What M8 framelines show for 75mm and 90mm?

[keithdunlop]

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I know that on the M8 a 21mm lens brings up 28mm framelines, and 35mm lens brings up the 50mm lines and so on, but what about 75mm and 90mm lenses? Since the 75mm equals a 100mm lens (1.33 factor) does that mean it brings up the closest frameline, i.e. the 90mm? And, do you need an external finder to use a 90mm lens?

 

When I used M7's in the past I used a 3-lens set of a 28mm, 35mm, and 90mm. I'm considering an M8 to use for some wedding work next to my Nikon D2x and I'm trying to figure out a similar lens range without using external finders.

 

If I have this all wrong, I obviously welcome correction.

[Eoin]

50 & 75 , 28 & 90, 24 & 35 frame pairs as far as I remember, if the lens is of the focal length it brings up the correct frame for the lens, in other words 50 brings up the 50/75 frame. Also you only need to take the crop factor into consideration if using an external finder, then for example your 21mm lens would need a 28mm external finder. The inbuilt frames in the M8 have already taken the crop into consideration.

 

21, 28, 75 would be closest to what you were using on the M7

[keithdunlop]

50 & 75 , 28 & 90, 24 & 35 frame pairs as far as I remember, if the lens is of the focal length it brings up the correct frame for the lens, in other words 50 brings up the 50/75 frame. Also you only need to take the crop factor into consideration if using an external finder, then for example your 21mm lens would need a 28mm external finder. The inbuilt frames in the M8 have already taken the crop into consideration.

 

21, 28, 75 would be closest to what you were using on the M7

 

So if the M8 automatically takes the .62 crop into consideration when displaying framelines, a 90mm lens will still display the 28/90 pair in the viewfinder? I had this totally backwards. I assumed that if you mounted, say a 21mm lens, that the M8 showed you the 28/90 pair.

[Shootist]

Not sure what frame lines come up fopr the Leica 21mm lens. actually there are no 21mm frame lines on the M8, but all other Leica lenses bring up the corresponding frame line for that lenses FOV on the M8. A 28mm lens brings up the 28mm frame lines so does the 35/50/75/90 and the M8 has frame lines for the 24mm.

I think you are confusing frame lines with crop factor. With the 1.33 crop factor of the M8 a 28mm would have the FOV of a 37mm lens on a standard 35mm film camera. That doesn't mean the the M8 brings up the 35mm frame lines for a 28mm lens. It brings up the 28mm lens frame line.

 

You would want the 21, 28 and a 75 to come close to what you are use to with a M7.

Yes the M8's .68x viewfinder and lines are set for the crop factor.

I find the WHOLE viewfinder works fine for a 21mm lens.

[adan]

Keith: A 21 brings up the 28/90 frames on an M8 because it brings up the 28/90 frames on ANY Leica M body - this is hard-wired into the lens-mount construction. Neither the 28 nor 90 frames are much use with a 21 however, since they still frame for the view of a 28 or 90 lens ON THE M8.

 

Put any 21, 28, or 90 lens on the M8, and you will see 28 and 90 frames. Those 28 and 90 frames show you what a 28 or 90 will capture on the M8 - i.e., yes, they already correct for the crop factor (1.33x), and show you a smaller area (by 1.33x) than 28 or 90 frames would cover on a film M.

 

Mount a 50 or 75, and you will see the same 50/75 frames you'd see on a film M - only again smaller to frame a tighter area.

 

Mount a 24 or 35, and you will see 24/35 framelines (covering the area that 32 and 45 lenses would see on a film M, if there were such framelines). A 135 brings up the same 24/35 lines (since it has been "paired" with 35mm lenes ever since the M4) - but of course neither frame is any use with it.

 

A caveat to all of the above - all of the internal M8 frames actually show you a smaller area than the lens actually covers on the sensor, to prevent cutting off heads and so on. Which has irritated many users used to precise SLR framing - their final pictures are "looser" than they saw through the finder. But that's a whole separate issue (search "M8 framelines" on this forum to read past discussion).

[keithdunlop]

Many thanks to all for clearing this up for me!

 

Keith