Re: [Leica] patch flare

[John Collier <jbcollier@powersurfr.com>]

The condenser was removed during the production of the M4-2. I have had
several M4-2 cameras and their viewfinders are just the same as my M2. The
rangefinder flare became a problem with the M6 and late M4-P. The viewfinder
design was modified to accommodate a meter and this is what I believe causes
the flare problem that everyone talks about.

There are two types of flare. The first is where a light strikes the
viewfinder in such a way that the whole finder flares out. All M cameras are
equally susceptible to this type of, thankfully rare,  flare. The second is
where the rangefinder patch flares out. It mainly seems to occur when you
eye is not properly centred in the eyepiece. I find that where my 0.72's
rangefinder patch flares out, my M2 patch slowly disappears as my eye goes
away from centre. The TTL's flare is noticeable and annoying but the M2's
disappearing patch is just as debilitating; just not as immediately
noticeable.

When my 0.72 TTL's patch flares, I just re-centre my eye and the problem
disappears. It was very annoying at first but now I do not notice it at all.
One benefit of the flaring is that forces you to keep your eye centred where
focusing is most accurate. An important factor with limited DOF lenses wide
open.

John Collier

> From: Feliciano di Giorgio <feli@d2.com>
> 
> I was reading some messages on the LHSA regarding M improvements and
> someone
> mentioned the following:
> 
>> 5.Put back the condensor lens that used to prevent the RF flare.
> 
> Is this a change that occured when Leica went from the M3 style
> rangefinder
> system to what ended up in the M2, or was this something that happend
> with
> the advent of the M6? I have a M6TTL .85 and I must say that out here in
> sunny California I'm suffering from chronic patch flare (yes, I do keep
> the
> finder windows clean). I've heard that the M6 .72 and .58 are less flare
> prone
> and the M4 even more so. Is there any truth to this? I am thinking about
> getting a .72 as a second body and this would be a deciding factor. I
> can
> live without the built in meter of the M6 series, since I almost
> exclusively
> use a handheld meter.
>

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