Viewfinders for longer lenses at infinity

[Guest]

I'm looking for an accessory viewfinder for my early M6 so that I can properly frame the 50mm lens at infinity, as the field of view opens up beyond the bright frame. I am thinking the viewfinder to use would be the Imarect that has variable adjustment so I could fine tune it, as well as use it with a 90mm lens for the same point. I would mostly use it for more carefully composed landscape or architectural compostions. I would be keen to know other's experiences in this matter and if other brands or types would accomplish this goal without the bulk of the imarect, particularly the clever little voigtlander products. thanks. Garth Liebhaber garthliebhaber@hotmail.com

 

[Guest]

I'm looking for an accessory viewfinder for my early M6 ... I would mostly use it for more carefully composed landscape or architectural compostions. ================================================================= You have two practical choices:

1. Crop and compose in the darkroom ( or computer ).

2. If it is that critical, use an SLR instead of an M.

Since the 24x36 film format does not translate exactly into any commonly used print format, and transparency frames also reduce the projected image, I fail to see how an accesry viewfinder will really be worth the effort.

 

[Guest]

I guess I should clarify. Before my M I used a early Canon rangefinder that was very similar to the early Leica but better in that the rangefinder patch was also in the viewfinder. Anyway, the edges were so fuzzy I was largely shooting high powers of intuition as to edges of my composition. So then I got the M with it's nice bright line squares and took off for two months out west and Mexico. When I got back I wondered why I was so sloppy in compositions done at infinite focus. While reading another Leica discussion list someone pointed out how drastically the angle of view opens up on a 50mm lens compared to focusing at .7meters, or even from 15 meters on out. The degree of change for a 90 lens apparently opens it up to a 75mm frame. So suddenly it all made sense to me and I took out my poor old canon slr and saw that by golly, the 50 opened up almost halfway to the 35 frame.
So since then I have maintained this fact in my shooting consciousness and shot tighter or looser accordingly. And now I'm just thinking it would be easier to shoot at infinity as tightly as I like if I had an accessory viewfinder that could give me the proper sized frame.
I thought of cropping, but I would lose negative space and I really really like printing the black borders. More importantly is that I would go totally neurotic doing edits and I'm neurotic enough : )
I'm curious if anyone knows if the nifty looking voigtlander brightline finders are adjusted with a square sized for infinite or closer. It is my guess that it is sized for close so that one can crop excess rather than inadvertantly leaving content out of a closer focus shot.
And I know that the Leica Imarect finder that they used to make is infinitely adjustable from 28mm to 135 with click stops. My thought would be to find the proper sizing for 50mm at infinity and then make a mark and hope that it stays there without having it's own click stop.
I hope this makes sense and I really appreciate any advice, thanks

 

[Guest]

I guess I should clarify. Before my M I used an early Canon rangefinder that was very similar to the early Leica but better in that the rangefinder patch was also in the viewfinder. Anyway, the edges were so fuzzy I was largely shooting by "high powers of intuition" as to the edges of my composition. So then I got the M with it's nice bright line squares and took off for two months out west and to Mexico. When I got back I wondered why I was so sloppy in compositions done at infinite focus. While reading another Leica discussion list someone pointed out how drastically the angle of view opens up on a 50mm lens from infinite compared to focusing at .7meters, or even from 15 meters on out. The degree of change for a 90 lens apparently opens it up to a 75mm frame. So suddenly it all made sense to me and I took out my poor old canon slr and saw that by golly, the 50 opened up almost halfway to the 35 frame.
So since then I have maintained this fact in my shooting consciousness and shot tighter or looser accordingly. And now I'm just thinking it would be easier to shoot at infinity as tightly as I like if I had an accessory viewfinder that could give me the proper sized frame.
I thought of cropping, but I would lose negative space and I really really like printing the black borders. More importantly is that I would go totally neurotic doing edits and I'm neurotic enough : )
I'm curious if anyone knows if the nifty looking voigtlander brightline finders are adjusted with a square sized for infinite or closer. It is my guess that it is sized for close so that one can crop excess rather than inadvertantly leaving content out of a closer focus shot.
And I know that the Leica Imarect finder that they used to make is infinitely adjustable from 28mm to 135 with click stops. My thought would be to find the proper sizing for 50mm at infinity and then make a mark and hope that it stays in place without having it's own click stop.
I hope this makes sense and I really appreciate any advice, thanks Garth

 

[Guest]

And I know that the Leica Imarect finder that they used to make is infinitely adjustable from 28mm to 135 with click stops. My thought would be to find the proper sizing for 50mm at infinity and then make a mark and hope that it stays in place without having it's own click stop. ==============================================================

I have never noticed as extreme a change in the angle of view as you describe. But I have never really made a study of it.

But I still think that by the time you have done all the necesary calibration it would be more trouble than it is worth. But photography is also supposed to be for fun so if this is what you want to do, go for it and have fun.

 

[Guest]

Dear Phreak,

The only viewfinder which is 100% accurate is the FOCOSLIDE and that limits you to 50mm only.

All Leica viewfinders are adjusted for the near range as that is the largest picture. With the reflex cameras only approximatley 90% of the image is shown, Leica's argument being that slide mounts cut off a little!

I have used both Leica M and R for architectural work with 15mm 21mm & 28mm and use a little guess work and adjustment to allow for the above and whether the final image will be a print or slide.

For serious and large architectural work you still cannot beat a Linhof Super Technika.

Best wishes,

Justin