mikej Posted December 29, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, all - I'm a MF shooter, having moved up from an MP. Just bought a D-Lux 4 as my digital P&S, and I wonder who has had hands-on experience with the external viewfinder? Is it worth the price/effort? Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 29, 2009 Posted December 29, 2009 Hi mikej, Take a look here D-Lux 4 24mm Viewfinder - Experiences?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
brunop Posted December 29, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 29, 2009 i would vote no. not to toot my own horn but well? i've shot some good shots without any external aids. just find the right place to stand and shoot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelb Posted December 29, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 29, 2009 You will of course get varying answers here, its value is subjective to each individual. Having plucked up the courage to spend the money on the viewfinder I now find it invaluable. For my street and reportage photography I use the D-Lux always at 24mm and using the camera with viewfinder means I can operate quickly, draw little attention to myself and also get reduced camera shake (there's nothing worse than holding a camera at arms length). For my architecture and urban landscapes the camera is usually on a tripod so I use the viewfinder less, though it stays on for the grab shots. I'm so impressed with the D-Lux 4 it has become my first camera of choice. My (slightly ageing) Nikon DSLR seems to have been relegated to the bottom of the cupboard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ians Posted December 29, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 29, 2009 I too use one. Is it worth the money? - debatable (in my view). Two problems with it - a loose fit - more than once have I seen it bounce down the road when getting the camera out in a hurry. You'll see that others here have come up with a variety of fixes to keep it securely on the camera. The second is more to do with my ignorance prior to purchase - the frame lines only correspond to the 4:3 aspect ratio. So I need to make allowances when shooting at 3:2 or 16:9. I first noticed that the frame lines did not agree with the image I was shooting after I had dropped it and assumed that I had damaged it. Only afterwards did I realise that I was not shooting at 4:3. Having said all that - I find a viewfinder useful. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Z. Goriup Posted December 29, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 29, 2009 I used to borrow the 24mm viewfinder from my M6TTL, but it was inconvenient, so I bought a second, used external 24mm viewfinder in perfect condition from the local Leica specialist and it has stayed on the camera from that day on. I'll admit that requiring and using an optical viewfinder is based on long established habit of composing and focusing with RF Leicas, but I predict once you stop "watching Television" on the D-Lux-4s LCD you'll never think about shooting without a viewfinder again. I find that under most conditions outdoors I simply can't see the image I'm about to take on the viewing screen. The other accessory I installed which really helps make the D-Lux-4 the camera it should have been originally, is to mount a Lensmate grip to it. You'll be amazed at how this little addition improves usability and aids in the handling of this camera. The combination makes you want to bring your camera to your eye and use it conventionally. Costs a quarter of the Leica grip's price and you don't have to remove it every time you need to access the flash card or battery. JZG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffster Posted December 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 29, 2009 Why is it that Leica sells a €220 4:3 aspect ratio viewfinder for a camera which has a dedicated switch for different aspect ratios? That is beyond my comprehension. How on Earth can you properly compose a 16:9 shot without having to edit the shot on your computer? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveleo Posted December 29, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) viewfinders for 35mm film have a 3:2 aspect ratio and they are readily available and not too expensive (non-zoom types) i don't know of any 16:9 viewfinders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
prk60091 Posted December 29, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 29, 2009 Hi, all - I'm a MF shooter, having moved up from an MP. Just bought a D-Lux 4 as my digital P&S, and I wonder who has had hands-on experience with the external viewfinder? Is it worth the price/effort?Cheers, Mike i bought it and then sold it(within a month) on ebay.... 2 issues: 1) fixed focal length- 2) i use the info on the lcd (histogram) which i lost by using the viewfinder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikej Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted December 29, 2009 Thanks to all for this feedback - I too enjoyed rangefinder shooting with an MP (as opposed to looking at an LCD) but was not aware of some of the specific limitations and issues associated with this particular add-on for the D-Lux 4. Very valuable information. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
