Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/20

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 21 mm 2.8 aspherical
From: "Emanuel-Temp Lowi"<elowi@seleccoes.pt>
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 12:50:45 -0500

IMHO, the separate Leica finders that fit in the shoe are problematic, most
notably because you can't focus (but only view) through them. They're also
not extremely clear, don't really compensate for parallax, prevent you
using a small shoe-mount flash, look odd, feel cheap, cost dearly.
The 21 and 24 mm finders  are optically identical, to boot.
The old metal 35mm finders, also the 50s, were a dream in comparison.
The folks at Leica will hate me for this, I know, but here goes.
Check out what Reinhold Mueller of Toronto does: he'll machine your lens
and then fit on a modified 35mm goggles finder (as for an M3 RF lens). This
gives you very close to an accurate 21mm view through your regular finder,
so you can view/focus/meter through one window.
Sure, it adds bulk to the lens in your bag, also looks a bit odd, and
changes the lens for ever - BUT IT WORKS VERY NICELY! The price is somewhat
more than the separate leica finder, but Ibelieve it's worth it.. I'm
saving my pennies now for the conversion.
Ask Tom Abrahamson. He knows all about this stuff.