Match Technical E-Clypse MAG 1.25 34 or MS-MAG x1.35 magnifier

[xero200]

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Hi all,

 

A very good day to you all fellow Leica M9 Enthusiasts! I just acquired a Leica M9 Silver and have a pair of 35mm f2 cron & 50mm 1.4 lux to go with the camera. I come from a DSLR background, where it was 'easy' to just click away.

 

After a few weeks with the M9, my shots were not crisp clear and only a handful were good. I realize that after my Lasik correction eye surgery, my eyes became mono where my left eye's good for distance while my right eye is good for reading. Hence, my focusing problem as I use my right eye to focus and find it difficult to get good alignment on the focus patch. I could use my left eye to focus, but I guess I don't want to smudge my nose against the LCD panel. I read online about the magnifiers and is planning to procure either the Match Technical Services' or MS MAG from Japan Exposures. I would very much appreciate anyone's experience/feedback regarding the 2 items mentioned on:

 

 

1. The diopter on the MS MAG, would that make a huge difference? How does the adjustment work?
   
2. I'm also looking to get Luigi's or Mr.Zhou's half case, would the magnifiers get in the way of the case (especially Match Technical's E-Clypse that has a huge rubber eyecup)
   

Any of your feedback would be greatly appreciated!

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[tom in mpls]

The magnifiers will fit just fine with the Luigi case. I don't know about the Zhou but I expect it will be OK also.

 

For use with the M9 and the lenses mentioned, you might consider the MS-MAG 1.15x; if you get too high magnification you may have trouble seeing the frame lines. The diopter is easy to use, you just rotate it right or left until your vision is clear. There is a tendency for the lens to turn out of focus rather than stay exactly where you want it. With your eye corrected to reading, you will need either glasses or a diopter adjustment to see the image clearly.

 

The use of magnifiers is a regular question that comes up; try a search here for old posts with more info.

[thetoness]

Would Leica diopters solve this problem? I have the same issue. Anyone have experience with the Leica diopters .

[tom in mpls]

Would Leica diopters solve this problem? I have the same issue. Anyone have experience with the Leica diopters .

 

Yes Leica diopter will fit directly into the viewfinder window, but it is not adjustable so one must buy the right correction.

[Jeff S]

You'll need to correct your vision (glasses or diopter) before using a magnifier, or else you will just magnify your vision problems. Any local optician should allow you to test diopter strengths.

 

Jeff

 

PS Just found this thread, which should be of interest. Note especially post #62, which seems as if the OP here wrote it...http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/112119-diopter-magnifier-together.html

[gravastar]

Yes Leica diopter will fit directly into the viewfinder window, but it is not adjustable so one must buy the right correction.

 

I'll add to that: My eyes have somewhat limited accommodation and I found a Leica single value diopter didn't work for all subject distances. For landscapes I needed +1 and close ups +1.5. I solved the problem by using a 1.15x magnifier with adjustable correction.

 

Bob.

[xero200]

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You guys are so helpful! i think I might just get a magnifier with a built in diopter...

[tom in mpls]

You guys are so helpful! i think I might just get a magnifier with a built in diopter...

I'm a refugee from DSLR, too. You picked a wonderful pair of lenses to start with. Have a great time.

 

Check out this MS-MAG 1.15 for sale. Price is ok.

 

FS: MS-MAG x1.15 Magnifier for Leica - FM Forums

[carcam]

Xero- you sound like me; lasik corrected monovision except I'm left eye dominant. i ordered several diopters from b&h and kept the one that worked the best (+.5) and returned the others. I got the cheap HK 1.25 vf and w the diopter, using my left eye, i can keep my right eye open (blocked by camera) and there's enough relief so that my nose doesn't touch the lcd so no smudge.

[Jeff S]

Xero- you sound like me.

 

See post #5 postscript.

 

Jeff

[Shade]

I already bought the E-Clypse MAG, but finding this thread, I just bought the MS-MAG as as well.. I have slight vision problems, but not too serious..

