Question about Snapshot Skopar 25mm

[Thea]

Hi all, hope this doesnt sound (too) green but I have only been using a rangefinder for acouple of months. (I have a Bessa R2M, which I love) I thought I would buy a wider lens than a 35mm, so purchased the above, which isnt rangefinder coupled. However I understand that you have to use the distance to focus then lens? I am guessing that you have to seperately meter aswell? Any advice appreciated!!

 

[BrianPhotog]

Nope. The metering is handled by the camera, regardless of the lens. 🙂

 

[savuti]

Snapshot skopar

Snapshot skopar

I got this lens some weeks ago, and an very happy with it; I did not know that "not rangefinder coupled" means that you cant´t actually see where focus is. The good thing is, it doesn´t matter! The great DOF (depth of field) at apertures smaller than 5.6 or so, means that pretty much everything is in focus anyway (use the DOF scale on the lens).
Light metering still works, but you have to check this in the viewfinder inherent to the camera before framing the pic in the external viewfinder. Sounds like a hassle, but is really no trouble at all (well, almost).
Olav

 

[pvdhaar]

I've got this lens already for 4 years, and it's proven very easy to use. The depth of field is so extensive, that if you can even marginally estimate distances, you're in business even wide open. Most people will have no trouble guesstimating near enough to get acceptable focus. Only in the 0.7 to 1 meter range, the depth of field starts to become shallow enough to warrant extra care.

 

[savuti]

And by the way; I posted almost exactly the same question some weeks ago, and got some very precice and good answers, also describing the use of the "click stops" (very useful) and a web page called DOFmasters. I think you can find this thread if you search RFF for "novice questions".
Good luck with the snapshot skopar, and don´t worry, it works!

 

[RML]

I found that I got very good results with dialling -1/3 or -1/2 of a stop.

 

[Thea]

Thank you everyone for your replies! I have taken it out (when it had stopped raining for an hour!) and had a go, using smaller aperture and guestimating the distance. I have not finished the film yet, but when I have processed it, I will see. Savuti I LOVE your horse pic, and thanks for the advice.
Thea

 

[bizarrius]

bumping an old thread because i think i haven't found anything closer to my question and i dont want to open a new thread! 🙂
i have an M6 with a .72 RF. will i REALLY need a VF with the skopar ? is it much of a difference between 28 and 25? anyone doing this?
i use the 40mm on my M4 and i dont have framelines and no problem with that. is it like..the same? 😀

thanks for your time.

 

[jiri_cisler]

hello
there are two ways i use VC25. for close distances (like street shooting) i don't bother to mount the VF, because the field of view it covers is approximately what you see with both eyes open (M6 .72 viewfinder will not cover it, afaik edge to edge FOV corresponds to 28mm). however. sometimes the VF comes up. it's when the more precise framing comes in question.

 

[Eric L]

The 28mm is already quite to the edge of the M6 viewfinder. Even with the 25mm auxiliary viewfinder it isn't always super precise. I have the old one w/o the brightlines.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

bumping an old thread because i think i haven't found anything closer to my question and i dont want to open a new thread! 🙂
i have an M6 with a .72 RF. will i REALLY need a VF with the skopar ? is it much of a difference between 28 and 25? anyone doing this?
i use the 40mm on my M4 and i dont have framelines and no problem with that. is it like..the same? 😀

thanks for your time.

I also have the CV 25mm lens and an M6. My take on it is that the 28mm frames on the M6 don't leave any room for cheating a 25mm view. You need the external viewfinder - or you're having to guess what you've got.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I will respond tomorrow when "no gear" day is over.

 

[Rob-F]

I also have the CV 25mm lens and an M6. My take on it is that the 28mm frames on the M6 don't leave any room for cheating a 25mm view. You need the external viewfinder - or you're having to guess what you've got.

For me, it depends on whether you are using the .72 finder, or the .58. With the .58 finder, I can guesstimate the coverage of the 25mm lens pretty well. You won't see the full coverage in the finder; but I don't find it hard to just know what the lens will cover: it's the "little bit bigger" coverage lens (apologies to Domke).

 

[Richard G]

I have the M coupled one - but for that I have to go without the wonderful click stop focus lever. I use the ZM 28/25 finder which is brilliant, but sometimes I go without. I can barely see the 35 lines in a Leica .72 finder of any age, so I am just seeing the FOV from experience. I would want the finder if I was really framing the shot. With or without the finder this lens, coupled with colour negative film, makes for a high class film point and shoot.

 

[bizarrius]

by the way, my color skopar gives me the 35mm lines instead of 28. why? :S

 

[Bob Michaels]

Do not too quickly dismiss using the external or accessory viewfinder with the Snapshot Skopar. Remember you will not be using the built in viewfinder at all since you are zone focusing instead of using the built in rangefinder. The external finder is very convenient and bright.

Zone focusing is very simple with any lens that wide. I prefer it over using the rangefinder. So the early model with click stops at 1, 1.5 & 3 meters is quite convenient. That lens make sense which is why Mr. K built it first.