Dave M Posted April 25, 2014 Share #1 Â Posted April 25, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi just a bit confused about a range finder camera and a SLR,with the M7 range finder and say a 90mm lens when you look through the view finder do you see the image as you would with a SLR camera with the image zoomed in or would the image be normal thanks Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 Hi Dave M, Take a look here Leica M7. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted April 25, 2014 Share #2 Â Posted April 25, 2014 Hi, Â The view doesn't change - the viewfinder field of image remains the same, but the frame lines change depending which lens is fitted. So with a 90mm lens you will see the frame lines marking out the area covered by the lens. Â The advantage of this type of viewfinder is that you also get to see what is around the frame, i.e. if you were taking photos of something/someone moving you can easily judge when they will be in frame. Â If you check the Leica website they have images to show the viewfinder frames which will make it all clear to you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgc Posted April 25, 2014 Share #3 Â Posted April 25, 2014 No, you do not see the image as you would in an SLR. The area of view through the rangefinder viewfinder remains the same no matter what lens is attached. If you are using a Leica lens with a focal length between 28mm and 135mm a 'box' (frame lines) will show in the viewfinder showing the amount of the image that will be captured by that particular lens. For example, if you are using a 90mm lens the frame lines form a small square in the middle of the viewfinder, should you place a 35mm lens, the frame lines almost fill the viewfinder. Â Download the M7 instruction manual, which will give you a pictorial explanation of the above. Â David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share #4 Â Posted April 25, 2014 Hi thanks that's clear now I haven't purchased the M7 just yet but from what I have read it looks a cracking camera thanks Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian H Posted April 25, 2014 Share #5  Posted April 25, 2014 Hi thanks that's clear now I haven't purchased the M7 just yet but from what I have read it looks a cracking camera thanks Dave.  Hi  The M7 is a cracking camera indeed. It is also the most accommodating introduction to the film Leica because of the auto exposure. Beware though, it is a selective [or big spot] meter, not evaluative, centre weighted etc, so even with Auto, you can't really just shoot away without a little bit of understanding of how it works.  You need to go and handle one and see what you think. Dont make any snap judgements that it is not for you though. Rangefinder cameras are a big departure from a typical SLR so may feel alien at first  Good luck, Julian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share #6 Â Posted April 26, 2014 Hi I wear reading at about +2 I am ok for distance just wondering if this is a problem with the range finder thanks Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 26, 2014 Share #7 Â Posted April 26, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi I wear reading at about +2 I am ok for distance just wondering if this is a problem with the range finder thanks Dave. Â Focusing and eyesight are not quantifiable. A great amount of the issue is in the brain. You really have to try the M7 for a couple days to know tacitly whether it works for you or not. Â For example, my eyesight cannot be corrected to 20/20, and it has become worse over the years, but nonetheless at 68 years-old, I can still use the M rangefinders, from the M3, M4, M7 and M9 today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted April 26, 2014 Share #8 Â Posted April 26, 2014 I agree with Pico. My eyesight has also degraded, but I still have a higher hit rate on manual focus than with an auto dSLR. However, after getting a Zeiss Ikon ZM it is now my favorite RF viewfinder. Good alternative to an M7. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
semi-ambivalent Posted April 27, 2014 Share #9 Â Posted April 27, 2014 Hi I wear reading at about +2 I am ok for distance just wondering if this is a problem with the range finder thanks Dave. Â Dave, Â I have +2 "reading" vision. With my Leicas (M3 and MP) I can see the VF/RF field just fine, and the MP's LEDs are sharp. So all that stuff is still "beyond" my eyes's minimum focus because of the optical tricks of the viewfinder. It's another matter when I look at the camera itself. That's kind of blurry because it's inside my minimum focusing distance. I can pretty much tell what my exposure settings are but my arms are almost too short. I've been thinking of getting a couple shutter speed dials and color coding the speeds in groups to make them quicker to read but the engraving on the MP's (the dial is chrome) is pretty delicate. I'm not sure it would be worth it. The M3's would be easy and very clear. For the time being I just throw the glasses on for a quick look-see. Oh, FWIW, I have a 0.72x VF on the MP. The M3 is, I think, 0.91. Â s-a Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berth Posted April 27, 2014 Share #10 Â Posted April 27, 2014 Hi I wear reading at about +2 I am ok for distance just wondering if this is a problem with the range finder thanks Dave. Â I doubt you'll need either glasses or a diopter, I'm just fine without them and have no trouble focusing with both the .68 and .72 rangefinders and my distance prescription is 2.5x. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share #11 Â Posted April 27, 2014 Hi there seems to be a lot information on weather or not the M7 has the viewfinder up grade it seems cameras made before 277xxxxx may have a problem with flare I am not sure if this is something to bother about or not.Since I have not purchased the M7 yet is it advisable to look for a later model.Since Leica cameras are the best in the world I find it strange that there is even a problem thanks Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJH Posted April 27, 2014 Share #12 Â Posted April 27, 2014 Only happens in very specific circumstances such as shooting in a room next to a large window the light from the window at certain angles may white out the rangefinder patch. I notice this a lot at home playing around with my M6 but only very very rarely outdoors when doing actual photography. I bought a black fairly well used M7 0.85x with a serial in the 28xx range which probably doesn't have the upgraded optics (can't tell) and also seems to have the old DX reader which doesn't seem to work. Its rangefinder patch and optics work much better than the old M6 for me but most of that seems to be due to the higher magnification and the coatings on the optics which I believe all M7s had. I have never managed to make its patch flare out fully even though the higher magnification should make this effect much more prevalent. Out of M6, M7 and M8 the M7 is my favourite as its like the best of the earlier and later models in one camera but with the added benefit of an 0.85x finder which I prefer for the 50 and 90 lenses. Its the camera I want to take with me through the rest of my life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 27, 2014 Share #13  Posted April 27, 2014 Hi there seems to be a lot information on weather or not the M7 has the viewfinder up grade it seems cameras made before 277xxxxx may have a problem with flare  Both of my M7s are in that batch. Never bothered me, but this helps, too. Get your SHADE for the Leica M! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted April 28, 2014 Author Share #14 Â Posted April 28, 2014 Hi thanks for all the replies I dont think I am to bothered about the viewfinder upgrade thanks Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share #15 Â Posted May 10, 2014 Hi would the Leica M7 with 0.58 viewfinder be suitable with the Leica Summicron-M 90 mm F/2.0 Lens or would this lens be better suited to the 0.72 or the 0.82 viewfinder.I will also be using a 50mm lens thanks Dave.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xalo Posted May 10, 2014 Share #16 Â Posted May 10, 2014 Hi, with 90 & 50 as main lenses I would go for the 0.85 finder (unless you wear glasses perhaps, then 0.72). The 0.58 will show a very small frame for the 90 and make framing and focussing difficult. Â Alexander Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share #17 Â Posted May 10, 2014 Hi thanks Alexander that's what I expected thanks again Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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