[xero200]

I already bought the E-Clypse MAG, but finding this thread, I just bought the MS-MAG as as well.. I have slight vision problems, but not too serious..

 

So which magnifier works best for you?

[xero200]

I'm a refugee from DSLR, too. You picked a wonderful pair of lenses to start with. Have a great time.

 

Check out this MS-MAG 1.15 for sale. Price is ok.

 

FS: MS-MAG x1.15 Magnifier for Leica - FM Forums

 

Hi Tom,

 

Thank you for the link! The seller is offering at a price that is only $20 lower than retail, so I think I would buy it new for that small difference.

 

Thanks again,

Steve

[angho]

I had problems with unsharp pictures with an M9 and 90 Elmarit-M and eventually discovered this combo was front-focussing. Same M9 body focussed accurately with 35 Cron Aspheric. I had to send both lenses and M9 body to Leica Milton Keynes for focus calibration. Milton Keynes Leica could not do it and had to send everything back to Solms. When I received everything back the 90 Elmarit-M now focusses accurately but the 35 Cron Asp is front focussing! If you haven't already done so it may be worth checking if your focussing is accurate by taking pictures at each lens' widest aperture. In other words your shots may not be clear not because of your focussing skills but because of the camera and lens focussing calibration.

 

Hi all,

 

A very good day to you all fellow Leica M9 Enthusiasts! I just acquired a Leica M9 Silver and have a pair of 35mm f2 cron & 50mm 1.4 lux to go with the camera. I come from a DSLR background, where it was 'easy' to just click away.

 

After a few weeks with the M9, my shots were not crisp clear and only a handful were good. I realize that after my Lasik correction eye surgery, my eyes became mono where my left eye's good for distance while my right eye is good for reading. Hence, my focusing problem as I use my right eye to focus and find it difficult to get good alignment on the focus patch. I could use my left eye to focus, but I guess I don't want to smudge my nose against the LCD panel. I read online about the magnifiers and is planning to procure either the Match Technical Services' or MS MAG from Japan Exposures. I would very much appreciate anyone's experience/feedback regarding the 2 items mentioned on:

 

 

1. The diopter on the MS MAG, would that make a huge difference? How does the adjustment work?
   
2. I'm also looking to get Luigi's or Mr.Zhou's half case, would the magnifiers get in the way of the case (especially Match Technical's E-Clypse that has a huge rubber eyecup)
   

Any of your feedback would be greatly appreciated!

[D&A]

Hi All,

 

While were on the topic of MS-Mags eyepiece magnifers with buit in adjustable diopter...I'll mention both my experience and an unusal obsevation to see if anyone else has experienced something similar.

 

Using two M digital bodies, I have a MS-Mag 1.35x with adj. diopter on one body that I use lenses of 50mm on up, so the framelines are magnified for 50mm, 75mm 90mm etc. as well as the focusing patch. This magnifier works wonderfully, sharp and clear and with built-in diopter adjuster, it adjusts for my eyesight (with glasses) perfectly.

 

Since the above set-up worked so good, I thought I'd obtain their 1.15x mag with adj. dipoter for my other body, which I use wide angle lenses with and so didn't want the framelines to be magnified much at all (just the focusing patch a little) but would still get a adj. dipoter for my eyesight. I found one used and put it on...and was horrified what I viewed. Looking throught it (attached) it was like looking through a tiny little pothole...the view was severely restricted and one had to keep their eye dead center, otherwise there would be large amounts of distortion around the perifery of the image. Nothing like the 1.35x with adj dipoter...totoally different. In addition the

1.15x with adj dipoter had extremely low contrast, almost veiled..again nothing like its big brother, the 1.35x, which was bright and crystal clear. The 1.35x seemed like something one might get from Leica, the 1.15x like a very low end inexpensive plastic optic product.

 

My question is if anyone had BOTH these products and might it be possible the 1.15x I tried was defective in some way?

 

I would be interest in experiecnes of those that own the 1.15x with adj. diopter and whether they also own the 1.35x with adj dipoter for direct comparision for the traits I described. Thanks!

