Zeiss or Leica viewfinder for 18/3.8

[Paul986]

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Hi all

 

I love the performance of the 18mm Super-Elmar with my M9 but I need a viewfinder!

 

Has anyone used the Leica 18mm finder? Do you find the secondary frame line for the M8coverage annoying? Does it get in the way? Is there any way to remove it? Has anyone asked Leica if it can be modified?

 

Alternatively, the Zeiss solves the above. How is it's optical performance compared to the Leica finder? Which do you prefer, why?

 

Thank you,

Paul

[Shade]

I am actually thinking of getting one as well - I heard the zeiss is fantastic - but neither are available here in my country, so I can't physically test it.

 

So I'll wait for recommendations as well..

[lars_bergquist]

The Zeiss finder is really excellent. It is in fact better than the older Leica finders. I have no experience of the current Leica finders -- I have all the finders I need.

 

The old man from the Age of Accessory Finders

[Marty]

I do have the Leica 18mm finder because I also need the 24mm framelines, and it is great is all I can say. Had I not needed the extra framelines I might have gone for Zeiss as it has a good reputation and saves you a great deal of money too. At the end of the day it is only a finder...

[Samir Jahjah]

Hi all

 

I love the performance of the 18mm Super-Elmar with my M9 but I need a viewfinder!

 

Has anyone used the Leica 18mm finder? Do you find the secondary frame line for the M8coverage annoying? Does it get in the way? Is there any way to remove it? Has anyone asked Leica if it can be modified?

 

Alternatively, the Zeiss solves the above. How is it's optical performance compared to the Leica finder? Which do you prefer, why?

 

Thank you,

Paul

 

Without a doubt : Zeiss! I love my Leica Ms, my lenses...but their viewfinders are poor quality. I usually find Voigtlander and Zeiss finders significantly better.

[UliWer]

I would not say the Leica finder for 18mm is of poor quality. I use it with the the 3.8/18 on the M8 and I'd say it is of high quality: solid built, very small so it does not cause any nuisance if you leave it on the cam even if you don't need it for the lens. It is very bright and the frames seem to me more precise than those in the M-viewfinder.

 

Though - there are some problems:

 

The viewfinder shows massive barrel distortion, much more than the lens.

The small window seems overcrowded by the frames for the M8 and most of all by the lines for near distances, if you use it on full frame.

 

I have never seen the Zeiss viewfinder, so I can't tell you wether its presumably bigger size avoids the barrel distortion and if you perhaps would miss orientation and/ or precision

with less lines and frames.

 

So if you get the chance to compare both, you should do so. Remember that a viewfinder is one essential for a Leica M.

[Guest ccmsosse]

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I don't own the Leica viewfinder but the Zeiss is great and saved me a lot of $$.

[MacSpikes]

The Zeiss is great. I have one for the 18 SEM.

 

pros:

-price

-quality

-view

-only 18mm framelines (Leica has crop sensor framelines too)

 

cons:

-large

-finish does not 100% match (I can't be bothered)

-white line on top does not match set shutter speed (it does on a Zeiss Ikon rangefinder)

[Bill W]

Am I correct in my assumption that if I buy an 18mm finder and it is set up for both the M8 and M9 then it essentially has frame lines for a 24 and an 18 on my M9? I have not actually looked through one. I am considering getting the 18. I do a lot of landscapes stuff and the 18's FOV would work great.

[adli]

Am I correct in my assumption that if I buy an 18mm finder and it is set up for both the M8 and M9 then it essentially has frame lines for a 24 and an 18 on my M9? I have not actually looked through one. I am considering getting the 18. I do a lot of landscapes stuff and the 18's FOV would work great.

 

Leica's 18mm finder has both framelines for the M8 and the M9. On the M9, the M8 framelines corresponds to approximately the equivalent of a 24mm frameline

[Bill W]

Leica's 18mm finder has both framelines for the M8 and the M9. On the M9, the M8 framelines corresponds to approximately the equivalent of a 24mm frameline

 

That would be the way to go if you owned both the 24 and 18. I already have the 24.

[therbert]

That would be the way to go if you owned both the 24 and 18. I already have the 24.

 

That was my thought when I bought the Leica 18mm finder. I have the M8.2, 18mm SE, and 24mm Lux. So, the finder shows me the frame for the 18mm on the M8 and the M8 has a built-in frame for the 24mm. When my M9 is finally delivered, the 18mm finder will show me the field of view for both the 18mm and 24mm lenses on the M9 - The m9 doesn't have a 24mm frame built-in.

[Hacker]

Without a doubt : Zeiss! I love my Leica Ms, my lenses...but their viewfinders are poor quality. I usually find Voigtlander and Zeiss finders significantly better.

 

The latest VF finders from Leica are great, and the milled brass casing and finish is way superior to the Voigtlanders.

 

[JSU]

I have a few Leica VF's (21mm x 2 & 24mm), as well as a few Voigtlander VF's.

 

While CV doesn't offer a VF marked for an 18mm lens, they do offer a series of "D" VF's produced for the Epson R-D1 and its 1.5x crop factor. Thus the "D" VF for the CV 12mm actually shows the FF FoV of an 18mm lens.

 

This is what I use on my film M's with my Zeiss ZM 18/4, on my M8.2's I use the Leica 24mm VF for this lens.

 

On a related note, the CV 12mm "D" VF is the same finder as the CV 15mm FF VF but without the 15mm bright lines.