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0.58, 0.72 or 0.85


pipeclayed

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Hi,

 

I'm still scouring the internet for an M6 (preferably TTL).

 

There are a couple I've seen, one is .58 and the other .85 magnification.

 

I will be shooting mainly with a 35mm (and rarely see myself going above 50mm).

 

Would the .85 be ridiculous for me? (I don't wear glasses if that helps).

 

Also it is apparently possible to have a viewfinder changed from one magnification to the other - is that expensive?

 

Thanks in advance.

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IMO, you should try finding a x.72 one. Shouldn't be hard to find.

The x.58 is best for glasses users and for wider lenses.

 

" Also it is apparently possible to have a viewfinder changed from one magnification to the other - is that expensive? " .............. Very ! ... I was told. :)

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Would the .85 be ridiculous for me? (I don't wear glasses if that helps).

 

Quite, I'd say.

 

Also it is apparently possible to have a viewfinder changed from one magnification to the other - is that expensive?

 

Yes, but probably not worth it, unless the finder is in bad condition anyway.

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If your primary lens is a 35mm, I would HIGHLY recommend the .72 version. You will also be able to comfortably use 28mm and 50mm with this magnification. You can also add a 1.25X VF magnifier if you want to use your 50mm better on the .72 VF - however, most people are just happy with the .72 VF alone.

 

If your primary lens is a 50mm and sometimes use 35mm, then the .85 should be considered.

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Tried .72 and .85.

 

I use mainly a 35mm, for me it was impossible with the .85, of course you can adapt but it is just not ideal. So I had to sell a camera and get another (both used so not a big deal).

The .85 is also more prone to flare than the .72.

Summary, I like the .72 much more.

 

However I never tried the .58.

I think it may be interesting to be able to see a good chunk around the shot area...

The .72 have 28mm lines which are too close to the edge... not ideal.

 

So for me is .72 or .58.

Not .85, unless you use just focal > 35

 

G

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Hi,

 

A point of fact: VF magnification preference is highly individual. YMMV with any advice.

 

So, I prefer the highest possible magnification as long as the brightlines for my chosen focal length are represented. Being that I use the 35, 50 and 75 focal lengths exclusively with my RFs, I have grown to prefer the .85x VF for a few reasons that make sense to me. The 35 in a MP .85x VF is a lot like the 35 in a M2, as there is only a little room around the outside of the brightlines for composition. However I prefer this, particualrly if you can learn to focus with both eyes open, for you can use your non-VF eye to help with the composing of things just outside or perhaps coming into the frame. Beyond composing, my second reason for preferring the .85x VF is the focus accuracy; it helps a lot when shooting faster lenses or in low light.

 

There may be sample variation, but I have found with my .85x VFs that flare is no trouble.

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Suggest you go to the Leica web site and in the ala carte area is a comparison of finders.

Get the one you want.

If you only use a 35mm, the 0.85 is ideal because WYSIWYG. All my M's except M3 have 0.85 finders and I use them for 21mm, 35mm, have 50mm's but never use them, 75mm, 90 and 135mm.

The only reason for getting a 0.72 is for the 28mm framelines and the 0.58 is for individuals that must shoot with glasses.-Dick

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The only reason for getting a 0.72 is for the 28mm framelines and the 0.58 is for individuals that must shoot with glasses.-Dick

 

Nope, I shoot with a 0.58 and don't wear glasses.

 

But the advice about actually trying the different VFs is sound.

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Hi,

 

I'm still scouring the internet for an M6 (preferably TTL).

 

There are a couple I've seen, one is .58 and the other .85 magnification.

 

I will be shooting mainly with a 35mm (and rarely see myself going above 50mm).

 

Would the .85 be ridiculous for me? (I don't wear glasses if that helps).

 

Also it is apparently possible to have a viewfinder changed from one magnification to the other - is that expensive?

 

Thanks in advance.

I would recommend an 0.72 and is dedicated flash an important criteria? If not then an M6 Classic will do admirably. I have 2 and I think they are wonderful and do all I need
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I am not a glasses wearer. I use 2 M6 TTL's at present; one is .72 and the other is .85. My most used lenses are 35 and 75. I use them both interchangeably on either body with no trouble. I find the 35 view somewhat friendlier on the .72, however I had the .85 first and used it exclusively for a few years before adding the 2nd body.

 

I couldn't find a good deal on another .85 at the time so I took on the .72 and bought the 1.25x mag at the same time. When the 75 goes on the .72 so does the VF mag and for simplicities sake I often leave it on when switching back and forth with the 35.

