Leica a la carte?

[articulate]

Hello everyone, I have a couple of questions.

I will be buying a Leica MP in a couple of months but realised that because I wear glasses, I can't quite see the 35mm framelines in the 0.72x finder. I can see them, but not all of it at the same time, and no I can't take off my glasses to use the camera because I will be as blind as a bat.

The question is, are there Leica MPs with the 0.58x finder on retail shelves or is my only option to get it a la carte? Getting it a la carte is not a problem, I'm even thinking of doing it just so I can remove all engraving and have a different leatherette covering, but that's a luxury I could do without if I can find an MP with the 0.58x finder.

The second question is regarding the 35mm Summilux ASPH, I dropped by Cathay Photo and they seem to be out of stock, I placed myself on their waiting list but they can't guarantee they'll have it by the end of the year. Since this is going to be my first dive into the Leica M system, I don't have any other lenses. Are there other places to get this lens? Or is it like if Cathay doesn't have it, no one else does?

Thanks for your time.

 

[blacvios]

Hello everyone, I have a couple of questions.

I will be buying a Leica MP in a couple of months but realised that because I wear glasses, I can't quite see the 35mm framelines in the 0.72x finder. I can see them, but not all of it at the same time, and no I can't take off my glasses to use the camera because I will be as blind as a bat.

The question is, are there Leica MPs with the 0.58x finder on retail shelves or is my only option to get it a la carte? Getting it a la carte is not a problem, I'm even thinking of doing it just so I can remove all engraving and have a different leatherette covering, but that's a luxury I could do without if I can find an MP with the 0.58x finder.

The second question is regarding the 35mm Summilux ASPH, I dropped by Cathay Photo and they seem to be out of stock, I placed myself on their waiting list but they can't guarantee they'll have it by the end of the year. Since this is going to be my first dive into the Leica M system, I don't have any other lenses. Are there other places to get this lens? Or is it like if Cathay doesn't have it, no one else does?

Thanks for your time.

Early release MPs do come with a 0.58x finder, the a la carte option came later when the demand for 0.58x was not that high. The earlier MPs also came with full iso dials and not half dials. They are certainly available pre-owned provided you can find one.

http://www.cameraquest.com/mguide.htm#New MP

Or a cheaper alternative is to get a diopter attachment to your viewfinder, leica has them in -3 to +3 steps

http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/accessories/viewfinder_accessories/2210.html

 

[artspraken]

First, yes Leica MP comes in 0.58x. But not easy to find on store shelves. In Singapore, the Leica distributor is Schmidt and there are quite a few authorised retailers such as Cathay, MaxPhoto, Gope, etc etc. There will be more than one place you can buy Leica. But due to high cost, retailers do not tend to keep alot of stock ready. I've seen a Black MP in MaxPhoto 3 months ago, but not sure if it is 0.58x

For your eyesight problem, you may try contact lenses as an alternative. However, generally I do not believe in pushing my eyeball too close to the rubber cup, because that creates a misalignment between my left and right eye. I tend to have about half an inch between my eyeball and the rubber cup.

Also, Leica is generally more expensive in Singapore due to currency, GST, customs etc etc (IMHO). It is always a good idea when travelling to look out for Leica retailers, if only to save on taxes.

Second, if you are referring to the new 35mm summilux ASPH released in July 2010, lol, be prepared for a long wait if you have put yourself on a retailer's "waiting list" without placing a deposit or paying in advance. The wait list for this 35mm is likely to be longer than the other 2 super long wait lists: (i) M9 and (ii) 50mm summilux ASPH. Note also that because this lens is a new release, you can only buy brand new and pay a premium. There is no option to buy resale at a cheaper price.

Of course, there are the older versions of 35mm summilux and summicron. These are excellent lenses, though there are many versions and subversions so do some research prior to buying.

 

[artspraken]

Ah yes, diopter adjustment also can. There are some non-leica version also I seen before online

 

[articulate]

Thanks for the advice people, guess I'll just have to shop around then. I can wait a couple of months, since I'll also be out of the country for one of those two months so it isn't really a big issue now regarding the new lens, I'll probably drop off the full payment in advance if a retailer can guarantee I'll have it by a certain date.

But regarding the diopters or contact lenses, perhaps I need to rephrase myself, not only can I not remove my glasses, I'd rather not have to remove them. If I was willing to, I would not have even considered getting an MP a la carte just to get the 0.58x finder if there wasn't any on retail.

