One more gadget idea

M

M like Leica M6

Guest
A while ago I had asked in this forum about vertical finders for my M6 and other cameras to make short distance street photography easier.

The best description of such items that I found is this:

http://leica.nemeng.com/027b.shtml

But I only found very expensive antiquities that all the collectors will buy for a fortune... but not a poor shooter like me.

It would be more than just a small gadget if someone could produce this kind of finders again.

Tom, would it be very difficult to build replicas or even better finders?
 
pevelg said:
I'd like something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/382642-REG/Leica_12531_Angle_Viewfinder_M.html

but be compatible with at least 35mm frame lines. This one only supports 75, 90, and 135. I like this better than those on the link above as it allows the use of the rangefinder patch.
Click to expand...

The bad thing about this one is: you need to use it ith your eye very close to it. The ones I would like to have is truly a"waist-level-finder" that you can you use while holding the camera at waist level.
 
Had you considered the reflex viewfinder on some of the old box or 9x12 folders. If you could find one that was a basket case but still had a good finder you might be able to attach it to a hot shoe from an old and non-working flash. Even if it comes from some older camera, but cameras used a finder that gave a "normal" view.

Sounds kind of hoaky I guess, but still, it might work.
 
The problem with these angle finders is that they are usually quite dim and difficult to see anything. Remember that old Box Brownie finder that your ancestors squinted through. To make it useful, you would have to have a rather large "exit" pupil on the top and with etched frame lines it would be a/big and b/ rather obvious. The old AUFSU was cute but less than user friendly!
You might wnt to try a simple "periscope " style box with a 45degree mirror in it to see if it would work. Using some marker pens you could inscribe frames lines on the top. A good, rainy evening project!
 
Tom - Eons ago, (1953?) I had a spring clip mounted via the 1f tripod socket allowing the camera to be securely hooked to my belt. The clip was centered at one end of the back and the Leica hung in a vertical position. Comfortable, safe and out of sight under a shirt or jacket.

I think I could draw a picture of it from memory... anyway, have you seen anything like this? Would there be any interest?
 
I remember the one you are talking about. I did have one for a while - but it also caused the demise of a M4! The clip will hold it in a belt, but if you moved fast or jumped down from something, it had an unerving tendency to bounce of the belt!!! The M4 had its top plate bashed in the process.
 
There have been at least two gadgets of this kind, and one that used a two-part system. Part A went on the belt; Part B went on the camera and had a lug that went into a keyhole-shaped slot and was locked with a spring; you had to depress the spring with your thumb in order to remove the camera.

It was secure, but I found my belt a truly lousy place to carry a camera: very easy to bash it as you go through doors, get in and out of cars, etc. I probably still have it somewhere.

Cheers,

Roger
 
How about a self-timer for the Leicas without one? I've seen some old ones that fit into the shutter release. A mechanically sold, reliable, and readily available self timer shutter release trigger would be an excellent gadget.
 
M like Leica M6 said:
The bad thing about this one [Leica Angle Finder M] is: you need to use it ith your eye very close to it. The ones I would like to have is truly a"waist-level-finder" that you can you use while holding the camera at waist level.
Click to expand...

Why can't the AUFSU (or something similar) be (modified to be) attached to the eyepiece thread of the viewfinder? You'd then have the best of both worlds - true waist level capabilities and rangefinder coupling...
 
The AUFSU was produced in the 1930s, it's an expensive but very useful collector's item. And i cannot imagine that Leica plans a new version that fits an M8... and I have no idea whether your idea is technically possible, it might be difficult.

BTW, I am selling one of my two AUFSUs in the RFF classifieds...
 
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