Return of goggled, compact 35mm lenses (glass wearer)

[Mantice]

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Just curious - how many, especially the younger Leica shooter, would love to have use goggled 35mm lenses (or wider focal lengths).

 

I came out of this thoughts when M arrived last week - after being spoiled by 0.58 finder of M6, my initial use of the M with 35mm result in the frameline being barely visible - since I wear glasses. No longer can I take advantage of the surroundings while taking photo.

 

Since newer generation is going to have more glass wearer it make sense not to fiddle with diopters or contact lenses - to solve this problem one could re-design the finder, or just add a goggle and use 50mm frameline. (it'll take awhile for most users to have the frameline imprint in their eyes that most experienced user would suggest)

 

What do you think?

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[Ulrik]

Goggled lenses take too much space in your bag. They should not be needed for 35 mm lenses although I understand their use with the 2,8/135. A redesign of the finder is overdue since the Leica M3 went out of production.

 

Ulrik, glass wearer

[gyoung]

Well I still use my goggled 35 Summicron, with M3 and M6ttl 0.72. And they are available secondhand

 

Gerry

[jaapv]

Good idea. I have not used my goggled Summaron on the M yet, but I think I'll give it a spin.

[mirekti]

It would be great if Leica came out with a variable RF, but not sure this would be a simple task.

[Jean-Michel]

Hi,

I use a 35 Summicron with 'goggles'. I certainly wish that I was able to use a 35 without 'goggles' but since I wear glasses I cannot see the 35 frame on any M. Even with the 'goggles' for the 35 and the 50 I still need to use my well-developed eye motion to check the frame edges. To avoid scratching my glasses I glued rubber washers around the eyepieces of my film M's and now use the small Eclipse eyecup from Match Technical. With that eyecup, I think that I could use a regular 35. But, as I wrote in other threads, I am very happy with my old friend.

Jean-Michel

[TomB_tx]

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I have a goggled v1 Summicron 35 for my M3. The goggles affect the viewfinder image enough that I don't care for it on my M9 or other film Ms with .72.

[Mantice]

It would be great if Leica came out with a variable RF, but not sure this would be a simple task.

 

Good idea! I'll second that if it can be done!

 

For those non-glass wearer, how about a detachable goggle combine with 0.85/0.91 finder that combine best of both world?

[tobey bilek]

I used to use a goggled 35 on on a .72 M6 and M2.

 

It activated the 50mm frame line, but the goggles expand the the angle of view to that of the 35mm lens. Naturally the image elements become smaller.

 

I do not know if it corresponds to .58 magnification, but it will be as good as you get. I would say fairly close. The lens has been sold so I can not compare.

 

I will say all the old lenses do not compare in quality to any goggled lens.

[henning]

Good idea! I'll second that if it can be done!

 

For those non-glass wearer, how about a detachable goggle combine with 0.85/0.91 finder that combine best of both world?

 

That is unlikely to happen, as the camming and the goggles are specific to each other. When you remove the goggles, the rangefinder wouldn't work correctly for that lens anymore.

 

Henning

[Giorgio Festa]

Hello

I would like to buy a summicron 35 first version and found one with googles. What d googles do on The m9? Which frames do they activate in The rangefinder? Tks

[Jean-Michel]

Hi,

On any Leica M, the goggled 35 Summicron (or Summaron) will bring up the 50 mm frame. If you wear glasses, go for it. If you do not wear glasses, I would probably go for the non-goggled version.

Jean-Michel

[Giorgio Festa]

Hi,

On any Leica M, the goggled 35 Summicron (or Summaron) will bring up the 50 mm frame. If you wear glasses, go for it. If you do not wear glasses, I would probably go for the non-goggled version.

Jean-Michel

 

Thank you jean michel

I wear glasses so i will go for The google version.

Is it exactly The same as The non googled version optically speaking?

[Jean-Michel]

Thank you jean michel

I wear glasses so i will go for The google version.

Is it exactly The same as The non googled version optically speaking?

 

Hi again,

Yes, it is exactly the same lens.

See the "Summicron 35/2 "8 lens" test" thread on this page. The examples shown on Gabriel's blog are what you can expect from this lens. If you look at his example of the 35 Summilux FLE (of the same subject) you can get a good feel at the differences from the old Summicron and the newest Summilux.

Jean-Michel

[Jackson]

I found the goggled Summicron 35 too awkward to use. I use a Voigtlander 35/2.5 instead on the M3 and M6. On the M3 I simply look at the outside of the 50 frame line and that seems to work fine.

[philcycles]

I found the goggled Summicron 35 too awkward to use. I use a Voigtlander 35/2.5 instead on the M3 and M6. On the M3 I simply look at the outside of the 50 frame line and that seems to work fine.

 

I had one years ago but overall I prefer a bright line finder on my M3s.

If you aren't real picky you can use the full viewfinder for 35mm.

Pretty close.

Phil

[andym911]

to my shame i never understood the goggled lens story…what s the purpose of this unattractive contraption?

 

best

andy

[Jean-Michel]

to my shame i never understood the goggled lens story…what s the purpose of this unattractive contraption?

 

best

andy

 

The 35 'goggled' version was designed so that one could use it with an M3 without having to rely on an external viewer -- the M3 does not have a frame for 35mm. It may be unattractive to some but it is also rather useful to the eyeglass wearer. For years I carried my 50 on the M3 and the goggled 35 on my M4 and then M6. Ideally I would not need glasses and not need the goggles, but until then... With a cataract operation coming in the not too distant future perhaps I will not need glasses and may then justify a new FLE!

Jean-Michel

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[farnz]

...- after being spoiled by 0.58 finder of M6, my initial use of the M with 35mm result in the frameline being barely visible - since I wear glasses. No longer can I take advantage of the surroundings while taking photo. ...

I also recently started wearing glasses and found the Match Technical Eclipse Mag 0.85 to be very useful on my M for 3 reasons:

1. The rubber eyecup protects my glasses from scratches

2. Its 0.85 magnifier provides me with visibility of the full viewfinder screen including triangles and dot

3. It blocks distracting stray light entering my eye since it's now further back from the eyepiece.

 

I haven't noticed a loss in contrast through the 0.85 so it's all good.

 

Pete.