diopters for the M9

[Christoph13]

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I tried the original Leica diopters to find if any one of them would help with focusing. I wear glasses so vision is corrected under normal circumstances. I found that none of the diopters changed much, certainly not enough to justify the expense.

Interestingly I found the same to be true for viewfinder magnifiers.

 

At least I know now that I just have to practice, any difficulties are not due to the absence of some magic device.

Your mileage may vary of course

C

[Rolo]

There is not 'one solution fits all' for eyesight correction with the M cameras. No-one's eyesight is the same as an others in terms long and short distance and opticians need to understand how you work with an M camera.

 

There are some here that use diopter lenses and their advice will be valuable, others will just be repeating what they've read.

 

Firstly, the -0.5 diopter should be disregarded from calculations as it will become effective when selecting diopter lenses fitted to the camera. Leica intends for all users to have the -0.5 setting, yet does not expect all users to fit auxiliary lenses.

 

I'm short sighted and a -1.5 diopter makes distance viewing perfect for me, but makes a complete bollocks of shooting at 0.7 metre. My optician suggested I use a pair of cheap reading glasses to overcome that issue. No thanks. However, using his diopter test lenses, an optician can help you find a compromise that suits near and far viewing.

 

IMO, and with the type of shooting I do, focus accuracy with a wide-open Summilux at the 0.7m to 2.0m is more vital to me, than a distant landscapes where DoF will assist.

 

My optician didn't charge for assisting me and was genuinely interested in the dilemma and he also explained the relevance of the -0.5 diopter Leica standard. The optician Andy mentions above does charge for his service, so maybe you'll get a cost saving if you go locally.

 

I do use a 1.25 magnifier on one camera, without an additional diopter and that improves things a little, although at the expense of the image contrast. On balance, I think it's worth it. However, I have 4 M cameras and fitting each with diopter lenses and/or magnifiers is a substantial cost that I've to face completely.

[andybarton]

My experience is this. I tried using a dioptre adjustment lens a few years ago. It was the correct strength, but I just couldn't get on with it and ended up selling it back to the dealer. The lack of astigmatism correction was the primary factor. Having to take my glasses off to take a photograph was also a PITA.

 

I asked my optician whether he could make a correct lens for my eye, at the correct diameter, and with the astigmatism correction, but he reckoned that the lens was just too small to do this properly. YMMV.

 

Now, I just shoot with my glasses on or my contact lenses in.

 

Edit: I am -2.5 shortsighted with an astigmatism in both eyes, btw. My bi-focal contact lenses are a revalation.

[Rolo]

Now, I just shoot with my glasses on or my contact lenses in.

 

That's the easiest solution and I suspect for most the best, frame lines permitting. It's definitely the cheapest fix and for me just requires lifting the specs when up close, but generally I shoot without wearing glasses at all..

 

One thing I wonder about is, how close other users place the viewfinder near their eye. Without glasses, I try to get my eyeball as near as possible and my eyelashes touch the VF glass. With specs that's not possible; no better, no worse, I suppose, just different and a slightly different experience.

[Rolo]

With my contacts in, my eye sits much closer to the viewfinder and it makes using the 0.72 finder and a 35mm lens much easier.

 

If you are a glasses wearer and regularly use a 35, the 0.58 finder option is much better, in my experience.

 

That's why it varies case by case.

 

On film cameras, I'd recommend a x0.85 viewfinder for all lenses to improve magnification and focus accuracy. My eyesight is sufficiently good enough to shoot without glasses, but not perfect, so the frames are not an issue. Then I use aux VF's for precision framing with 24mm. I would never use a 0.58 VF, period. That might be because my first three Leica M's were M3's and the shooting experience was never as good until I acquired a x0.85.

 

However, this is an M9 thread you've hijacked with talk of x0.58 and with the M9 it's different as there is only one VF magnification and neither of us can have our preference. I rarely use the aux viewfinder for the 24mm and judge my angle and check on the LCD if framing is crucial.

[andybarton]

However, this is an M9 thread you've hijacked .

 

In which case, I withdraw my advice seeing as how it is neither useful, nor relevant.