History of 50/75 frameline

[froyd]

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Any insights of why Leica decided to pair 50 and 75 framelines when they moved to the post M4 0.72 viewfinders?

 

In a way, I realize I'm asking "what were they thinking???" but I am truly and humbly assuming that the folks at Leica must know better than me. Ideally I would have paired 28/75

35/90 and 50 stand alone, reserving the 135 for the .85 magnification.

 

Of course, the masks can be modified, but I'm wondering if Leica had a GOOD reason for the coupling of 50 and 75.

[sblitz]

Good question, I await the answer as well

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[doubice]

The answer is actually very simple. At the time the 75mm lens was introduced, the 50mm frame lines were the only ones not yet paired with another focal length. Existing pairs were 28/90 and 35/135 so logically, 50/75 was the only way to introduce another set of bright lines to the camera while keeping the status quo with other lens / frame line combinations.

 

Different magnification finders were not introduced until late into the M6TTL production, many years after the 28/90, 50/75 and 35/135 pairs were well established. Changing the system would have made may camera / lens / finder combinations incompatible.

 

When the M8 was introduced, Leica felt that the rangefinder, with its reduced optical base, would not be sufficiently accurate for the 135mm lenses. So, the 135mm frame lines were dropped and 24mm lines introduced to the M8 finder to pair with the 35mm lines. Again - frame lines working in pairs, having to provide backward compatibility throughout the system.

 

As long as Leica keeps using its current viewfinder, this is what it has to be. Change may come if and when they adopt a zoom-type finder but, this may introduce other complications and backward compatibility issues.

 

Best,

 

Jan

[cbretteville]

The 75 corners were introduced with the M4-P in 1981. This was necessary as the 75 Summilux was introduced as new focal length to the M system at the same launch.

Carl

[Nick_S]

Different magnification finders were not introduced until late into the M6TTL production, many years after the 28/90, 50/75 and 35/135 pairs were well established. Changing the system would have made may camera / lens / finder combinations incompatible.

 

In fact, the 0.85x finder was introduced before the M6TTL, e.g., I have a nice classic M6 .85x camera which loses the 28mm frame line. I find the 75mm frame lines useful as grid lines with a 50mm lens to avoid sloping horizons.

 

Nick

[Orient XI]

In fact, the 0.85x finder was introduced before the M6TTL, e.g., I have a nice classic M6 .85x camera which loses the 28mm frame line. I find the 75mm frame lines useful as grid lines with a 50mm lens to avoid sloping horizons.

 

Nick

I too have an M6 with a 0.85× viewfinder which I purchased new in February 1998. Leica produced a special edition M6J in 1994 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the M3. This camera had the 0.85× viewfinder. I often wonder if others like me who abhorred the trend to tiny image finders to accommodate wider and wider angle lenses made sufficient noise to bring about a partial reversal in favour of longer lenses being given a proper viewfinder.