Just received a 25/4 Skopar and the lens is very nice, but when composing in the viewfinder(horizontally) approximately the top 20% of the picture gets cut off. Anybody have this experience and can offer a suggestion.

-- Gerald Widen (gerald@sfa1.com), April 16, 2001

Answers

That's completely characteristic of this finder. If you think about it as you're looking through it, the view is not the typical 3:2 aspect ratio of the 35mm frame, but a bit squarer; the extra is at the top of the frame, making you think things at the top are in the picture when they really aren't. I solved the problem by masking off the top two or three mm of the finder window with black masking tape, and haven't had a problem since.

The 15mm finder has the same aspect ratio problem, but it's expressed differently. The vertical view is correct, but more gets on the film on the left and right than shows in the finder.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), April 16, 2001.

Thanks, Michael. I've read on another message board where someone else had the same problem. In his case he solved it by taping 3mm on the top and 2mm on the bottom. I'll have to investigate. I wonder if I can paint a thin white line. Maybe it will be sort of a bright line effect.

-- Gerald Widen (gerald@sfa1.com), April 16, 2001.

Why is this or is it the usual near focus/far focus compromise? It would seem to be a real pain......

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), April 16, 2001.

Robin, I guess it is the viewfinder/lens/camera combo. My 90mm Leica finder /Elmar works very well as does my 35mm Russian/Jupiter combo. The 25mm Voitlander/Skopar is another story but I feel I will work it out. If I was really normal I would use my Nikon N80 more often (with less fun)

-- Gerald Widen (gerald@sfa1.com), April 16, 2001.