Best film M for 75 summilux

[noctilust]

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Hi All,

 

Any advice on the best film M for the 75mm Summilux? M3 on it's way for my 50's (and already have M6 TTL and M9-P). I am looking for a dedicated film M body for the 75mm Summilux and welcome suggestions. Incidentally, I know the M3 can be tweaked for the 75, so if need be I can always get a second M3 body, but wonder about better options.

 

Regards,

 

S.

[philipus]

Any M with framelines for 75mm, meaning M4-P onwards.

 

But why add another body when you have 3 already?

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[noctilust]

Many thanks for the reply. Yeah, I can see that it looks overkill. A couple of (maybe misguided) reasons:

 

1. I don't like switching lenses.

2. I want the M3 for the viewfinder for my 50's, and wondered if there is 'the perfect' body that would suit the 75 Summilux as much as the M3 is suited to the 50.

 

Lastly, I don't have to get another body, but I like the idea of walking out the door or traveling, knowing I just have to grab the xbody with y lens which is predetermined without thinking about changing lenses and also knowing I have bags, accessories all ready to go etc. Probably have too much time etc on my hands.

 

Guess what I am really asking is a technical question: is there a 'holy grail' body that suits the 75 summilux?...

 

Regards,

 

S.

Edited May 16, 2013 by noctilust
Re-thought reply!

[wattsy]

It's been a number of years since I owned the 75 Summilux but I don't remember being unhappy using a standard 0.72 finder, sometimes augmented with a 1.25x magnifer. The problem I find with the 75mm focal length (I know have the Summicron) is not so much the finder magnification but the presence of the 50mm frames. Whereas I never have a problem using a 28mm, 35mm and 50mm (my brain/eye automatically uses the correct frame lines for composition), I do find I have to consciously choose the (inadequate) 75mm framelines if I'm not to end up with an inadvertently cropped result. IMO the perfect finder for a 75mm is one which has had the 50mm frame removed. I believe that any competent Leica technician can remove frames from the masks though I'm not sure how easy it is to add them (I'm thinking of the bodies from the pre-M4-P era).

[earleygallery]

Order yourself a new a la carte MP with the 0.85 finder.

[pico]

Order yourself a new a la carte MP with the 0.85 finder.

 

Yes! (I don't mind spending someone's money)

 

As long as the body is being committed exclusively to the 75mm, then ask whether the 50mm frame lines can be removed.

 

And don't forget to get a Steer from www.leicagoodies.com

 

With the 75mm Summilux I find it necessary to have a better grip for the right hand, and to that end I use an Abrahamsson Rapid Winder with grip (or sometimes a Leica winder).

[Guest]

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Order yourself a new a la carte MP with the 0.85 finder.

Or take the M6 with 0.85 finder and loupe. The 50-mm frame is ideal for straight horizons or vertical structures.

If you also take the 1.25x magnifying glass on the M6.85, it might be difficult to see the red triangles of the exposure meter.

[250swb]

I would suggest an M4-P or an M6 Classic, its not like there is any 'special' viewfinder other than any camera with a 75mm frameline already. And anticipating your next question, yes, the M4-P and M6 or derivatives are also the 'go to' viewfinders for 28mm, although you will need an M2 when you get a 35mm lens.

 

But wouldn't it just be cheaper to hire somebody to change lenses for you? It would take all the drudgery out of the task and free you up to concentrate on the thing that you do that changing lenses gets in the way of.

 

 

Steve

[gberger]

All the masks in the later M-series viewfinders are approximations. If you are really interested in better framing, get a Voightlander 75mm external viewfinder.

 

Yes, I know that requires deliberate shooting, but aren't you getting into that mode with the 75 ? That lens requires careful focusing at wider f stops, so you are out of the "grab shot" capability with that lens in lower light situations.

 

Just a thought. "Been there, got the T shirt."

[noctilust]

Thanks everyone for the considered responses, quite a few options I had not considered which I will try out.

 

I especially like the idea of having a minion in tow to change my lenses for me

 

S

[wlaidlaw]

I am thinking of having new framelines put on my M4 with 75mm . It needs to go off to have the mirrors on the RF re-silvered anyway, as the RF patch has a herbaceous border and it should not be a big job to have a later framelines mask put in. I would quite like 28 framelines as well but I don't know if that is possible with the M4 VF.

 

Wilson

[sblitz]

Thinking of doing same with my m4. As for 28 I just presume everything in the viewfinder is a 28

[gberger]

I had M2 framelines put in my M4 by the USA Leica people.

[wlaidlaw]

I had M2 framelines put in my M4 by the USA Leica people.

 

George,

 

I not sure what that achieves other than deleting the 135 "framelet". Is there some additional advantage?

 

Wilson

[gberger]

Wilson: The frame lines had corners, and the 50 and 90 seemed to be more presise, , viz., were more precise when focusing at mid range. (Might have been my imagination). Anyway, for me, having "corners" made it easier to compose.

 

Due to macular degeneration (wet AMD), I had to switch bodies from my M7 to a Zeiss Ikon. The ZI viewfinder is superb, and the frame lines give a better composing envelope. (Still use all my Leica lenses with the ZI)

 

Just my observations.

[wlaidlaw]

George,

 

Thanks for the information on the M2 mask. I was using my M4 yesterday and I have decided that although the RF patch has a ragged surround due to fungus in the past (I had the RF fumigated to stop the spread), I rather like the yellowing of the patch, which I think actually makes it easier to spot accurate superimposition of the images. My father used to use a yellow filter on the secondary window of his IIIA rangefinder.

 

My eyesight is also not what it was, although nothing like having to suffer the AMD that you have (isn't old age a bugger - I am off to Switzerland next week to have my ankle replaced for the second time, as nobody in the UK was capable of doing it). I was taking photos of my grandson yesterday evening at the request of his great aunt, with flash on the M240. Although not normally a fan of holding the camera out in front of me, that together with focus peaking, made accurate focusing pretty easy. Obviously with a flash mounted, you can't use the electronic viewfinder. I was using a Zeiss Contax 85mm f1.4 Planar. I had forgotten what a great portrait lens this is and they are available at give away prices compared with R lenses.

 

Wilson

[adan]

M6/M6TTL with .85 finder. Right frame lines, right magnification. Add a second magnifier if you want - but I've never needed one.

 

BTW - the 75 framelines are the most accurate of all the built-in lines, for the cameras that include 28/75 lines (M4-P et seq. - minus the M8, in which they were dismally inaccurate)

 

Yes, I know that requires deliberate shooting, but aren't you getting into that mode with the 75 ? That lens requires careful focusing at wider f stops, so you are out of the "grab shot" capability with that lens in lower light situations.

 

Yep! It is such a shame one can't get low-light grab shots with the 75 Summilux.

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[noctilust]

Thanks Andy for more extremely practical advice. I appreciate it.

 

S.

[jpk]

Most important for Lux 75: the .85x viewfinder!

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[think]

I pretty much leave mine on an M6TTL ,85 body with a 1,25 mag. It makes the 50 lines "disappear" and lends a bit more focus accuracy for me. I'll occasionally swap it out for a 90.

 

I have a ,72 for most everything else.