playingolf Posted December 30, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 30, 2009 OK, I bought the Leica one and returned it in a week. Not only is it very expensive, it was nearly useless in accurate framing, a very poor loose fit in the shoe, and unable to keep it attached to the camera in the case. What I did start doing, once I got rid of the Leica VF, I like much better. I am using a Hoodman Loupe and it is really slick. HoodLoupe 3.0 (PATENT US 7,386,229 B2 and 7,034,877)-Hoodman Corporation I wear it around my neck on its attached lanyard, and when need it I simply press it to the LCD on the DL4, holding it on with a thumb on either side, and press the loupe into my eye to steady the camera. This provides perfect viewing of the LCD in daylight, is very comfortable, and the optics are high quality, providing a great sharp image. IMHO this i$80 USD product is way better than the $350 Leica VF, and turns the DL4 into a mini SLR. My images have improved simply due to the ability to increase stability on the camera using this technique while shooting. The loupe comes in a nice padded case with belt clip, and is also great to use with my SLRs. Sincerely, K. J. Doyle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erunboy Posted December 30, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 30, 2009 I bought the Voightlander 25mm finder from Cameraquest for $125. The fit is ok in the shoe and the 1mm difference is not a problem. I recently used it on a 10 day trip to Medellin, Columbia shooting over 300 street-scene exposures, mostly at night festivals. It was super! A cost-effective option to the $300+ Leica version! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveleo Posted December 30, 2009 Share #12 Posted December 30, 2009 I bought the Voightlander 25mm finder from Cameraquest for $125. The fit is ok in the shoe and the 1mm difference is not a problem. I recently used it on a 10 day trip to Medellin, Columbia shooting over 300 street-scene exposures, mostly at night festivals. It was super! A cost-effective option to the $300+ Leica version! glad to hear that .... i have the VC 35mm and 15mm viewfinders and am on the verge of getting the 25mm for my LX3 .... i probably will now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
h00ligan Posted December 30, 2009 Share #13 Posted December 30, 2009 I have a (probably) stupid question regarding the addon viewfinders. Don't you end up framing higher as you are looking through glass on top of the unit? Also, why the 24 - why not one that has a range that can be changed - also - what about diopter for those of us with bad eyes? Additionally - what about focusing through it. I guess I must be missing something - because it seems to me that without an evf or a dslr, the viewfinder as an addon is not a great tool for composition as you lose the histogram, it's fixed focus on a cam that's not, and it's not representative of what the lens actually sees. This is probably not correct so please correct me! The ONE thing I really wish the dl4 had was a viewfinder, but if i can't focus with it or get any feedback of what the camera is actually seeing, i don't really see the benefit. edit - there's a flickr discussion - they say the 25mm blocks the flash.. fwiw. http://www.flickr.com/groups/843626@N22/discuss/72157609242259273/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erunboy Posted December 31, 2009 Share #14 Posted December 31, 2009 The 25mm does block the flash but that was of no concern to me in this case. The DL4 does a good job of auto-focus in dim light so focusing was not an issue. There will be a parallex problem when close to the subject but the 25mm finder has parallex lines on it. A little practice will help you get the feel for how much to adjust when you are close. I have never had an issue with diopter adjustments when using a finder, it is bright and you are mainly looking at the boundaries of the scene and composition components, not fine focus elements. Hope this helps! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erunboy Posted December 31, 2009 Share #15 Posted December 31, 2009 One additional thought, I don't consider the histogram an element of composition in street photography. It is better to develop an eye for contrast ranges rather than rely on a histogram. Having shot m6's and m7's for years, I can tell you that practice will help you see the contrast range. It is amazing how much better I was on my 250th exposure in Columbia than I was on exposure #1! I had bought the DL4 two weeks before and had shot fewer than 50 shots before the trip. I took my V Lux also and never took it out of the bag! I think of my DL4 as a "baby M6"! Jerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
h00ligan Posted December 31, 2009 Share #16 Posted December 31, 2009 Good points, thanks Jerry (to be familiar). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexc Posted December 31, 2009 Share #17 Posted December 31, 2009 I have 21mm viewfinder for my 21/1.4. I use it very often on Dlux-4. Very close to 24mm. Works very good for me. It was a huge expense, now I share it with two cameras and feel much better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stelyn Posted January 3, 2010 Share #18 Posted January 3, 2010 I use the panasonic 24mm one on my LX3. It was quite expensive but has proved worth it. I wouldn't sell it even if offered what I paid for it (£140). The flash opens with it on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
megumiohki@mac.com Posted January 5, 2010 Share #19 Posted January 5, 2010 The first time i used my new £200 Leica viewfinder at a summer fair it fell of the camera. When i noticed i retraced my steps through muddy fields, cattle, sheep, and thousands of people but to no avail. I'm still so pissed off i never even looked at the photos i took. My advice insure it, i did'nt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikej Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share #20 Posted January 5, 2010 Hi, all - Based on all the feedback here, I went ahead and purchased the Leica 24mm viewfinder. I was all set to add a fix to keep it snug in the hot shoe, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was snug to begin with. Also, the build quality was nicer than I expected. We'll see if it stays in place. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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