1.25 Magnifier --- HK Supplies

[arthury]

I read that some of you guys have used this non-Leica-made magnifier sold at eBay by HK Supplies. Is this magnifier bright enough compared to the Leica's version? Do you have any issues with it so far?

Please share your thots on this. I'm considering it. Thanks!

[gesper]

No rubber coating, so have to be careful not to scratch glasses, no threads for inserting diopter (but maybe you can screw diopter in first, then magnifier? Don't have diopter so not sure). Overall very satisfied with quality, etc. Also, service and speed is outstanding considering they are in Hong Kong.

[arthury]

Is the Leica's version rubber coated?

[canlogic]

I put a bit of stick on foam on mine and it works great.

[sps]

Yes. Leica's has a rubber ring. I use it while wearing my glasses and there is never any damage. If you keep the rubber clean, it doesn't even smudge your spectacles.

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by sps

Yes. Leica's has a rubber ring. I use it while wearing my glasses and there is never any damage. If you keep the rubber clean, it doesn't even smudge your spectacles.

I there threads on the Leica unit to screw in a diopter lens?
This is something I am use to. Other wise I need to put my glasses on for close up and remove them for distant shots.

[marknorton]

Don't get too attached to the Leica rubber ring, they come off.

I think the HKS one is a great alternative to the Leica one, works fine and of course HKS are great. I've bought 8 lenses - 9 if you count the macro adapter as one - from them since last May and their service is excellent.

[woodda]

I bought one 2 years ago and the rubber always fell off. Leica replaced it twice and finally I lost it. O dear. Saying that the magnification was useful

[Enoteca]

Originally Posted by marknorton

Don't get too attached to the Leica rubber ring, they come off.

I think the HKS one is a great alternative to the Leica one, works fine and of course HKS are great. I've bought 8 lenses - 9 if you count the macro adapter as one - from them since last May and their service is excellent.

Sorry Mark,
can you please explain, what "HKS" is? I couldn't follow the postings.
Thank's for a short reply.
Best greetings out of the "magenta-forest" !
Manfred

[gravastar]

Originally Posted by Shootist

I there threads on the Leica unit to screw in a diopter lens?
This is something I am use to. Other wise I need to put my glasses on for close up and remove them for distant shots.

I found a better solution was a magnifier from Megaperls, Megaperls Webshop - Films and more directly from Japan there is a restriction on them selling to germany or the US due to Leica patents. However I believe there is no restriction if you order a similar magnifier for use on an SLR. The great thing about their product is it has an adjustable dioptre which neither the HKS or Leica ones have. I find that facility most useful when changing from a far away to close up subject. Their magnifiers don't have a rubber protection coating. They correspond in english and delivery is fast.

To answer your question, yes the Leica 1.25x does have a thread to take the fixed Leica dioptre correction lenses.

Bob.

[gravastar]

Originally Posted by Enoteca

Sorry Mark,
can you please explain, what "HKS" is? I couldn't follow the postings.
Thank's for a short reply.
Best greetings out of the "magenta-forest" !
Manfred

eBay Store - Hong Kong Supplies: Nikon, Canon, Sigma and search for Leica magnifier.


Bob.

[mike prevette]

I just got the HKS magnifier this week. Over al it's very good, great contrast. It came with a cute yet almost useless leather pouch. I covered the outer rim with a couple layers of gaffers tape so it's soft when I'm wearing glasses. One weird ism is that it threads completely into my M6, but only threads a few turns into my M8. I cant tell if the M8 eyepiece s shallower or if it's cross threaded. It's not a big deal at all because its still attached very well.

I was amazed at how much it improved my focusing. It think it's a must have for the m8. I'm also left eyed and the magnifier keeps me from having to jam my nose aainst the screen.

All in all thumbs up on it.
_mike

[leicaM8freak]

I was not that lucky with this magnifier...first it would only screw in 1/4 of a turn..and then I did not realise the pretty rough edges and scratched my glasses straight away on first use...
My optician had the bad news for me that the glasses could not be polished and I have to replace them....
so M8 is costing money in other non expected departments.

[chetccox]

This is something I am use to. Other wise I need to put my glasses on for close up and remove them for distant shots.[/quote]


I am having trouble understanding this statement. Why do you need to remove your glasses for distant shots? The rangefinder focal point does not change. It is in focus close up and at infinity as evidenced by the constant focus of the red led data in the viewfinder. Perhaps you are referring to the frame lines and you cannot see where they are with your glasses on, but I would think it would be more important to see them for a close shot - thus without the glasses.

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by chetccox

This is something I am use to. Other wise I need to put my glasses on for close up and remove them for distant shots.


I am having trouble understanding this statement. Why do you need to remove your glasses for distant shots? The rangefinder focal point does not change. It is in focus close up and at infinity as evidenced by the constant focus of the red led data in the viewfinder. Perhaps you are referring to the frame lines and you cannot see where they are with your glasses on, but I would think it would be more important to see them for a close shot - thus without the glasses.

