The 18mm lens’ external finder rubber breaks

[Al Brown]

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I’m in Algarve at the moment and the rubber on the eyecup of my 18 mm Leica external finder just snapped & tore from normal over the shoulder camera use.

Does this happen often on fine Leica accessory products like a €710 external finder?

PS. Please don’t comment “it never happened to mine” unless you have been using yours heavily and keep it glued to your daily use M. 

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[Essummi]

Rubber or other elastic materials wear out when they are subjected to mechanical stress. Even with products that are almost ten times more expensive.
 

Just ask customer care. Good luck.

Edited October 28, 2024 by Essummi

[Kl@usW.]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb Al Brown:

I’m in Algarve at the moment and the rubber on the eyecup of my 18 mm Leica external finder just snapped & tore from normal over the shoulder camera use.

Does this happen often on fine Leica accessory products like a €710 external finder?

PS. Please don’t comment “it never happened to mine” unless you have been using yours heavily and keep it glued to your daily use M. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Al, I have a few of these external viewfinders. The old ones never had any protection, just a smooth metal edge, while the modern ones now come with a rubber protector—which disintegrates with use, and even without it. I use my viewfinders without the rubber protector. It doesn’t really matter, as long as you’re not wearing glasses with a sensitive anti-reflective coating. In that case, one option would be to take some electrician’s tape, cut it in half lengthwise, and wrap it around the eyepiece. Or you could subscribe in Wetzlar and have a pack sent to you every six months. Just kidding, but honestly, if you ask nicely, they might send you a free replacement.

On a more technical note: Wetzlar doesn’t always seem to have the best approach when it comes to accessories. Look at the debacle with the lens hoods for various lenses, the cute leather pouch and the delicate chain for the magnifying loupe, the inability to mount a filter one a couple of lenses... none of which a serious engineer would ever approve of. With the eyepiece protector for the external viewfinders, though, it seems like a design conflict: soft material is great for glasses but falls apart after about 1,000 uses. A smooth, screw-on plastic ring might have been better. I have more improvement ideas, but then these already absurdly—though understandably—expensive viewfinders would get even more expensive...

[UliWer]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb Al Brown:

Does this happen often on fine Leica accessory products like a €710 external finder?

Yes, unfortunately it does. The rubber is too soft and the most damaging usage is to pull it out of the little leather container and back again. Second bad news is that they charge you for a simple renewing of the rubber. I could only bargain that they didn’t add the costs for handling and inspection.  

[Viv]

Sunshine degrades rubber.

[Al Brown]

1 hour ago, Viv said:

Sunshine degrades rubber.

It does but all the eighties Nikons and other cameras with firm and solid rubber eyepieces still going strong disagree with you… 

[Al Brown]

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The repair quote from customer care is €130 plus tax, citing this being “normal use wear and tear not classified as a manufacturing defect”.