altering framelines

[rtphotos]

My favorite focal lengths on film Ms are the 35 and 50mm. So taking into account the crop factor, it's no surprise I guess that I've been using a 28mm and 35mm lens most often on the M8.

My problem is that when I use the 35mm on the M8 I get the additional 24mm framelines which I find distracting. As an M4-user, I also find the missing bottom frameline edge to be irritating.

Is there any way to remove the 24mm framelines and also get the bottom edge framelines to show on the M8? Maybe through a M4 viewfinder retrofit? If anyone has 1st hand experience, how expensive would this be, and any suggestions on who would be able to do this service?

Thanks for the help!

rt

[marknorton]

The bottom of the frameline is interrupted to make space for the LED display. Even if it existed in the physical frame, you wouldn't see it.

Leica do not currently make alternative frame sets for the M8, though more accurate ones have been mooted. My guess is that they're shying away from doing so because of the mountain of M8s which would then descend on Solms, not to mention the arguments that it should be free of charge.

Sensibly, you are not going to get the framelines changed unless Leica offer it. They're made up of tiny slivers of metal and the cost of having someone else make some would be prohibitive. Think of the framelines as a guide, not an absolute and you'll be fine.

[luigi bertolotti]

I think that an indipendent (GOOD) lab could find the way to "obliterate" one frame of a couple... a delicate work, surely costly, surely Solms wouldn't like if happens the camera go to them for some reason... is it worth ?

[Michael M.]

You're right - straight ahead!
But I'm thinking about times in past where Leica was able to performe much better in frameline design compared to actual's M8.
Thinking on the "slim" an "full-frame" design of the M3 and by heart I wish to get only one frame visible to be less confused ...

Michael

[jaapv]

Part of the problem is of course the fact that the 1.33 crop factor changes the whole geometry of the framelines. Even if they were changed,the aspect would still be different from for instance an M6. Maybe Leica will offer different magnifications at some point of time, like they did (do) on the later film M cameras.

[rtphotos]

Let me be more clear. It's not the magnification that I am having a problem with, it's the cluttered viewfinder - particularly the 24 and 35 mm framelines appearing at the same time.

If Leica ever offers a choice, I'd love to have the option for only the 28, 35 and 50 mm framelines, and each appearing alone. Just my opinion. Yeah, let's hope for a future M8 ala carte!

rt

[rtphotos]

Thank you for the comments so far.

I dug around the internet and came across a number of discussions on photo.net regarding the removing of selective framelines. Apparently a few M6 and MP users have had framelines removed by Don Goldberg of DAG Camera Repairs (Wisconsin, USA), and rather inexpensively, I might add:

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00KnPV

No mention of removing framelines from M8s, though. So I emailed Mr. Goldberg and he quickly replied saying on the M8s he does only rangefinder alignments at this time, although he may be doing other work on them at a later date.

Regarding adding to the incomplete bottom frameline, he confirmed what Mark said here that because of the LED readout - there's no way to add any more to the bottom frameline.

So I guess I'm out of luck - at least for the moment.

rt