Re: [Leica] M6 w/.58 finder: my experience

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

The lower magnification makes it more difficult to focus it the further
you are from the subject...and, unless I misunderstood what I seem to
recall reading somewhere, the lower magnification finder has the effect
of making the rangefinder baselength shorter, thereby reducing the
accuracy of the rangefinder. If I have that wrong, I appologize in
advance.

I will again state that, IMHO, the .58 can't be beat for wide angle
lenses shot close in...but I really feel that it represents too much of
a compromise for someone who wants a single M...If ever there was a
"pro" Leica M - I know, I know, all Leica equipment is "pro" equipment -
it is the .58, in that it really is a special purpose body that
beautifully rounds out an M kit but makes little sense as an all-around
casual snapshooter....

B. D.

P. S. And more power to those who are comfortable shooting it with a
90...Wish my eyes were that good...:-)



Mxsmanic wrote:
> 
> I assume that what is meant here is that few human users would be able to
> readily focus a 90 through the .58 viewfinder.  I don't see any reason why the
> rangefinder itself would be any less accurate in that version than in the .72 or
> .85 versions.  Or am I missing something?
> 
> I worried about focusing even in the .72 finder, but to my surprise I seemed to
> get it right on the dot.  My tendency is to get things to line up perfectly in
> the finder (as best I can tell), and I suspect that this is actually far more
> accurate than necessary at most distances and focal lengths.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <shooter@linux-info.net>
> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 03:28
> Subject: Re: [Leica] M6 w/.58 finder: my experience
> 
> > On Sat, Jul 07, 2001 at 12:44:16PM -0400, B. D. Colen wrote:
> > > I certainly don't want to get into an Erwinesque debate, and I do like
> > > the .58, but attempting critical focus with the .58 with a 90 mm at any
> > > distance is a crap shoot, to say the least..Yes, it can be done. But so
> > > can a dive over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The question is how
> > > successfully, how often? ;-)
> > >
> > > B. D.
> >
> > I agree, this sould not turn into an Erwinesque debate.  I am also willing to
> conceed that focusing the 90 at any distance is not a cake walk on the .58
> viewfinder.
> >
> > But I must keep the stand that depending on the person and how critical they
> focus, it might not be as bad as some folks make out.  My gut tells me, if you
> have problems focusing a fast lens on an SLR, then focusing the 90 probalily
> going to be, as B.D. put it, a crap shoot.  I have a 105/2 Nikkor and I don't
> find it particularly tricky to focus, same with the 90mm and .58 viewfinder.  I
> except the fact that it will be harder then the 35 and I get results that are
> most definitly exceptable to me:)
> >
> > Shooter