Holy Cow! Now I know why the cost so much!

[TJV]

I recently bought a Voigtlander 28mm metal viewfinder, which is great for the money, but I was finding it a bit troublesome to use as there is not much eye relief and the outside of the frame is rather difficult to see if my eye is not pressed up against it. I always wondered why the Zeiss viewfinders were so much money and decided, after reading many reviews and having been served well my a Voigtlander 35mm finder in the past, that the Voigtlander 28mm finder was a better choice during a financial downturn. I acutally use a 0.72 M7 and M4-P but I like using the external finder because I can see more outside the frame when using a 28mm lens and the magnification is a better suited to how I previsualise my compositions. I mainly use the 28mm by prefocusing it and usually only for street photography.

Anyway, today I happened to bump into a chap sporting an M6 with a Zeiss 18mm ZM and the matching Zeiss finder. I asked to look through the finder and I was totally blown away. Obviously, it's bigger in bulk, but the eye relief was extremely good and the outer frame edges were very easily seen. Illumination and distortion seemed very good too. Now I see where the money goes! Not that I regret getting the Voigtlander finder, but wow!
Does anyone out there use the Zeiss 25/28mm finder? How do you find it and do you think it is worth the money if you like shooting those focal lengths?
No one stocks Zeiss ZM products in NZ so your thoughts are welcome.

[kshapero]

I guess you get what you pay for.

[TJV]

I guess you get what you pay for.

Sure, unless you're buying a black Leitz finder for $1000US.
Actually, the Voigtlander is very good but at some stage I'd like the ZM 25mm and I'd need the Zeiss finder to go with it anyway. We're talking waaaaaaay down the track. Mastercard would kill me if I bought them now!

[Larry Manuel]

To match my ASPH Leica 28 f/2.8 lens, I bought the Zeiss finder; I've been using both nearly one year. For a while I used the 28 on my M3 without finder, but now have come to love the finder. Much of the time I keep the 28 set at f/8 and thus I don't need to focus for things beyond 1.5 meters.

I agree with your observations of the Zeiss finder. Two aspects that I like: [a] It has an aluminum "foot" that doesn't slip in my M3's accessory shoe. [b] the rubber ring around the eyepiece doesn't scratch my gla$$es. After owning CV 25 mm and 35 mm finders, the Zeiss's eye relief is much more suitable for me.

All in all, I am completely satisfied, and yes, the memory of the high price is fading, and the quality remains. If Zeiss offered a 50 mm finder, I'd be sorely tempted to buy one to go with my Summarit-M 50 mm f/2.5 lens. The CV 50 mm finder appears to have a design [larger aperture eyepiece] that would give it longer eye relief than other CV finders; I may try one.

[TJV]

The Zeiss finders look cool too...
Ahhhh, if only money grew on trees.

[Matus]

Unfortunately they obviously did for a long time ... :o

The Zeiss finders look cool too...
Ahhhh, if only money grew on trees.

[photorat]

Unfortunately they obviously did for a long time ... :o

You mean: Americans thought it did and now the rest of the world is paying for their wake up call...

[Quinn Porter]

You mean: Americans thought it did and now the rest of the world is paying for their wake up call...

You speak as if Europe saw no run up in housing prices, as if no European banks took on too much debt and invested in overvalued assets, and as if no European government has been running a deficit or carries a large debt.

The situation is bad and the U.S. was a big contributor, but don't pretend Western Europe is an innocent bystander.

[peter_n]

The only time I've ever had people looking at my RF cam in the street is when I had a honking great big 20mm finder on it. Big finders attract attention.

[maddoc]

I had and used the Zeiss 25/28 finder together with a Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8 but then sold both two members here at RFF (nearly two years ago). Since then I have used a lot of external VF (and for different focal length) but wearing glasses, the Zeiss 25/28 is absolutely the best external VF for this focal length. If you can spot one, go for it !!

Cheers,

Gabor

[TJV]

I had and used the Zeiss 25/28 finder together with a Zeiss Biogon 25/2.8 but then sold both two members here at RFF (nearly two years ago). Since then I have used a lot of external VF (and for different focal length) but wearing glasses, the Zeiss 25/28 is absolutely the best external VF for this focal length. If you can spot one, go for it !!

Cheers,

Gabor

From memory, you have an M3? I suppose you use finders a lot? I'd love to get one but no one sells Zeiss here in New Zealand. The only option is to import one and the exchange rate kills me!

