Using 40mm w/ M3 - how difficult to look thru viewfinder?

[Poravich]

Dear all,

 

I just have a chance to get a mint Rollei 40mmf2,8 HFT Sonnar w/ M mount. It's

quite easy to shoot w/ my M4-P with M4's 50mm frame. However I'm trying to use

this 40mm with my M3's 50mm frame of which I try to keep my eye opened more..

out of its normal 50mm's frame line.

 

I've not finished my first roll yet. My question is: Does the M3's full

viewfinder fit enough to use this? A little paralax doesn't bother me.

 

BTW, I wonder has anyone here been using Leica 40mm as as a normal lense. I

like this length that much!

 

Thanks for all kind responses,

Pat

[johnmarkpainter]

I use an M3 w/400 Cron almost all the time.

The framelines are very close to being correct depending upon distance.

 

jmp

[anselm_priest]

M6/40,,Summi-C a great compact combo, the summi-C is great value.

[ken_ford1]

I use my 40 Cron on my M3 all the time - I just use the entire field of view and don't worry about it. I haven't decapitated anybody/anything yet, so it must be close enough.

[blowingsky]

I use the M Rokkor 40mm on my M6 classic with the 0.72 viewfinder and it works well but I usually think down from the 35mm frame rather than up from the 50, as the 50 is already smaller-than-real. But I love the focal length and its worth it.

[paul t]

I checked the M3 full frame against my CL's 40mm frame and they were a very close match

indeed. I think the M3 works really well with the Summicron C, although on the odd occasion

I have instinctively framed with the 50mm lines, which of course remain visible...

[james_itard1]

I've masked off the middle, opaque window of the M-3 and use the entire frame with the 40 Rollei (which may be closer to a 43mm). The trick, someone on this site suggested, is to hold the camera to your eye so that the rangefinder patch is at the center of the frame.

 

There is also the 40mm Voigtlander finder if you don't mind the extra bulk.