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M8 accessories

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
External finders. I use a Zeiss 25/28 finder for my Zeiss 18mm and Leica 21mm. And i just ordered a Voightlander 15mm for my 12mm Voightlander lens new one that i just got. i don't normally use a external with the 12mm lens but nice to have one when i want to be accurate
Guy, you might be interested to know that the 15 and 21 finders are exactly the same, except the 21 has frame lines etched. The 15 finder uses the border edge of the finder itself. I like to use the 21 finder since it suits both the 12 and 15 lenses on the M8. (Or 15 and 21 lenses if used with a film camera.)
 
S

Shootist

Guest
The only accessory I nfound to really be needed was the grip base. I hope to correct the need for it this weekend when I change out the covering on one of the M8 to the GripTac cover from CL. But if you have any need for a diopter then that should be on the top of the list.
I find it funny that the IIIF-G Leica's had a diopter correction lever and the M3-on you need to add a lens to correct for near/far sightedness.
Oh well maybe in the M9.
 

TimWright

Member
I found that the wrist strap from Gordy's camera straps great. Also the quick releases from Leica Goodies. Of course the new Epson 7880 for making 24x30 inch from my M8 files as well.
 

David K

Workshop Member
I've got the grip, magnifier, extra batteries, IR filters and just added a +2 diopter after trying one out at a Dale Labs workshop. Didn't think I needed the diopter since I had the magnifier, but I found out differently.
 
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Søren B Hansen

Guest
I had the lucky that Tim Isaac ([email protected]) was in Copenhagen last month and he delivered personaly Tumbs up model 3 to me (see article in8/2007 of LFI)
As I don not use flash the Tumbs Up is right for me and it looks very good on my silver M8

new member to day saw the link to this site on Reid Reviews

Søren
 

stephengilbert

Active member
Bondo,

I don't know about the Leica mag and diopter, but Megaperls makes a 1.35x magnifier with a built in diopter adjustment.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
FWIW, a Leica diopter will screw directly into the rear of the Leica magnifier... In fact, you could conceivably stack two magnifiers that way for even more magnification.
 
C

Catatac

Guest
Softie ?

What is the softie ? How is it useful ? Btw, does everyone use the 1.25 magnifier for all their lenses ?
 
S

Shootist

Guest
I've got the grip, magnifier, extra batteries, IR filters and just added a +2 diopter after trying one out at a Dale Labs workshop. Didn't think I needed the diopter since I had the magnifier, but I found out differently.
Yes the diopter is the FIRST accessory you should get IF you need some type of vision correction. Without it focusing is futile.

To the other poster who asked about the magnifier.
I have one, actually just ordered another for my other M8, and I go back and forth using it with ALL my lenses, from 21mm to 135mm, and haven't made up my mind yet as to it's full effectiveness. What I feel is more important is proper vision correction using a diopter, whether you can use one off the shelf or you have to have a lens made for you be a optician and placed in a diopter ring.
Yes when I'm using one of the magnifiers I use it for ALL lenses (to much of a pain taking it off and putting back on, especially since I use a diopter also with or without magnifier). With the shorter FL lenses I need to peek around the viewfinder to see the frame line for anything shorter the 35 but 28 isn't to bad. With shorter FL lenses I need to peek a little more but don't find it to hard.
Right now the magnifier is in it's case attached to the strap on the M8 and will stay there for a few days, at least. I plan on shooting with the 75 to 135 mm lenses today so I can get a feel of just how "I" focus with those lenses without the magnifier.
I think it is a worthwhile investment in your M series accessory lineup. I have the Leica brand magnifiers but it seems other are happy with the off brand types. The Leica ones are expensive, compared to the off brands. But when you're talking Leica they aren't that expensive. If I can spend $5000 on a body, X2, and on a average of $2000-$3000 for the lenses I have the $300 that the Leica magnifier cost seems like a bargain for another piece of Leica gear. YMMV.

Oh the softy is really NOT a soft shutter release device. It is a shutter release button EXTENDER and it make the the button bigger. For those that use the middle part of there finger to actuate the shutter they find it helpfull but if your like me that uses the tip, or near the tip, of you finger to actuate the shutter button the EXTENDER really does nothing for you. At least that is the way I see it, honestly I've never tried one of these so called Soft Shutter releases.
Again YMMV.
 

robsteve

Subscriber
Re: Softie ?

What is the softie ? How is it useful ? Btw, does everyone use the 1.25 magnifier for all their lenses ?
I have used the soft release on and off for most of my cameras. On some of the newer cameras the shutter release was better without it. On the M3 and M2 it made for super smooth release. On my M8 it seems to work pretty well too.

Unless you shoot with it like illustated on the web page, some cameras are not as smooth with it. I think it has to do with how smooth the channel the shutter button travels in. On the older cameras like M2-M4, the fit/finish of the shutter button mechanism was smooth enough that an off center push of the soft release did not cause any binding and was still smooth.

http://www.rapidwinder.com/

Robert
 
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