 

I can't really say that one is better than the other, but if I were to shoot solely with a 35 the .72 would likely be preferred.

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Hi,

 

A point of fact: VF magnification preference is highly individual. YMMV with any advice.

 

So, I prefer the highest possible magnification as long as the brightlines for my chosen focal length are represented. Being that I use the 35, 50 and 75 focal lengths exclusively with my RFs, I have grown to prefer the .85x VF for a few reasons that make sense to me. The 35 in a MP .85x VF is a lot like the 35 in a M2, as there is only a little room around the outside of the brightlines for composition. However I prefer this, particualrly if you can learn to focus with both eyes open, for you can use your non-VF eye to help with the composing of things just outside or perhaps coming into the frame. Beyond composing, my second reason for preferring the .85x VF is the focus accuracy; it helps a lot when shooting faster lenses or in low light.

 

There may be sample variation, but I have found with my .85x VFs that flare is no trouble.

 

This is also my experience. I shoot with a CV 35/1.2 and the focus accuracy wide open is dead on with the 0.85 VF.

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I would recommend an 0.72 and is dedicated flash an important criteria? If not then an M6 Classic will do admirably. I have 2 and I think they are wonderful and do all I need

 

It's mainly because I prefer the larger shutter dial on the TTL really. Although the flash capability is something I might use further down the line... so I thought I may as well just retain that option.

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I've used all three extensively - I don't wear glasses:

 

I found the 0.85 too tight for the 35, and whilst great for the 50, the frame lines are slightly different (or at least were on mine) in that the bottom line of the frame was replaced by to small dashes. I found this annoying, and sold it in the end.

 

The 0.72 was perfect in many ways for the 50. Good magnification with the perfect space around the frame lines to aid composition. Also good for the 35, in that it gives you a 'full frame' in terms of the viewfinder if you like the viewfinder to be 100% efficient.

 

However, the 0.58 was great for the 35 in the same way the 0.72 was for the 50. Easy on the eye to use, with the perfect space around the frame lines to help in composition.

 

If you're going to use the 35 and 50 equally, I'd go for the 0.72. But if your style is leaning towards the 35, with occasional use of the 50 (and it's a summicron), I would seriously consider the 0.58.

 

However, don't rely on the Leica literature to guide you, you really have to look through the viewfinders to get a real taste.

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I'm new here (second post) and, more pertinently, new to the world of Leica. I have been using an FM3a and FE2 which I continue to use.

I acquired a used M6 Classic recently through ebay. It came with with two Voigtlander lenses: a 28mm and a 50mm.

How does one tell if it is a 0.58, 0.72 or 0.85?

Also I am looking at something called a Thums Up Magnifier (see Thumbs Up Magnifier 1.25x in rubber eyecup for Leica M) to improve what I see when looking through the viewfinder so as to facilitate focussing accuracy. Will this product help do this?

I use reading glasses but do not use them for looking through the VF.

I want to get a 35mm Leica lens in the future.

Any comments, opinions are welcome.

Kindly enlighten.

Thanks in advance.

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Not completely sure of this, but I don't think the M6 classic was made in the 0.58x mag version. I think there were 3000 0.85x mags made and the rest were 0.72x. It's probably a 0.72x and if the markings are consistent with later cameras the mag value appears on a silver strip at the bottom right of the front VF window.

 

28 and 50mm make a great pair for a 0.72x body. You shouldn't need an external magnifier for it, I also use reading glasses but only use the magnifier for close-ups with an f1.0 lens.

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First I have to say I wear and have worn glasses most of my life. Now that we have those qualifications established I will continue by saying I have had all 0.58, 0.72 and 0.85. In addition I have Leica's little 1.25 magnifier for each. I sold the 0.85 because I had a difficult time focusing, with and without the 1.25 magnifier. I have three -3.0 diopters which correct my sight so I can shoot without my glasses. They are a pain as far as I'm concerned; putting glasses, taking them off, and so forth.

My recommendation is 0.58. I have a M6TTL 0.58 and M7 0.58 and a M7 0.72, and very happy with that setup.

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If you mainly use a 35mm lens one advantage of the .58 is the frame lines at this focal length and shared with any others. I have the M6ttl .58 and don't wear glasses. I keep a Megaperls 1.15 eyepiece magnifier permanently attached (love the adjustable dioptre feature with this).

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