Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>I'm in no position to buy a new body right now. But I have heard the Leica >will put an M4 frameline set into an M6 for a fee. What are the framelines >in the M4, M3? Charlie, THe M4 has frames for 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm. Since the largest frame is the 35mm (instead of the 28mm), all of the other frames are sligthly larger. Since it lacks the 28 and 75mm frames, the viewfinder is also less cluttered: the 35mm and 135mm frames are the only ones which are doubled-up with each other. The M3 has 50, 90 and 135mm frames; there are special 35mm lenses with "goggles" on them to present a 35mm angle-of-view, using the 50mm frameline. The M2 has 35mm, 50mm and 90mm. You can only use 135mm by using the f/2.8 lens with "goggles." The viewfinder/rangefinder is a self-contained module, and it can be removed and replaced with one from another model. The M3, whose viewfinder will not work in any other model. The viewfinders on the M2, M4, M4-2 (same as M4), M4-P (same as M6) and M6 can be exhanged with each other, and it's not too uncommon to find these cameras with the "wrong" frames in them. I get the impression that the whole viewfinder module is often simply replaced when a camera goes in with viewfinder or rangefinder problems. They get rebuilt, and then eventually get put into another camera. There is aparently a way to have an M6J custom-made out of an M6, but you have to sacrifice an M3 for parts in order to do this. - - Paul