There was a time when I was genuinely struggling to maintain critical focus with my Leica M2, especially in mixed, flat, or low-contrast lighting. On paper, aligning the two rangefinder images should be second nature, but in practice, it became frustratingly inconsistent.
I knew what I was looking for, I knew how the camera worked, yet I kept missing focus in situations where I normally wouldn’t even think about it. What I needed wasn’t sharper lenses or brighter conditions - it was simply more contrast in the viewfinder so I could clearly see when those two images snapped together.
The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that the problem wasn’t me. The Leica M2 is a masterpiece of mechanical design, but it was created for a different era, different films, and different expectations. Modern shooting conditions don’t always play nicely with an untreated rangefinder patch.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered an old trick I’d seen years ago - using a flash gel or Kapton tape to tint the finder and increase contrast. At the time, it seemed almost too crude to take seriously, but desperation has a way of sharpening curiosity.
So I ordered a roll of Kapton tape. It cost me just $4.99 / £4.99. When it arrived, I sat down for a few minutes, carefully measured everything, and applied it to my Leica M2. Many people only cover the small rangefinder patch window itself, but I quickly found that wasn’t enough for me. Instead, I chose to cover the entire viewfinder window, accepting that it would slightly alter how the world looked through the camera.
What surprised me most was how effective the result was. The viewfinder now has a subtle amber cast, but the rangefinder patch stands out as a clean, off-white shape. That tonal separation makes it instantly obvious when the images align.
There’s no hesitation, no squinting, no second-guessing. I now hit critical focus virtually every time, even in lighting conditions that previously caused me problems. The camera feels fast again, intuitive again, and most importantly, trustworthy.
Once I confirmed the method worked consistently, I fixed the tape in place properly - and I’ve never looked back. Yes, it seems a little funky from the outside, and purists might wince at the sight of tape on a classic Leica. But that small visual compromise has turned my M2 back into my main workhorse for film photography. Instead of fighting the camera, I’m working with it, and that changes everything.
This entire hack took five minutes of my time and cost next to nothing, yet it’s easily the best and cheapest improvement I’ve made in my photography in decades.
More than anything, it’s allowed me to enjoy shooting again, to trust my instincts, and to stay in the moment rather than worrying about missed focus. At the end of the day, that’s what really matters - not how pristine the camera looks, but how much joy it brings when it’s in your hands.
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