[maddoc]

I had an M3 ( ... had three of them) but now only use an 21mm Leitz finder + Super-Angulon-M 21/3.4 with my M2 or M4-P, and occasionally an 50mm CV finder or 28/35 mini-finder with my IIIf.

Honestly, I am not a big fan of external VF ... I just don't find them very convenient to use except for 21mm (or wider) where I can more rely on scale-focus and large DoF. Also, the larger external VF (Zeiss !) tend to get stuck in the neck-strap.

So my setup is 21-35-50-90 to avoid external VF as much as possible. 28mm isn't practically wearing glasses with a 0.72x VF, and the 0.58x equipped Leicas are very expensive and not so optimal for 50/1.4 or 50/1.0. So ... lenses in the 24 to 28mm range are not for me.

Cheers,

Gabor

[peter_n]

Gabor what you need is a Voigtlander R4.

[Double Negative]

I don't like external VFs (and don't own a single one)... But I may break down and get one to use with the 4/18 Distagon ZM and film (with the M8 I just use the entire VF). They certainly are ridiculously expensive; I'd rather spend that money on a lens!

But if the Zeiss VFs are anything like the one built into the Ikon... Whoa. Now THAT is what a VF should look like!

[Doug]

Very interesting discussion, and I appreciate hearing experiences... I have the metal 28mm CV finder mostly used with 21mm lens on M8, and I recently got the 18mm Zeiss lens. Though I also have the CV non-brightline 25mm finder, I've been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on either the Leica 24mm or new Zeiss 25/28mm. A 24 Leica finder sold here just last week (darn, missed it), and the Zeiss finder is so expensive...

But 25/28 would be a versatile combo for use with both 18 and 21mm lenses, and if the view is so big and bright it might be worth the $$ pain. Thanks for the GAS boost! ;)

[spysmart]

Anyway, today I happened to bump into a chap sporting an M6 with a Zeiss 18mm ZM and the matching Zeiss finder.

That was me ! : sorry for fueling the GAS.

I'm now back in Edinburgh, but my body is still on NZ time.
Have a look here ffordes s/h ZI (https://secure.ffordes.com/Shop/Store/StockList.asp?Type=secd&Sub=0&code=ZI) every so often a ZI 25/28mm OVF might turn up. With Sterling just as much in the doldrums as the NZ$, you might get it for close to NZ$500.

PS: I was really impressed that photo&video NZ in the Merivale Mall ChCh had the 3 stop 58mm ND filter to fit the ZM18 - even a choice, so I went for the Heliopan low profile version.

Donald

[TJV]

HAHA! Wow, it's a small world!

Yeah, it's a great shop and I work there from time to time and usually over the summer when I need to save for the tax bill! I don't know if you talked to the other customer there, the one who has the 15mm f2.8 Zeiss lens, but he came in especially to show me his 25mm Zeiss ZM. I was really impressed with the Zeiss lens build quality and seeing your optical finder really made me realise how much I like using the finder when out on the street and using the 28mm. Actually, it was a real Leica convention that day as my friend was there to buy a lovely R lens.

Also, you missed a great trade in as well. Moments later a guy walked in and traded in a absolutely mint M6ttl, 35mm Summicron ASPH, grip and Billingham Leica bag. I went in today and it's still there but I had to resist trading in my old M4-P for it. It's a real beauty.

Did you get many good photos of NZ?

[Al Kaplan]

For several years I used an elderly Leitz 21mmfinder with a corner missing from the front lens. Hey, it was cheap! You couldn't notice if when looking through the finder but I was always afraid I'd get water inside it during a rain. Someplace or another I lost it and bought a VC finder. There's now a piece of matchbook cover jammed under the foot, and instead of putting a piece of masking tape on top of the camera to write the film type I put a bigger piece that extends up one side of the finder. I'd be $128 richer if I'd done that with the Leitz finder! It just stays on the M3 whether or not I'm shooting with the 21/3.4 S.A.

[spysmart]

Did you get many good photos of NZ?


Just got the films back - not sure the 18mm + ND 1/8s panned shots of the trams totally worked.

http://www.donaldingram.com/ForumImages/tram2a.jpg

The other films are from Queenstown, Ben Lomond, Milford, Te Anau, Kepler, Dunedin Routeburn and Mount Cook and seem to have a few potentially interesting negatives :)

[TJV]

Cool, looks like home!
Let me know if you post any more.

[amateriat]

That tram pic works well to my eyes!


- Barrett