is something like the 0-serie viewfinder available as an add-on for the hot shoe?

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), December 11, 2001

Answers

Stefan, I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you asking whether an accessory finder can be slid into the Leica 0 accessory shoe? Because that is what you would do. You would install the finder to match whichever lens you have fitted to the camera.

Otherwise, I don't know what you mean.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), December 11, 2001.

Stefan: If you want an OPEN 50mm frame finder to use on your M camera, that you can look through from several inches away (a la "O" series), the best thing I can think of (easiest to find) is a Nikonos (or other underwater camera) external sports finder - the one that frames for a 35mm lens underwater should be pretty close to the 50mm field above water.** There may be other options - I just don't know of them.

If you just want an accessory finder that is bigger and brighter than the built-in M finder, then there are both old Leica/Canon/Nikon/Zeiss finders and new Voigtlander finders that can work. But your eye has to be right up close to those, not back several inches as with the "O".

** water acts to increase effective focal length, so a 35mm underwater frames the same as a 50 in air.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), December 12, 2001.

with the fold down, etched cross hair viewfinder on the m6 you could use the camera a bit off the body, a bit like you would use a digital camera. sometimes there are situations where you are prevented from looking directly into the viewfinder, for example when you rest the camera on a wall. at the moment i guesstimate the frame.

just an add-on gimmick.

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), December 12, 2001.

Is this what you're looking for? See the rest of the detachable Leica folding viewfinders here: http://www.ritzcam.com/cgi- local/listing.pl?sort=d&cat460=460.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), December 12, 2001.

Stefan

The closest thing to the wire frame "finder" of the 0-series is the old multi-focal length sportsfinders (eg., Rasul, Rasuk, etc.). These are non-optical finders (flat pieces of metal) that frame an image to show 35, 50, 90, 135 mm frames (sometimes others too). They come in black and chrome and have different combinations of frames, but all include a 50 mm frame. These are from the 1930s and 40s. You can buy them from a dealer for about $ 75 to $ 125.

But it is not clear why anyone other than a collector would want one of these finders. For users, the Leitz 50 mm brightline finder is far better.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), December 12, 2001.