Hallo Leicafriends,

according to productinformations supplied in connection with the finder it should be fully usable with glasses.

Looking for my personal x-mas present for this year I tried the finder out yesterday and found, that it had a nicely shaped ocular covered with rubber, beautiful for the glasses.

But I couldnīt look through the thing properly. It seems necessary to get the exact correctionlens for it, otherwise itīs difficult to use or even useless.

Did you make similar observations or do I just need a new pair of glasses?

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), November 23, 2001

Answers

I agree. After investigating all the new finders available, I purchased the Leica individual finders for the lenses I own. I also found that the 28mm lines of the multi lens finder didn't align with the 28mm lines in the 0.72x M6, but the individual 28mm finder was OK. I also took onboard other users comments about using plastic finders in metal hot shoes. Happy shooting.

-- KC (kevintcable@hotmail.com), November 23, 2001.

I tried it at a Leica Day a couple of months ago. Wearing glasses the finder was ok, but all of a sudden I felt like I was using an SLR again. There are no framelines on the finder; each focal length is supposed to be 100% of the image viewed through the finder. In comparison I preferred the individual finders for each lens; their framelines were nice and familiar, true to the Leica experience. I did like the interchangeability (is that a word?!) of the 21/24/28 finder, but until Leica come out with a wide-angle version of the Tri- Elmar, I'll stick with the individual finders for each lens.

-- Stuart Dorman (stuart.dorman@us.pwcglobal.com), November 23, 2001.

I have it and I love it for all its obvious limitations. After reading this, I tried looking through it with my reading glasses. Impossible. Pressing my glasses against the rubber protector (which fell off once) I could barely see the 21mm frame. The 28mm frame was only visible if I shifted my face around. This is too bad because the problem could easily be corrected with an attachable magnifier, or, better some sort of correction thingy for eyeglasses wearers. I am wondering if it would help to replace the rubber thingy with an eyecup. The problem is to somehow avoid having the thing in your face when you are using the regular rangefinder.

I've found that this zoom finder works best on my Bessa T (a camera that I am growing to love more and more with each passing day). They seem made for each other--which makes me wonder about the zoom finder's origins.

What I propose to Leica is this:

1. Make a special zoom find with a correction devise built into the finder (like the Bessa T's setup);

2. or (and) design a camera to work with the finder. I'm serious. A Leica based on the Bessa T design would be super. Imagine, a quieter and tougher "T" with, maybe, an Abrahamsson Rapidwinder. Or possibly Leica could bring back the finderless MDa, but with a built-in external meter like the Bessa L.

Meanwhile, I know that the tinkerers will come up with some brilliant idea for eyeglasses wearers. This zoom finder is just to good to leave alone.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), November 23, 2001.

Hallo Leicafriends,

glad Iīam not alone with my findings. Together with a correction lens the finder should be alright. I was quite impressed by its optical and mechanical qualities.

So itīs my x-mas present, I think.

Alex, I hope the Leicapeople listen to your suggestions. Would be nice to have a finderless LEICA for w/a use. Would be much nicer to have than a BESSA.

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), November 25, 2001.