Guest Gilgamesh Posted June 22, 2013 Share #1 Posted June 22, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Now, I appreciate this will elicit a mixed response, along the lines of, "What do you use the M for... etc?". The answer is, mostly travel / people. That said, I have yet to try one and wondered what your own experiences are and has it supplanted the range finder operation by 'n' large? Is it now an integral part of your own M experience / work flow? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 22, 2013 Posted June 22, 2013 Hi Guest Gilgamesh, Take a look here EVF. Should I buy one?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Lindolfi Posted June 22, 2013 Share #2 Posted June 22, 2013 Should you buy one? Yes Does it replace the rangefinder in most cases? No The "Yes" may have to be changed to "Maybe" if you have no plans to use any other lenses than M lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted June 22, 2013 Share #3 Posted June 22, 2013 Yes, of course, so that you can form your own opinion about this new technology that will grow in importance over time. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted June 22, 2013 Share #4 Posted June 22, 2013 Surely it depends on the lenses you're using. IMHO, if you're not using wider than 28 or longer than 75 the EVF doesn't add much value. If you're using >90 or wider than 28 you need it. If you're using R lenses, other long or wide glass, you also need it. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Furst Posted June 22, 2013 Share #5 Posted June 22, 2013 I totally agree with Chris with one exception. When using a fast lens in low light the EVF really helps with focusing. Yes, you could use the live view screen on the camera but there is nothing like the EVF for locking the camera to your body and thereby improving your picture. Also I have found the focus peaking a real aid for having the picture focal plane where you want it. I personally would never do night street photography without it and it had allowed me to take pictures that I would never have taken with my M9. It has added a whole dimension of new photo possibilities. If you do purchase one purchase the Olympus version. The Leica EVF does come with a wonderful leather case but I guarentee you will not need it as the EVF will not leave you camera! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalfx Posted June 22, 2013 Share #6 Posted June 22, 2013 Danny's post is spot on...I use the EFV on every focal length, some less than others. But it adds tremendous value to the M system. There are times on any lens that the rangefinder is nearly impossible to focus, in these instances having the EVF is priceless. The combination of the amazing new rangefinder and the option of using an EVF in certain situations or with specific lenses (like my 100mm APM Macro R Lens) makes the M (Type 240) the finest M produced to date. BTW- get the Olympus...its exactly the same and half the cost. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted June 22, 2013 Share #7 Posted June 22, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Surely it depends on the lenses you're using. IMHO, if you're not using wider than 28 or longer than 75 the EVF doesn't add much value. If you're using >90 or wider than 28 you need it. If you're using R lenses, other long or wide glass, you also need it. Agreed. Might add if you like subject isolation at 1.4, it should help your focus. Back screen zombie style has little interest for me. I might use it for studio close work or landscapes that require precise composition and/or focus and then I would use a dark cloth from my view camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted June 22, 2013 Share #8 Posted June 22, 2013 Agree with posts #4, #5 and #6. I use it mostly with R lenses which offer exceptional versatility. It works extremely well on those lenses as well as the M lenses mentioned in the posts I reference. I got my first EVF for $169. Heck a couple of good quality filters can cost more than that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted June 22, 2013 Share #9 Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) Got my olympus one for about £90 on ebay and it is exactly the same. why on earth anyone would buy the leica one I can't imagine Do I use it? answer not a lot but I will with my WATE and CV 12mm and apo-telyt 135. alright for landscape work etc but for any live work the fact that the screen blacks out for 1-2 seconds after each shot is a real drawback and goes totally agianst the grain for any rangefinder photographer who wants to see the shot as he presses the shutter release. Edited June 22, 2013 by viramati Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanJW Posted June 22, 2013 Share #10 Posted June 22, 2013 Well I am one of the dumb ones who got a Leica brand EVF - before I knew the Oly was the same. It does have a nice case but not worth several hundred dollars. Echoing what David said the EVF is very useful for landscapes. I have used it with WATE and CV12. It makes a better framing device than any of the optical vfs. it also is useful with R lenses such as Vario Elmar 35-70. Finally, extremely useful for macro (macro setting on vario-elmar and 90mm macro Elmar. So yes, get one but get the Oly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted June 22, 2013 Share #11 Posted June 22, 2013 Rarely use it, glad I have it. Yes on 21 Summilux, Noctilux, and as Chris said, >90. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macjonny1 Posted June 22, 2013 Share #12 Posted June 22, 2013 Well I am one of the dumb ones who got a Leica brand EVF - before I knew the Oly was the same. It does have a nice case but not worth several hundred dollars. Echoing what David said the EVF is very useful for landscapes. I have used it with WATE and CV12. It makes a better framing device than any of the optical vfs. it also is useful with R lenses such as Vario Elmar 35-70. Finally' date=' extremely useful for macro (macro setting on vario-elmar and 90mm macro Elmar. So yes, get one but get the Oly.[/quote'] Yes but it looks cooler though right? And you don't have to melt off the Olympus like someone did!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted June 22, 2013 Share #13 Posted June 22, 2013 ...Is it now an integral part of your own M experience / work flow?... Frankly no. It is too mediocre compared to the rangefinder. Far from the "R solution" some of us were expecting. But it is indispensable if you plan to do serious macro or long telephoto with your M240. Better use a good tripod then as anything moving is not its forte to say the least. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalArts 99 Posted June 22, 2013 Share #14 Posted June 22, 2013 fwiw, I have the EVF and use it on the X2 (I don't own the M240.) For the X2 it's almost a necessity. The current EVF (either the Olympus or Leica branded version) I believe is made by Epson. And it seems kind of old tech compared to what's available now with the very latest EVFs. I might wait to see if Leica will eventually offer something updated to be used with the M240. The resolution of the existing one is not very good compared to the latest ones found with Fuji and Sony (I also have the Fuji X100s and the EVF is much better than the Olympus/Leica/Epson version.) Personally if I owned the M240 I'd probably wait for a while. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted June 22, 2013 Share #15 Posted June 22, 2013 An additional point: the EVF is indispensible for M lenses that suffer from focus shift such as the 35 Summilux asph. I have a fast Zeiss Sonnar with focus shift that has returned to use with the EVF. Agree that the Oly VF-2 EVF is exceptional value compared with the Leica model and the Oly is also available in silver, which the Leica version is not. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted June 22, 2013 Share #16 Posted June 22, 2013 The sluggish 30 fps of the camera won't change so i don't expect significant improvements from any other EVF but i hope to be proven wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gilgamesh Posted June 22, 2013 Share #17 Posted June 22, 2013 It seems the Olympus EVF has several versions. Which one does the M require? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted June 22, 2013 Share #18 Posted June 22, 2013 VF-2 in black or silver. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShotCapture Posted June 23, 2013 Share #19 Posted June 23, 2013 How much does it help for shooting in bright sunlight? Is it better than using a Hoodman? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalfx Posted June 23, 2013 Share #20 Posted June 23, 2013 How much does it help for shooting in bright sunlight? Is it better than using a Hoodman? better than using a hoodman on the LCD? If this is what you mean, yes its 1000X better. You have a much more stable hold of the camera and you are looking thru a viewfinder. Its night and day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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