I am looking at buying a Leica M6. Want to get a 35mm 2.0 lense for it. interestes on pictures of people, streets, landscapes. Not sure what is the best combination, a .58, .72, or .85 M6? Thanks,

Tony

-- Tony Higuera (thiguera@aol.com), January 13, 2002

Answers

This thread might be of interest:

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-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 13, 2002.

You definitely don't want a .85.

For 30 years, the answer has been the .72, which allows you to see movement outside the frame as it moves into the frame. That is probably still the answer unless you wear glasses while shooting. If you do, you should demo a .58 and see if it is better for you.

-- Rolfe Tessem (rolfe@ldp.com), January 13, 2002.

I have a 0.85 m6 ttl, and find it not easy to see all the 35mm frame lines probably because I wear glasses. If you also wear glasses, I guess a 0.72x finder is better for a 35mm lens. 0.85x finder is particularly good for 50mm and longer lenses, IMHO

-- tom tong (tom.tong@ckh.com.hk), January 13, 2002.

And this one:

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-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 13, 2002.

35mm lens only? Cross off the .85 unless a) you don't wear glasses and b) have REALLY good peripheral vision - the 35 frame is 'way out at the edge of the viewfinder.

Personally I like the .72 finder (in use since the M2 of 1960). But I shoot focal lengths from 15 to 90mm, including 28 and 35. It's accurate enough for most 90mm work and wide enough to include the 28 frame (barely) even with glasses - at least -I- can see it.

To my eye the .58 seems a little 'distant', but it makes the 35/28 frames very easy to see, and, if you use the 24, gives a fair approximation of that framing if you ignor the lines and use the whole outline of the finder itself. Telephoto focusing becomes more iffy.

If you think you might add a lens(es) in the future, plan accordingly:

24/28 - .58

28/90 - .72

50/90/135 - .85

The 21 needs a finder in any case, so it's a non-factor - although I guess if that was the ONLY other lens you got you could 'cheat' that view with the .58 as well - especially if you have a high tolerance for 'serendipity' near the edges. 8^)

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), January 13, 2002.

With the 35 as your lens, forget the .85 as has already been said because it won't work well. Because the 35 works eqaualy well with either the .58 or .72 bodies, your choice is probably best predicated by what you think your next lens will be. In effect, the .58 body is ideal for the 28 and 35 focal lengths, so if you are going to get a 28 and nothing longer than a 50, then the .58 may be your best choice. On the other hand, if your next lens is going to be a Noctilux, 75 Summilux, or 90 anything then your best choice is the .72. If your next lens is a 24 or a 21, then the auxilary finder is probably the best bet, so the .58 offers little advantage over the .72 other than it kind of approximates the coverage of the 24 at full frame. So again the .72 would probably be the better choice unless your third lens is going to be the 28.

Hope this helps!

:-) Cheers,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), January 13, 2002.

I wear glasses all day (yes, I know, your eyes are not my eyes) and have a 0.72. Tried the other two and they are either worse or at least not better (for me).

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), January 14, 2002.

It all depends, IMHO, upon whether you wear glasses. If you do, you will probably find a 35mm lens easiest to use in combination with the .58 body. If not, the .72 body might be a better choice, especially if you intend to use lenses in the future.

Should you decide to get the .58 body, it may not suit focusing and composition all that well with 75mm, 90mm or 135mm lenses; however, you can use a .58 body in combination with a 1.25x magnifier (if you can find one) to provide a more suitable viewfinder magnification for longer lenses. Long lenses should be served even better with a .72 body + 1.25x magnifier.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Sorry, that should say "... the .72 might be better, especially if you intend to use LONGER lenses in the future."

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

i got the .58 and use lenses not longer than 50mm. i wear glasses. would never change for any other magnification. especially my nose likes that finder (doesn't get pressed that flat)

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Well, I'll give the odd answer. I wear eyeglasses, had a 0.72 and changed to a 0.85. I use 35 to 90 mm lenses; mainly 35/1.4 and 75/1.4. I find it much easier to focus the 75 with the 0.85.

I don't find the greater magnification a problem with the 35 mm lens. As for watching the image come into the viewfinder, I leave both eyes open and can see peripheral action if necessary. Besides, I like knowing that essentially the whole frame is what I record when using my 35 mm lens.

-- Robert L Jones (mail@visionsurgery.net), January 14, 2002.