Dear All,

I was most impressed with the clarity of the separate shoe-mounted finder that comes with the Voigtlander Heliar 15mm lens, especially when compared with the view through my M6TTL eyepiece. In fact, I hadn't realised how murky the M6TTL viewfinder was!

Then, eventually, I realised what was the problem: every time I looked through the shoe-mounted finder, my nose was pressing against the camera's eyepiece and leaving a nasty smear of grease. Anyone else have that problem or is it just me (and my nose)?

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), May 06, 2002

Answers

Hello Ray,

since you are based in a pretty hot environment if I recall this correctly, I wouldn´t blame your nose at the moment. But to anybody else with this very problem I would not hesitate to recommend the occasional shower. Noses get cleaned that way automatically.

Best wishes and please do not take this personal

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), May 06, 2002.

One area where left-eyed photographers win out.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), May 06, 2002.

You are in Jakarta? Anyway I recommend picking up a Bessa-L or MDa.

-- ray tai (razerx@netivgator.com), May 06, 2002.

Ray: I have the same problem. You and I could become the founder members of the Support Group for Big Nosed Leica Users :---)

Here are some suggestions that would avoid the nasty habit of showering, (which only solves the problem for a short time anyway):

1 We commission our special wide-bodied M from Leica so that the finder is far enough from the shoe to prevent nasal contact. Expensive, but they would become collectors' items soon enough and we could retire on the profits.

2 Try fitting the 1.25x magnifier; mine is on order and I haven't tested it, but by effectively setting the viewing glass back a bit it may take it out of the way of the distinguished noses of some users.

3 Commission Tom Abrahammson to produce a Rapidwiper - a metallic holder for an absorbent cloth, which could attach to one of the eyelets, ready for use azzanwen. No doubt he would make it available in chrome, black enamel and even black paint.

-- Paul Hart (paulhart@blueyonder.co.uk), May 06, 2002.

best option: go the tycho brae route.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 06, 2002.

I also have the same problem and Herr Wolf certainly does not contribute any relative, helpful or useful advice. I have oily skin and if I decided that I did not want to have a shine on my nose and forehead all of the time, I would have to wash my face every hour. The same applies to my hands btw.

The best solution thatI have found is to take small strips of Scotch tape and store them wherever I can - on the camera base, in my bags, on my watch etc. When I use an accessory finder, I simply cover the standard eyepiece. Once the tape stops sticking, sometimes it will last all day, just start over with a new piece. Also, stock up on microfibre cloths!

One last thing - remember that oily skin wrinkles less and remains much more youthful in appearance longer!

-- Federico (panicucci@spiaga.it), May 06, 2002.

Tycho Brahe route would scratch up the viewfinder window though. You could blacktape your nose.

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), May 06, 2002.

It is a common problem, or at least, common for well endowed right eyed photographers. I have trained myself to tilt my head slightly forward when using a separate finder. This solves the problem for me but if you also have a protruding forehead, it may not work for you.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), May 06, 2002.

Rob, I think the point is that you could remove the gold and silver nose. Presumably old Tycho did this in the cold Scandinavian winter. :-)

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 06, 2002.

Same problem, but in addition the oil on the rubber eyepiece then smudges my glasses too. There are solutions but none are very convenient and some look foolish to boot. THe best thing, as John mentioned, is some behavior modification, if your anatomy permits.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 06, 2002.

Ray

It is a total pain. Surprisingly I quite like the separate viewfinder, but hate the effect it has on the main finder via my nose. Makes me enjoy using an R! Maybe we could install a protective flap to use when using the separate finder?

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), May 06, 2002.

if brae were alive today AND a leica user (which he surely would be), he could be fitted with a small nose-cape made of micro-fibre material. in this way, he would actually be cleaning the in-camera finder as he peered through the accessory finder. and while we're at it, he could also go for a meter-nose for use with pre-6 Ms. if he favored the 6 or 7, he could store spare batteries in the nose. the possibilities, as they say, are limitless.

-- roger michel (michel@tcn.org), May 06, 2002.

I hear that when the M8 arrives, it'll have a micro windshield wiper on that finder, complete with a mini nozzle for washer fluid! ;)

-- Frank Horn (owlhoot45@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.

Ray,

Seriously, the solution is to use the VC angle finder for the 15mm. Look up Cameraquest for the review.

Ray

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), May 07, 2002.

Thanks for the replies. Although I do live in Indonesia, which causes me to perspire excessively, I have experienced this problem mostly in Europe. My nose is not abnormally large nor is it any geasier than average, AFAIK.

Nose grease has its uses (e.g. assembling a multi-section fishing rod, to ensure the ferrules will separate easily on disassembly) but it's objectionable on optics. I'll just have to adopt a different way of holding the camera when looking through an auxiliary finder. Or I could tip-ex my nose, like an Australian ;-)

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.