M7 0.58 - anyone got one in the UK?

[newtoleica]

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Hi, I’ve been thinking of coming back to using an M (prev 5 yrs with an M9/MM/M240) after 5 years of exclusively shooting film with the Olympus OM4Ti. 
2 reasons, unhappy with costs and results of scanning colour film, missing the M lens look. I did have an M10-D for a couple of months but it was during lockdown and I sold it as it didn’t gel (mostly I think the fault of lockdown).
I develop and print B&W at home in my own darkroom and it’s around 70% of my output and virtually all my serious work. I have a little Sony RX1Rii for causal family stuff.

i shoot a 24 MM lens and 35mm lens mostly (about 60/40%) with very occasional use of an 85. I don’t like 50 at all. I used to have a 24 summilux and could use it by estimating the extra outside the finder, well enough to make a quick tidy in digital ok. Not used a film M.

Have been looking at another M10-D (no luck) or a 10P - not much luck either in black. M10-R seems widely available but more than I need. 
just thought -  How about an M7 0.58??? Would be ideal for the 24mm and I’m used to AP AE - didn’t like the M6 I tried as too slow and fiddly for quick street photography in my practice. I like to not have to distract with setting exposure in normal conditions, just concentrate on framing and focus.
 

however these also seem to be pretty rare…. Thoughts? 

[andybarton]

I once had a 0.58 MP which I bought a-la-carte about 12 years ago. They were pretty rare, but very useful for those that shoot wider lenses, especially if you're a spectacles wearer.

If you want one, you'll need to be a regular browser of all the main dealers, or even get your dealer to look out for one for you.

I also had an M7 at one time - it had a fantastic meter.

[250swb]

I'm confused. You've ditched your OM4Ti because of costs and scanning, you've mainly been looking at digital rangefinders, but now you are back to looking for a film camera despite costs and scanning. I'd stick with your Olympus.

[newtoleica]

No, perhaps not clear. I'll always shoot B&W with film as it's far superior and more enjoyable to print in the darkroom rather than inkjet. I am planning eventually (a year or so) to move to a film / digital combination with two M bodies, but the order and combination is at issue. I haven't 'ditched' the 4Ti - I've had an OM body or two and several lenses for 40 years, they vary, but always some. I'd like to switch back to shooting Leica again, and it struck me that doing the film body first makes more sense. So I asked about the 0.58 finder (as its not an option for the digitals)... I can cover the colour/digital at the moment with the little RX1R, which lives in the bottom of my backpack so is always with me. Its good to have a few different tools and mix things up a bit no?

Well it makes sense to me.... LOL

[madNbad]

Good luck with your search. There are numerous threads on the forum about the 0.58 finder and it's usefulness with wide angle lenses. Some M6 and M6 TTL were regular production cameras with both the 0.58 and 0.85 finders but it appears the M7 with a finder other than 0.72 was a A la Carte order, so actual numbers produced are limited. Sounds like a great combination with AE and a wide angle!

[rtai]

I used to own a .58x MP and they are rare and super expensive now. The .58x allows a bit of breathing room with a 35mm and lets the user see beyond the framelines and that’s a very useful feature. And of course the user can see 28mm framelines in its entirety. If you primarily shoot 21mm or 24mm then it doesn’t matter.

Edited February 9, 2023 by rtai

[250swb]

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4 hours ago, newtoleica said:

No, perhaps not clear. I'll always shoot B&W with film as it's far superior and more enjoyable to print in the darkroom rather than inkjet. I am planning eventually (a year or so) to move to a film / digital combination with two M bodies, but the order and combination is at issue. I haven't 'ditched' the 4Ti - I've had an OM body or two and several lenses for 40 years, they vary, but always some. I'd like to switch back to shooting Leica again, and it struck me that doing the film body first makes more sense. So I asked about the 0.58 finder (as its not an option for the digitals)... I can cover the colour/digital at the moment with the little RX1R, which lives in the bottom of my backpack so is always with me. Its good to have a few different tools and mix things up a bit no?

Well it makes sense to me.... LOL

You could use the Visoflex EVF with an M10 and get perfect frame accuracy with any lens you want to use. But I had an M7 with a .58 viewfinder and despite wearing glasses, supposedly the main reason for it, I didn’t like it. It was fine for 28mm, but 24mm or 21mm still needed a separate viewfinder, and the 35mm frames and upwards were lost in an acre of wasted space. The reason the .58 viewfinder wasn’t taken up widely and became a default choice was because it was a specialist magnification, good for only one thing, a 28mm lens.

[newtoleica]

Thank you that’s very helpful. Not a fan of the visioflex for street use, but I take your point on the finder. I used to manage fine estimating by eye on the 24 so that will do again. 

[andybarton]

14 hours ago, 250swb said:

it was a specialist magnification, good for only one thing, a 28mm lens.

I found it much easier to use my 35mm with the 0.58 viewfinder, than I did with the 0.72 M7 viewfinder. The "acres of space" around the frameline was useful, not a hindrance.

[Matlock]

1 hour ago, andybarton said:

I found it much easier to use my 35mm with the 0.58 viewfinder, than I did with the 0.72 M7 viewfinder. The "acres of space" around the frameline was useful, not a hindrance.

I would agree with your comments, I have the 0.58 finder on my M6TTL and the 0.72 on my M7, both fine but the 0.58 suits the 28 -35mm lenses better than the 0.72.

[Huss]

3 hours ago, andybarton said:

I found it much easier to use my 35mm with the 0.58 viewfinder, than I did with the 0.72 M7 viewfinder. The "acres of space" around the frameline was useful, not a hindrance.

Yup, I was frankly surprised as to how good the .58 finder is in my MP.  Not only is it great with the 28 (of course) but I find it perfect with the 35 - better than my .72.  And if you add a 1.4x magnifier, you convert it to a .81 vf which makes it great for longer lenses too.  I find it to be the most versatile of all the finders.

[Dominicdomy]

I have a M7 0.58, not for sale though. It's pretty great with a 28 on. 

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