M6ttl, M7, MP and a la carte Leicas were available with 0.85 and 0.58x viewfinders. The 0.58 low magnification viewfinder is the best Leica film camera viewfinder for 28mm lens use.
Is Leica still doing a la carte? Once upon a time I had an M7 with a 0.58x VF and sold it. What an idiot. I rarely, very rarely, shoot anything longer than a 50mm and wish I had that M7 back.
No, the a la carte program finished in 2019.
No, thicker body Ms were 0.68 - it’s the same finder as the 0.72 but with more space in the middle - and thin ones (M10 and M11 series) are all 0.72. From type 246 onwards a Visoflex is easier than messing with viewfinder magnification. Parts of the internal configuration are different too, so no putting a different viewfinder in without some serious mechanical gymnastics.
If you use the search term
On a digital like my M 240, I find the far easier solution is an Olympus VF2 EVF plugged into the hot shoe and using live view. I did that till I found an inexpensive Voigtlander finder for my CV 21/4 lens. I still have the EVF because there are times when live view is useful but I'd far rather look through it than chimp on a screen.
I tried an external viewfinder from a friend that uses daily one with his 28mm but to me it just didnt feel so nice in the hands to think of such an option. Im sure a leica m6 ttl with 0,58 viewfinder would be great if i could see the framelines but 3500 euros are for me too much. I also like a lot ovf and hate evf because of the delay it has so there are not many options.
Which external finder were you using? Both the Leitz & Voigtlander finders are elegant in design and bright IMO... On the other hand lots of people just use the entire M2 M4 finder ....... the 28 lines in the M4-P/M7/MP aren't all that accurate anyhow. BTW What delay are you having?
I think that was a voightländer old one. I liked it as a viewfinder but it made the camera somehow much bigger. With delay i meant the electronic viewfinder delay which is to my eyes better that 10 years ago but still no comparison with ovf
Why would you use an electronic VF with a Leica film camera?..... just asking
I would use on a digital one if the delay didnt bother me, but electronic viewfinders arent for me and i have tried almost every brand
Pro tip as a longtime Fuji X-Pro shooter: there is some minor "shutter" lag with all mirrorless cameras as the aperture stops down, even when using Fujifilm X-Pro cameras in OVF mode. You can mitigate this by keeping the shutter button held down at half-press before firing. This stops down the aperture and for all intents and purposes gets rid of "shutter" lag.
