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Shooting only 90mm


Csacwp

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At full aperture, 90/2 lenses are close to the limit of RF accuracy but you should not have to shoot at f/4 as if you had a modest Leica film CL. I suspect your 90/2 needs some calibration, which could explain your feeling that it is somewhat soft at f/2. Anyway, to improve your hit rate, better use an EVF. An optical viewfinder will be of no help there but an optical magnifier can do it in that it extends the effective base length of the rangefinder. 

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The main problem for the small depth of focus with the 90mm Summicron is not the finder but unvoluntary movement of your body. The slightest changement before ore when you press the shutter has decisive effects. 

 

I think the rangefinder works well with the 90mm Summicron. This was already true for the M9 and it certainly is not worse for the M10 (the M10 being better but the difference is small). I always had more problems with the 2/75mm since its focus throw is very short and tiny movements of the focussing ring have bigger effects than with the long throw of the 90mm.

 

You might try the 1.25 or even the 1.4 enlarger for the finder, though you need an adapter for the M10 which may be clumsy.  

 

The old optical finders for the screw mount Leicas SGVOO or 12025 are good, though I would not bet on their precision for parallax correction, since they were not made for the M. The small field ov view for 90mm makes parallax correction essential. 

 

If one really wants to use only 90mm the EVF of the SL may be the better option - the camera is also less expensive than the M10. For an M it may be worth to wait some years for an M11 or something like that. Since Leica now offers lenses for 75 and if one believes in rumors also 90mm with extremely small depth of focus which goes beyond the limits of the traditonal rangefinder, there should be something afoot with the rangefinder. Either they introduce an inbuilt electronic option for the M, or - less probable - they offer an option for bigger viewfinder enlargement (0.85) as they do for the film M. Though it is not clear whether this will happen at all and if yes certainly not before 2020.  

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I recently picked up a used Visoflex 020 to use at times with my M10, mainly for 21mm but I've also used it with a 90 Summarit. I find the focus peaking ineffective and distracting, but the magnification works well with s 90 to get exact focus. I find the viso focus and RF focus agree, but at 15 ft. or so the Viso will find exact focus better, as it shows up small changes that I can't detect in the RF coincidence. So even with my 2.5 90 Summarit I can nail focus better with the Visoflex, but the RF is close behind. You might see more difference with the F2 90.

I've always felt 90 was about equal in focusing between an M and an SLR, but on digital (and pixel peeping) the advantage goes to EVF. While the Viso is quite decent, my base A7 is easier to focus with the 90.

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Yes, focus peaking can hamper visual judgment of proper exposure, and most peaking systems are far too generous in terms of what they believe to be in-focus. Its only benefit over punch-in/zoom focusing is that it's faster, allowing you to reclaim some of the speed you lose by not using autofocus.

 

+1 to the comment that avoiding blown focus on a 90 requires you to really tame the little changes in camera position you're accustomed to getting away with at shorter focal lengths. Any small change to the focal plane through subtle variations in body position between obtaining focus and pressing the shutter will have a comparatively exaggerated effect.

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I use the 135 3.4 on my M10 with good results if I behave well enough. It can be tricky, but it's definitely easy enough that I keep that lens nearby. I wouldn't think twice about getting the 90, personally. Just can't move around too much. 

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Is the improved rangefinder in the M10 good enough to shoot 90mm Summicrons on?  I mainly use these, but I had lots of difficulties on the M240 unless I stopped down to f/4 or greater.  For composition I would consider an external finder.

 

It is fine. Can use 1.25x magnifier if you want but no issue.

Albert   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

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