Hi all Can anyone tell me why the older Leitz metal viewfinders cost twice as much as the current plastic ones? Is this just a collector, rarity thing?? and I presume they are not as clear, bright as the current ones either? Thanks

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), May 13, 2002

Answers

When I had one, it was the single most irritating Leica thing I've ever owned. It slipped out of the shoe very easily, didn't take shock well, had the framelines glued in slightly crooked, and they began to delaminate while I owned it. The eyepiece was so close to the outside that it was constantly getting forehead grease on it (and front lens, re: fingeerprints, too) . I've seen a number of them with a chip on the front lens--no wonder, since when that sharp, relatively unprotected corner hits the ground. . . . At the time I couldn't believe they'd sell such a piece of garbage. Now I have the Voigtlander finder. Sure, it's bigger, but it has NONE of the problems of the Leitz POS.

Probably the Leitz metal finder is so expensive now because all of them have broken through the years. With Leica stuff rarity = price, not necessarily quality = price.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), May 13, 2002.

Metal ones are more of a collector's item now, but I can tell you I think the SBLOO(35mm finder) is the best 35mm finder ever. Large window, brightline frames, and can be used on either the LTM cameras or the M cameras.

-- chris a williams (LeicaChris@worldnet.att.net), May 13, 2002.

I don't own a 21mm plastic one (thank God) but I've heard all about it since it came out a few years ago. My metal one is great. Fits perfectly in my TTL shoe, has still fallen onto the floor lots of times (no no no, not while trying to get it into or outa the shoe) and it's still as good as new. Try and buy one second hand.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), May 13, 2002.

The prices are high due to collectors. You will find that scratched ones sell for significantly less than mint ones. I have used the metal and plastic finders and I prefer the plastic ones. The optics are better and they never slip out off the camera.

My metal finders were always working loose and falling off. People complain that the plastic finders will break but in similar situations the metal finder just bends the heck out of your cameras top plate! I do not mind glueing a plastic foot back on (easily done) but I would not be happy with having to replace a flash shoe or top plate.

Unfortunately there is not a full range of plastic finders available from Leica anymore. While Cosina has stepped up to the plate, the eyerelief is not as good as the Leica finders. I was very fortunate to be able to find one of the rare plastic 35mm finders released with the new LTM lenses.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), May 13, 2002.

Its a collector thing. They are sought out by them for the most minute variations in engraving and appearance.

They are very, very clear and bright. However, thought they are brighter than the built-in view/rangefinder, they are very slightly less contrasty, and this may be because they are not coated optics (I speculate).

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), May 13, 2002.

A few years ago I ordered a replacement G2-Biogon 21mm finder from Contax parts department for $165. It looks funny on the M6 due to the champagne color but it has a nice rubber eyepiece and is very well made. Optically the Leica plastic finders are the best though. The older 21 and 28 metal finders are darker. The metal 50, 90 and 135 B/L finders are fabulous.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 13, 2002.

I had a metal one for a long time. I liked it fine. One day I got a plastic new one. I think the plastic one is a little bit truer. I sold the metal one to a guy in Japan for quite a bit more than I paid for the plastic one and he was tickled to get a bargain. Win win I guess. Anyway I'm using the 28 finder with my M2 & 3, using the 28 without finder on M6, and have the plastic 21 finder as well. I think they are both great. Good luck.

-- Gil Pruitt (wgpinc@yahoo.com), May 13, 2002.

Thanks for your responses everyone, I was considering buying a chrome finder as it would look better on my chrome m6, but from your experiences I will have to reconsider esp, if they fall off all the time!

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), May 13, 2002.

Unless you're wedded to a Leitz/Leica finder, you should consider either a Cosina/Voigtlander or a Russian finder. I have tried many of the Leica finders, and the metal ones especially, tend to be well used and dimmer than the their modern, plastic-bodied counterparts. A new finder is a thing of beauty though. I find the thin framelines sometimes too thin for easy use. Pay attention to the eye-relief too. For me, I have to get my eye very close to the metal Leica finder for it to be effective. Far closer than the CV or Russian.

The CV finder is a looker; and 1/2 the cost of a Leica finder. It also has wider framelines than the Leica finder, which you may or may- not prefer. Eye relief is somewhat better than the Leica.

I've also looked at vintage Zeiss, Nikon, and Canon finders, but most that I've seen are very peephole-ish. You have to squint to use them and the eye relief is a joke. I'm sure that others exist that I haven't seen.

Lastly, I picked up a Russian finder on Ebay a while back and I really like it. It's plastic, simple, and rugged. It doesn't have any framelines though. But it does have nice eye relief and is VERY usable. And the $50 price was right!

Skip

-- Skip Williams (skipwilliams@pobox.com), May 13, 2002.

In fact, I just saw one of those Russian 35mm finders close on Ebay without a bidder at $24.99. That's a far cry from the $4-500 that the vintage Leica finders seem to be bringing. Geeez.

Skip

-- Skip Williams (skipwilliams@pobox.com), May 13, 2002.

The finders coming lose in the camera shoe may be one of the reasons Leitz went to plastic body (with tightening lever) rather than metal, though I have not personally experienced this problem. IMO, the older metal finders (in both chrome and black anodized) are more elegant and better built than anything more recent from Leica or other manufacturers. The 50 mm and 35 mm finders are particularly excellent and easy to use, but the others *eg., 21 mm and 28 mm) are also quite good.

Naturally, these finders are subject to the same optical problems as older lenses, including fogging, and additionally chips do to the finder being dropped on the floor or pushed into a solid object. Despite the lull in the Leica market, metal accessory finders (particularly 21, 28, and 35 mm brightline finders) have held their value and even increased in value. It seems there are fewer of these finders in circulation than lenses that require them. A Leitz metal finder is always a good investment.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), May 13, 2002.

The metal finder's front glass is press-fit into place - they sometimes have a tendency to fall out with a knock, and because the glass is tightly wedged into the metal, are more vulnerable to getting chipped by impact since there is no 'give' at the corners.

They ARE more compact than the plastic ones (RIP).

In converse to Jay, I got a Leica 21 finder to use on my G2, 6 months before I got the Leica and lens to got with it. The G2 21 finder is almost as large as the new Leica 21/24/28 and the Leica plastic job felt a lot sleeker.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), May 13, 2002.