I have a 0.85 M6TTL for my 90 Apo Summicron ASPH, and I like its clean and uncluttered single brightline framing. But now I'm looking at a second body (for my 35 Summicron ASPH). I like the 0.58 viewfinder as the 35mm line is on its own. And I think the 0.72 viewfinder is a bit cluttered next to the other focal line (not sure which that is at the moment). But my concern with the 0.58 is its shorter base length. So will it's lower accuracy be a problem? I would like to hear comments and experiences from folkes who use a 0.58 + 35mm setup. BTW I don't wear glasses. Also, if I do get a 28mm kens in the future, the frameline on the 0.58 has a nice proportion in the viewfinder. My wish is that Leica would bring out an even wider viewfinder for the M6, so you dont have to use viewfinder attachments for the 21 and 24 lenses. But I guess the baselenth accuracy will suffer even more..**sigh**..anyways, thanks in advance to all that respond. Cheers!

-- Sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), September 04, 2001

Answers

Hello Sparkie,

It's not really an answer but personal ideas: as you did, my first choice was a M 0,85 with Summicron 90 Apo Asph (sincerely beginning with the 90 was not my best idea and rapidly I bought a 50 mm; I hope to buy soon the 35 Asph). Without any experience of the M 0,58 my idea was, and is today: a)if I buy only one camera, it will be the 0,72 "universal" b)if I can hope to have enough money for two cameras (it's never expensive to dream or to hope !!) I should prefer 0,58 c)I know a Leica lover who owns two 0,85 because he prefers very wide angles (15 mm, 21 mm)and looks for best accuracy of range finder. Here are personal ideas and, of course, debatable.

I would be pleased if I can give you any help Regards, Alain

-- alain.besançon (alain.besancon@chu-dijon.fr), September 04, 2001.

You cannot go wrong with either one. For a 35 mm lens, I don't think you will suffer from the reduction of base length with the 0.58 As Alain suggested above, if you intend to have 2 bodies, keep the 0.85 and get the 0.58. If you can afford only 1 body, get the 0.72.

FYI: In the LUG newsgroup, a recent message mentions the future arrival of a Leica removable accessory which would multiply by 1.25 the size of your viewfinder (look at http://mejac.palo- alto.ca.us/leica-users/v20/msg12256.html for the specific message, or at http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/ to scan the whole archive).

-- Xavier Colmant (xcolmant@powerir.com), September 04, 2001.

Hi Xavier and everybody,

Thank you to agree with me but, I repeat, it was suggestions. I don't succeed to go on the web site you mentioned. Is it a gear made by Leica(nothing on Leica site)and, of course, no idea of the price (I suppose, too soon)? Thanks and regards Alain

-- alain.besançon (alain.besancon@chu-dijon.fr), September 04, 2001.

The eyepiece magnifier should, according to a dealer I spoke with who spoke to Leica USA, be available in a couple months, and cost estimated at about US$230 (though probably less gray market if the accesory viewfinders are any indication). Supposedly it screws into the correction-lens threads in the M6 eyepiece, but has no provision for flipping out of the way, so it would need to be un-screwed, for which purpose it will come with a chain to hook it to the strap. For me this is ideal, as the owner of 2 M6 0.72s and an M4 with M6 eyepiece, I can install the 1.25x on one and use it for the 90/135, but should that body be disabled I still have full flexibility, as opposed to carrying two different magnifications. Sounds like a winner idea...in fact I've been using a Minolta SLR magnifier for years, but having to handhold it.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), September 04, 2001.

Sparkie:

I have the 35 and regularly use it on EITHER my .72 or .58 body with no ill effects. IMO your decision will depend on which lenses you are likely to get after the 35. The outer edge of the .58 vf is about equal to a 24, and the 28 lines are very easy to see -- so it would be the best choice if you are thinking of either of those focal lengths in the future. If the only other lens you want is the 50, then I'd probably go for the .72 -- However, the new 1.25 eyepiece magnifier/.58 body could give you the best of both.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), September 04, 2001.

I have the 0.85 as well and use it with my 90 mm APO. In addition, I have the 0.58 and use it with the 35 mm. The 50 mm can be used well with both bodies.

-- Don M (Maldos@home.com), September 04, 2001.

I think the .58 has the best finder for 35mm lenses of any M6 out there today, due to both the size of the frame lines and the fact that they're not paired with another focal length. I use a .58 for my 28, 35 and Tri-Elmar. The .85 gets the 75, 90 and 135.

The .72 stays home a lot. I use it in two situations - if I want to shoot with just a 50, or if I want to shoot with a 35 and a 90, and only want to use one body.

For a 28 or a 35, the .58 finder rocks!

-- Paul Chefurka (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), September 04, 2001.

I own the .58 mag with the new 28mm summicron. It is fantastic !!! NO PROBLEMS with focusing and I also use it with my 50 sum and 90 sum at f2 all the time. Easy to view and you get the 28 brightlines as well. Matt

-- Matt Rainey (mvrainey@att.net), September 04, 2001.

Sparkie:

I suspect they don't make a built-in finder for the 24 and 21 because the finder's angle of view would have to be so wide that I believe we would mostly have a view of the lens barrel and hood! I left a question about this on the Leica website, but they never responded.

I've been using a 35mm on my M2 (.72) for 40 years without complaint, and I wear glasses. So if the 35, and not the 28, is your main concern, you might like a used M2 because the finder is likewise uncluttered, which you seem to value. No meter, of course.

Regards,

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), September 04, 2001.

I think, based on using the vaguely similar Hexar RF finder, that the .58 will focus a 35 very nicely.

My main concern with both the Hexar and Leica .58/.6 finders is that the wide-angle optics make the rangefinder coincident image wiggle around if you eye moves behind the eyepiece...this, more than the magnification per se, make them very tricky to focus accurately with anything over a 50 IMHO. Although it can be done, as .58 users here have indicated.

I get different pictures shooting a 35 with the .6 and .72 finders, and prefer the .72. It must be something psychological related to how much of the framing is done with my peripheral vision. The .6 feels a little 'stand-offish' for 35, but looks like it would be much more comfortable if I ever get a 28. And I use the WHOLE Hexar viewfinder with a 21 and get results comparable to using the "highly accurate" Leica 21mm external finder.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), September 05, 2001.

Andy:

You get different pictures because one is from a real Leica and the other just a wannabe :)))

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), September 05, 2001.

Ahhhh, soo!, Jack. This makes the .58 Leica just a wannabee, too? ;^)

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), September 06, 2001.

I just bought one 35mm 2.0 ASPH for my M6 TTL 0.85. You can focus fine. I wear glasses. I have to move my eyes a little bit to see the frame line. I just can not see the 28mm frame line at all. I guess that's normal. Buy the lens for you 0.85. You will like it.

-- Chris Lee (Rangefinders@yahoo.com), September 06, 2001.

Chris

I think the reason you can't see a 28mm frameline on the 0.85 M6 is because the 0.85 does not have one. Sorry to state the obvious....perhaps I am missing something?

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), September 06, 2001.