Whats it like using a M3 with a goggled 35

[davidnewtonguitars]

My son wears his glasses to shoot, and can see the 35 framelines well enough to shoot on my M2. As he is a "50mm" guy, those lines are very good for him.

 

[Erik van Straten]

IMG_6106 by on Flickr

I love Deardorffs early black paint M4 with the brass rewind lever/knob. I've always thought that only the 1185XXX series had this feature!
Thanks for showing!


Erik.

 

[Vince Lupo]

I just got a 35/2 Summicron V1 (Canada) with the goggles and am using it on my digital Leicas. They have a 0.68 vf, but I'm also using the 1.25x magnifier on the eyepiece. I find that combo hits the 'sweet spot' for seeing the framelines comfortably (I wear glasses) and being able to easily focus.

Personally I love the look of that lens with the goggles, and I just had Frank Marshman (Camera Wiz) take it completely apart, get rid of the haze in the glass (both the lens and the goggles), and calibrate it to my camera bodies.

I don't find the 'weight' of the lens to be any issue at all -- maybe since I'm used to hauling a 27lb camera bag for work, a little Leica lens with a pair of goggles is nothing.

 

[Erik van Straten]

For every person it will be different, but I do not like the unsharpness of the corners in the viewfinder (of any M-Leica) whith the goggles in front of it.



Erik.

 

[ellisson]

I have both goggled and non-goggled versions of the Summaron 35 2.8 lens that I've used on the M5. I like the 50 mm frame lines used by the goggled version which give you more space around the frame for composition, and complete, one glance vision of the frame for glasses wearers like myself. With the non-goggled version, I must glance from side to side to see the entire frame, and there is little if any room around the frame. To my eyes, the size and weight differences are trivial compared to the advantages, and brightness and sharpness through the goggled finder (a clean finder!) are just fine.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I ran across this statement again today, sometimes attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. "Simplicity is the greatest sophistication." I think it applies very well to the Leica M2....

 

[taemo]

hope this helps
M3 without lens

M3 with goggled 35mm summaron

I personally sold the M4 and M6 and kept the M3, I'm a 50mm guy first and love the dual stroke of my M3.
Having a 50mm collapsible, goggled 35mm 3.5 summaron and MC meter just completes my M3 kit 🙂

 

[peterm1]

" A few "leicamen" that i know have all said the same thing to me:
"dont get an M3 if you want to shoot 35"

I actually disagree with this.

I had an M3 (though not now as I almost exclusively shoot digital) but I had then and still have an un-goggled Summaron 35mm f3.5 which I used with that M3. This lens was an early 35mm design made by Leica without goggles and so of course it was meant to be used with an accessory finder. It was such an early release, in fact, that the lens did not even make provision for use on an M2 (which came out after the M3) as it brings up the 50mm framelines on any M camera on which it is mounted - including later ones that have 35mm framelines like the M2 and subsequent models. Though it can be easily modified to bring up the 35mm lines on a later camera if this is what you wish to do. Though you can also just use your left index finger to twitch the frameline lever to switch to the correct 35mm lines for this lens if you do not wish to modify it. In fact mine is presently mounted on my M8 and this is exactly what I do.

So this specific lens was and is, a native M3 lens designed to be used with an accessory finder that is mounted in the accessory shoe. Which I did regularly and successfully.

The point is you can use an M3 with a 35mm lens very successfully - and happily so long as you are willing to use the separate finder.

Having said this if I had found a nice goggled 35mm I might well have bought it and used it as I loved those quirky Leica products.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I don't find the 'weight' of the lens to be any issue at all -- maybe since I'm used to hauling a 27lb camera bag for work, a little Leica lens with a pair of goggles is nothing.

Maybe not the best analogy, but why using a framing hammer to do finishing work? Or would you choose a steel-frame Schwin 3 speed or a Colnago C64?
Clearly we all have personal preferences & they're not necessarily all made for rational reasons....

 

[splitimageview]

" A few "leicamen" that i know have all said the same thing to me:
"dont get an M3 if you want to shoot 35"
The point is you can use an M3 with a 35mm lens very successfully - and happily so long as you are willing to use the separate finder.

Very true. For a long time my only M was an M3 with a 35/2 v4, the only lens I had. I didn't use an external viewfinder, I just used the entire viewfinder for framing. It wasn't exact, but it didn't really matter much, the only irritation was that moving my eyeball around to see the edges created a bit of eyestrain. 🙂

And then there is this very inexpensive and lightweight option, but a true LEICAMAN would never use this.😀

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/metro-case

 

[Mute-on]

The best Leica M ever made to shoot a 35 is the M2 IMHO. It has no paired frame lines like the M4 and variants, and no need for goggled lenses like the M3. Bear in mind if you want to use a non-Leica 35 it will very likely not be available goggled.

A 50 on an M2 is similarly sublime. Even the current M10 is the same magnification viewfinder as the M2.

M2 is better made than M4, or the later MP, in my experience, too.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Or would you choose a steel-frame Schwin 3 speed or a Colnago C64?

I’ll take the Schwinn thanks - in Campus Green!

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I’ll take the Schwinn thanks - in Campus Green!

If i were primarily a 50 guy i'd take an M3 hands down....I'm not
so its been a 35 and M2 & M4 for decades.

the only goggles i ever cared for were on the DR Summicron.

 

[leicapixie]

I have had two goggled versions, both well used and enjoyed.
The view after the clean look of my M3 and later the M2,
is at first awful. Distortions, picking up flare and highlights..
Nevertheless better than ruining the shape and size of an M,
with a added on, ready to lose viewfinder.
Repeat for Millionth time, goggles cannot be removed!
The lens will not focus correctly.
Present version on 35mm Summaron f2.8, utterly stunning results.
Oh! Extra weight and size is insignificant cosidering some new lenses these days..

 

[raid]

I used to own a Summicron 35/2 V1 without goggles and one with goggles. I traded off the lens without the goggles and I am using the one with the goggles. I focus on the quality of the lens optics and not the goggles or lack of goggles. It is a great lens.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Did you notice an uptick in interest and price after the movie? I think so.

I could not sell my fully working, no vulcanite missing M3, still with C seal for one year or so. At the lowest price.
So, I'm having hard time to believe that some are still watching those all about the same weak remakes anymore. 🙂

And I wonder which movie eBay speculants were watching to jam price on LTM cameras from 200-300 to 500$.

 

[thawkins]

I reglularly use a 35mm J12 on an M3. Using the extreme edges of the rangefinder window as frame lines works fine. But I don’t wear glasses when using RF cameras. Other than the limitations associated with FSU lens this is a good combination.

 

[Rob-F]

I don't think the OP ever said if they wear glasses. I wear glasses, and so I often like to use a .58 M6, M7, or MP with the 35mm focal length. The .58 finder shows the whole 35mm FOV with no need to squint around checking the edges and corners. Another possibility is to use the goggled 35mm lens on an M2, M4, or M4P (or any Leica with .72 finder). This will also display the whole 35mm field small enough to see the edges and corners while wearing glasses.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I used to own a Summicron 35/2 V1 without goggles and one with goggles. I traded off the lens without the goggles and I am using the one with the goggles. I focus on the quality of the lens optics and not the goggles or lack of goggles. It is a great lens.

.....Raid did you take your goggled lens to Europe?.... 🙂

 

[raid]

.....Raid did you take your goggled lens to Europe?.... 🙂

I value it too much to risk losing it, so I take instead the Summilux 35/1.4 for travel. My Summicron came together with the M3 and the Leica paperwork from the factory.