M6 TTL 0.58 with 24 mm frame lines?

[doug_hagerman]

According to my newly-arrived Hove Leica Pocket Book 7th edition, the

M6 TTL 0.58 has frame lines for 24, 28, 35, 75, and 90 mm lenses.

 

Has anyone seen such a beast? Can I get my viewfinder modified to

have these lines?

[Rob F.]

Sounds like an error to me, Doug. The wish for 24mm frame lines on the .58 finder has been expressed here from time to time, and the lack of one has been lamented; but no one's ever responded by saying that there was such a beast.

 

I wish, too. Sorry.

 

Bob Fleischman

[jackflesher]

Doug: The outer edge of the frame is almost a perfect match for the 24 lines -- One of the Hove authors made that claim in an earlier book, so perhaps this is a re-edit misinterpretation; aka error!

[steve_barnett2]

"According to my newly-arrived Hove Leica Pocket Book 7th edition, the M6 TTL 0.58 has frame lines for 24, 28, 35, 75, and 90 mm lenses"

 

Mine has the ultra rare 50mm frame line as well. The 24mm frame would be nice, but unfortunately its a case of very sloppy proof reading. I agree, the outer edge of the finder is about 24mm.

[nesrani]

The outside of the window may approximate 24 frame lines, but the viewfinder occlsuion with the lens and shade mounted probably amounts to 30% of the entire frame. I can't see it being very useful. The accessory viewfinder is far more practical, IMO. If you find yourself using the lens mostly or almost exclusively for landscape photos, i.e. with the focus set at beyond a couple of meters, then I suggest using the 21 viewfinder with this lens. I've found the coverage of the 24 viewfinder to be very much less than that of the lens at infinity focus setting. Close up, at around 1 metre to 2 metres, it's OK.

[fotografz]

Rob,

Thanks for the tip. I just sent for a 24 ASPH and use the tri-finder for

the wides ( I would use the single finder, but I can't see through it because

it doesn't take a diopter like the tri-finder). So, setting 21 instead of 24

will be easy.

[nesrani]

Hi Marc, I have considered buying the zoom finder for this very reason.

[sal dimarco]

Unfortunately, the proof reading process in European books isn't very good, and mistakes slip through. In case anyone's interested.... Leica did think about including 24mm frame lines. They decided against it, when 25% of the viewfinder frame was blocked.

Happy Snaps,

[matthew_pulzer]

Sal

 

Not sure why you thinc we cant proff reed in eurup?! Seriously, I agree that Hove books are particularly bad in this respect, but no need to tar a whole continent's industry with the same brush.

 

Matt, who works in publishing when not happily snapping.

[doug_hagerman]

The more I think about this the more I think that there could and should be 24 mm frame lines in the 0.58 finder. Here's why:

 

The regular finder is 0.72, and has 28 mm frame lines. Arbitrarily assume that this frame is displayed as 1 unit wide. Then the width of the 28 mm frame lines in the 0.58 finder is (0.58/0.72) = 0.80 units. The width of 24 mm frame lines in the 0.72 finder (if it had them) would be (28/24) = 1.17 units.

 

And the width of 24 mm frame lines in the 0.58 finder would be (28/24)*(0.58/0.72) = 0.94 units. This is LESS than the width of the (admittedly difficult to use) 28 mm frame lines in the 0.72 finder! A 24 frame in the new finder would fit better than the 28 frame did in the old finder!

 

Perhaps some early 0.58 cameras had 24 mm frame lines, and the book people recorded something that will be a collector's item later?

[ray_moth]

What framelines pop up automatically when a 24mm lens is mounted?

[andy_piper2]

Ray: 35/135 frames - at least with all (total of 2) the 24s I've ever seen. Leica Days this weekend - I'll try the 24 again and reconfirm.

 

Doug: Good math! I do wish Leica had just put the damn lines in - that way WE could decide if we preferred to live with the blocked area - or wanted an accesory finder instead - or just wanted to use the frames with the 25 voigtländer - which is so small it's totally invisible in the viewfinder. 8^)

 

If you have a steady hand with a laser you might be able to cut yourself 24 lines in the frameline mask or have someone do it for you. But the Leica frames are tricky - the sliding mask that reveals different frame sets as you change lenses may have a rest position just outside the 28 lines - where it would block your 24 lines anyway.

[ray_moth]

Well then, if the 24mm lens brings up the 35mm frameline, it should be feasible for Leica to provide a 24mm frameline in the M6TTL .58, because that particular body only has a single frameline in that position (the 135mm frameline being omitted because it would be impractically small).

 

Leca still has time to do that with the .58 M7, since it hasn't been launched yet. It could be offered as a factory upgrade for M6TTL .58s as well. Admittedly, the 24mm frameline would be very big and difficult to use but probably no more so than the 28mm frameline that is provided in the .72 body.