M3 + 35mm lens - accessory viewfinder = ????

[MarcRochkind]

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One of the unique advantages of a rangefinder over an SLR is that you can see more than what's going to be in the frame.

 

But, using a 35mm lens on an M3 without an accessory viewfinder negates this, and even goes the other way: The widest frameline shows you LESS than you'll get.

 

I bought my 35mm for an M8 (not yet arrived), but between tomorrow, when the lens arrives, and when the M8 arrives, which is unknown, I'm going to put the 35mm lens on my M3, just to try it out.

 

I'd appreciate any comments from those who have used the 50mm M3 framelines to guesstimate the 35mm framing.

 

(Yes, I know I could buy a different lens, or an M2, or an accessory viewfinder, but none of those things are going to happen. I'm just going to use the 35mm on the M3 for a short while.)

 

--Marc

[tobey bilek]

Use the outside of the whole viewfinder, everything you see.

[colorflow]

If you use the entire view in the viewfinder plus angle your eye to look left and then right you will come pretty close to what you get with a 35mm lens.

[ron110n]

Same here I use the whole M3 VF for my 35mm lux.

I ordered a Voightlander 28/35 VF from from bh since I use the 35mm the most.

 

-Ron

[leicapfile]

Watch out for correct focus. Only the 35mm lenses w/goggles are cammed to focus correctly on the M3.

 

Non-goggled Leica 35mm lenses have a different grind. Stopped down there should be no problem.

 

Jerry

[wizard]

Only the 35mm lenses w/goggles are cammed to focus correctly on the M3.

 

Non-goggled Leica 35mm lenses have a different grind.

 

Jerry, are you sure? No M-Leica "knows" what lens is mounted, and the stroke of the cam lever in the camera always stays the same. While 50mm lenses employ a 1:1 coupling between the optical system and the lens cam, longer focal length lenses are coupled such that the optical system moves back and forth to a greater degree, while in shorter focal length lenses optical system moves a lesser degree (than the lens cam that is). Regular non-goggled lenses should therefore work just fine also on an M3. Coupling to the M3's rangefinder, of course, is limited to 1m or 0.9m at most (only the goggled M3 35m lenses are coupled down to 0.65m).

 

Goggled 35mm lenses are, however, geared such that they may only be used with the goggles, otherwise focus problems will occur.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[colorflow]

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My 35mm Lux ( series 7 filter) has no focus problem with M3.

[MarcRochkind]

Update: I tried a 35mm Summicron on my M3, and maybe using the whole VF works in theory, but with my glasses I can't see the whole VF unless I peek around, and even then I can't see the outer edges.

 

Not a big deal, however, as I bought the lens for use on an M8.

 

--Marc