I find that when I take a portrait shot at say 10Meters some of the left hand side of the picture is lost while the right has too much in frame. Is this a Leica M issue and I should compensate accordingly or should I have the Camera checked? I would expect Leica to be 100%?

Thanks

-- James Wright (Jenny_james_wright@yahoo.com.uk), July 24, 2001

Answers

Could you give us some more details. What specific model of M camera, what lens and whether this problem shows on the negatives as well. Photo finishers routinely crop part of the negative off when making prints.

Having said all that, the area inside the framelines in the M camera shows 93% of the film area at closest focus. 93% of the film area is what you see with a mounted slide. With a 50mm lens focused to 2 meters, the outside of the framelines shows the aforemnetioned film coverage. Finally, with the 50mm lens at infinity, it is about three frameline thicknesses more around all four edges. The change is greater in long focus lens and less in wide angle lenses.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), July 24, 2001.

When I've checked M Leicas I've owned, the framelines haven't been spot on describing the actual frame size, but they've done very well at centering. I think something's wrong with your camera or your technique.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

Or, as John says, the printer's technique. :-)

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

Here I go again, yes you´re rigth it is about my 28, well my 28 and it´s finder, now that you´re talking about their coverage.

My M4P 28mm finder seems smaller (less coverage) than the external 28mm finder, wich one sould I trust, I know that my 21 external finder is so precise, but I still haven´t made any test on this new 28.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

The only way to get virtually 100% framing at normal working distances is to use the Imarect (or older Universal) finders.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 25, 2001.

I use an M6 and the negatives are slightly out as well? I have a 35mm and 50mm as well.

-- james wright (jamesgwright@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

M3's VF is the only M-Leica's viewfinder that gives virtually 100% framing, while any 0.72 VF of M2, M4, M4-2, M4-P, M6 gives near 80% or so.

http://www.cameraquest.com/leica.htm

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), July 27, 2001.

Victor

Does the M3 does this even with the 50 at close distances?

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 27, 2001.

Roberto,

To answer your question correctly I have to test an M3 with 50mm at different distanses. You will be informed.

Victor.

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), July 30, 2001.

Victor

I apreciate you take your time to do this test, I just thougth you had already done it, Thank´s Victor.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 30, 2001.

The M3 framing is better than the M6 because it is based on close focusing distance of 1 meter, but is still not 100% at real working distances. Interestingly, the 35mm Bugeye lenses correct the viewfinder for 100% at large distance, which is the logical place one would need a WA lens, not at 40".

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 30, 2001.

Roberto,

This morning I began to test the M3 with the 50mm lens. I inserted a thin ground glass into a film channel and opened the film gate at ‘B’. Then I compared the area inside the frame lines to the film area showed by the lens at 1 meter and then at infinity.

The viewfinder showed the same area as the lens at closest distance (1 meter), but at infinity the lens showed on the ground glass approximately 1mm in each direction more than the viewfinder. So, at closest distance the VF shows 100% and at infinity 86,6%.

Of course, I can’t assert that my tests are very correct, but it gives some performance about the M3’ viewfinder.

Regards, Victor

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), July 31, 2001.