Hiyall

Ive noticed with the M rangefinder windows that you have to have your eye at a certain position when looking thru the viewfinder, otherwise the focussing area turns all white. Does anyone else have this problem and what tips do you have to prevent this? (incidently I wear glasses if thats any help)

Thanks

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), March 07, 2002

Answers

Buy an M3 or learn to center your eye.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

I don't have the link handy, but perhaps someone else will..

I remember once seeing a web site that sold a small 'shade' that fits over the RF window to fix this problem..

though i may be wrong..

cobb

-- cobb anderson (cobbanderson@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

http://www.konermann.net/shade.html

found it 4 or 5 posts down... :)

cobb

-- cobb anderson (cobbanderson@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

Here you go: http://www.konermann.net/shade.html

I have this and it works very well. Acutally never remove them my two bodies.

-- Don M (dmaldonadomd@excite.com), March 07, 2002.

See also the detailed entry I have on rangefinder patch flare in the FAQ at nemeng.com/leica/ 020b.shtml

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), March 07, 2002.

A small strip of white, porous surgical tape (in the U.S. its sold as 3M Durapore) placed over the frameline illuminator window knocks out the flare without dimming the framelines or RF patch too much. I replaced those infernal plastic strips on the baseplates of my cameras so that I would have a slick surface to leave strips of tape ready for flare situations. After a while the tape adheres too well to the baseplate, so the plastic strip helps.

I'm aware of one individual who swears that the rangefinder on his M6 does not flare. I would LOVE to see his camera.

-- Robert Schneider (rolopix@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

I bought Lutz's Shade but removed it after a month. It dimmed the frames too much for my liking - especially the right vertical lines - they would practically disappear. A trick I found is to cup your hand over the viewfinder for a second. This helps you "see" the rangefinder patch to tell if it is in line when you remove your hand. Harder to explain than to do. I've also found that I can usually find a flare-free "sweet spot" by moving my eye around a bit.

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

for whatever reason, I have had more trouble in vertical orientations, and turning the camera 180 (shutter button down to shutter button up) usually fixes it. same with nay other temp angle of viewfindes to light source changes, sho,focus, move back is the must do.

I used the shade for a while -- worked in some tests, but did not eliminate the problem for me.

Oh, a few times I find my finger in the way. stupid, bive shtemybody around needlessly. Flare off my pale finger?

-- Lacey Smith (lacsmith@bellsouth.net), March 07, 2002.

"I'm aware of one individual who swears that the rangefinder on his M6 does not flare. I would LOVE to see his camera."

That could be me! I have mentioned before that my recently purchased M6TTLs, a .58 and a .72, don't give me flare problems when I position my eye naturally in the viewfinder. I found that I CAN make them flare, but only by moving my eye to an unnatural position to the left or right.

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), March 10, 2002.

Lacey

I had a similar problem to yourself, but now I focus horizontally and then turn the camera on its side to take the picture, a lot easier!!

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), March 11, 2002.