Olympus VF-2

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Here's some more information on that topic:

Question: Who makes the EVF2?

Stefan Daniel: We buy the EVF2 from Olympus which is the best we can buy. We could see no need to make our own viewfinder.

Question: Does it have the same socket as the PEN?

Jesko v. Oeynhausen: Yes, it’s the same.

Maike Harberts: If you have an Olympus EVF, you can buy a LEICA M or an X2 to use it with. It’s the same EVF as the one used with the X2.

Question: Can the interface to the EVF be upgraded?

Stefan Daniel: It’s our aim that both viewfinders and cameras remain exchangeable.

Source: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/news/257136-leica-photokina-q-transcript.html

[kdriceman]

I sold the advertising rights to the front of my Olympus VF-2

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jdlaing]

I did too. Waiting for the Burger King logo to arrive.

[Keith (M)]

Olympus logo - it really is relatively discreet.

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[Marac]

I have the Oly VF2 silver one on my M chrome one and to be honest, I don't give a Rats Ass about the colour or brand, I very seldom use the thing unless I am shooting with R lenses, it does a very good job at what it was designed to do.

 

The Leica one is exactly the same inside made by the same company etc etc, enjoy your camera, paint it, tape it up, it really does not matter to the actual outcome and that is called 'taking a Photograph'.

 

The only issue I have is that after a few years use neither of the EVF's will brass as nicely as the camera.

[schmolinski]

I am wondering if the new VF-4 would work as well on the M?

Any experiences here? Thanks in advance

[keithlaban.co.uk]

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I am wondering if the new VF-4 would work as well on the M?

Any experiences here? Thanks in advance

 

It doesn't work on the M but Leica should make it work in the form of a firmware update.

[previlo]

Which raises the question, if they have not been able to update it via SW until now, will it be possible at all? I still hope so…but every day passing by, my hope is shrinking :-(

[masjah]

Question: Are there any Olympus cameras which can take either viewfinder? If it was possible, one would have thought they would have done it first. If not, my guess (for what it's worth) would be that the two may be incompatible at the hardware level, especially if the image screens have different resolutions

[lct]

Nothing will change the slow refresh rate of the camera anyway and the blackout times will remain the same so we'll have to wait for the next M or to try the new Sonys (?) to get a more serious R solution i'm afraid.

[jdlaing]

Question: Are there any Olympus cameras which can take either viewfinder? If it was possible, one would have thought they would have done it first. If not, my guess (for what it's worth) would be that the two may be incompatible at the hardware level, especially if the image screens have different resolutions

 

Yes. The EM-5 is able to take the new viewfinder through a firmware upgrade.

[wlaidlaw]

Yes. The EM-5 is able to take the new viewfinder through a firmware upgrade.

 

The EP-5 takes the VF-4 as standard and excellent it is too. Much larger screen than the VF-2, far sharper and brighter as well. One of the nicest features is the auto-eye-detect, which avoids button pressing. The diopter adjustment is improved. I understand from the Olympus forum that the VF-2 is no longer being made for Olympus by Epson, so fingers crossed, Leica will be forced to upgrade to the VF-4 soon. It will make using non-RF lenses a real pleasure.

 

 

Wilson

[Leicaiste]

I don't think the M's Maestro processor is powerful enough to use the VF-4.

[wlaidlaw]

I don't think the M's Maestro processor is powerful enough to use the VF-4.

 

Leica must have discussed with Olympus, the production and future plans of their viewfinders before deciding on the VF-2. It would therefore, be appallingly short sighted and reprehensible of Leica to introduce a camera with a viewfinder that Olympus made obsolete within 2 months of the first M240’s getting into customers’ hands, without an upgrade path. Olympus do not even show the VF-2 on their current price list but only the low rez VF-3 and new VF-4. In that my old EP-2 can use the VF-4 after an FW upgrade, I cannot believe that M240 cannot. The performance of the EP-2 is not as good as my EP-5 with the VF-4 but it is still better than the VF-2.

 

Wilson

[previlo]

Well it might be that Leica "wanted" to discuss that with Olympus and they might even have done it, but simply speaking maybe Olympus has not shared all of their roadmaps (i.e. the successor to the VF-2, the VF-4) to them? And this might be very true, since there is the rumor that the VF-4 is originally from Epson…(i.e. Olympus aquired the VF-4 from Epson, and if that is true, well it might be very well the case that by the time when Leica negotiated with Olympus about a potential viewfinder, that even Olympus was not ready with their planning/ had not finalized their deal with their supplier (i.e. Epson))…

 

Anyone knows?

[wlaidlaw]

The electronics of the VF-2 are also made by Epson, just like the VF-4. The higher rez screen for the VF-4 was announced by Epson before Photokina 2012 and the announcement of the M240.

 

Wilson

[previlo]

Mhmmm, if that is the case (and it looks like you are absolutely right), than Leica come on deliver! ;-)

[wlaidlaw]

If anyone is desperate to cover up the Olympus VF-2, this would work Make your own water-slide decals using your inkjet printer

 

Just find online a Leica Red button image and print it onto this special paper and then like we used to when we were young with the transfers on plastic models, you use a water transfer to put it on the VF-2. Hey Presto - instant Leica EVF-2.

 

Wilson

[jrp]

Sounds like Leica bought up the end-of-line stock or production capacity for Olympus' VF-2.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[CheshireCat]

It doesn't work on the M but Leica should make it work in the form of a firmware update.

 

Don't hold your breath. We have been waiting for a new firmware with trivial bugfixes for 6 months.