How to protect glasses from viewfinder edge

[walvis]

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I recently switched from using DSLRs back to M rangefinders and stumbled across an unlikely issue. The rounded and rather hard plastic edge of the M's viewfinder is visibly scratching off the material from my horn rimmed glasses, which is rather annoying since they are quite expensive. Reverting to external viewfinders such as the EVF2 is not really an option.

 

Did anybody else come across this issue before? And are there any solutions (softer viewfinder rings...) that would not result in using different glasses?

 

Best

Till

[Jeff S]

There are eyecup accessories from folks like Tim Isaac (of 'thumbs up' fame), but they may prevent glass wearers from getting close enough to the VF….don't know as I haven't tried.  Dumb question, but have you tried centering your glasses more on the VF so that the frame edges do not come in contact?  Depends of course on your frame and glass design, and of course making sure that your line of sight is direct to the focus patch (presumably near the center of your glass).  Doesn't help you much, but I always take my camera to the optician when I buy new frames/glasses to ensure comfort and flexibility so that I can get as close as possible.  Priorities.

 

Jeff

Edited April 19, 2015 by Jeff S

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[algrove]

The WATE frankenfinder has a nice rubber eyecup that comes with it. I have sold my 18,21 and 24 OVF. However, I find the variable OVF #12013 has a nice rubber insert attached to the viewing end of it plus it works for lenses 21,24 & 28 (not that it needs one, but can help eyeglass wearers using that FL).

[AlanJW]

There is a Japanese company Aki-Asahi  (aki-asahi.com) that, among other things,  makes felt circles with an adhesive back that you can put on your viewfinder eyepiece.  They are listed as for various non Leica cameras like Zorkis but there are pictures and you can get an idea of size.  They are fairly inexpensive so it is worth a try.  I have used them and they sometimes will not stay on as camera is being put into and removed from bag, but they do work.    You could do something similar by going to a craft store like Michaels and cutting out your own out of an adhesive felt sheet.

[250swb]

Not had this problem at all with my glasses other than a pair where the coating was faulty. I'm going back to when the hard rubber eyepiece surround was first introduced with the M4-P, although I have always specified the most expensive lens coatings when ordering my glasses. It is probably worth having the coating checked or upgraded. Soft rubber eyecups are a waste of time as they put your eye too far from the viewfinder, and while felt rings etc. work with the metal eyepiece on earlier cameras I can't see the point with a modern Leica.

 

Steve

Edited April 20, 2015 by 250swb

[david perry]

I use one of the Leica screw-in dioptre correction lenses in the viewfinder to correct my vision and just push my specs up out of the way when using my M, which solves the problem in my case.

[walvis]

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Hi all, thanks for the all the responses, to your points:

 

@Jeff S, trying to centering my glasses was the first idea, with limited success, as soon as I get into shooting I tend to forget my surroundings which is exactly when I start to forget thinking about anything else but the framing process and subject. Also, forcing me to think about my glasses all the time feels not right somehow ;-)

 

@Algrove, will check it out, however my plan was to get around buying an extra VF since I am happy with the RF VF for my standard 50mm prime

 

@WeinschelA, will definitely check that out!

 

@250swb - just to clarify, the Leica is NOT damaging the glass itself, it is damaging the horn rim holding the glasses owing to horn being a natural and rather soft material - wrong glasses maybe but I like them ;-)

 

@revdperry, will try that as well, the -3.0 range they offer seems to perfectly fit with my dioptrine

 

I will do some further research and think about the various options - I will also keep you updates - Thanks!

[Jeff S]

 

 

@Jeff S, trying to centering my glasses was the first idea, with limited success, as soon as I get into shooting I tend to forget my surroundings which is exactly when I start to forget thinking about anything else but the framing process and subject. Also, forcing me to think about my glasses all the time feels not right somehow ;-)

 

 

Not sure how long you've been using an M, but making sure your eye is centered to the focus patch is important and needs to become second nature, irrespective of eyeglass concerns. You should be able to immediately bring the camera to your eye (for spontaneous shooting).  Some use diopters or contacts, but I prefer using my glasses full time for both camera use and general sight.  I don't even think about it…but that's as a long time user.  Practice...

