ORAKO-OKARO best on the primary or secondary image lens

[willeica]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The finder I was most diappointed in was on the Hexar RF camera. Otherwise it was an excellent camera and for most purposes, better than an M7. Sadly they took the worst feature of the Contax G2 VF (its small and dingy nature), removed the nice LCD panel and put in the stupid LED's from the Mamiya 6. It always surprised me that Leica has never managed to incorporate a variable diopter in their M viewfinders. When I used to use spectacles before I had my eyes CLA'd (Cleaned, Lensed and Laser Adjusted), this used to drive me potty, trying to focus through a VF with Varifocal lens spectacles.

 

Wilson

 

I still struggle with manual focus, with both RF or ground glass. I have recently had a check up on my eyes. My opticians used Topcon equipment, the same company that made the excellent Topcor lens on my Leotax. My opticians say that my eyesight and prescription are both fine. They were particularly impressed by the sight in my left eye which had two operations about 10 years ago. I use my right for focussing, however, and they say that is also OK. I always wear my glasses when using a camera. When I got a detached retina in my left eye they told me that full laser repair was not possible.

 

The long rangefinder base on the M3 gives me much more certainty as regards focus. I am doing some compare tests with EVF and RF on my M10 right now. I want the RF to win, though, as it is much better for battery life. I am with Wilson all the way as regards a built in diopter adjustment on Leica RFs, but I am not sure how practical this is for glasses wearers who also have to see frame-lines at the edge for 28mm. The diopter adjustment on the Leica Visoflex EVF works well.

 

 

William

Edited June 10, 2017 by willeica

[mickjazz]

I have the pre-war ORAKO in black paint (it came with a black and nickel III from 1935) and a post war chrome OKARO. I rarely use them unless a camera rangefinder has real issues. The best rangefinder that I have used on an LTM design camera is one on a Leotax K which has the orange element built in. It works better than any ORAKO or OKARO that I have used.

 

In 'Leicaland' the best rangefinder/window I have used has been that on the M3 which, if it is in good condition, is better (albeit with fewer frame-line options) for my eyesight than the RF window on any digital M up to and including the M10. I have been told that the Zeiss and Voigtlander RF windows are excellent, but I have not tried them.

 

William

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[mickjazz]

A little further off topic but have you experienced the Bessa T? Quite an unusual M mount that has 'split windows' effectively like a screw mount as the body has no vf whatsoever but a very nice rf with ebl slightly better than .72 M6. So focusing is more accurate than with the beautiful R3a window as well as most of the other Bessas.

 

The Bessa T has slightly different colored rf images as well.

 

I dragged out a a few cameras last night and tried them in an average lit room (my wife imploring me to stop the experiments and go to bed...) which I find is a tough test for rangefinders.

 

So. Bessas all easy to see and use regardless of accuracy. Leica ii not easy to see. Leica iiia not bad, useable. Nicca 5 very good. Leotax F ok. Leica iiicK excellent. Finally Canon VI-L also excellent.

 

The window view has to be bright enough to differentiate the patch. Which is why the Bessa and Canon do well. I have no idea why the iiicK is very good. Custom splitter maybe. I don't think it's ever been apart.

[wlaidlaw]

They just seem to vary. My grandfather's 1935 Model II, which until this week, as far as I know has never had a major service, has an excellent RF. My 1934 Model III, where it has all been cleaned and had a new mirror, all by a noted RF expert, is mediocre. My Reid and Sigrist, although appearing mechanically apparently identical to my IIf, is considerably better, both with perfect condition mirrors. The IIIg is noticeably the best of all my LTM's.

 

I borrowed a Bessa R3A when my M4 was having a major service by Peter at CRR some yeays ago, which as was his fashion, was impeccable rather quick. I found the RF insufficiently accurate on the Bessa to use an 0.95 Noctilux wide open. There seemed to be some slack or lost motion in the system, where small tweaks on the focus ring did not move the RF image. I have been warned that I may have the same problem, trying to use my recently acquired 85mm/f1.5 Summarex on my LTM cameras. Probably the most accurate RF's when new were the Contax RF cameras, which have all sorts of elaborate mechanisms to eliminate any slack in the system and a very long base. Sadly they are not very nice to use, especially with the finger ripper focus wheel.

 

Wilson

[Guest]

Does anyone else struggle to focus even with Orako/Okaro when have the barn door hood on a Summitar for instance? 

[wlaidlaw]

Does anyone else struggle to focus even with Orako/Okaro when have the barn door hood on a Summitar for instance? 

 

I have a similar issue if I have the Standard Hood (ORQPO) on my 8.5cm/f1.5 Summarex in the storage/reversed position. Then rangefinding is not great on both my Model III with ORAKO or Reid and Sigrist Model III with OKARO. However I am not sure this is anything really to do with the orange filters but is more to do with the lens hoods blocking some of the light entering the unfiltered secondary RF window. I assume you are putting the filters on the primary RF window (right hand looking at the front of the camera) not the secondary window. 

 

Wilson

Edited August 11, 2017 by wlaidlaw

[Guest]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello Wilson. Yes the filter is on the rh window looking at the camera. I wonder whether the hood blocks the light or the actual view. It is bulky. Perhaps I have it upside down? I am surprised this hasn't cropped up before because I am told to always use the hood with a Summitar and many leicas like mine, need an Orako etc. 

[wlaidlaw]

Hello Wilson. Yes the filter is on the rh window looking at the camera. I wonder whether the hood blocks the light or the actual view. It is bulky. Perhaps I have it upside down? I am surprised this hasn't cropped up before because I am told to always use the hood with a Summitar and many leicas like mine, need an Orako etc. 

 

Richard,

 

I really dislike the barn door hoods. I think they are horrible objects. I am also not a bit Summitar fan. I have one of the nasty late ones with the hex diaphragms, which Leica claimed reduced aperture shift but in reality were just using up unsold pre-war Summar diaphragms. These have unpleasant bokeh allied to their mediocre performance, soft wide open, very flare prone, and in my case, blue tinge on colour film. I much prefer the 50/1.5 Summarit which although very soft and flare prone wide open has beautiful impressionist painting looking bokeh. For sharp photos on my LTM cameras I use either the 1999 vintage Special Edition LTM series V Summicron or my 35/f2.8 Summaron. I am increasingly using my IIIg, which has a noticeably better RF, although my Reid and Sigrist Model III Mk.2 is pretty good with an OKARO. 

 

Wilson