kengai Posted December 10, 2016 Share #1 Posted December 10, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have no experience in the use of wide-angle lenses as 21mm and 24mm on a M-P 240.It needs the viewfinder? which recommended model? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 10, 2016 Posted December 10, 2016 Hi kengai, Take a look here viewfinders for 21mm and 24mm. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
MarkP Posted December 10, 2016 Share #2 Posted December 10, 2016 Some get away without an accessory VF and just compose using the whole VF view. I will do it if I have to but personally prefer an accessory VF. You have two options: 1. Leica, Zeiss, or Voigtlander accessory optical viewfinders (OVF). They only help you with framing. I really like the Leica OVFs and I think they are more accurate for framing WA lenses, but there has been heated discussion here over the relative pros and cons of the various brands (just do a quick search). You need to focus through the camera's own internal OVF and frame through the accessory OVF that slots into the camera's hotshoe. 2. As you have an M240 the Leica or Olympus (cheaper) VF-2 electronic viewfinder (EVF) is the other option. It is accurate for framing as you see the image off the sensor, and it gives a range of extra information such as focusing, exposure, histogram, horizon, etc. The resolution is adequate at best and is is slow and laggy, especially when it blacks out for a second or so after taking an exposure, and another source of power drain on the battery. Apart from my usual M lenses, I took my 24-90 Vario-Elmarit-R with EVF on the M240 and it performed remarkably well. However this was slower more deliberate landscape photography where the speed of the EVF was not an issue. I use accessory EVF or OVF, or both depending on what I'm doing or my mood. The EVF is now certainly the cheaper and more accurate option but those big bright optical VF's are a delight to use. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 10, 2016 Share #3 Posted December 10, 2016 The Leica for 21 is excellent for my experience... very bright and, above all, with no distortion which, expecially for interiors and architecture, is the main reason to use a VF instead of "guess framing" ; about the EVF... I tend not to use it with WAs... is my "tele VF" for M240. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpwhite Posted December 10, 2016 Share #4 Posted December 10, 2016 My 24mm Elmarit ASPH is perfectly good on an M through its OVF. When you print 16 x 24, there is still some cropping even if you tolerate the corner fall off from the lens, so the optical framing loss never bothered me. For my 21mm Elmarit ASPH, I really recommend the SL as a viewfinder. Not only do you get good framing, but focus point can be selected. The add-on VF for M don't allow you to do that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted December 10, 2016 Share #5 Posted December 10, 2016 I started a similar thread on the topic last year when I was shopping for a 21mm lens to be used on an M9M. After trying them, none are precision devices and considering that future M iterations are likely to offer state-of-the-art EVFs (for a change), these relics of a bygone age will not hold their values. The Leica versions are really expensive but nice and more accurate. But for the money, a new CV or used Zeiss is the better buy. The Zeiss is wonderfully bright while the tiny, round CV cool looking (if that matters). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregm61 Posted December 10, 2016 Share #6 Posted December 10, 2016 Between using my 18 and 24mm Elmars and 21mm Elmarit on either the M262 or M9-P, I prefer using the Frankenfinder, So long as I make the manual adjustment to distance focused, it is very accurate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted December 10, 2016 Share #7 Posted December 10, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've used the Voigtlander 21 f4 on my M9 for several years, and have been very pleased with it. I hadn't used a 21 enough to justify Leica prices, and doubt if I would notice much difference for my uses. However, using the accessory finder is rather clumsy compared to an SLR. After getting a Sony A7 I've taken to using it for my old ultra-wide SLR lenses (such as Leica R 24 and Pentax-M 20 f4). I still prefer a Leica M for 35 - 90, but not ultrawide or long lenses. Of course the Leica SL would also be a great option, but not for my retirement budget. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kengai Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share #8 Posted December 10, 2016 I started a similar thread on the topic last year when I was shopping for a 21mm lens to be used on an M9M. After trying them, none are precision devices and considering that future M iterations are likely to offer state-of-the-art EVFs (for a change), these relics of a bygone age will not hold their values. The Leica versions are really expensive but nice and more accurate. But for the money, a new CV or used Zeiss is the better buy. The Zeiss is wonderfully bright while the tiny, round CV cool looking (if that matters). what is the CV? Thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted December 10, 2016 Share #9 Posted December 10, 2016 Cosina Voigtlander Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted December 14, 2016 Share #10 Posted December 14, 2016 current metal 24 is beautiful. Best finder I ever used. Use outside edge the lines for infinity, inside edge for 10 feet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 14, 2016 Share #11 Posted December 14, 2016 The Zeiss viewfinders are optically brilliant, far better than any Leica one. