Re: [Leica] Rangefinder topics Corrections

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

Not a bright idea to step into a heated argument but then who ever said I
was bright. I personally have no idea what exactly causes the flaring of the
various rangefinders versions. I can however say which models I have owned
or used suffered from it. I had a late model M4-2, produced in 1980 just as
M4-P production was coming online. It was had the same low tendency to flare
as the finder on my M2. The only difference between the two finders, other
than framelines, was that the rangefinder patch disappeared (did not flare
out) as you moved your eye off centre on the M4-2 slightly before the one on
the M2 did. This may have been the effect of the missing part you were
referring to Stephen. I have used early M4-P cameras and they seemed the
same as my M2 and M4-2 cameras. I have heard other luggers comment that
their early M4-Ps do not suffer from excessive flare. Late M4-Ps and all M6s
and M6-TTLs suffer from the flaring out of the rangefinder patch. This
flaring out occurs under several different conditions. If you are focusing
and your eye is not centred, then the rangefinder superimposed image will
white out. This can be eliminated by centring your eye or covering the
viewfinder illumination widow with your finger or tape. If you have bright
spot light sources shining into the finder from the front or the side, the
whole finder will flare as well as the rangefinder patch. It is coming from
all three windows as covering just one will only reduce certain aspects of
the flare. My M2 and my old M4-2 did not suffer from this second flare at
all, or very minor amounts at the very most. My M6-TTL is typical of the
breed and flares quite strongly making the finder almost useless.
Conclusions? The change in rangefinder design during M4-2 production that
Stephen has pointed out to us and the addition of a six frame finder that
Erwin has sites as responsible, do not seem to have significantly affected
the performance of the M viewfinder. Something done for the M6, and applied
to late M4-Ps, finders causes the flaring problems we all love to hate. As
the Hexar RF "apparently" does not suffer from this, perhaps it has
something to do with how the LED meter indicators were incorporated into the
M6 finder design.

Yours speculatively,

John Collier