For some reason when I have my reading glasses on, I only need them to see close, and look through viewfinder as a distant subject THAT subject is blurry. If I take my reading glasses off the whole image in the viewfinder becomes clearer. If I then look at a subject that is close, without my reading glasses on it is very hard to get a clear image in the rangefinder patch.
I realize the the range finder patch IS always close to my eye. So you would think I would get a clearer image in the rangefinder patch all the time when I had my glasses on. But for me that is not the case, at least perceptually.
Could be because of the distance from my eye to the lens in the glasses, the distance from the glasses to the glass in the eye piece on the camera and the distance from there to the actual rangefindr patch.
I am now using a +1.5 but I think I need to go to a +2. I normally wear +1.5 for normal distance computer work and general seeing close but go to a +1.75 for book reading (unless I'm in real good light or the print is larger (Small print makes me feel really old)) and for close up work on small objects I even double up the glasses, 1 pair of +1.5 and then a pair of +1.75 over them.
My distant vision is good, although I have noticed recently I can't read the road signs at night as well as I use to. I have to wait until I get closer to them. But in daylight I have no problems seeing far. Everybody alway asks me Where did my ball go when we're golfing.
I use to have eye like a hawkand could see dust on the head of a record stylus.
Rangefinder get tougher to use when nyou get older.

EDIT:
Ok let me see if I can expane it a little clearer.
Yes the rangefinder PATCH is always in the same place but what you are really looking at through the viewfinder changes depending on whether you are close or far from the subject. So even though the PATCH is clearer with my glasses on at any distance the rest of the image is blurred at far distances. The rangefinder patch is superimposed over the top of the normal view. So even though the rangefinder patch is more in focus with glasses on at any distance the rest of the image is not at far distances.
At this point I'm not sure any type of correction lens will help getting both in focus at far distances.

[fuchs]

HKS have very recently (yesterday?) added a "0.85X for Leica for eyeglass wearers", so I think a 1.25X version with rubber protection will shortly follow.

Best,

Ed

[chetccox]

Ok let me see if I can expane it a little clearer.
Yes the rangefinder PATCH is always in the same place but what you are really looking at through the viewfinder changes depending on whether you are close or far from the subject. So even though the PATCH is clearer with my glasses on at any distance the rest of the image is blurred at far distances. The rangefinder patch is superimposed over the top of the normal view. So even though the rangefinder patch is more in focus with glasses on at any distance the rest of the image is not at far distances.
At this point I'm not sure any type of correction lens will help getting both in focus at far distances.[/quote]

The rangefinder is set for -.5 diopter, so I would say you should try at least a 2.0 diopter on the viewfinder. They are additive, so -.5 +2.0=1.5. You might even try a 2.5. I think if you do so you will find everything from close up to infinity will be in focus for you. I also had perfect eyesight until I was 50, and can still pass a pilot eye test (lots of squinting, however). However, I can't read a book at normal arms length. With 2.5 diopter glasses everything is perfectly in focus. I therefore use the +3 on the M8, along with the 1.25 magnifier. Perhaps your dealer can allow you to try out the various powers to see what is best for you. You should be able to find a combination that will work for all distances without glasses.

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by chetccox

The rangefinder is set for -.5 diopter, so I would say you should try at least a 2.0 diopter on the viewfinder. They are additive, so -.5 +2.0=1.5. You might even try a 2.5. I think if you do so you will find everything from close up to infinity will be in focus for you. I also had perfect eyesight until I was 50, and can still pass a pilot eye test (lots of squinting, however). However, I can't read a book at normal arms length. With 2.5 diopter glasses everything is perfectly in focus. I therefore use the +3 on the M8, along with the 1.25 magnifier. Perhaps your dealer can allow you to try out the various powers to see what is best for you. You should be able to find a combination that will work for all distances without glasses.

Thanks for the original reply. After reading it and replying to it I did some more tests and it seems that the whole image is a little more in focus with my glasses on or when using the +1.5 diopter when looking through the M8 viewfinder. Funny but doing the same tests looking through any of my M3's I see better at far distances with out glasses but the diopter does work OK.
Not sure how the whole range/viewfinder works in the Leica but it seems as if everything is superimposed on a peice of glass in the viewfinder. IE the rangefinder patch, frame lines and the actual image.
I have just now ordered the +2 diopter. Sadly I don't know of any Leica dealers in my area. Yes there is KEH but they mostly have used equipment and they don't have a real store front operation. Hopefully that will work better then the +1.5. I did realize that the viewfinder is at a -.5 and just didn't do the math, or went brain dead, when ordering the first one. Although the +1.5 does work fine on my M3's. That might be due to the grater manification of the M3.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. You have help me immensely.

[gravastar]

Originally Posted by chetccox

.......................................... Perhaps your dealer can allow you to try out the various powers to see what is best for you. You should be able to find a combination that will work for all distances without glasses.

He may not be able to find a single correction lens that will work for all subject distances, at least that's the situation for me. My eyes have very limited accomodation (focus range) and there is no single correction lens that's OK for near and far work. That's why I use the Megaperl's 1.35x magnifier with it's adjustable correction of -3 to +1.5 dioptres.

ETA: Although the quoted correction range is -3 to +1.5, I suspect it's more like +2 maybe more on the positive side.

Bob.

[Shootist]

Originally Posted by gravastar

He may not be able to find a single correction lens that will work for all subject distances, at least that's the situation for me. My eyes have very limited accomodation (focus range) and there is no single correction lens that's OK for near and far work. That's why I use the Megaperl's 1.35x magnifier with it's adjustable correction of -3 to +1.5 dioptres.

Bob.

I would like to try one of those but seeing as I'm in the USA, and I don't like ordering from out of the country, I don't think that going to happen.
Would be nice for some company to import them.