Peter Dear Posted February 8, 2011 Share #1 Posted February 8, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I want to use my WATE on my M9. I bought the WATE secondhand without the finder and use it on my M8.2 with the Leica adjustable 21, 24, 28 finder (whatever it is called). I ordered a Frankenfinder with a -2 dioptre but unfortunately Leica no longer make the dioptres for the Frankenfinder. Not sure what finder(s) would be the best compromise and would appreciate advice. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 8, 2011 Posted February 8, 2011 Hi Peter Dear, Take a look here Recommendation for finder for WATE. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
AGeoJO Posted February 8, 2011 Share #2 Posted February 8, 2011 I firmly believe that the Frankenfinder is the way to go with the WATE. It is on the bulky side, I admit but the flexibility of changing the view according to you focal length of choice, the parallax compensation for short distances and the built-in bubble level make it indispensable with the WATE. I wouldn't use anything else. Maybe you still can find the necessary dioptre for the Frankenfinder in the used market or on fleabay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted February 8, 2011 Share #3 Posted February 8, 2011 Hi Peter, I need a -1.5 on my glasses (the better left eye), use -1.0 on the RF, and am quite happy with the Frankenfinder as is. After all, it's just for framing not focusing. BTW, on the long end, 90 - 135mm, I have stacked up first the Leica 1.4x and then the 1.25x magnifier and don't need any diopter adjustment at all. Best, K-H. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdtaylor Posted February 8, 2011 Share #4 Posted February 8, 2011 The diopter adjustment is the same as used for the R8/R9, which it is usually listed with, making it hard to track down. Here is Leica's product numbers: Leica Camera AG - Photography - LEICA UNIVERSAL WIDE-ANGLE VIEWFINDER M By the way, I highly recommend the Universal Finder (Frankenfinder), plus it has parallax compensation. About 6 months ago I was able to find the diopter lens for the Frankenfinder at the Leicashop in Austria. https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=R8+correction+lens&x=5&y=6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olsen Posted February 8, 2011 Share #5 Posted February 8, 2011 I originally bought my M8 together with the WATE and Frankenfinder. I thought, wrongly, that sensors with a crop factor would be around for a long time. On my M9 the WATE is an awesome lens. I use it most of the time with the Frankenfinder. I do have two Voigtländer viewfinders, a 15 mm and a 21 mm, which I also use whenever I want to 'travel light'. But particularly the bubble level is just excellent to use with just any wide angle lens. I have even used my Frankenfinder on my 1Ds III just to check that the camera is level Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_R Posted February 8, 2011 Share #6 Posted February 8, 2011 You can also have a look on this: Voigt 15-35 VF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted February 9, 2011 Share #7 Posted February 9, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I cannot recommend the Frankenfinder enough over it's alternatives, including offerings from Voigtlander, varifocal finders from Leica or the excellent single focal finders from Leica or Zeiss. When I got mine (just to use the 15mm Heliar on film and the M8.2), I was so excited about it's performance, that I wrote up a page on my website about my first impressions here: Leica Universal Wide Angle Finder Here is, what the finder looks like on an M8.2 with 15mm Heliar: product shots | leica | apple Whenever I want to go wide, I pack the 15 Heliar and the Frankenfinder in the bag, which are both light and easy enough to carry. I would love, to try a WATE one time though - sounds like a great lens. Don't mess with other solutions, when using the WATE - other varifocal finders don't show brightlines in a frame, but a dark frame as they zoom. The single focal finders do not have parallax correction, which I find critical for framing superwide lenses, as you do not want to shoot loose and crop precious space. There are also exotic/ vintage varifocal finders, which are recommended by their users (Tewe comes to my mind), but again, the Frankenfinder is just too good to pass. It got a bad rap on the internet for being too big and heavy, but after using one, you will find out, that this is pretty exaggerated. Good luck with finding the right eye correction, if you should really need it with the finder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Dear Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks for all the advice. It has been very helpful. I will go for the Frankenfinder. Thanks to Terry for the link to Leicashop Vintage Cameras in Austria. They have a -2 dioptre and it is on its way to me! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted February 9, 2011 Share #9 Posted February 9, 2011 Strongly recommend the Frankenfinder - and although I depend on +3.5 diopter on my M finder, I find the lack of a diopter on the Frankfinder fairly unproblematic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdeed1 Posted February 9, 2011 Share #10 Posted February 9, 2011 Strongly recommend the Frankenfinder - and although I depend on +3.5 diopter on my M finder, I find the lack of a diopter on the Frankfinder fairly unproblematic. +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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