Hello - Gino recently asked for users' opinions of an M3 and 35mm combination. My problem is similar - but it's to do with an .85 M6TTL and 35 lens. I know this model has a 35 frameline but it's right on the edge and often difficult to see. Apart from buying an external finder or the .72 body, are there other alternatives? - much was said about the Visioflex regarding Gino's answers and can this be fitted onto the M6. Your views and experiences of this combination - good and bad - will be most appreciated. Thanks!

-- Chris Timotheou (nowayout@btinternet.com), June 22, 2001

Answers

Chris, yes, the problem is similar, and so is the answer. If the 35mm frameline doesn't please you on the 0.85, you could use a 35 with optical goggles. It will reduce the 35mm field to fit within the 50mm frameline, leaving you some room outside the image area.

The Visoflex housings can be used on an M6, but that's a separate matter from using a 35mm, or other wideangle, lens. The shortest lens that can be used on a Visoflex II or III is 65mm. It's a relex housing, and the lens must clear the mirror. Hence, short focal lengths are out.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), June 22, 2001.

That should read, "reflex" housing.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), June 22, 2001.

It would really be a shame to spend money on a brand new Leica and then not be able to use the latest 35mm ASPH lenses. The finder frames of the 0.85 are 13% larger than the 0.72. 13% of the larger frames is more millimeters than 13% of the smaller frames, so in fact you get less advantage with the very frames (90 and 135) you'd most like to have substantially larger. The baselength advantage is really something of a non-issue. I have a 135/3.4 APO-Telyt which focuses just fine on the 0.72, wide open at the 1.5m near limit. The Noctilux and 75 Summilux were both formulated and introduced for the 0.72 model which the only current body at the time and for umpteen years to come. In the last few years Leica has made the 0.85, 0.58, TTL flash with 1/50 sync (and increased battery appetite), not to mention the black paint and green paint models...all basically inexpensive (for them) tweaks to the M6. The only really substantial innovation to the M body has come from Konica.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 23, 2001.

I have a 0.85 and a 35mm. It is lovely ! You may have to peep along the borders as the view is so big but you get use to it pretty fast and it is a pleasure not a hindrance. If you use an external viewfinder there is no compensation for parallax

With a 35 mm lens you still have a border at the edge, although not a very big one. If you like big image viewfinders it is ideal.

If you use a 28mm lens then what you see outside the 35mm border is a good approximation of the 28 mm print. You can get away with using a 28mm on a 0.85 without the externa; viewfinder.

Some rumour has it that leica is coming out with a zoom external viewfinder !?

-- Yip (koklok@krdl.gov.sg), June 24, 2001.

Leica nuts(-users/-philes/-practitioners) who wear glasses will give you a different answer than those who don't. So you'll get an answer more usuful to you if you specify at the onset to which group you belong. The glasses prevent one from having one's eye close to the viewfinder eye piece and consequently the bright frame lines along the periphery of the finder will not be seen with ease.

The fact that several choices are available suggest that there is no perfect solution to the problem. Except owning more than one M body eg an M3 for your 90 and/or 135, and an M6 (0.52, 0.72) for your shorter lenses.

-- Hans Berkhout (berkhout@cadvision.com), June 25, 2001.

Works well for me. But I don't wear glasses, and in any case the .72 works even better.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), June 30, 2001.