M3 finder lines and other tales of Leica woe and dismay

[Ghostman]

I tested a 21mm lense in Tokyo and of course they gave me the view finder as well. It also has those curved corners which really put me off. They are very contrived and distracting. It doesn't inspire much when you look at them, for me it sends a message that 'this view you're looking at is an approximation' which flies in the face of the precision of German Engineering™.

 

[thomasw_]

If you want to shoot with any RF, then you have to accept the framing compromise. Much same with any gear or system; there are always compromises. OP, in your case it sounds as if you wish to use a M but want to be able to have square frame lines for both the 35/50 FLs and the build quality of the M3. If so, then I recommend either the M2 or M4. I use both models a lot and can recommend either very highly provided you accept the RF compromise.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

Even worse than the rounded corners is the fact they are set for a subject X feet away, around 3 or 6, and for further distances you have to use the outer borders and for even further distance additional distances need to be added. It is simply not a camera for really precise framing. For that you want a reflex camera with 100% viewfinder coverage, Nikon F or F2 or D3 or D4 or Hasselblad or 4x5. RF is made for quick shooting reporters who fix mistakes later in the darkroom.

 

[EASmithV]

The best Leica accessory is a Nikon...

 

[cliveh]

The best Leica accessory is a Nikon...

 

[georg16nik]

The best Leica accessory is a Nikon...

You might be spot on!
Nikon will be remembered for one of the biggest rip-offs in the history of camera optics - the Nikkor 50mm f/1.5
Nikon started as a Contax/Leica rip-off with Leica shutter, Zeiss Sonnar rip-off lens, then just added a prism and You got Nikon F