Voigtlander Kontur Viewfinder

Has anyone used a Voigtlander Kontur Viewfinder (from c. 1950) on a Leica M6? To clarify, this is an accessory viewfinder, much like the Leica brightline finders, but with no view through. The theory is that you "look" through the finder with both eyes open, to see a frameline suspended in space.

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I used the brightlines quite a bit, as I find it really helps in portraiture especially of the candid variety.

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Any input would be welcome...

But you will still have to focus using the cameras finder with the

split, so I don't the see the advantage. You'll likely end up with

perfectly framed out of focus pictures. I have an M3 with nearly 100%

magnification, and I can shoot with both eyes open placing the frame

box for my 90mm in 3D space, and still jhave the split image handy. I

love shooting the camera that way. I tried using a new M6 HM this

way, but the finder at.85 is still too low on magnification, and it

gave me a headache trying to keep to eyes open.

Andrew: I agree about the .85 M6. You just can't use both eyes, as

the 15% difference in image size is enough to throw you off. The

brightlines do work well in some kinds of situations (largely

immaterial to you if you are an M3 user), especially in 'sitting'

portraiture, or pictures on adults, who fidget less, and move more

predictably. For these situations, in good light (not available

light) the brightlines work extremely well at helping you catch the

right expression or moment.

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Sounds fussy, but works quite simply.

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I wondered if anyone has actually used the Kontur reasonably

extensively, to describe how well it works and whether it helps in

anyway.

Check out this site for info on the Kontur finder and accessory

viewfinders in general:

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http://www.cameraquest.com/leicafin.htm

I have used Konturs extensively, most notably the square version for

6X6 format with 75-80mm lenses on folding 120 cameras. The built in

viewfinders of these cameras are notoriously smallish, and there no

options as with 35mm finders. I see three advantages 1. For eyeglass

wearers there is a huge advantage, due to the physically larger size

of the Kontur. 2. Viewing Speed (assuming prefocus or scale focus) and

3.Because you keep both eyes open, it acts as a sports finder, that is

you can see outside the perifery of your current framing - which is

good for moving subjects - but also gives me added confidence in

composing. The down sides are, because it moves the viewing further

away from the lens, there is greater parallax associated with close up

work. Also, your overall speed is slowed down, as you must focus and

view in two operations. But if you can prefocus and maintain that

distance, or focus near infinity you ar

I have been using a "35mm" model with a Voigtlander Vitessa-L for a

month or two. Note that the "35mm" finder is for a 50mm lens with the

35mm format (or normal lens with 6x9 cm format). I acquired it

because the Vitessa finder is small, and I wear glasses, and I thought

it might make it easier to frame. The Vitessa-L has moving mask for

parallax adjustment, but the glasses make it less effective.

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The finder improves framing for me with this camera, but it's not

perfect. There is a bright spot in the center of the frame, and it

seems to be that my eye is oriented properly with respect to the

finder when the spot is clear and in focus. My brain does the right

thing, and I get good eye relief and peripheral vision. It's another

way of seeing the image, perhaps a cure for the "tunnel vision" that

comes with traditional finders or groundglass focusing. My focus is

fine as long as I don't move after focusing with the rangefinder.

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It is outstanding in low light situations. You can't get a brighter

finder (short of exotic night-vision stuff) than this, since the image

in your eye that is not looking through the finder is completely

unimpeded.

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Check out <a

href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo.tcl?photo_id=110327">this

image</a> if you have any doubts about sharpness, but note that it is

cropped a bit for framing.

I own a Vitessa L with Kontur finder. I always use the finder and

find that it helps considerably in framing the image. I do not find

it difficult or inconvenient to move from the rangefinder for focusing

to the finder for viewing. I love the Vitessa. The lens is very high

quality, as is the whole camera, and it produces crisp, clear

pictures. The camera has wonderful fit and finish. The EV meter

works surprising well, at least under most conditions, and is very

easy to use.

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I do not own an M6, but I do own a Leica IIIC and wonder if anyone has

tried to use their Kontur finder on this model camera? How did it

work?

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Jacob Koff