Agripix Posted June 13, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 13, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have an M3 (since the late 1960s) and 35 (bug-eye), 50 and 90, and use this jewel every week. Fantastic. :-) 90% of my images are made with the 35. My wish is to get a body which will handle 28 and 35, and 50. That is enough. But mainly 28/35. The viewfinder on the M3 is outstanding for the 50, and I'm OK with the bug-eye for the 35. But I have never been able to actually look through a later model (M6/M7/MP) with a .58 viewfinder. Question: If I get an MP, with .58 viewfinder (yes, a la carte if I must), will the frame view for the 28 or 35 be close to what I see now when I use the M3/50, or the M3/35 bug-eye. I don't really want a collection of frames ... or some frame for a 24? 28? which makes the 35 frame miniature ... There is nowhere within 100s of miles who has a .58 for me to look through... Are there any Forum members who have both or can look through both to compare ? Thx. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 13, 2009 Posted June 13, 2009 Hi Agripix, Take a look here M3 Viewfinder Frames v. MP .58. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
twittle Posted June 14, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 14, 2009 If you go to the a la carte confugurator on the Leica site and configure the camera with a .58 viewfinder, you can see what it will look like with the available framesets. Below is a link. Leica Camera AG - Photography - Leica à la carte Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbthum Posted June 14, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 14, 2009 The 28mm lens brightlines fill the .58x MP viewfinder pretty much the same as the 35mm brightlines fill the M3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted June 14, 2009 Share #4 Posted June 14, 2009 As an alternative, have you considered an accessory finder for your M3? They really are not that hard to use, and as well as Leica, you can choose finders made by Voigtländer or Zeiss. I find it no trouble at all using an accessory finder with the M3 or M6 and the 2.8/24 Elmarit. This is an excellent lens, btw, and well worth considering along with a 28 ASPH. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 14, 2009 Share #5 Posted June 14, 2009 My M4-P has a .72x finder of course, with a 28mm frame, but I do nevertheless prefer to use my 28mm lens with an accessory finder on this camera body. It is very definitely the way to go if you are allergic to rat's nests of frame lines. The old man from the Age of the SLOOZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted June 14, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 14, 2009 the 0.58 is great for 28 and very good for 35. The 28 on the 0.58 is about the same as a 35 on the 0.72. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agripix Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted June 14, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) the 0.58 is great for 28 and very good for 35. The 28 on the 0.58 is about the same as a 35 on the 0.72. Thanks for the replies so far, everyone. Much appreciated. Batmobile ... I wonder if the 35 brightlines on the .72 are pretty much the same 'brightline view' as I get for the 50 on the M3. (That is, almost all my available viewing with just enough to see 'outside' the composition). (Incidentally, what is the M3 magnification ... not .72 is it ... not sure though ... is there an official designated magnification?) And I have noted the replies regarding accessory viewfinders - good thoughts - I just dislike things hanging off the camera (hence never a lightmeter on it ... always a no-battery Weston Master in my pocket IF I needed it...). Seems like the MP and 28 combo is what will be most like my M3/35 bug-eye - as far as viewing I am used to now. Just a touch wider. And a meter included. Any other thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted June 14, 2009 Share #8 Posted June 14, 2009 There's no doubt about it the 0.58 is incredible for the 28 FL. I dont have a M3 so cannot be sure, but the 0.58 and 28 allows some space around the lines for comfort and fast acquisition. The M3 is 0.91 mag. If my maths is correct, the 35 on 0.72 is exactly the same as 0.58 and 28; howeverm, the lines will be a touch smaller relatively for the 50mm on the 0.91 as with this mag the equiv view would be of a 45mm lens. Maths was never my forte though... 0.72/0.58 x 28 = 34.75 0.91/0.72 x 35 = 44.2 The above is possibly the wrong way to calculate these things LOL! however, re the 0.58/0.72 issue with 28 and 35 this I see with my own eyes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbthum Posted June 14, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 14, 2009 I have both cameras and both lenses. The M3 viewfinder is .95x (or so) and the 50mm lines virtually fill the viewing space. The 28mm lines cover just a bit less of the .58x MP finder. In both cases, there is almost no area outside the lines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted June 15, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 15, 2009 I have both cameras and both lenses. The M3 viewfinder is .95x (or so) and the 50mm lines virtually fill the viewing space. The 