Question regarding the bars / slits on the front of M's rangefinder window

[username]

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..sorry, I'm sure this must have been asked and answered before, alas I can't find it neither in this forum nor via google - 

what are these "bars" at the front of the rangefinder window for (see below), is there any reason they are so bright / reflective (apart from the ones of the monochrome models),
also why do some M's only have one, on the bottom (like the M6) or some apparently none at all (like the MA) ?

Thanks in advance! ✌️

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[jaapv]

I|t is the lighting window for framelines and RF patch Cameras without use an LED. The ribbing is to diffuse the light.

[username]

Thanks @jaapv - but my question is not about the lighting window, but in regards to the "bars" on the rangefinder window itself -

 

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[a.noctilux]

 

Sorry Jaapv...

I think the OP wanted to know about horizontal reflective bars.

They are added to show more contrast when LED are in the viewfinder.

 

With M-A no LED, so no bar.

 

edit,

while writing new text

[jdlaing]

No they are not more contrast. They are simply a sort of projection screen.

[username]

11 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

With M-A no LED, so no bar.

..thanks @a.noctilux - that makes sense.

But why do some M's have a "bar" on top as well, and some don't?
And why are they sometimes light / reflective and sometimes dark grey (with the M monochrome)?
Wondering if there are practical reasons for this or whether it's simply about aesthetics..

[jakontil]

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27 minutes ago, username said:

..thanks @a.noctilux - that makes sense.

But why do some M's have a "bar" on top as well, and some don't?
And why are they sometimes light / reflective and sometimes dark grey (with the M monochrome)?
Wondering if there are practical reasons for this or whether it's simply about aesthetics..

The M which dont have the bars, dont boast information in the viewfinder other than framelines, like the early M3 up until M4 and now MA

because they dont have lightmeter

the dark grey only started appearing when the M11 monochrome came to life, and followed by the m11p, i think this is for aesthetics being dark grey  

[lct]

Shades to avoid reflections on digital display. Just a guess.

[andybarton]

My M240 has an "upper bar" that houses the self timer red LED

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Camera 2 above has one too.

[username]

Thank you for your feedback @andybarton - camera #2 above is a M11P.

Here's a another picture, showing a couple more M versions (please don't make me do one with each and every one, and please forgive it's not 100% to scale 😅)

@jakontil - I noticed the M8 also had "dark bars" ..at least it looks like it in all the pictures I've found of it.

 

 

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[mujk]

The lower stripe first appeared in the M6, the first M camera with a LED display in the viewfinder. According to the Günter Osterloh book 50 Years Leica M this stripe "ensures better visibility of the LED viewfinder displays when shooting bright subjects".

The upper stripe first appeared in the M6TTL which has a taller top plate than the M6 to fit more electronics, and also a taller VF front glass (I guess for aesthetic reasons). The upper stripe covers the upper gap above the beam splitter, which would otherwise be visible through the taller front glass. I think all M models after that with a taller top plate, including all digital Ms, have the upper stripe as well. There may be a photo diode (M7) or a LED mounted behind it, as already mentioned.

Edited December 9, 2024 by mujk

[username]

Thank you for elaborating @mujk, I appreciate it! 👍

[adan]

Yep, mujk pretty much covers it.

Bottom stripe (semi-silvered to darken the bottom of the finder, as background to the meter LEDs)

Top stripe for cosmetic "balance" when the top plate got 3mm taller in the M6ttl, M7, and digitals.

(Which, originally in the ttl, was to add an idler-gear under the shutter dial, to reverse <> esrever the shutter dial movement, to match the direction the meter arrows pointed.

> • <  

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[Tseg]

On the shutter dials... what is the lightning bolt between 30 and 60?   On my M11-D it is between 125 and 250.... disregard... flash sync speed.  Never mind.

Edited December 11, 2024 by Tseg

[a.noctilux]

Yes flash sync speeds.

On M with cloth horizontal travel curtains shutter, 1/50s so the first M3 has that 50 setting.

After the first M3 with more (= different stagings of button) shutter speeds, the 50 disappears replaced by lightning bolt.

 

On digital M with vertical travel curtains, the speed sync is 1/180s so the flash symbol is between 125 and 250.

[lct]

16 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

On digital M with vertical travel curtains, the speed sync is 1/180s so the flash symbol is between 125 and 250.

Sync speed was 1/250s on M8 with flash symbol at 250. Just for info 😎

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, lct said:

Sync speed was 1/250s on M8 with flash symbol at 250. Just for info 😎

Thanks LCT.

 I forgot that.

Not in use much now, I still have somewhere two M8  with top speed 1/8000s.