 

[blacvios]

But regarding the diopters or contact lenses, perhaps I need to rephrase myself, not only can I not remove my glasses, I'd rather not have to remove them. If I was willing to, I would not have even considered getting an MP a la carte just to get the 0.58x finder if there wasn't any on retail.

If you are using diopters, you won't need to remove your glasses, it just compensates the distance between the spectacles and your eye. I am using a -2 on a 1X magnification RF finder and it is an improvement.

,,,

 

[articulate]

If you are using diopters, you won't need to remove your glasses, it just compensates the distance between the spectacles and your eye. I am using a -2 on a 1X magnification RF finder and it is an improvement.

,,,

Is that so? Apologies then, I assumed diopters were corrective fixtures that allowed you to use the camera without glasses if you were either short/far-sighted.

Edit: according to the Leica website, http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/accessories/viewfinder_accessories/2210.html, unless I'm reading it wrong, it seems to say that you're suppose to use them without glasses. I'm not very learned on optical correction so please explain how diopters would help me while I'm using glasses.

 

[blacvios]

Is that so? Apologies then, I assumed diopters were corrective fixtures that allowed you to use the camera without glasses if you were either short/far-sighted.

Edit: according to the Leica website, http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/accessories/viewfinder_accessories/2210.html, unless I'm reading it wrong, it seems to say that you're suppose to use them without glasses. I'm not very learned on optical correction so please explain how diopters would help me while I'm using glasses.

Me too, I can't explain in technical terms but maybe i share with you what i experienced, basically my right eye is around 650+ deg short sighted with 150 deg asti; if i were to completely replace my glasses with a diopter, i probably would need a -6 diopter, so what i do it to use instead a -2 or -3 to compensate for the distance between my eye to specs and specs to finder, with a -2 i do not even have to touch the finder with my glasses to see the framelines, However i have not seen a MP 35mm lines on a full finder before and whether the increased viewing distance will affect seeing the 35mm framelines.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I tried diopters before, didnt help at all.

so no choice, I'm using a Hexar RF with x0.6 mag, I can even see the 28mm lines with my specs on.

For 0.72 on leica, I can see the 35mm frames but not the 28mm. I'll prob have to get a M7 or MP x0.58 as well if I wanna see clearly on the Leica M

 

[articulate]

Me too, I can't explain in technical terms but maybe i share with you what i experienced, basically my right eye is around 650+ deg short sighted with 150 deg asti; if i were to completely replace my glasses with a diopter, i probably would need a -6 diopter, so what i do it to use instead a -2 or -3 to compensate for the distance between my eye to specs and specs to finder, with a -2 i do not even have to touch the finder with my glasses to see the framelines, However i have not seen a MP 35mm lines on a full finder before and whether the increased viewing distance will affect seeing the 35mm framelines.

Hmmm, then I must try it. The only problem is finding someone patient enough to let me. Thanks for the info, if it works, I'll be happy with the 0.72x, if it doesn't and if I can't find a black paint MP with 0.58x(two people have already put me on to the guy selling the chrome MP 0.58x on RFF), then a la carte it is!

I tried diopters before, didnt help at all.

so no choice, I'm using a Hexar RF with x0.6 mag, I can even see the 28mm lines with my specs on.

For 0.72 on leica, I can see the 35mm frames but not the 28mm. I'll prob have to get a M7 or MP x0.58 as well if I wanna see clearly on the Leica M

I tried it at Cathay, 35mm on 0.72x viewfinder. I can see the framelines, that's not a problem. But I can't see the whole frame without moving my eye around. It's either I see the top and bottom or the two sides, not all at the same time. Call me picky I guess.

Also tried a guy's 50mm on a 0.72x viewfinder, not enough difference to make me a convert to the 50mm focal length.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I tried it at Cathay, 35mm on 0.72x viewfinder. I can see the framelines, that's not a problem. But I can't see the whole frame without moving my eye around. It's either I see the top and bottom or the two sides, not all at the same time. Call me picky I guess.

Also tried a guy's 50mm on a 0.72x viewfinder, not enough difference to make me a convert to the 50mm focal length.

No worries, I've very picky on it as well!

I must be able to see the full 35mm focal framelines before I buy the camera

 

[articulate]

No worries, I've very picky on it as well!

I must be able to see the full 35mm focal framelines before I buy the camera

Thanks for concurring, at first I was starting to wonder if I was being overly picky about it, especially when I was at Cathay and made the remark that I can't see the full frame lines and got those sideways glances from the staff. Something like, "Hmph! Idiot doesn't know his Leica!"

But on a side note though, does having a lower viewfinder magnification make the focussing patch smaller as well?