 

Jeff

Edited April 20, 2015 by Jeff S

[walvis]

Not sure how long you've been using an M, but making sure you're eye is centered to the focus patch is important and needs to become second nature, irrespective of eyeglass concerns. You should be able to immediately bring the camera to your eye (for spontaneous shooting).  Some use diopters or contacts, but I prefer using my glasses full time for both camera use and general sight.  I don't even think about it…but that's as a long time user.  Practice...

 

Jeff

Fair point, I am fairly new to the M and used to DSLR shooting, so the issue might indeed disappear with time and practice...

[algrove]

Walvis-- see my PM to you.

Edited April 21, 2015 by algrove

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I bought a pair of glasses just for shooting with the M up to now I have had no issues at all in hitting the frames.

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[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

Seriously though I did get a pair of cheap frame glasses made especially for photography with larger than usual frames that have good quality progressive lenses............no Rhino horn frames here buddy

[pico]

There is a Japanese company Aki-Asahi  (aki-asahi.com) that, among other things,  makes felt circles with an adhesive back that you can put on your viewfinder eyepiece.

 

Indeed, I bought two sets. Inexpensive, and as you wrote, they work on all M cameras.

 

Here is the link to them: http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/patch/M2M3/eyepiece/

 

I also use the large rubber cup here: http://www.popflash.com/accessories/match-technical-e-clypse-eyecup-42-new-for-all-leica-m-series-cameras/

 

And DAG has some originals for earlier Ms here: http://www.dagcamera.com/store/p108/Original_Leica_Rubber_Eyecup.html

Edited April 24, 2015 by pico

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

Indeed, I bought two sets. Inexpensive, and as you wrote, they work on all M cameras.

 

Here is the link to them: http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/patch/M2M3/eyepiece/

 

 

Thanks for the link I just ordered some

[jrbelmuda]

Andy Barton made a comment somewhere with a solution as he also wears glasses, perhaps you could pm him.

 JRB

[rafael_macia]

There is a Japanese company Aki-Asahi  (aki-asahi.com) that, among other things,  makes felt circles with an adhesive back that you can put on your viewfinder eyepiece.  They are listed as for various non Leica cameras like Zorkis but there are pictures and you can get an idea of size.  They are fairly inexpensive so it is worth a try.  I have used them and they sometimes will not stay on as camera is being put into and removed from bag, but they do work.    You could do something similar by going to a craft store like Michaels and cutting out your own out of an adhesive felt sheet.

I agree with Alan's suggestion. The Japanese solution would work perfectly.  or .....Any art supply would have an X-acto knife (be careful !!), which you could carefully cut out a circle of cushioning material, ie.fine leather.  Attaching it to the viewfinder with double edge tape . 

 

[BerndReini]

I have recently switched to wearing glasses more during the day because I've been having problems with dry eyes. When I go out for a planned shoot, I prefer to put in daily contact lenses. I am left-eye dominant and that alone makes it more difficult to get close enough to the eye piece. Glasses pose an extra problem. I have an M7 with a .58 finder for that reason because I can see the frame lines of my preferred 35mm focal length better.

 

Now with my M9, I will say that I usually don't have a problem. I occasionally chimp after a portrait or architectural shot just to make sure I got critical edges right, but I can tell you that if you shoot for a while with a rangefinder and you don't keep changing focal lengths, you will become very good at knowing what your fame will look like. I use predominately 35 and 50mm lenses and I really don't need to look at my frame lines very much. I usually just look at the focussing patch and the bottom frame line, and I know instinctively were the other edges of the frame will fall. It will take a while, but the more you stick with one focal length, the better you will become at this.