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted December 16, 2016 Share #12 Posted December 16, 2016 Are you intending to use 21 and 24? If so then Leica made a 21-24-28 zoom finder that's not much larger than a single one, and accepts corrective diopters. But since you specified M-P 240 as your camera, I would suggest finding the Olympus version of the Leica EVF. The framing is a lot more accurate than any optical accessory finder, it works with any focal length, and there's nothing stopping you from using it just like an accessory finder, that is, for composition after focusing with the rangefinder. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted December 17, 2016 Share #13 Posted December 17, 2016 I am a huge fan of the round CV 21/25 cheap bright and IMO much better than the latest Leica, I spent some time comparing and apart from the latest Leica being a little better at keeping the white frame visible at all angles and lights it's worse for flare and not as clear or bright as the CV, this covers 21 and 24 really well Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke_Miller Posted December 17, 2016 Share #14 Posted December 17, 2016 When I bought the 24 Elmarit-M I added the Leica 24mm metal finder. It is an elegant finder, but very pricey compared to the alternatives and the etched framelines would wash out in some lighting conditions. When I got the 21 Elmarit-M I picked up a used "Frankenfinder" for much less than I paid for the 24mm Leica finder. The much maligned "Frankenfinder" is a marvel. It provides 16, 18, 21, 24 and 28 framelines which are (manually) parallax corrected for focus distance. Moreover the framelines are not etched, but illuminated by a window (like those of the Ms prior to the current generation) making the framelines less subject to washing out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted December 17, 2016 Share #15 Posted December 17, 2016 Are you intending to use 21 and 24? If so then Leica made a 21-24-28 zoom finder that's not much larger than a single one, and accepts corrective diopters. But since you specified M-P 240 as your camera, I would suggest finding the Olympus version of the Leica EVF. The framing is a lot more accurate than any optical accessory finder, it works with any focal length, and there's nothing stopping you from using it just like an accessory finder, that is, for composition after focusing with the rangefinder. If it has not been improved, it is the worst Leica product I ever bought. No BL , no way to center your eye which you must do to use the edges accurately. I use mine for a paperweight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kengai Posted December 18, 2016 Author Share #16 Posted December 18, 2016 When I bought the 24 Elmarit-M I added the Leica 24mm metal finder. It is an elegant finder, but very pricey compared to the alternatives and the etched framelines would wash out in some lighting conditions. When I got the 21 Elmarit-M I picked up a used "Frankenfinder" for much less than I paid for the 24mm Leica finder. The much maligned "Frankenfinder" is a marvel. It provides 16, 18, 21, 24 and 28 framelines which are (manually) parallax corrected for focus distance. Moreover the framelines are not etched, but illuminated by a window (like those of the Ms prior to the current generation) making the framelines less subject to washing out. What is the Frankenfinder? Regards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted December 18, 2016 Share #17 Posted December 18, 2016 This: https://au.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Technical-Equipment/Viewfinder-Accessories/Universal-wide-angle-viewfinder-M Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 18, 2016 Share #18 Posted December 18, 2016 If it has not been improved, it is the worst Leica product I ever bought. No BL , no way to center your eye which you must do to use the edges accurately. I use mine for a paperweight. You are quite right in you assessment. Actually you missed out on the variable build quality- the foot tends to work loose. Still, it is surprisingly nice to use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted December 18, 2016 Share #19 Posted December 18, 2016 (edited) Isn't the 21/24/28 made in Japan and rebadged as a Leica? Edited December 18, 2016 by james.liam Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted December 18, 2016 Share #20 Posted December 18, 2016 I have the 21-24-28 VF and it is not very good, sharp only at one focal length. The Frankenfinder is much better, but it is huge. I have a Voigtlander Zoom finder that is good but it has 25mm rather than 24mm. While they are expensive an individual finder seems to be the best option. If you can, look at Zeiss and Voigtlander models as well as the Leica ones before purchase. You may get the same quality for less money. William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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