Several messages have appeared concerning flare in the M6 viewfinder when aiming the camera at an intense light source. I've never experienced this with either of my M6's and have shot hunderds of rolls of film. How can I cause this condition so I can understand what the problem is ? Thanks

-- George L. Doolittle (geodoolitt@aol.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

Now that's a good problem to have George! Your eye must just naturally line up at the sweet spot in the finder, so enjoy your good fortune. I saw the finder flare within the first 5 minutes of using an M6 for the first time,(and I wouldn't describe the cause being an "intense light source"-just regular old backlighting) and I was annoyed by it as both my M3 and Minolta CLE do not exhibit finder flare under the same circumstances. It seemed if I lined my eye up very carefully on the M6, the flare was minimized.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 12, 2002.

George:

I have the problem a lot with my M6 non-TTL. I wear glasses and my eye sets far enough back, I have a significant problem. The M3's do not appear to have any flare for me. I wonder if the M7 has helped the problem as Leica claims, and how much $$$ it will be to upgrade the finder in the M6. Feel blessed you do not have or perceive the problem many of us experience routinely.

The problem manifests itself for me because of my glasses. My large probiscus makes me place my head offcenter to the viewfinder, which causes the problem.

-- Mark A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), March 12, 2002.

I sympathize with the above, as I also wear glasses. Fortunately I'm right-eyed so my proboscis goes alongside the left edge of the camera out of harm's way where it functions better than a rubber lens shade for protecting the front element from bashing into things ;>)

But I have never experienced the finder flare on any M6 (I've only owned classics...2 black ones I still have and 2 chromes I sold a while back). As much as I need to be constantly wiping fingerprints off the front viewfinder window, I hope the M7's coating is really strong (a lot stronger than the coatings on the lenses!)or else has threads for a UV filter :>)

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

bright light in an upper corner of full view frame, maybe just out (left, I think, but may be right). move your view around a bit and you will find something, though maybe not crippling, maybe just a lsight hazing of the patch. My worst case is a bright light coming from upper right in a vertical orientation (shutter down, which would be the upper left corner if in horizontal frame). I don't notice it much in broadly lit scenes, more often in indoors, high contrast singular lighting situations.

You can simulate with a flare feed-in to the illuminating window -- I (successfully?) done same with flare from my fingers, but a white card close ould work as well.

-- Lacey Smith (lacsmith@bellsouth.net), March 12, 2002.

"My large probiscus makes me place my head..." Mark and Jay, please keep it clean! Don't forget this thread is also visited by innocent children interested in photography. I find your bragging about your probiscus juvenile and vulgar. Thank god you did not attach a JPEG of your large probiscus... Sincerely, Peter

-- Peter Garbera Arts (peter@garbera.net), March 12, 2002.

Peter:

I misspelled the word. It should be PROBOSCIS, referencing one's nose. And I use Kleenex to keep it clean.

-- Mark A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), March 12, 2002.

Yeah, I've experienced the M6's viewfinder flare. I also noticed it in the first five minutes or so of ownership. Still, it's not a debilitating hardship. Something I've always been able to work around.

Coating improvements in the M7 are great, but I'm not about to upgrade simply for that feature alone.

Interesting how small annoyances like this became serious flaws once the M7 was unveiled.

-- Luke Dunlap (luked@mail.utexas.edu), March 12, 2002.

I've mentioned on another recent thread that I only get M6 TTL rangefinder flare if I position my eye too far to the left or right in the viewfinder - and I have to make a conscious effort to do that. I certainly don't feel the need to have the flare corrected, even if Leica offered to fix it free of charge and paid the return postage!

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), March 12, 2002.

George: If you really want to see it, try shooting in a contrasty low-light situation, like outdoors at night, with streetlights; or in a restaurant at night. In either case, frame the shot so there's a bright light outside the finder, making an angle of, I understand, 110 degrees to the camera axis. My experience is that the location of the offending light source is noncritical; it doesn't really have to be 110 degrees. You'll see it: a white glare that keeps you from making out when you're in focus. To enhance the effect, make sure it's a picture that has to be captured quickly. Something fleeting, requiring quick and sure focusing. This will ensure maximum frustration. By the time you find a way to focus, your subject will be gone. For more information,

HERE'S A LINK

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), March 12, 2002.

Mark, I was only kiddin'!

-- Peter Garbera (peter@garbera.net), March 13, 2002.

There is a great, AND INEXPENSIVE, answer to your flare problem. Log on to www.konermann.net. Look for "the Shade". I have one on each of my "Ms" and it does the trick. The amazing part is the focusing, even in extremely low light , is not effected. While you are browsing there, check out the slide. For pre-M-7 users it TOO is a great addition. Haven't lost a good picture since installing them.

-- Ned Learned (ned@kajabbi.com), March 13, 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 13, 2002.