stump4545 Posted June 12, 2012 Share #1  Posted June 12, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) when focusing an m9 becomes difficult more often then not do experienced m shooters find that: a. the outer front glass of the viewfinder is dirty b.the glass where you put your eye is dirty c.or that focus patch box on the front left of the camera is dirty  and causing difficult focus? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 12, 2012 Posted June 12, 2012 Hi stump4545, Take a look here dirty focus patch. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted June 12, 2012 Share #2 Â Posted June 12, 2012 That is why experienced shooters do not put grubby fingers on them and have a fiber cloth handy to wipe them if needed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted June 12, 2012 Share #3 Â Posted June 12, 2012 Hello stump4545, Â You are not the 1st & most likely will not be the last person to ask these questions. Â Leica M's are right handed cameras even though their range/viewfinder eyepieces are ambiocularus. Being right handed cameras they are designed to be operated in a certain manner. Â BTW: Sometimes a left handed person is right eye'd & vice versa. Â You might try holding your lens from underneath w/ your left hand. Thumb to your left. Fingers cradling under the lens & body & operating the tab, if any. Â @ the same time: Hold the film advance, thumbie, etc w/ your right thumb w/ your 3 lower right hand fingers wrapped around the side of the body & your index finger on the release. Â A narrow shoulder strap w/o shoulder pad on your left shoulder adjusted so that it is taut when the eyepiece is held up to the eye you are using better steadies the camera @ any speed. Wrapped 2 times around your left wrist it will help secure the camera when you are holding it & help steady it when you are taking pictures. Wrap the strap around your wrist so the camera sits in your left hand comfortably when you are just holding it. Â Doing these things might help lessen the finger marks on all 4 windows. Altho smudges on the rear window might also indicate a right eye having trouble seeing/focussing thru the -0.5 diopter eye pieces of all M's beginning w/ the M3. Â Best Regards, Â Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 12, 2012 Share #4  Posted June 12, 2012 I am right-eyed but left-handed. Still I use M cameras in the approved way. It is not too difficult because I have always used 35mm cameras that way! In fact, I always felt uncomfortable with the Exakta cameras, which had the wind-on lever to the left!  Nobody is totally one-sided so most people can learn a fair amount of ambidextrosity (as I presume it is called). For instance, I had to learn to fly aircraft with my right hand on the stick, because I had to keep my left hand ready for quick action – releasing the tow cable!  The old man from the Kodachrome Age Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylgo Posted June 12, 2012 Share #5 Â Posted June 12, 2012 d- all of the above. I can clean these all day long, if a fingerprint is anywhere within 10 feet it will land with laser like precision on these windows. Â External viewfinder use places my nose directly on the rear eyepiece of the rangefinder/viewfinder window, I am currently thinking of placing a cover over my magnifier to keep this to a minimum but have yet to find anything. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 13, 2012 Share #6 Â Posted June 13, 2012 Ah - magnifier. There is the key word. A magnifier will lower contrast and brightness on a viewfinder. Any further lessening of quality like the least fingerprint will push the system into visible deterioration. I focus better without one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 13, 2012 Share #7  Posted June 13, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) And so do I – including the 135mm Apo-Telyt.  The old man from the Kodachrome Age Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted June 13, 2012 Share #8 Â Posted June 13, 2012 It's very easy to get an oily focus patch, viewfinder and rangefinder. Needs to be wiped every now and then. Lenspen make a mini version for viewfinders which I find works a treat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 13, 2012 Share #9 Â Posted June 13, 2012 Eating a sticky bun and then clumsily putting your grubby mitts all over the front of your lens can result in lower quality images. Â It's best to keep fingers clear of viewfinders & lenses IMHO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted June 13, 2012 Share #10 Â Posted June 13, 2012 Hello Daryl, Â Did you ever think that perhaps the reason your nose ends up in the range/viewfinder window is because your other eye (the 1 you are not using) is trying to look thru the window? Â This might also explain why your fingers end up in the wrong places. It is possible your co-ordination becomes internally confused because the eye trying to direct it is not able to sucessfully see where things are so it can determine where your hands & fingers ought to be? Â You might try different combnations of hands, fingers, eyes, etc. Â Best Regards, Â Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylgo Posted June 14, 2012 Share #11  Posted June 14, 2012 Hello Daryl, Did you ever think that perhaps the reason your nose ends up in the range/viewfinder window is because your other eye (the 1 you are not using) is trying to look thru the window?  This might also explain why your fingers end up in the wrong places. It is possible your co-ordination becomes internally confused because the eye trying to direct it is not able to sucessfully see where things are so it can determine where your hands & fingers ought to be?  You might try different combnations of hands, fingers, eyes, etc.  Best Regards,  Michael  Hi Michael,  The nose in the eyepiece is the unfortunate circumstance of my nose-eyeball distance is exactly the same as the Leica Seperate Viewfinder-Rangefinder/Viewfinder distance. As I press my eye into place my nose has nowhere to go, following along like a puppy dog it hits the eyepiece without any idea that it shouldn't.  The finger thing is just handling the camera. Flipping it over to change the battery or card there aren't many places to put fingers, if I am in the field I would rather keep a tight grip and smear rather than risk a trip to the ground.  Thanks for your help, it has made me think that with a few changes I could resolve these issues. It's these idiosyncrasies of the Leica that make for a love-hate relationship, mostly love and the phenomenal photos are all love. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 14, 2012 Share #12 Â Posted June 14, 2012 This is how to do it: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted June 14, 2012 Share #13 Â Posted June 14, 2012 When you use Leica Ms over the years this becomes a non-issue as your habits to avoid these areas become set. (Even the head-tilt to move the nose/VF position with external finders!) I've used Ms since 1968 and almost never have to clean the viewfinder, unless someone else has tried the camera. Then every time they get smeared! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted June 14, 2012 Share #14 Â Posted June 14, 2012 This is how to do it: Â But the middle finger on the right hand appears to be covering the distance meter viewing window. Â Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 14, 2012 Share #15  Posted June 14, 2012 But the middle finger on the right hand appears to be covering the distance meter viewing window. Jeff  Check your irony & humour filter settings Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted June 14, 2012 Share #16 Â Posted June 14, 2012 Ahh...one should never post first thing in am before browsing the thread. Need to check my awake setting. Â Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted June 15, 2012 Share #17 Â Posted June 15, 2012 If you're new to RFs then yeah, learning to avoid getting your fingers on the windows is a bit of an adjustment... Â Thankfully the front windows wipe clean easily with your shirt. For the VF, I like to keep Q-Tips (cotton swabs) in the bag. Just touch the end of one to water (or your tongue) and wipe a few times, follow up with the dry end. Good as new! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stump4545 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share #18 Â Posted June 15, 2012 which window is most critical to keep clean? Â i am thinking the focus patch window is most critical for easy focus. Â thanks for the help Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 15, 2012 Share #19 Â Posted June 15, 2012 Both of them should be clean and your eyepiece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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