I have been shooting a fair amount lately in dim light/backlight situations (wedding receptions) with my M6 and M6 .85 and am getting ever more frustrated by the flareout in the rangefinder. Tape doesn't help, and I haven't tried one of Lutz Konermann's shade gizmos because I'm worried about dimming out the framelines too much. What I think I need is a flare-resistant backup body. Was the M4-2 the last M to not experience rangefinder flare or is the M4-P immune also?

Rob Schneider

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), May 31, 2001

Answers

M4P was the last body that didnīt flare; but you should try Lutz idea; it seems logical.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 31, 2001.

You can get the $1400 backup body, or the $10 Konermann shade, or splurge and get both ;-)

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), June 01, 2001.

Rob,

I have the M4-P finder in all my M2s and it is flare free.

-- Steve LeHuray (icommag@toad.net), June 01, 2001.

What kind of tape did you use? Sherrie Krauter claims that regular masking tape over the rangefinder window does the trick. I've also heard that Scotch tape works.

-- Bob (robljones@home.com), June 01, 2001.

From the Leica FAQ: "Put a little piece of black tape in the middle of the frame line illumination window. Make the piece of tape about the size the range finder patch appears in the viewfinder. The frame lines will be slightly less bright, but it cures a lot of the problem."

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/index.shtml

-- Bob (robljones@home.com), June 01, 2001.

I use Lutz Konermann's shade and it works great.

-- David Cunningham (dcunningham@attglobal.net), June 01, 2001.

Thanks for all the responses. I've got tape all over my M6's, but I've had limited success with tape over the illuminator window. I'll probably give Lutz's shade a try. Logical and cheaper than a third body!

Rob

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), June 01, 2001.

Realize that the M4-2/M4-Ps are not absolutely flare-free...just relatively so - my M4-2 (one of the first 2500 cameras) flares if there is a bright light source to the left of the camera (eg. table lamp in an otherwise dark room). If I get the occasional problem I usually just stick a finger over the illuminator window or focus on a surrogate object that is closer/farther from the guilty light source.

The light source has to be in a fairly narrow range of angles - just inside or outside the 35 frame line - to cause a problem.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), June 01, 2001.