0.58 MP

[smkoush]

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Hi all,

 

I am toying with the idea of switching my 0.72 MP with a 0.58 MP. I use 50mm and 28mm. Yesterday I had the opportunity to look through one, and I found the 28mm lines much more comfortable to use in the 0.58.

 

It is an extremely comfortable viewfinder and especially the 28mm convenience makes it very appealing. I did a search on the forum trying to find a bit more about the use of 50mm on it. Most comments have to do with the fact that the frame lines are smaller, and that focusing is a bit more difficult.

 

I would like to know how severe these difficulties are in actual shooting practice. In other words, is focusing with the 50 at 1.4 and close distances with 0.58 more difficult than say shooting with a nocitlux on a 0.72? I now there are magnifiers, so in principle one can increase the magnification and solve this problem. However, is the dimming of the rangefinder patch making the use of it in low light considerably more difficult?

 

I would appreciate any input from people who use 0.58 and a 50mm fast lens.

 

Thanks,

 

Savvas

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[smb]

I don't own one but toyed with the idea of purchasing one and have looked through the viewfinder. For what it is worth the 28 was very good but the 50 was too small for me. I prefer the .85 for the 50 and the .72 for the 28.

[StS]

I like the 0.58 finder, which is my preferred choice, but I'm wearing specs. Taking the specs off, the full finder window shows approximately the field of view for the 24 mm. The longest focal lenght I use is 90 mm, no issues yet with focus accuracy.

 

Stefan

[fotohuis]

Same for me: 0,58 VF (on an M7). Great for the 28mm, no problem at all for my 50mm and the 75mm still OK.

I have only an external VF for the C.V. SWH 4,5/15mm -M mount.

[Keith (M)]

Took delivery earlier this month of a MP ALC, on which I had specified the 0.58 VF. As a spectacle wearer I find it much easier to use the 28mm lens than on my M7 (0.72). 35mm is also fine and so far I have had no problem with 50mm or 75mm, although I would say that these last two focal lengths are more suited to the M7.

[xalo]

Definitely no MP, but the Minolta CLE also has a 0.58 finder and would give you a light, complementary body with good 28mm framelines. That was my choice after trying out the MP 0.58 and finding the 50 to small and somehow not feeling right. The finder optically distances the subject too much, I found, kind of distorting the feeling for the 50's true field of view.

Alexander

[Guest sterlinstarlin]

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My first MP was a .72. Made sense at the time as the four M2 bodies I had owned prior to the purchase all had, of course, .72 magnification. Then I acquired a .58 M7. Now I'm currently waiting for Leica to finish my ALC .58 MP. I love the .58 viewfinders!

[Rolo]

The rangefinder focus of the x0.58 is the least accurate of the options. The x0.92 of the M3 is the most accurate and the easiest to focus of all.

 

I stick with the x0.85 and x0.72 and prefer the x0.85. I use both with lenses from 24mm to 90mm and only use the accessory viewfinder when frame lines are critical.

[wattsy]

My first Leica was a 0.58x M6TTL and I happily used it with the lenses I bought around the same time (35 and 50 Summicrons and a 90 Elmarit). I found the 0.58x VF great to use with a 35mm lens – nice uncluttered view with lots of space around the framelines – but less ideal (though hardly a problem) with the longer focal lengths.

 

All things considered, I prefer the standard 0.72x finder which I find the better all round choice. In fact, I'm now so used to the 0.72x magnification (I sold my 0.58x many years ago) I would choose the standard finder even if I only had a 35mm lens.

[wattsy]

The rangefinder focus of the x0.58 is the least accurate of the options. The x0.92 of the M3 is the most accurate and the easiest to focus of all.

 

Yes, this is of course true but the effective base length of the 0.58x RF is still ample for the 50 F1 and okay (at least in theory) for a 90 at F2. For me, the downside of the 0.58x with a 50 lens isn't the focussing accuracy, but that the framelines are just a little bit too small for my taste.

[andybarton]

I'm a glasses wearer and I find the 0.58 viewfinder much easier to use with my 35. No problem with my 50 either. I don't own anything wider or longer.

 

On my old M7, with the 0.72 viewfinder I was having to look around in the finder to see all of the 35 frame. It's the wearing of glasses that's the issue for me.

 

So, I now generally keep the 35 on the MP and a 50 on the M2 and I'm a reasonably happy camper.

[SteveYork]

Owned one of these for awhile, but in practice I never liked the 0.58, even though I wear glasses. It pushed the image in the viewfinder too far away, decreasing the ease of focus. Just my experience.

[smkoush]

Thank you all for the responses. I decided not to go for it, not because I didn't like the 0.58 finder but because I cannot justify the additional expense I will incur doing the switch.

 

I used the 0.58 camera for a little bit, and I very much liked the view with the 28mm on - completely new experience composing compared to the 0.72. I didn't notice any inaccuracy problems at 1.4 with the 50mm ASPH at close distances.

 

If one day I go for an a la cart version, then 0.58 would be the one I will pick. But until then, I'll keep the 0.72.

 

Savvas

[akiralx]

Took delivery earlier this month of a MP ALC, on which I had specified the 0.58 VF. As a spectacle wearer I find it much easier to use the 28mm lens than on my M7 (0.72). 35mm is also fine and so far I have had no problem with 50mm or 75mm, although I would say that these last two focal lengths are more suited to the M7.

 

I agree with the above - I shot 35 and 50 on the M7 mostly, and found the 35 much nicer with the 0.58 and no difficulty at all in focusing the 50.

[oliocarli]

If you wear glasses and mainly use 35, 28 and 50-f.20 lenses the 0.58 finder is the best. The 0.72 finder becomes difficult with 35 or 28 when wearing glasses. The 0.72 +0.85 or .92 finder from the M3 are however ideal when using 50 mm lenses. I own a M7 0.72 and just bought a "new" M6 with 0.58 finder. With a 35 lens it is the best. If you have a chance ,- try it out.

Good luck !

[cbretteville]

Like Andy I wear glasses and am happy with the .58 VF my M7 has. Having said that I've used an M6 with a .72 finder for years and find that 35 and longer is OK, 28 is harder on the M6. For 50 and longer there is nothing quite like the M3's finder.

Carl