Leica LTM Smallest LTM camera with 35mm finder?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
raid said:
I have a Standard Leica with the possibility to use with it an external 35mm finder, if needed. Would this count?

The CL or CLE may be the best bet.
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"trying to figure out what the smallest LTM mount camera with a built in 35mm finder is"
 
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Good luck finding one of these for use on your Leica If. Or, take my earlier advice and craft one yourself from a small compact camera and a flash foot. That SBLOO is nice, but huge.
 
Deardorff38 said:
Nice L1, Mothertrucker. Interestingly there are a couple of chrome L1 on the *bay at circa $69 USD......or a black repaint for $1200 !!
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Yeah, the prices were all over the place. I wanted a black canon with silver bits for a while and this one was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I just bought it on impulse because it looked so nice.

So far I haven't regretted it, I'm doing a bit of a gear reshuffle now, selling some things that didn't work out for me for whatever reason. Still ahead money wise so far!
 
Great thread, if I want to carry very light I carry my cl, other days my M2, love the choice of cameras you ended up with
 
johannielscom said:
Good luck finding one of these for use on your Leica If. Or, take my earlier advice and craft one yourself from a small compact camera and a flash foot. That SBLOO is nice, but huge.
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I've had an eye on these for a while but the going rate is as much as the IF cost unfortunately.

Really wish Voigtlander would re-release these, that would be nice.

I do love this SBLOO though, the view is bigger than my M5. The Summaron is pretty easy to zone focus by feel. I think It's actually faster than the M5 because I'm not tempted to get everything in perfect focus since there's no rangefinder to second-guess myself with.
 
The Leningrad has a 35mm view finder amongst others; like the CL it shows several frame lines. And the lenses screw in.

Regards, David

PS It's not what I'd call small but as it's the only one...
 
mothertrucker said:
Hey experts, I have a question for you all.

I am not a huge fan of external finders. I am trying to figure out what the smallest LTM mount camera with a built in 35mm finder is, to use with my 35mm F3.5 Summaron.

So far I've found the Canon L1/L2. How large are these compared to a Leica M3?

Is there anything smaller out there? Even if it is scale focus only?
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Probably early real Barnack Leicas to the IIIb model or their clones like a Nicca/Tower 3 camera.
 
Looking at 2 out of 3 criteria, the obvious one is an Olympus XA which is a range-finder with a 35mm viewfinder as it is fitted with a F Zuiko f/2.8 lens.


And it is the smallest film rangefinder I know...


Regards, David
 
mothertrucker said:
Since everyone loves a happy ending, here's what I ended up with. I think I did ok.

The IF I got from DAG's LTM parts page, really happy with it. DAG also recemented the summaron which i got as UG grade from KEH.

The Canon L1 showed up yesterday from Japan, so far I like the feel of it. Need to get it out to shoot soon.

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Looks good! A 35 on the If is a nice combo for snapshots. FWIW I have the CV Minifinder and their regular sized 35mm finder, and I prefer the regular sized finder on my If


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I also prefer the regular size finder which i now use on my CL and even occasionally on my M4. While the mini finder is tiny and cool, it requires more care to centre your eye. I also had it fall off a few times and the tiny rubber insert in eyepiece comes out very easily.
 
Has anyone mentioned a Bessa L and a 35mm add on VF? I just got one for my CV 21 and just love it, zone focus and for anything beyond 20 feet it is just a point and shoot. 35mm might need a little more space but still it's as tidy a kit as you could ask for. The Boss has had them on sale recently.
 
I still have my Bessa L from many years ago. It feels like plastic and "cheap", but its electronics are fine. Its meter is a good meter too.

I like using my Standard Leica with a Summaron 35/3.5.
 
Darthfeeble said:
Has anyone mentioned a Bessa L and a 35mm add on VF?
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No, because the OP stated "I am not a huge fan of external finders. I am trying to figure out what the smallest LTM mount camera with a built in 35mm finder is, to use with my 35mm F3.5 Summaron."
 
jsrockit said:
No, because the OP stated "I am not a huge fan of external finders. I am trying to figure out what the smallest LTM mount camera with a built in 35mm finder is, to use with my 35mm F3.5 Summaron."
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Many people here are not letting such a restriction be a restriction :)
 
raid said:
Many people here are not letting such a restriction be a restriction :)
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The problem is that there are not many of them and so we are now suggesting compromises.

I first thought of the M2 and M4 with the screw thread adapter but, like the Leningrad, they are not small but might be the smallest.


Regards, David
 
Livesteamer said:
I don't know what the smallest camera is but I have often wished that Leica, or somebody would produce a retrofit kit to turn my Leica IIIc viewfinder into a 35mm view. I would like that. Joe
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It would be cool if such an optic existed...attached to the front of a barnack, similar to how a goggled lens works on an M, to reduce the view from 50 to 35.

Barring that, I use a Nikon 3.5cm vf which is quite nice and small, a large view but not life-size.

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David Hughes said:
The problem is that there are not many of them and so we are now suggesting compromises.

I first thought of the M2 and M4 with the screw thread adapter but, like the Leningrad, they are not small but might be the smallest.


Regards, David
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I don't believe that either the M2 or M4 is smaller than Canon's L1, which has a built-in 35mm finder.
 
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