Is the M8 viewfinder smaller than the Film M's?

[bayerische]

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Well I think the titel is pretty clear about my question...

[marknorton]

It has a slightly lower magnification, 0.68 compared to 0.72 as standard on a film M. All depends on what you mean by "smaller".

[wattsy]

I think the M8 has a slightly pokier (more restricted) view than a film M. The 32mm FOV frames (24mm in old money) in the 0.68x M8 finder are only marginally easier to see than the 28mm frames in a film 0.72x finder. I think this is a consequence to the greater thickness of the M8 finder.

[Photoskeptic]

Andreas, many of us are using a 1.25 viewfinder magnifier

[Shootist]

I think the M8 has a slightly pokier (more restricted) view than a film M. The 32mm FOV frames (24mm in old money) in the 0.68x M8 finder are only marginally easier to see than the 28mm frames in a film 0.72x finder. I think this is a consequence to the greater thickness of the M8 finder.

Have to agree. Because the M8 is thicker, front to back, making the viewfinder thicker/deeper. That is one reason for the .68 magnification instead of the now standard .72 of newer film M's. Of course the M3 has a .94 or .96 X viewfinder but no framelines for lenses wider then the 50mm.

You would think that because of the crop factor they could of increased the magnification to something greater then the standard .72 but becasue of the greater depth that wasn't possible.

 

Oh and to add. No the actual viewfinder windows of the M8 are the same size as all other M's.

[bayerische]

Have to agree. Because the M8 is thicker, front to back, making the viewfinder thicker/deeper. That is one reason for the .68 magnification instead of the now standard .72 of newer film M's. Of course the M3 has a .94 or .96 X viewfinder but no framelines for lenses wider then the 50mm.

You would think that because of the crop factor they could of increased the magnification to something greater then the standard .72 but becasue of the greater depth that wasn't possible.

 

Oh and to add. No the actual viewfinder windows of the M8 are the same size as all other M's.

 

 

I think this aswered my question, I feel the M8 to be a bit more restricted somehow than my M6's viewfinder. Love the M8 though! Ahhh, what a wonderful day I had with it today.

[charlesphoto99]

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Not as wide as my .58x M7 finder! Personally I'd like to see a wider vs narrower finder available. All depends on the type of shooting one does. I found all the grumbling about the slightly wider mag on the M8 finder quite amusing as I'd been using .58x finders since they first came out on the M6. Yes, can be a bit harder to focus, but makes composing much more of a joy. Of course with the inane framelines of the M8, it doesn't really matter what mag. it is.