Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/07/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tim Meneely <meneely@crosswinds.net> asked: >Can I use a Zeiss-based universal finder on the IIIc? I realize the true Zeiss finder (which I have, sigh) will cover my shutter speed dial, but I have the opportunity to trade it for a better-condition Russian version which would seem to work, unless there's some parallax or alignment or shoe problem I'm not considering. Yes you can use the Zeiss finder on the IIIc - I even use mine on my M2 and M6. And no, don’t trade it for the Russian version. The two samples of the Russian finder which I tried both have very inaccurate wide-angle fields. There is obviously a quality-control problem here, so before making a decision, check the Russian finder carefully against the Zeiss one to see how accurate its fields are. (BTW, the price of a Zeiss turret finder is almost three times that of the Russian finder, so it’s hardly a fair trade!) One nice feature of the Russian design (apart from the fact that it doesn’t cover the speed dial) is that while the Zeiss original shows only what the camera will see, the Russian version shows a larger field within which the frame is marked, so you get a Leica-M-style view of the surroundings of your picture. However, on the Russian finder which I still have, the image is slightly larger that that of the Zeiss finder, so as a spectacle wearer I have to do a little side-to-side eyeball shuffling to see the entire field. Regards, Doug Richardson