Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/21

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Subject: Re[2]: [Leica] R8 focusing problems, now what to shoot?
From: Harrison McClary <mcclary@iname.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999 11:44:13 -0600

Sunday, February 21, 1999, Leicaman56 wrote:
>  Remove
> the lens from the camera and point the camera to a bright light source while
> looking through it.  Look at the focussing aids on the screen while moving the
> diopter adjustment.

Bill,

I have done this....I have 2 main complaints on these built-in diopters.

1)  The manufacturers put the adjustment in a location where I have to
hold  my  head  to  the  camera  in  an  awkward  manner...this  makes
adjustment  difficult. (Nikon F4 excluded here...at least it was on the
side  of  the  prism  housing so I was not poking myself in the eye to
change it.)

2)  As I stated before the distortion in the finders (maybe distortion
is  the wrong word...I notice the center of the frame is all that ever
looks  really  sharp, and it depends of what angle I am holding my eye
to  the finder also as to how the image looks and the apparent area of
sharpness...I  do  not  have this problem with my older F1 that has no
adjustment  what  so  ever  on  it). I think the distortion comes from
having  an  adjustable lens in the viewfinder housing. I can't imagine
that  the  lens  group  is super high quality as it is so small and so
adjustable.  Perhaps  one of our resident optician types could comment
on  the  probable  technology  employed  here.  I  have  yet to see an
adjustable diopter that does not make the four corners look funny. For
Me  this  is  a  big  problem  as 90% of what I shoot is off center. I
learned  to  focus  on  the GG and still do this. I absolutely CAN NOT
stand the weird view through the finder.

I will admit that I am probably much more picky than many...To Me this
thing  gets  in the way of seamless operation of the camera. I know it
is great for some. I also know that for others it is a BIG PITA. I can
handle  learning  how  electronic  cameras  work, and all of the other
things...That  all  becomes automatic after a few weeks or so...seeing
is  necessary  to  good  photography  and  I just can't learn to shoot
through odd looking viewfinders.

I wish the bodies could be ordered without this feature...I would even
pay  $50.00 or so extra to not have the blasted thing installed on the
bodies.



Best regards,
 Harrison                          mailto:mcclary@iname.com
http://people.delphi.com/hmphoto
preview my book: http://www.volmania.com