 

Dave (D&A)

[rolu]

... I realize that after my Lasik correction eye surgery, my eyes became mono where my left eye's good for distance while my right eye is good for reading. Hence, my focusing problem ...

 

I'm thinking about a Lasik, too. Was this done deliberately or is it a risk of the treatment?

[xero200]

I had problems with unsharp pictures with an M9 and 90 Elmarit-M and eventually discovered this combo was front-focussing. Same M9 body focussed accurately with 35 Cron Aspheric. I had to send both lenses and M9 body to Leica Milton Keynes for focus calibration. Milton Keynes Leica could not do it and had to send everything back to Solms. When I received everything back the 90 Elmarit-M now focusses accurately but the 35 Cron Asp is front focussing! If you haven't already done so it may be worth checking if your focussing is accurate by taking pictures at each lens' widest aperture. In other words your shots may not be clear not because of your focussing skills but because of the camera and lens focussing calibration.

 

 

Hi Angho,

 

Thank you for your input. I have a 35mm f2 ASPH & 50mm f1.4 ASPH. Tried the widest aperture (2 & 1.4) on both lens respectively and found the lens sharp when wide open.

 

Just found out that if I use my left eye to focus, I could open both eyes to focus sharply! Silly me, all this while, I kept one eye closed (probably a DSLR withdrawal syndrome!). My left eye is far more dominant and I think I will use this technique from now. The only downside is my nose smudges the LCD screen!

 

Now with this revelation, I'd still prefer to have a bigger focus patch. Anybody purchased the E-Clypse MAG 1.35 (with the comfy eye patch) and could perhaps provide some feedback? I may not need the diopter after all...But i'm afraid it might not fit a into a Luigi case with the 34 diameter! Gosh, options options options!

[chris_tribble]

I'm a confirmed long-sighted diopter user - I use +3.5 correction on my M9s and couldn't manage without (I prefer not to use glasses when working with a camera). This works for me. re Magnifier, my experience is not good - I really don't like the protruberance on the back of the camera digging into my eyeball! Also, I don't find I need it. So long as the diopter's correct I can focus a 90 or 135 without problem. Just my 2 cents.

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[tdtaylor]

Hi Angho,

 

Thank you for your input. I have a 35mm f2 ASPH & 50mm f1.4 ASPH. Tried the widest aperture (2 & 1.4) on both lens respectively and found the lens sharp when wide open.

 

Just found out that if I use my left eye to focus, I could open both eyes to focus sharply! Silly me, all this while, I kept one eye closed (probably a DSLR withdrawal syndrome!). My left eye is far more dominant and I think I will use this technique from now. The only downside is my nose smudges the LCD screen!

 

Now with this revelation, I'd still prefer to have a bigger focus patch. Anybody purchased the E-Clypse MAG 1.35 (with the comfy eye patch) and could perhaps provide some feedback? I may not need the diopter after all...But i'm afraid it might not fit a into a Luigi case with the 34 diameter! Gosh, options options options!

 

I have the Match's E-Clypse MAG 1.25 with the smaller 34 mm eye cup (I believe MS Japan Exposures makes the 1.35, Match the 1.25 & 0.85) and it fits in the Luigi half case without any problem. With the 1.25, the 35 mm frame lines are just outside the finder (I think they are very close, but never bothered to check exactly). It does not have diopter adjustment, so when I use it I have to screw the Leica diopter off the eyepiece, screw on the magnifier, then screw the diopter into the magnifier. Doable, but takes a while and some concentration. The Match product, as with all their products, is top notch.

 

I am in the US, and Japan Exposures will not sell and export for use on a Leica camera in the US (and a few other places). I know several on the forum have had other purchase it for them, then ship it to the US.

 

If you have any questions about Match's products, Tim Issac, one of the Owners, responds readily to emails. The email address can be found on Match's site.

[Shade]

I just purchased the Japanexposure MS-MAG - so I can't say much until I actually have it my hands. It was just sent yesterday..