I'm getting used to using an EVF-2 on an older Leica M240 so I can see the exact framing for 28mm lenses. It's different. And slower. And kludgier. But I seem to be fine with it.

In the ancient times, before the existence of antibiotics and reality TV, Leica made the M6 and gave camera buyers the choice of opting for a wide angle version, a universal version and also a long lens version. They did this by offering three different finder magnfication options. If you were a wide angle fan you could buy the .58 version and enjoy seeing right to the frame edges of your 28mm lens. Then there was the .72 which worked best with lenses from 35mm and longer. Then there was a wonderful version for lovers of 50mms and up. It was the .85 and worked well with longer glass like the 75mms and the 90mms. And, at a stretch, it was even workable with a 135mm. The greater magnification had an advantage in addition to making composition with longer lenses easier. It increased the focusing accuracy of the rangefinder. 

When Leica launched the M240 back in 2012 they were financial on the edge and the idea of offering and stocking three versions of their M camera was impractical. Instead, they took advantage of the miracle of live view and did what Olympus had done before them; they delivered a camera that could use an accessory EVF. At that point Leica M users became capable of using all manner of lenses, including long, adapted lenses and weird wide angles. You could, of course, use the rear screen of the camera in the live view mode to get the same basic effect but the rear LCDs of the first production generation of M240s have miserable screens on the back of the cameras that are nearly unusable in bright sunlight. And wonky of color to boot. The EVF-2 became the sensible option for using an M camera with wider or longer lenses. Although, I have to say that if you use one wide angle all the time there is a great case to be made of just getting an accessory bright line optical finder dedicated to the focal length. They are always bright and clear and mimic the experience one gets looking through the camera's optical finder. I once even had a Leica 50mm bright line finder that I loved using. It was so.....simple. 

Anyway, having recently purchased two of the EVF-2s I thought it would be prudent to actually put the one lens I was having trouble with (the 28mm focal length!) on an M240, attach one of the EVF-2s and get out and get used to it. Try it out. Take it for a walk. Get to know it on a more intimate level. Appraise it. And then look at the photos to see what's different in the way I handle the camera. 

I did that this afternoon. I was going to book super models to help me with this endeavor but it was too hot and they were all hibernating in their air conditioned penthouses. Undeterred I headed out very much alone and decided to brave the heat in order to tell you, gentle reader, about my experiences with an antiquated camera, a low resolution viewfinder and a solid but finicky lens.

Let's start with something positive. The EVF finder works as intended and the image in the finder is relatively color accurate. At least as compared to the live view image on the dreadful rear screen that comes stock on the camera. The resolution of the EVF is 1.4 megapixels which is nothing to write home about but it is functional and you can use the image magnification feature offered by the cameras to punch in and check or correct focus. It's very usable. I might prefer a Leica bright line optical finder but I'm not sure I'm ready for one just yet. One step at a time. 

And now for the negatives, or "cons" as they say on YouTube. The finder sticks up above the camera and ruins the lines of the camera that some designers worked so hard to integrate into the historic system and carry on the design heritage of the M cameras. Ghastly. And the finder is made of plastic. It's good plastic but it's still obviously plastic. One of the reasons I like the M240s and why I bought more than one is that they are made of metal. Brass actually. Once the black, glossy paint gets worn off from my disciplined and rigorous approach to photography you get to see the warm, gleaming brass beneath. It's pure camera porn. Not so with the EVF-2. Scrap off the finish and you get.....scraped up plastic. 

Next up, using live view on an older, slower processor equipped, antique digital rangefinder camera means some long wait times between frames. How long? Go have a coffee and when you come back the camera will probably be ready for the next frame. Seriously, in live mode the camera has to open the shutter and let the sensor send you the live image to mull over. When you click the shutter button the camera has to close the shutter and then shoot the frame which entails re-opening the shutter. Usually I would say it takes longer to write this than the process itself takes but I'm on the fence with this one. If you want to use this camera with a 21, 24, or 28 for fast paced photojournalism then just ignore the EVF and get the optical finders for each lens, or a zoom optical finder for all three. You'll win back your almost instantaneous shutter response and actually get a (mostly) workable frame rate. 

Finally, in keeping with the cons, you'll find the almost euphoric, breathtaking and enviable battery life of the M240 gets much more quickly depleted when using the live view and using the finder. It likes to chew on batteries like a dog wants to chew on your favorite leather slippers from Lands End. For once in your ownership of the M240 you'll find yourself thinking about taking along a second battery for a long day of shooting. Something I've never had to do when using the camera in its native mode. Battery suckage is a real thing. And it's triggered by live view. 

A bright spot in my hot afternoon of photography. The Carl Zeiss 28mm f2.8 ZM exhibited no color smear, edge color shift or reduced edge sharpness when used on the M240. In fact it's a wonderful lens. Well behaved and popular with .... me. Now looking seriously at 28mm Leica bright line finders....

But I did take a few images and I also played around with a few Lightroom presets as I was messing round with them in post. See for yourself. 

I guess I could fix all these EVF problems by just buying a brand new M11 and the new EVF made for that model. But you know, it's too easy to just toss money at stuff. It's more fun to suffer for the art. Makes it feel...productive. Like driving with a stick shift. I guess. 

I am a participant in a constant battle over the logic of dishwasher loading.

I'm always ready to shut the door and run it. B. is always of the belief that 

there is always room for a few more dishes. And other stuff. 

Since I always grocery shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's I had no idea that 

Pepsi (the choice of a whole new generation!!!) was still in business. Really?

Do people still buy this stuff? Well, I guess so since they have a truck...

My CZ 28mm is the sharpest 28 I've ever owned. But I've never really bought 

expensive 28s. Why would I when I never used to use them?

I would guess that business stays busy. 

I think they mostly just suck up water with vacuums for 

people whose pipes have broken.... not really working 

on global warming or hostilities in eastern Europe...

Sidewalk Ogres. 

Waiting for the Jack Kerouac Express. 

Which camera to take along when you ride the rails?

And Mike WILL caution you not to play on the railroad tracks. 

I've forgotten why. Might need a refresher on that. 

A good way to flatten nickels!!!