90mm bright finder

[AnthonyM]

I just purchased a Leica 90mm brightline finder for my IIIF. I will use it with my 90mm Elmar. I expect it will arrive in a week or so. I plan on testing it before using it. However, I note from the photos of this finder that there is a dial on it which corrects for parallax at various distances. If you dial in a 7, it should correct for a 7 foot distance.

My 50mm Leica brightline finder does not have the dial which you can set for various distances. I saw a difference on film when the images were developed. The parallax problem was visable.

My question is: Is this finder very accurate, or will I also see a significant difference from what I see in the finder to what the camera actually records on film? I am counting on the finders adjustable distance dial to correct the parallax. I welcome comments from members who have actually used this neat looking little finder.

[FPjohn]

I have such a Leitz finder for my 90mm. It gives more accurate framing than a fixed brightline finder. However it does not correct fully for parallax, no finder can, so one becomes practiced at judging fov with experience.

yours
FPJ

[Roberto]

I just purchased a Leica 90mm brightline finder for my IIIF. I will use it with my 90mm Elmar. I expect it will arrive in a week or so. I plan on testing it before using it. However, I note from the photos of this finder that there is a dial on it which corrects for parallax at various distances. If you dial in a 7, it should correct for a 7 foot distance.

My 50mm Leica brightline finder does not have the dial which you can set for various distances. I saw a difference on film when the images were developed. The parallax problem was visable.

My question is: Is this finder very accurate, or will I also see a significant difference from what I see in the finder to what the camera actually records on film? I am counting on the finders adjustable distance dial to correct the parallax. I welcome comments from members who have actually used this neat looking little finder.

Cool :D I just bought the same excact thing yesterday
Rob.

[AnthonyM]

Thanks for the info.

May I ask, how much would you correct for at 7 feet, which is the range I will be using? I use the camera in the verticle position. I assume I will have to pull the camera to the left a hair ?

Is correction needed, from your experience, both horizontally and vertically in the vertical position using this finder? I will be doing candid headshots for a yearbook.

I will do a test when I get the finder, but would still like your opinion from your actual experience.

[Spyderman]

It will depend on the height of the camera body (actually on the distance between lens axis and the viewfinder). Less on Barnack, more on M, but most on a FED-4 :D

[steverett]

Thanks for the info.

May I ask, how much would you correct for at 7 feet, which is the range I will be using? I use the camera in the verticle position. I assume I will have to pull the camera to the left a hair ?

Is correction needed, from your experience, both horizontally and vertically in the vertical position using this finder? I will be doing candid headshots for a yearbook.

I will do a test when I get the finder, but would still like your opinion from your actual experience.

The dial on the viewfinder will compensate for the up/down parallax correction (that results from the VF being on a separate axis than the lens), but not for the change in effective focal length. So the framelines would actually need to be a little smaller if you are focused at 2m than at infinity.

[FPjohn]

Expect slight cutoff at top and more than shown at the bottom and correct slightly to the left. Frame your subject within the inner brackets for safety - this works for me, ymmv.

yours
FPJ