Magnifier for 75mm Lens

[Edwin Ho]

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I plan to add a 75mm lens for the M9 and I understand a magnifier will assist focusing. Could anyone advise which magnification is suitable - 1.25X or 1.4X.

 

I am looking at magnifiers offered by Thumbs Up and Leica. A check on Thumbs Up site shows only a 1.25X Am I correct to assume that Thumbs Up does not produce one with magnification 1.4X

 

Lastly, can I get away without a magnifier using 75mm lens? I am sixty two and wear glasses. According to my optician, I should be using a -4 diopters if I choose to use correction lens instead of my spectacles.

 

For info I do also own a 28mm and 50mm Leica lenses and 35mm Voigtlander lens. I look forward to your advice and thank you.

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[erl]

Edwin, I have been using a 75 cron for about 4yrs very successfully. I wear spectacles and have no problem (more than any other lens) with focussing. You. Should be aware that. Using a magnifier will reduce the brightness of the VF. I would not recommend it, as it is not a real benefit.

 

Get the lens first and try it. If you have difficulty, then consider a magnifier. The problem then will be removing it (not. a quick operation) to use other lenses.

[UliWer]

I use the 2/75 with 1.4*magnifier - and often without. It works both way, though I think the magnifier helps. Having a very short focus throw the lens is extremely sensitive for minimal faults of exact focussing. With the magnifier you get the chance of being more exact.

[Paul J]

It's not entirely necessary, you can focus adequately with out it.

 

However. I use one with my 75mm with the 1.4 and recommend it, it makes a big difference. i've never understood why people don't like it as I don't find the issues that people speak of to be a problem. Know that the optical design has a slight distortion. One thing you really need to take care of is that the viewfinder is clean before you put it on and both sides of the magnifier are clean too. Finger prints on multiple surfaces will certainly create issues.

 

Best to try one out of you can, I suppose, with the contradictory user reviews as it seems you could go either way.

[wattsy]

I've had the 1.25x magnifier since it came out and find it helps if I'm shooting with a 50 during a long event. I prefer not to wear glasses (my eyesight isn't perfect) and the extra magnification can be very helpful as my eyes tire. I've never felt there was any downside to the magnifier in terms of reduced brightness or loss of contrast and I've used it on a whole range of film and digital bodies.

[01af]

Both magnifiers are viable with a 75 mm lens on an M9 ... but I'd recommend the 1.25× more. It's more comfortable to see the framelines and then some space around them.

 

I found that, as a rule of thumb, the 1.4× magnifier makes most sense with 135 mm and 90 mm lenses, the 1.25× magnifier is most useful with 75 mm and 50 mm lenses, and 35 mm and 28 mm should be used with no magnifier at all. In any case, always make sure the glass surfaces of the camera's eyepiece and the magnifier are meticulously clean, or you will lose so much contrast that it makes the whole excercise pointless.

[Delcredere]

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I use the Leica 1.4 magnifier. Although the VF brightness is diminished I find this is more than made up for my ability to focus by seeing better the edges for image alignment. I am pretty shortsighted and even with specs this makes a useful difference for me. And yes you need to keep all the interfaces scrupulously clean.I hope this is helpful.

[rickp13]

i used the 1.35 magnifier with diopter adjustment from japan exposures with a 75mm summilux and 50 noctilux for about a year, with my normal glasses. my vision didn't change, but practice and experience with both lenses allowed me to continue without the magnifier after that.

 

erl's probably correct - try the lenses first, then consider using a magnifier.

 

another tip from another forum member which may help - focus as closely as you can with the focusing ring, then take a short step to find the optimal focus point.

 

good luck

 

rick

[otto.f]

I have a 1.25* magnifier from HongKong, it has a bit sharp edges; could be disturbing if you wear glasses, but it is not too expensive.

I also have the Leica 1.4* which I use more often but in practice only with the 90SAA. With shorter focal lengths I use it for shooting wider than F 2.0. The rubber ring on it, which is useful when you wear glasses, has widened after using it in countries with high temperatures and it tends to fall off since then.

[Edwin Ho]

I wish to thank every single person who responded to my query. All suggestions are very helpful to me and I shall take them as a positive.

 

I will very likely take the advice of first getting the lens and then decide whether a magnifier is required.

[IkarusJohn]

Hi Edwin,

 

I have both the 1.25X & 1.4X magnifiers. I hardly use the 1.25X.

 

The 1.4X lives on my M9 - I use it for my 75 & 50 lenses as it makes focusing easier. It only comes off when I use my wides. Much like Ian, I have mild deterioration (long sight and some other defects), and it helps me to nail focus - I could never get the 75 Summicron to focus, and perhaps a magnifier would have helped. The long throw on the 75 Summilux and Noctilux certainly makes focusing easier.

 

I don't find brightness a problem, but I do clean both surfaces meticulously.

 

Cheers

John

[efreed2754]

Over 62 and use glasses. Tried Leica magnifiers and were worse for me. Depends on your eye problem. There is an expensive brand that promises improvement for my problem (forgot name); I can focus 75 and 90 without magnifier

 

So take others advice and try without, then if needed try with magnifier to see if they help before purchasing

[Jeff S]

This FAQ may prove useful.

 

Eyes are different, as are individual preferences and comfort with different solutions. Best approach is to try for yourself.

 

For me glasses work best. I have astigmatism, and sensitivity to light requires that I wear sunglasses (I don't like contacts). Fortunately my glasses work well both for distance to locate subjects as well as for M focusing. I have the 1.25 Leica mag, but the reduced contrast led to putting it in a drawer.

 

There are dozens of other threads available via the search box, which will offer many other opinions and technical explanations, even from some eye docs among us.

 

As they say, YMMV.

 

Jeff

[thighslapper]

I'm with IkarusJohn.

 

I have Japan Exposures 1.35x variable dioptre mags welded to my M9's and only take them off for sub 35mm lens use.

 

I wear specs and the advantage of precise dioptre correction and a magnified view is invaluable, particularly with lenses like the 75/2 or 50/0.95 where DOF wide open is miniscule.

 

The JE 1.35x is a bright contrasty mag and I prefer it to the Leica 1.4x. Goes down to about -3, so with the approx -0.5 of the base viewfinder you may find it usable even without specs, ....thats if you can find the camera with your specs off....

[Paul J]

I don't wear glasses and manage to shoot even my 35mm focal length with the 1.4 magnifier if I don't have time to take it off or want the magnification for whatever reason.

[wda]

Edwin, I use the Leica 1.4x finder attachment for my 75mm lens; even more important for the 90mm. Yesterday I went out shooting in low light interiors with the 90mm and forgot to remove the subject attachment from my M8 (where it tends to live). I regretted my mistake. The difficulty in low light arises from low contrast. The higher magnification is worthwhile and increases shooting success rate.

 

Later: I should have added that I also find the 1.4x attachment useful with my 50mm lens used indoors, for the same reason. It is easy to remove and stow it in the strap attached bag when using wider angle lenses.