fitted over the viewfinder and down around the foot of the viewfinder. The larger bottom loop of the rubber band number "8" is then placed around the base of the lens or lens mount on the camera front. The bottom loop then acts as an anchor and ensures the viewfinder doesn't slowly work it's ways out of the hotshoe or go flying off if it gets knocked.

What I like about using the rubber bands is that it also allows for a bit of give should the viewfinder receive a knock, something that a locked down viewfinder would not do and which as a result could cause a breakage.
 
Yeah, I'll use rubber bands after I duct tape my shoes back together. 😉

Flash manufacturers have had decent shoe locks for decades. Why can VF makers do the same?
 
sepiareverb said:
I have a hard time getting them off the cameras, I don't imagine a lock would help. The foot seems made to be quite snug- unlike with the Frankenfinder which needs to be locked down with the knurled ring.

My test film of the 24 FOV with the 18 is just dry, and looks quite accurate from what I remember shooting with it on Wednesday.
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I'd be interested in more detail as to how you feel about the above VF use. I have a Zeiss 21, and curious as to it's use for 24/25, or 28mm, would be...
 
Well the Leica 18 has framelines for the 18 on film as well as a smaller set for the M8, where the 18 lens gives the same FOV as a 24. So I'm using those inner framelines only for the 24 on film. It is quite like the 50mm framelines in a .72 VF, so lots of extra space around. One of the things I like best about the M is the extra space one gets to see beyond the bounds of the frame, and the 18 VF allows a similar view with a 24mm lens.

The Frankenfinder does the same, but the 18mm VF does this in a package quite tiny by comparison. I use the Frankenfinder for 24, 21 & 16mm lenses (the 16 on a Contax G2) and love it, but for carrying a camera all day it is a bit much for me.

I still have my ZM 25/28 finder, but have not gone back to it or missed it. I'll sell it when I get to the next round of sales. Too tight a FOV beyond the bounds of the frame for me.
 
The Frankenfinder looks like it belongs on a Koni-Rapid!

I thought the old zoom finders were a pain and moved to individual bright lines as they felt like an SLR view (nothing around the edges). It was a pain when I switched lenses on my T with individual bright lines. I think Tom A's approach of one lens for each camera might be the ultimate approach for analog, not sure if there is an answer in the digital world.

B2 (;->
 
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