Walter Contrast Lense for Leica M10

[pico]

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Does it mount over the rear viewfinder lens?

Does it help?

.

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

[adan]

Screws in, just like Leica's own eyepiece lenses. Does mean you cannot use any other Leica screw-in eyepiece device (magnifier or diopter lens), but the Walter Contrast can be provided with a diopter correction of its own.

 

In theory, increases contrast, just like a yellow filter on film, or those optical-yellow UV-blocking sunglasses, to make the alignment/disaligment of the RF images more obvious - haven't tried one myself.

[Danelmix5]

I have his new “golden” one. For bright days it’s excellent. I find for tough objects, flowers, scenes with a lot of angles going on it just makes it easier to see the range finder box. One thing that disappoints is the black paint comes off easy revealing yellow brass. I would have just preferred brass.

[250swb]

Does it mount over the rear viewfinder lens?

Does it help?

.

 

How much!

 

Really, it's snake oil. Yellow tinted lenses have been fashionable for sports, cameras, and what not, for many many years, and it's just a myth. But to save yourself any significant damage to your wallet you can buy a swatch book of Lee filter materials on eBay for a couple of dollars and you can experiment with all sorts of colours by taping a small sample over the small rangefinder window, or cut a circle out to fit into the eyepiece. But I would have thought if it was going to work putting the filter over the rangefinder window would be the scientific way to approach increasing the contrast. If it works for you maybe the Walter eyepiece would be a more permanent and neat solution, but I say again 'how much!'

Edited September 12, 2018 by 250swb

[adan]

It's certainly true that a "one-window" filter like the ones made for Barnack Leicas produce far more contrasting RF images. Easier to distinguish a white image from an orange image than yellow on yellow.

 

https://picclick.co.uk/Leitz-OKARO-Orange-Filter-Enhancing-Rangefinders-Contrast-for-362054692838.html

 

Many fixed-lens RFs of the 50s (35mm, and 120 folders) had a slightly pink tint built into the main RF window, with a corresponding green tint to the second RF window. Or blue and yellow. Or vice-versa.

 

But blocking blue/UV with a filter from the red/yellow end of the visible spectrum does enhance visual contrast and clarity and remove "haziness" - as a one-time pilot I can testify that RayBan-type amber sunglasses really do enhance "clarity of vision" at altitude, punching through all that blue haze to the horizon. Not really snake-oil. And if it is, the world's Air Forces have wasted a lot of money outfitting their pilots (and sometimes cockpit canopies) with such.

 

http://www.hi-techoptical.com/blog/bid/112761/What-are-the-Benefits-of-Copper-Orange-Amber-Yellow-and-Brown-Bronze-Tints

Edited September 12, 2018 by adan

[Jeff S]

Given a choice, I’d rather wear yellow tinted glasses than booger up the VF with a device that negates diopter use or some messy DIY approach. Neither needed for me...the M10 VF is beautiful..... with my properly adjusted glasses and diopter, that is.

 

Jeff

Edited September 12, 2018 by Jeff S

[semi-ambivalent]

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But blocking blue/UV with a filter from the red/yellow end of the visible spectrum does enhance visual contrast and clarity and remove "haziness"

My Julbo brand glacier glasses from the 1970s have dark amber/brown lenses and the contrast benefit (beside its cutting illumination level) is tremendous.

[250swb]

 Not really snake-oil. And if it is, the world's Air Forces have wasted a lot of money outfitting their pilots (and sometimes cockpit canopies) with such.

 

 

I wonder how many of those world Air Force's were worried about colour vision even if the pilot could see the enemy plane? Maybe looking like Tom Cruise is the simple attraction for a vain photographer but an essential for a pilot? But if you put a filter over the eyepiece besides screwing up your colour vision you also make it a stop or more dimmer compared to the native reduction in brightness, so how does this translate to a photographer working in all sorts of localised light within one scene compared with a pilot soaring above the clouds?

Edited September 12, 2018 by 250swb

[pico]

I wonder how many of those world Air Force's were worried about colour vision even if the pilot could see the enemy plane?

 

Good heavens, they know other aircraft before being able to see them visually, then it's a lot of HUD!

[dkmoore]

I would imagine if a yellow filter enhanced the contrast significantly Leica would most likely produce a similar product or implement in their rangefinder (like they did with their version of the thumbs up). I tried one and wasn't a big fan because I enjoy seeing the natural environment through the rangefinder and it also dimmed the view making it more difficult in anything but bright sunshine.

 

The magnifier works better for me with 50mm and longer. I haven't seen the need for 35 or wider.