The Leica Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M
The “Frankenfinder” is a magnificent, exorbitantly priced klutz!
Leica has been making so-called “universal” multi-frame viewfinders for nearly 90 years. The first was the torpedo-shaped VISOR of 1931 that had a line drawn plate to show the fields of 3.5cm, 5cm, and 13.5cm lenses. Leitz followed up in late 1932 with the much-improved VIDOM finders with manual parallax correction, and the later VIOOH and (U.S.-made) IMFIN finders (1939-1965) that were dubbed IMARECT because they provided a laterally correct viewing image. The interest in multi-frame viewfinders waned with the introduction of the Leica M3 and its successors, which had anywhere from 3 to 6 built-in parallax-compensating viewfinder frame lines covering focal lengths ranging from 28mm to 135mm.
The Leica Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M, catalog number 12011, affectionately known as the “Frankenfinder” among Leica cognoscenti, was introduced in 2007 to accommodate the 16mm-18mm-21mm f/4 ASPH. Tri-Elmar-M, a unique tri-focal lens that debuted about a year earlier and is still available brand new at the hefty price of $6,495.00! Everything about this latest Leica multi-frame shoe-mount finder is exceptional. A reverse Galilean design, it employs 2 groups of lenses, one with an aspheric element the other with achromatic correction to achieve a crisp, bright viewing image. It provides selectable projected frame lines for 16, 18, 21, 24 and 28mm lenses at 0.28x magnification using a translucent frame line illumination window like the one built into a Leica M’s range/viewfinder, and it provides manual parallax compensation at 5 click-stopped settings ranging from 0.5m (1.64 ft.) to infinity. It even has a sprit level that’s reflected into the finder area when viewing in landscape position. The level has a fluorescent coating to ensure visibility in dim light and the finder can be firmly secured in the camera’s hot shoe by tightening a mounting screw.
Superbly constructed of black anodized aluminum and optical glass with a rubber eyepiece, and beautifully finished, the Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M measures 2.05 x 2.76 x 1.50 inches and weighs in at a reasonably light 5.3 ounces. While these dimensions may not sound gargantuan, this is a big squared-off accessory when it’s perched atop any Leica M and it certainly compromises the camera’s svelte ergonomic form factor, and to some extent, its seamless handling. On the plus side, the finder is amazingly clear, it sits directly over the lens to minimize parallax error, and the frame lines are dazzlingly bright and quite accurate. The finder is directly compatible with the Leica M7, MP and any Digital M but when it’s used on an M8 you must set the focal length to 21, 24, or 28mm instead of 16-18-21mm due to the camera’s smaller sensor size and resulting 1.33x focal length extension factor. For the record, this unique optical masterpiece was designed by Kathrin Keller and Uwe Reinstädtler of Fernwald, Germany and it’s covered by U.S. Patent No 7,706,682 B2 listed under Leica Camera AG and filed on April 7, 2010.
The good news for Leica fans: The Leica Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder M is still available brand new at Leica Stores and specialist Leica retailers. The bad news: it’s currently on back order at most locations, and it’s priced at a staggering $1,100.00! Yes, if you’re so inclined you can snag a used one in pristine shape for $550-750 on the leading online auction sites. Perhaps Eliphantitoculus writing on the Dante Stella site said it best. “This piece is available as a separate unit for those with a lot of wide-angle lenses and more money than time to change finders when changing lenses.” As we said, it’s a magnificent klutz, but there’s nothing else like it on the market.
Many thanks to James Lager and Leica-Camera for providing the photos used in this article.