M2 Viewfinder

[robert_parker]

One (academic) question that I was going to ask is does the rangefinder appear bigger in the viewfinder of an 0.95 M3 ?

Thanks

[ejd]

An academic reply is that it does appear bigger. The framelines for a 50mm lens substantially fill the viewfinder in the M3, the rangefinder patch looks bigger, and the rf image seems to travel further horizontally as you focus from infinity to 0.7m. The whole image is scaled up on the M3 relative to a 0.72 MP or something. Rgds, John

[wizard]

Robert,

congrats on your "new" M2, it looks lovely. I have an M3 no. 1 14x xxx, and it is from 1966, the last year they made the M3, so yours will most likely be from 1966, too.

As to the size of the rangefinder patch, I wouldn't say the patch is actually bigger than that of an M2, but since the magnification is somewhat higher (0.91 versus 0.72) on the M3, everything within the patch appears a little bigger. Also, the optical base length of the finder (defined as the physical base length, which is the same on all Ms, multiplied by viewfinder magnification) is larger, due to the higher viewfinder magnification, and so focusing tends to be a little easier and a little more precise. But then again, the 0.72 finder proved to be the most universal one, so there is certainly nothing wrong with the M2 finder.

Enjoy your new baby!

Best,

Andy

[doubice]

Robert,

Congratulations on the M2 - it has the least cluttered finder of all M's - only one frame at a time.

If you would like the manual, send me a private message through the forum with your email address. I have both the short and full version of the manual in pdf files.

All the best,

Jan

[ddp]

Originally Posted by doubice

Robert,

Congratulations on the M2 - it has the least cluttered finder of all M's - only one frame at a time.


Jan

Jan,

Leica has 2 current models that have the same feature - one is the LHSA MP-3, the other is the Ralph Gibson edition. Granted finding a clean M2 is a cheaper alternative. Something I keep my eyes open for actually....

[robert_parker]

Andy, John, Dan and Jan

Thank you for the extra insights - I'm looking forward to trying it out with some film over the next few days !!

Jan - I most certainly will drop you a PM about the manual - thanks a lot !

[twom4]

Congratulations Robert!!!

You've got great sample of M2. If you send it for CLA, you may like the repair shop to replace the worn strap eyelets. They are not expensive to replace (about USD 10 each or less).

Enjoy...

[robert_parker]

Thanks Chris - I'll ask them to do it !!

[lars_bergquist]

The M3 was produced from 1954 to 1966. 'M 3' seems to mean 'Messucher (in German, Rangefinder) 3, i.e. with 3 finder frames, 50, 90 and 135 mm. The M2 was launched in 1958. Both cameras were replaced by the M4 in 1968.

The M2, if you can live with its loading system with that loose uptake spool that you seem forever to drop, is maybe the sexiest of all M cameras. It's like a classical English sports car, only what you do absolutely need and nothing more, and you have your feet practically on top of the cobblestones. The finder is also beautifully clean as long as you didn't take a fancy to 135 mm lenses. The only wide angle you needed beyond the 35 was a 21 mm Super Angulon, and you needed an accessory finder for that in any case. But people circumnavigated the earth with just an M2 and a 35 and a 90.

The M3 has a big thick 50 mm frame that has rounded corners (probably in order to look like one of these newfangled telly screens that looked like squashed footballs, there were theorists that told us that in the future people would absolutely demand pictures with rounded corners) and which stays on no matter what other lens uou are using. This means that it is difficult to use a 35 and guess-compose, that fat 50 mm screen blocks your vision. Hence those bizarre 35 mm lenses with 'goggles'; but most pros did prefer using an accessory finder in the top shoe in any case. Of course you couldn't use a Leicameter in that shoe, but meters were for wimps. In all, the M3 doesn't deserve its legendary reputation, and it took several years before Leitz had got it into reasonable working shape.

The old man from the Age of Max Berek