How do you correctly determine which diopte to use with a M3 ? I am not totally without some foucusing ability but with parallax I have some trouble. Any one that cna help me figure out which one I need before I buy one.?

-- Robert P Sutton (rps001@gte.net), November 16, 2000

Answers

You will have to see an optician to determine the correct diopter for your particular eye. They come in - and + corrections. Take into account that the viewfinder on the M6 has a -0.5 correction built in according to the technical specifications in the instruction manual. The M3 may be the same, I'm not sure, you would have to check with someone like Steven Gandy or any other Leica expert on this site if you don't have the M3 instruction book. If the viewfinder has indeed got a correction built in for example -0.5 and your eye test indicates a -1.5 correction is for you then you would have to get a - 1.0 diopter correction lens, about US$80. Ridiculous price I know but what Leica accessory isn't?

-- terry ashton (mahv@xtra.co.nz), November 16, 2000.