28mm lines cover just a bit less of the .58x MP finder. In both cases, there is almost no area outside the lines. No area outside the 28mm lines would describe the 28 on the 0.72 or the 35mm on 0.85, but if you do not wear glasses there is a little comfort space outside the 28 lines on the 0.58. It is far more comfortable than 28 on 0.72, which is a bit of a joke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freusen Posted June 15, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 15, 2009 The .58 finder is recommended for those who often use wide angle lenses, and also for those who prefer to keep their glasses on while photographing and can be used comfortably for 28mm and 35mm lenses. In a pinch even the 24mm will work, but not for everyone. The .58 viewfinder is harder to focus than the .91 finder of the M3, higher than 50mm is a strain and focus risk due to shorter effective rangefinder base. If you like to shoot the 50/1 Noctilux or the 75/1.4 Summilux, M3's focus them more accurately than any other M. If you buy a MP with .58 finder go for the 4 frame set that includes the frame pair/frames for 28mm and 90mm, 35mm, and 50mm, the frames for 35mm and 50mm appear one at a time in the viewfinder, very nice uncluttered finder. Personally, I prefer the M4 uncluttered finder with its .72 finder magnification instead of the M3's .91 magnification. The M4 has the wider 35mm frameline with the 50mm, 90mm and 135mm frames. For use of my 21/24/28mm lenses I prefer accessory finders. Many years ago I bought a new M6 with the M6J finder, it has a .85 finder and the frame pair/frames for 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm, the frames for 50mm and 90mm appear one at a time in the viewfinder, the best of both worlds. FrankR 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/87865-m3-viewfinder-frames-v-mp-58/?do=findComment&comment=932237'>More sharing options...
alun Posted June 15, 2009 Share #12 Posted June 15, 2009 I am a glasses wearer and the 0.58 finder -- which I have on both an M7 and an M6 -- is the only one that enables me to comfortably see all four framelines at one go when using the 35mm. Using the 28mm i can see all fourframe lines but I have to move around a bit in order to do so. The 0.58 and a 35mm is a fantastic combination for glasses wearers. If you are prepared to buy secondhand then M7s and M6TTLs with 0.58 finders are reasonably easy to find. Very occasionally you see a chrome MP with a 0.58 from (presumably) the first batch manufactured with the 0.58 as a standard option, prior to the 0.58 being discontinued except for a la carte. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmobile Posted June 15, 2009 Share #13 Posted June 15, 2009 ...Very occasionally you see a chrome MP with a 0.58 from (presumably) the first batch manufactured with the 0.58 as a standard option, prior to the 0.58 being discontinued except for a la carte. I have one. Wish it was BP as I find this more grippy, but what a camera... I use the 28mm a lot and i too find the 0.58 is a HUGE improvement over the 0.72. I personally feel that if shooting 28, 35 and 50+, there is no better solution than three bodies, although this really only matters if you re having to work under time or environmental pressures which preclude changing lenses all the time. I do - lens changes each time i want to change FL is not an option, so I shoot 2-3 bodies at any one time. Thankfully the total weight is about the same as a big DSLR with zoom, however 2/3 of it is in my bag or round my neck and any one time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agripix Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted June 17, 2009 Thanks, everyone, for your input. Much appreciated. I won't be getting three bodies ... Seems like MP and 28 with .58 is the closest I will get - if I decide to upgrade to a metered body with WA framelines. But this thread has also got me thinking about a 24/28 and accessory finder for the M3. I mostly shoot Tri-X (or XP2/BW400CN if I'm away from my own darkroom) so the meter is not totally essential. After 55 years of shooting 24x36 6x6 6x7 BW, I pretty much have the metering worked out for TriX and HP5 (and if in doubt, the little Weston Master is in my pocket.) Thanks. I post the decision here, if and when it happens. PS: Sorry, Leica AG. (But at least I'd be saving my coins for the AF-M8-3) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted June 17, 2009 Share #15 Posted June 17, 2009 As an alternative, have you considered an accessory finder for your M3? They really are not that hard to use, and as well as Leica, you can choose finders made by Voigtländer or Zeiss. I find it no trouble at all using an accessory finder with the M3 or M6 and the 2.8/24 Elmarit. This is an excellent lens, btw, and well worth considering along with a 28 ASPH. The voigtlander 28/35 mini finder sits on my M3 most of the time, that gives it the same range of focal lengths as the M6 ttl, and with my glasses I can see the 28 which I cant on the M6, only other frame thats worse than the M6 is the 35 and I can always use the goggled 35 if I feel like carrying it around. I know there is no 75, but that gets used (by me) about once in a blue moon as they say. Gerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.