I've got my 21-28 finder to go with 21 and 28 mm C/V lenses, because their finders just kept falling out of the shoe.... and while the image isn't too bad in the Leitz finder, its diopter value is sort of weird. I can see with the M finders just fine, but the vario seems like it needs some correction - or maybe its just me? Its like its farther not closer (ie, my eye focus close out to infinity... but the finder seems farther out than that)

And, since I dont wear glasses... how can I be sure of which diopeter to get to correct this?

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 24, 2002

Answers

I wear glasses (progressives) and I have notice the same thing. I can see fine at 24mm, but the 28 and 21mm are not sharp. And yes I can see the viewfinder fine with my M2 & M4. I have a 24mm Leica viewfinder and it too is sharp. My conclusion is that somehow the zoom changes the viewfinder pupil distance. I have to say I'm disappointed that Leica quality control let this slip through, since the idea of a zoom viewfinder is very convenient.

-- Rascal (Rascal@tellink.net), February 24, 2002.

The framing is not great. I don't have a problem with focusing through the finder, being far-sighted, but the 21mm frame is hard to take in without moving the eyeball around.

I have another problem. The finder is loose on the base. I'll be taking it in for service, but find this sort of thing a dreadfully unexpected flaw from a Leitz product.

This finder was made in Japan. I wonder by whom? There are very good independent makers over here and quite a few lousy ones (though they have been dying off, thank goodness). The QC for this finder is not up to Leitz standards.

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), February 24, 2002.

Right! the 24 setting is LOTS sharper than 28 or 21 but even at that... is not real sharp at 24 for me.

I tried putting a makeshift diopeter in front of it... a Rollinar 1.

What diopter is that? A plus 1? It worked fairly well.

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), February 24, 2002.

I tried the 21-28 finder the other day at a store. Forget it. I couldn't really use it with my glasses on though I did not notice a difference in sharpness at 21 or 28. And it is so big.

I'm getting a straight 24mm brightline finder. I've had 21s and a 28 in the past and even back then I wore glasses and I seem to remember I could see the whole frameline. I hope my memory is as sharp as the 24mm lens. I should get contacts.

I've been using the whole finder outside the 28mm lines for now on my Hexar RF, the M4 is in the shop for a tune up and adaption to a RapidWinder acceptance. DAG is doing that work. Don't cringe, the M4 hasn't been 100% stock since '86 when I had M4-P framiles and the M3 lense release collar installed. Back then is was an everyday user that paid the rent. Now I want it to do what I want it to do.

-- Neil Swanson (neilsphoto@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.