New to rangefinder cameras

[MA-Sweden]

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Hello,

 

I have decided to buy me a Leica M9 and have a question and it maybe seems like a silly one, but I have to know for sure.

 

If I use an external viewfinder like the Universal WA Finder, do I focus thru it or thru the in-camera viewfinder?

At Leicas website there are only this:

"...A parallax compensation dial enables adjustment of the frame to the focusing distance in five steps."

 

Best regards

Magnus A

[adli]

 

If I use an external viewfinder like the Universal WA Finder, do I focus thru it or thru the in-camera viewfinder?

 

A viewfinder is, as evident from its name, a device where you can view the sceen and thus compose the picture.

 

In the camera you also have a rangefinder, which is a device where you can measure the distance to an object. In order for the rangefinder to be able to work, it needs two windows (two eyes). The rangefinder on the M9 uses both the viewfinder window and a separate rangefinder window. what you see when you look in camera (in the middel of the finder) is a split picture composed from the two windows on the front.

 

If you want to learn more, try to google for rangefinder.

 

BTW, if you don't know what a rangefinder is, why buy a rangefinder camera?

[MA-Sweden]

Hello Adli,

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I know what a rangefinder camera is, but didn´t know if there is a rangefinder build in the external viewfinder so I can use it to focus and not only framing / composing the picture.

But now I know for sure.

 

Best regards

Magnus A

[matlep]

External Wievfinders are only for framing. They have no connection to the rangefinder in the camera.

[diogenis]

Magnus, welcome on this forum and congratulations on your new asset: the M9, which I am sure you will love very soon

[MA-Sweden]

@ Matlep:

Thanks for the information.

 

@ Diogenis:

Thank you for the warm welcome. I will enjoy the M9 every minute when I get it

[jaapv]

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Welcome- enjoy. Feel free to use this forum for questions - there are no stupid ones - and if there are, the " old hands" were asking them as well when they started out.

[lars_bergquist]

There are no stupid questions, there are only stupid answers. And the questions that look the most stupid, are often those that are the most profound.

 

The M's built-in combined wiewfinder (viewfinder + rangefinder) can handle lenses from 135 to 28mm. Wider lenses have fields of view that are too large to fit into the camera viewfinder. Thus we use an external viewfinder (in the accessory shoe) for framing, while we focus the lens with the aid of the built-in rangefinder. There is a universal viewfinder (often referred to as 'the Frankenfinder' because it is, hm, a bit monstrous) that covers focal lengths shorter than 28mm. This finder has a manually set parallax compensation -- as you see the subject from a point different from the camera lens, finder and lens does 'see' slightly differently. Single focal length finders have only parallax shift markings in the finder field, which is perfactly adequate for wide angle lenses. The bright frames in the camera finder shift automatically as you focus the longer lenses.

 

Have a M9, have fun. It is usually less expensive fun than a Porsche or a mistress.

 

The old man from the Age of Film

[MA-Sweden]

@ Jaapv & Lars_Bergquist:

 

Thank you for the welcome and the information.

 

Best regards

Magnus A