Re: [Leica] Let us now praise external viewfinders

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

Well they exist but many are not currently in production. Leica makes* or
made them for all their focal lengths up to 135 (yes I know there is one for
the 200/400 but get real) except for the 40, 65, 75 and 125 (all from memory
but please blast me if I messed up). Voigtlander/Cosina has also come out
with a pretty complete line as well (even 75). Go here for a comparison:

http://www.cameraquest.com/leicafin.htm

Above 75mm there is usually a mechanical provision for parallax correction
which slows things down a bit. I regularly use the 21,50 and 135 finders and
hope to get a 35 (a Leitz high mag one as I think then I will be able to
keep both eyes open) and 90. I would not say there is more of a framing
problem than with the viewfinder in the camera but you have to remember to
adjust the one's with a mechanical parallax correction as you change
distances. For a quickly changing situation I stick with the camera
viewfinder. Still, in a static situation, with both eyes open and the frame
just hanging there; simply amazing. At those times I just smile and whisper
to myself...Rangefinders rule.

John Collier

*only the 21, 24, 28 and 35 (low mag) are or were in recent production.

> From: Steve Beyer <leica@beyerphoto.com>
> 
> I didn't realize that external viewfinders were available for most of
> the Leica M focal length.   Are they available for every one?  Which
> viewfinders do you use?  Do you find any more framing problem (parallex sp?)
> than with the standard rangefinder?
>