Zeiss Ikon Rangefinder patch

[mrak]

Hello,

I am currently looking for a film rangefinder.

I wear glasses so the Leica M viewfinders are too small for me. To see the 28mm framlines I have to move my eye around the viewfinder.

I heard that the Zeiss Ikon had a big viewfinder so I went to a local camera store to try it out. The viewfinder was indeed amazing. Big, bright and free of clutter. But I was shocked at how dim/low contrast the rangefinder patch was. I could barely focus with it. Often it even blacked out.

Is that normal? Otherweise the Zeiss Ikon is perfect. Nice price, AE, big viewfinder and also feels nice in my hands. But this is a big flaw. Was there something wrong with the model or is that normal for the Zeiss Ikon? The people who are shooting with one: do you have any trouble focusing it?

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

get a leica with an separate acessory viewfinder. I even use a 35mm auxliary vewfinder with 35mm lens as I don`t want to worry about focusing. Once set, I look thru the additional finder with the frames and concentrate on composing and shooting. It is even easier with the 28mm lens, all will be in focus, if you are not within 1metre distance, then the focus starts to be critical.

 

[Pioneer]

The rangefinder patch in all three of my ZIs is very contrasty and very easy to work with.

However, the rangefinder patch is definitely position sensitive. If you move your eye out of alignment the rangefinder patch will instantly disappear. The Leica M does not have this particular quirk, but the patch will white out at times. The ZI does not do this. Most people learn quickly to work with this but there are some who never do.

If the rangefinder patch is properly lined up so your eye sees it, and it is still very low contrast, then I would say there is a problem with that particular rangefinder.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I have a similar issue as the OP though I'm not shopping for a 35mm rangefinder anymore, I'll give my experience on what I've done in the past.

I have shot with a few 28mm lenses but far more 21mm's as it is my favorite focal length to pair with a 50mm. Using a Leica M4 or M2 the .72 finders are fantastic for 50mm use when wearing glasses. A 28mm lens can be used and the very outside of the viewfinder can be used for composition but us spectacle-wearing folks don't have that luxury.

I think the best "cure" for this is the Zeiss 25/28mm viewfinder. It seems to make the world brighter than it actually is, has zero distortion in use and just goes perfectly with a Leica. Wearing glasses I used a 28mm lens along with that finder (after using the Zeiss 21mm finder with my Super Angulon for a few years) and the combo was fantastic.

The only other way to get the proper view with a 28mm would be to go to a .58x finder in a later Leica but even then, depending upon how much eye relief you'd need, the 28mm framelines would possibly be just at the edge of your field of view without moving your eye around to see the edges.

The Zeiss accessory finders are a revelation once you get to use them and they make you wonder why Leica never made a finder so good.

Phil Forrest

 

[froyd]

R4M or Leica .58 would be the only alternatives to the ZM. Never had a Hexar RF, but the 28 framelines are supposed to be quite nice on that.

OP: I struggled with the magically vanishing Ikon VF for 6 months and could not get used to it so the ZM and I parted ways. Many people seem to never experience the problem, but for me it was the biggest deal breaker with that camera.

 

[jonmanjiro]

The rangefinder patch in all three of my ZIs is very contrasty and very easy to work with.

However, the rangefinder patch is definitely position sensitive. If you move your eye out of alignment the rangefinder patch will instantly disappear. The Leica M does not have this particular quirk, but the patch will white out at times. The ZI does not do this. Most people learn quickly to work with this but there are some who never do.

If the rangefinder patch is properly lined up so your eye sees it, and it is still very low contrast, then I would say there is a problem with that particular rangefinder.

This. When eye position is correct, the ZI focus patch is better than any Leica IMO. But the ZI eyepiece is so much larger than a Leica eyepiece so it is easier for your eye position to be off centre. I got used to centering my eye position quickly and do it without even thinking about it now.

 

[Bob Michaels]

We all have different levels of adaptability and sensitivity. I had learned to automatically center my eye in the VF about an hour into my first outing with a ZI many years ago. I shoot with a 28mm almost exclusively and have no problems with the frame lines but do not wear glasses.

I have had 3 of the ZI bodies and the rangefinder seems identical on all them.

But everyone has to use what works for them without regard to what works for someone else.

 

[sojournerphoto]

My zi's have never been low contrast and I've never been troubled by a disappearing RF patch. I know it can happen, but seems easy to avoid. The Zeiss viewfinder is superb though. I struggle with 28 lines and glasses on the Zeiss and mp. On the r4 everything's fine to 25 and even the 21 is usable.

ZI great camera.

 

[Keith]

As Jon says it's caused by excessive eye relief which is fine once you get used to it and the positioning becomes instinctive.

 

[mervynyan]

big viewfinder yes, also contrasty, but the eye needs to be centered. I missed the yellow patch often, particularly in low light. that's why I sold it.