Choices ??

[john_roberts15]

Hi to All

 

I tried rangefinder photography (Leica M6) 4/5 years ago and must confess I

struggled a little. Great camera with 35mm lens but...... I found it difficult

to see even the framelines of the 35mm lens fitted when my wearing my specs

(essential requirement). The viewfinder was the 0.72mm version.

 

After a year I sold it and went back to SLRs (film and digital). However I miss

the compact size and enjoyment of rangefinder shooting, even with its

limitations.

My interest is street using wide to standard lens set up

 

Thinking back I believe that my basic mistake was in not getting the 0.58mm

viewfinder which I think would have been much better suited.

 

I am interested in trying again and would welcome advice on options available,

before handing over sizeable amounts of hard earned cash.

 

Whilst I am looking for some good quality equipment I am not automatically

jumping straight back to Leica but want to explore options available that meet

my brief:-

 

Compact sizing,

Quality build of both body and lenses,

Either Manual or auto,

Easy viewing of wide to standard lenses (24mm to 50mm) whilst wearing specs,

preferably without use of additional viewfinder

 

I am familiar with the quality of zeiss lenses as I have owned Contax SLRs in

the past

 

A few questions come to mind :-

 

Do Zeiss have viewfinder options or just the 0.72mm I know that Voigtlander do

but do they qualify under the "quality buld " requirement?

 

Can viewfinders be adapted to suit specs wearers?

 

Are the majority of Zeiss and Voightlander users pleased with their gear ?

 

Impartial comments invited

 

Regards

John

[r22eng]

Try the Voigtlander R4M if you want a RF for use with 21, 28, 35, and 50mm Leica M lenses. It is a nice RF for 1/3 the cost of M6 0.58. The R4M works pretty well for 28, 35, and 50mm for folks who wear glasses. The 21mm frame takes a little getting use to if you wear glasses.

[w.a._gerrard]

John, I've been using a Bessa R4M and a Konica Hexar RF for a few months, and always

wear eyeglasses. The Bessa has framelines for 21,25,28, 35, and 50. Although I do have

to move my eye a bit to see everything inside the 21mm framelines, all of the others

present no problem.

 

The Bessa's RF patch is larger than the Hexar's, and the viewfinder is large and bright.

I've used it with a 50/1.5 lens wide open in an urban setting an hour or more after

sunset with no real problems with focus. The downside of a 0.58, of course, is that

everything shrinks to half-size.

 

The Hexar, I think, has a 0.60 VF. It's a very fine camera, but, all in all, I prefer using the

R4M. With glasses, the Hexar is always on the edge of being annoying.

 

I've got 4 Voigtlander lenses. While I can't compare them to Leica lenses, I'm more than

happy with them. They're solid and smooth.

 

Bessa's are not handcrafted tools, so they lack Leica's build quality by definition.

However, that does not mean they are poorly built. The Bessa can feel light, but I'm not

one to always corelate weight with quality. Internet buzz says quality has improved with

each new model. Also, remember that Cosina-Voigtlander builds the Zeiss camera under

contract.

 

Many, many opinons on rangefinders are available at the <a

href="http://www.rangefinderforum.com/">RFF</a> site.

[w.a._gerrard]

Ah... I see you've been to RFF already.

[jtdnyc]

I had the same problem you had with the .72 and found the .58 MP to be the perfect

solution. As you consider your options, keep in mind that you can always sell a used .58

Leica for at least as much as you paid for it, making a test drive essentially free.

[jtdnyc]

Another thing: add the 1.25 viewfinder magnifier to the .58 Leica a d you'll have an ideal

set-up for a 50mm lens, too.

[Troll]

Consider a Leica CL with the wonderful little 40mm Summicron. The framelines are visible for most people wearing glasses.

[michael_a._shapiro]

I recommend an M6 .58. It's the strongest built rangefinder camera around. Zeiss lenses are arguably as good or better than Leica lenses and for less money.

 

Good luck.

 

Michael

[marek_fogiel]

John,

Your best shot is the Zeiss Ikon for the 35-50 mm range - plus the 25/28mm Zeiss VF for the wides. This will give you the best possible combination of good vision even with glasses and good quality body. If you want to settle for less, take the Bessa R4A plus the 1.35x magnifier - with this camera you can pretty much shoot even the 21mm, and you should put the magnifier on for the 50mm. I'd go with the Ikon though, as it is simply better made and the VF is best of what's on the market. The choice of lenses will depend in part on the body - little problems with Ikon, vignetting of the VF problems with the R4A with bigger lenses, especially the wide angles. For me Zeiss lenses are to be preferred, but there are good choices among various brands.

[michael_a._shapiro]

There is an M6 .58 on ebay right now - ends in a couple hours. The price so far is great, and this is a far better body than any other rangefinder available.

 

 

Good luck.

Michael

[dougmiles]

Should emphasize that the Bessa R4 is unique in the market in offering framelines wider than 28mm. Its .52x viewfinder magnification allows even 21mm frames, but this makes the 50mm frames fairly small though usable.

 

The camera comes in two "flavors"; the R4M which needs its battery only for the TTL meter, and the R4A with auto-exposure and electronic shutter speed control.

 

It closely fits your stated specifications like none other can: "Either Manual or auto, Easy viewing of wide to standard lenses (24mm to 50mm) whilst wearing specs, preferably without use of additional viewfinder"

[john_roberts15]

Hi

 

Thanks to everyone who has kindly replied to my call for advice. Although I am tempted by the Zeiss, I am not going to buy "blind" until I get the opportunity to try all the three candidates out - "Focus" show coming up in the UK in Birmingham, at the end of February. Problem in the UK is that it is difficult these days to find good camera shops not selling digital only

 

I hadn't realised that you could get magnifiers. In the event that the Zeiss viewfinder is still not quite right, then that will probably confirm the decision in favour of the R4M or Leica 0.58 with magnifiers to give me a bit more flexibility, on lens use.

 

Your comments are very helpful and much appreciated

 

Thanks

John

[bobmichaels]

Marek says "Your best shot is the Zeiss Ikon for the 35-50 mm range - plus the 25/28mm Zeiss VF for the wides"

 

My Zeiss Ikon has 28mm frame lines. I have nothing but praise for both the ZI body and the 35mm & 50mm lenses (only ones I own).

[rory_edge1]

The Mamiya 7II is a somewhat bulkier camera than a 35mm rangefinder, but the viewfinder is great for people who need to wear eyeglasses.

[john_roberts15]

Hi

 

Thanks to everyone who offered very sound advice.

 

I searched around Manchester (UK) but couldn't find anywhere that dealt in the potential Zeiss ZM, so that I could compare the Leica and Zeiss options side by side.

 

In the end I found a dealer who had in stock what I think may be the best solution, a mint Leica M6TTL 0.58 model fitted with a mint Zeiss 35mm F2.0 lens. I tried the combination out and could actually see the framelines for not only the 35mm but also the 28mm. This was a much different experience from my earlier 0.72mm viewfinder episode.

 

Half an hour later the combination was mine.

 

I think that this is could be a marriage made in heaven, Leica 0.58mm body build quality combined with the optical, and build quality, rendition of the Zeiss lens.

 

I'm hoping so .........

 

I'm mindfull of the comments, made particularly by Jonathan, that if the Leica doesn't quite suit then it can always be sold hopefully without loss, making it a relatively painless experience

 

Cheers

John