Bill W Posted February 20, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 20, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have never used a viewfinder magnifier but I am going to acquire a 135 APO Telyt and was wondering if others use a magnifier. Does it help with focusing? Leica makes 1.25 and 1.40 versions. I do not wear glasses or contacts. Any user experience would be appreciated. I also have a 90 and 75 but these are fairly east to focus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 20, 2013 Posted February 20, 2013 Hi Bill W, Take a look here Leica Viewfinder Magnifier. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jbl Posted February 20, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 20, 2013 I have both the 1.25 and 1.4. It definitely helps with accurate focus from 50mm and up. To be honest, I use the 1.4 most of the time even though it took me a few years to buy it. Like you, it was the 135 that pushed me to get it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted February 20, 2013 I have both the 1.25 and 1.4. It definitely helps with accurate focus from 50mm and up. To be honest, I use the 1.4 most of the time even though it took me a few years to buy it. Like you, it was the 135 that pushed me to get it. Thanks jbl, I was probably going to go for the 1.40. You probably would not need one ot these with the new M but I don't see me getting the M. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 20, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 20, 2013 I find focussing the 135 Apo easier without a magnifier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 20, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 20, 2013 The 1.4 Magnifier makes a world of difference to me and I really recommend it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted February 20, 2013 The 1.4 Magnifier makes a world of difference to me and I really recommend it. Thanks Paul, I might see if my local dealer has one that I can try before I buy it. They do not have a large Leica stock so I might be out of luck there. I appreciate your input. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted February 20, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 20, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have both the 1.25 and 1.4. It definitely helps with accurate focus from 50mm and up. To be honest, I use the 1.4 most of the time even though it took me a few years to buy it. +1 Some one will probably post something about lost contrast and loss of brightness and clarity with the magnifiers. This hasn't been my experience, if I keep them clean. It has made a huge difference to focussing accuracy with everything from 50 up. The 1.25x lives on my M9 and the 1.4x on my Monochrom. Cheers John Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted February 20, 2013 +1 Some one will probably post something about lost contrast and loss of brightness and clarity with the magnifiers. This hasn't been my experience, if I keep them clean. It has made a huge difference to focussing accuracy with everything from 50 up. The 1.25x lives on my M9 and the 1.4x on my Monochrom. Cheers John Thanks John, I appreciate the input. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbl Posted February 20, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 20, 2013 The 1.25x lives on my M9 and the 1.4x on my Monochrom. Cheers John That's funny, that's exactly the arrangement I use. When I moved from film bodies to digital bodies, I found I was missing focus (at least when pixel peeping) more than was noticeable on film. Digital is more sensitive and pixel peeping makes it worse. I kind of wish I had 2 1.4x ones instead of 1 of each. One thing I've noticed. The 1.4x has a better ring on the part that your eye goes up to. On the 1.25x, there's a rubber ring that fell of at some point and I had to have Leica send an extra ring. The 1.4x design is much better in that regard. I don't know if it's always been that way or if the design changed at some point, but that might affect buying used or not. It's also funny that even though the MM with the 1.4x is nearly 1:1, I can't focus with both eyes open (I'm heavily left eye dominant) and the M3 viewfinder is still bigger. -jbl Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted February 20, 2013 Share #10 Posted February 20, 2013 Japan Exposures 1.35x is better. Seems to have a brighter image and has variable dioptre correction built in...... EXACT correction for your eyes is mandatory if you are using any of these gizmos otherwise it completely negates the benefits of magnification. I have tried them all.... 1.25, 1.4, 1.35 and 1.15 ... and the above is by far the best. I have one on all my Leica bodies and it only comes off for 24 & 28mm lenses ..... above and frames are still visible..... and below as a finder is used to compose. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted February 21, 2013 I looked up Japan Exposures and they had this on their website. I guess there have been some legal issues. ATTENTION: due to Leica patent restrictions, this product is not available to customers for rangefinder camera use in Germany and the United States of America! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted February 21, 2013 Share #12 Posted February 21, 2013 I looked up Japan Exposures and they had this on their website. I guess there have been some legal issues.ATTENTION: due to Leica patent restrictions, this product is not available to customers for rangefinder camera use in Germany and the United States of America! Yes...... but they can sell it 'for other uses' ........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveclem Posted February 21, 2013 Share #13 Posted February 21, 2013 Shame they stopped supplying the 1.3 finder for half the price of the 1.35......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted February 21, 2013 Share #14 Posted February 21, 2013 The 1.4 Magnifier makes a world of difference to me and I really recommend it. +1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
efreed2754 Posted February 21, 2013 Share #15 Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Bill. Tried both 1.25 and 1.4 and they didn't work for me. Yes wear glasses and wanted them to work but could not see clearly with either. Some try other brands for eye issues. I haven't as can usually focus with 75, 90 and 135 most of the time. Use Forum tip to focus from infinity down vs other way. Hope M will help. Advice to try first and then decide. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted February 21, 2013 Share #16 Posted February 21, 2013 (edited) One other point with all these add-ons ...... make sure your rangefinder vertical alignment is spot on ...... this can be a cause of a fuzzy image and inability to get exact focus that is not apparent without the magnifier on. Eye position with some of them is also important. The basic lesson with these gadgets is that everything else needs to be perfect or they are a waste of time...... Edited February 21, 2013 by thighslapper Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted February 22, 2013 Hi Bill. Tried both 1.25 and 1.4 and they didn't work for me. Yes wear glasses and wanted them to work but could not see clearly with either. Some try other brands for eye issues. I haven't as can usually focus with 75, 90 and 135 most of the time. Use Forum tip to focus from infinity down vs other way. Hope M will help. Advice to try first and then decide. Years ago I wore glasses but I had laser corrective surgery in 1995 and since then only use store bought reading glasses on occasion. I really struggled with cameras because I wore bifocals. You could not get the eye close enough to really see everything in the viewfinder and if I took the glasses off, I could only see the info in the viewfinder. If I buy a magnifier it will be the 1.40 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted February 22, 2013 Share #18 Posted February 22, 2013 Hi Bill, I think you are right to try one out. I instantly saw (no pun intended) the value and I'm sure you too will instantly recognise if it is for you or not. As a side note. Since I don't wear glasses and can push my eye in close enough, I can even use the 1.4 mag with the 35mm framelines too. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted February 22, 2013 Share #19 Posted February 22, 2013 Bill, Last time I was in Precision they had one in stock. Stop and try it out? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share #20 Posted February 22, 2013 Bill, Last time I was in Precision they had one in stock. Stop and try it out? Thanks I will. They are moving next week 3/1 to a location closer to where I live. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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