How to adjust for viewfinder inaccuracies on Leica IIIf | Summitar 50mm f2

[pgk]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

In theory you have a number of framing accuracy problems.

Firstly, just how accurate are the framelines and are they corrected for infinity or a closer point? 

Secondly, as you focus closer the distance between viewfinder and lens axis becomes more of an issue as you state (parallax).

Thirdly, as you focus closer the lens focal length slightly increases and the viewfinder shows a fixed field of view and accuracy will change (but see 1).

So, all-in-all viewfinders are not precise as regards framing. However you either get used to this which in time you will (I don't crop my images) or you change to a camera which offers greater viewfinder accuracy as eralygallery says. 

[pgk]

Sorry, duplicate post as the upload went a bit wonky!

Edited February 29, 2024 by pgk

[williamj]

The thing about the VIOOH and the VIDOM viewfinders is they have a lever at the back which allows you to adjust for parallax for different distances to your subject. It’s not perfect but it removes a lot of the guessing. Some are haze affected, get a nice bright one. 

[GregNski]

17 hours ago, earleygallery said:

You don’t try to frame too accurately with one of these cameras, shoot loose!!

I have made this point in the numerous threads on here and elsewhere about the legendary ‘Leica look’.

IMHO the look is that looser style of shooting, at a time when most serious photographers were using sheet film or plate cameras and 120 was considered a small negative size, the compact Leica offered a different more casual approach.

If you want accuracy use an SLR.

>This

[TomB_tx]

Growing up in the 1950s (before SLRs) pretty much all cameras had the parallax problem, and a sign of a new photographer was cutting off peoples heads in close-up portraits. It was just something you learned to compensate for with experience.

[Anbaric]

Incidentally, as this is your first time with the IIIf, check out the manual if you haven't already:

https://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica/leica_if_iif_iiif/leica_if_iif_iiif.htm

I think it's still the best place to learn how it works, 70 years later. The YT videos and other things you'll find online can be useful, but they aren't always completely accurate. The film leader should be trimmed to the profile shown on p29, leaving about 23 sprocket holes 'unpaired'. You can do this with a cutting template, but many of us just use scissors. Round off the corner and make sure you cut between rather than across sprocket holes. With a little practice, it only takes a moment, and you can do several rolls before you go out with the camera. I think this is in the end less hassle than the various workarounds to avoid trimming you'll see that require taking off the lens, keeping the shutter open, and guiding the leader with a business card every time you need to change the film. With a properly trimmed film, loading is quick and easy.

 

[Kriah]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

vor 1 Minute schrieb Anbaric:

Incidentally, as this is your first time with the IIIf, check out the manual if you haven't already:

https://www.butkus.org/chinon/leica/leica_if_iif_iiif/leica_if_iif_iiif.htm

I think it's still the best place to learn how it works, 70 years later. The YT videos and other things you'll find online can be useful, but they aren't always completely accurate. The film leader should be trimmed to the profile shown on p29, leaving about 23 sprocket holes 'unpaired'. You can do this with a cutting template, but many of us just use scissors. Round off the corner and make sure you cut between rather than across sprocket holes. With a little practice, it only takes a moment, and you can do several rolls before you go out with the camera. I think this is in the end less hassle than the various workarounds to avoid trimming you'll see that require taking off the lens, keeping the shutter open, and guiding the leader with a business card every time you need to change the film. With a properly trimmed film, loading is quick and easy.

 

Yeah I've checked out how to load film, but I'll definitely have a read though the manual. Thank you