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I have been quoted a fairly whopping 700€ for having the MP viewfinder upgrade carried out on my TTL and would like some suggestions for places in Europe, preferably Benelux, where it can be done (properly and) cheaper.

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My limited knowledge of it is that an extra mirror/reflector is effectively fitted. Others will know better than me.

 

I find my M7 is fine IF I always centre my eye in the VF. I cannot remember having significant flare problems. I reckon if flare is bad, you will not stop it except by re-framing the motif away from the light source. Again, other may have more expert advice.

Edited by erl
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:) Could very well be the Millennium surcharge. Soon it'll cost as much as an MP (and look like the MP ought to have looked :) )

 

I can usually work around the flaring of my camera's VF but doing so has an effect on the spontaneity of the photography and has meant that I miss shots :( So I thought this would be a useful upgrade.

 

The upgrade supposedly adds a condenser lens to the mechanism. Here's a page about it.

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If it is the full upgrade, it will include multicoated viewfinder and rangefinder windows at the front, too (as opposed to the non-coated windows of the TTL). I had that upgrade done on my TTL roughly ten years ago, and it was something like € 350 then, if I remember correctly.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

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Thanks! It's good to know the full upgrade includes more than just the modification to the rangefinder prism. Is the flaring reduced even more by the additional coating on both the viewfinder and rangefinder windows? Maybe my Millennium will get the full treatment.:)

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I think my Millennium already has multicoating.

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I think my Millennium already has multicoating.

 

No. What you see is the pruple reflection on one of the inner lenses of the viewfinder (which are coated). The outer windows of your camera are not coated. Easy to see if compared to a current M7 or MP, which both have the coated windows.

 

Andy

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I just received clarification from CS that the 700€ for the rangefinder upgrade "including the masks of choice according to the a la carte program" (which I had not asked about...). The conversion of the viewfinder I asked about would cost approx. 300€.

 

Perhaps this is the going rate in Europe.

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I have further info, having spoken with Leica CS and Wil van Manen here in NL.

 

Leica will replace the "mirror" inside, which is what is sometimes referred to as condenser lens, to one which is anti-flare treated. It is not, according to the Leica rep I spoke with, polarised. In addition, as Andy noted, the front window (or "screen" as the Leica rep called it, but that may be a Deutschification) will be replaced to one which is anti-glare treated.

 

What van Manen will do is to place a "polarising filter" in front of the "sub assembly" (no idea what that is). This reduces flare by 90% but dims the framelines 10%.

 

Leica's upgrade will reduce flare similarly but will apparently not dim the framelines.

 

Leica charges 350€ plus VAT and has approx. a 3-week turnaround time. van Manen charges 125€ plus VAT and will take 3-4 weeks.

 

philip

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I was under the impression that the work involves putting back the condenser that had been removed. This is why I think it should be called restoration rather than upgrade. I have not earlier come across the words "mirror" or "polariser" in this connection. Don Goldberg (DAG) in the USA worked on my M6 over a year ago and took $200 (or perhaps $250) plus postage. Whatever he did, the finder is now free of flare.

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This object fits over the frame-line illumination window and acts on light coming from a certain direction. In this it is a developed version of what I tried: I partially blocked that window with a finger and I stuck a small opaque rectangle in its centre. There was a lessening of flare but there was also an unacceptable darkening of the frame lines. Some swear by Konerman's creation, others call it worthless; but I know of no one who says that the "MP upgrade" is a waste.

 

We must remember that many M6 users are content to use the camera without modification. It is likely that two factors are important here: first, how much the camera is used; and second, what kinds of picture are taken. A photographer who uses an M6 heavily may well find the constant struggle with flare too much to bear; and one whose work is not limited to images of distant objects or to sunny weather snap-shots will feel a greater need of accurate focus.

Edited by payasam
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Pico, thanks for linking to the Shade. I was unaware of that.

 

Though I don't use my TTL professionally, the flaring is sufficiently annoying for me to fix it. I was more wondering whether to send it to Leica or some other service point. The benefit of sending to Leica when I have the Summilux serviced would be the calibration (though I don't doubt the lens would work well on my camera and also on my M4 if calibrated on Leica's reference camera).

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I just received clarification from CS that the 700€ for the rangefinder upgrade "including the masks of choice according to the a la carte program" (which I had not asked about...). The conversion of the viewfinder I asked about would cost approx. 300€.

 

fwiw, Don (DAG) will do "masks of choice" for 30USD per frame line set. I only use a 28, 35, 50 and so I had him mask all the rest of the frame lines out. Now I get only one set appearing for each corresponding lens. I like having only one set of frame lines appear for each lens as there's less visual clutter.

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The Shade actually works. I have it on two of my M cameras, one being an M7.

 

The problem I found with the shade is that it eventually falls off (it's just a stick-on piece of plastic; one can even improvise their own version.) When you change lenses and/or your finger slides over the window while taking it out of a bag or pocket, etc., it will come off. It also dims the finder.

 

Rotating or using a finger over the window can help but the only permanent fix is the upgrade. DAG doesn't charge a whole lot (200USD.) I think it's worth it but it really depends on how much the flaring bothers someone and whether or not they can live with it. It all becomes pretty subjective.

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The problem I found with the shade is that it eventually falls off. [...] It also dims the finder.

 

Interesting. Mine only dims the frame lines and focus patch, and not enough to hurt in dim light.

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