Viewfinder for X 113 ?

[Pingus]

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Greeting - long time X-Vario owner here. I recently picked up a used X 113 and am very happy with it. I'm good with using the screen to compose, but  know that sooner or later I will get a viewfinder.  I just hate the idea of dropping $500 for a visoflex.  Has anyone experimented with a Voigtlander optical viewfinder instead ?   For less than half the price, is it worth it ? Or am I better just buying the Leica EVF anyway ?   Any thoughts or experience welcome.

 

thanks much

[Trivette]

I don't have the 113, but I sometimes use my old Voigtlander OVF with my X2. It seems to be satisfactory, but I haven't tested it for accuracy. 

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[Douglasco]

Have a look at the Olympus OVF its identical to the Leica one and a lot cheaper.

 

[DwF]

Welcome Pingus.

I have both an optical finder and the Viso for my X 113. As a longtime M shooter, I prefer a good optical finder. Hard to explain, and this began for me with the X1 when it came out, I am very comfortable using the LCD on the X cameras. I love the immediacy of that. With the X 113, I do sometimes use the Visoflex and it works nicely but for most situations, you can do well with the optical finder or just the LCD. The manual focusing with image magnification works great with the LCD on the X 113. 

Another consideration-  Going back to the M2-M6 days, a big reason for using the rangefinders was the sense of looking through rather than into the camera. With an SLR or DSLR, it feels like I am climbing into a box with an image where with the M camera, you look through the camera at the scene unfolding before you. You stay with the action.  The LCD replaces the M experience better than an EVF possibly can IMHO. With an EVF I find that my eye needs to adjust every time I lift the camera to my face. For some critical work or landscape this can be good, but not so for people or "street" shooting.

When I had the Sony RX1r MII, I never used that finder! I actually preferred the Viso to that pop-up finder Sony fitted to the newer RX1R.

Enjoy your 113 David

 

[DwF]

11 minutes ago, Douglasco said:

Have a look at the Olympus OVF its identical to the Leica one and a lot cheaper.

 

That finder works with X Vario but sadly not with X 113

[wda]

Look for a used Leica or Voigtlander optical finder. I have the one designed for the X1 which is excellent outdoors.

[gbealnz]

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Yes, agree, the Leica finder, 36mm I think it is, is a perfect match. I used it when I had an X1. They are reasonably priced now too.

Gary

[rjans]

7 hours ago, Pingus said:

Greeting - long time X-Vario owner here. I recently picked up a used X 113 and am very happy with it. I'm good with using the screen to compose, but  know that sooner or later I will get a viewfinder.  I just hate the idea of dropping $500 for a visoflex.  Has anyone experimented with a Voigtlander optical viewfinder instead ?   For less than half the price, is it worth it ? Or am I better just buying the Leica EVF anyway ?   Any thoughts or experience welcome.

 

thanks much

Congrats with your X 113. I was in the same situation and ended up with a silver optical viewfinder from Voigtlander (I have the silver X 113). For very close shots I use the screen, for portraits I set the AF of the camera on face detection and that works really fine. Other shots like landscape I just look through the optical viewfinder. Enjoy your X 113. I've found the X Vario and X 113 a nice combo. The lenses of both cameras are outstanding.

Best

Edited November 1, 2018 by rjans

[Douglasco]

On ‎11‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 3:57 PM, DwF said:

That finder works with X Vario but sadly not with X 113

Thanks for the info.

[BRAYNE]

Hi all,

I've recently picked up a Leica X 113 (after reading up and looking on this forum, so thanks!) and I'm keen to pick up an EVF. I've struggled to find a Visoflex 020 online but plenty of EVF2s. My question, is there a difference and does the EVF2 work with the X?

Thanks.

[jaapv]

There is no technical difference between the EVF2 and Visoflex VF2.

[DwF]

1 hour ago, BRAYNE said:

Hi all,

I've recently picked up a Leica X 113 (after reading up and looking on this forum, so thanks!) and I'm keen to pick up an EVF. I've struggled to find a Visoflex 020 online but plenty of EVF2s. My question, is there a difference and does the EVF2 work with the X?

Thanks.

Hello and welcome Brayne, 

To be clear, you'll need the Visoflex 020  for your X-113 as the EVF2 will not mount to it. The Viso 020 is a bit pricey and harder to find used for a good price, but it works well sensing your eye at the finder to turn on, and it articulates. Depending on what you are doing and your style of shooting, the 36mm OVF is useful as well ad will set you back less.

Enjoy your camera and share images here

David

[BRAYNE]

On 1/12/2019 at 11:23 PM, DwF said:

Hello and welcome Brayne, 

To be clear, you'll need the Visoflex 020  for your X-113 as the EVF2 will not mount to it. The Viso 020 is a bit pricey and harder to find used for a good price, but it works well sensing your eye at the finder to turn on, and it articulates. Depending on what you are doing and your style of shooting, the 36mm OVF is useful as well ad will set you back less.

Enjoy your camera and share images here

David

Hi David,

Thanks, that's very clear and very helpful! I had a feeling that was the case. Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely check out the OVF.

Cheers,

Harry

[DwF]

My pleasure Harry.

With the OVF, since you might consider getting one, keep the following in mind:  The OVF takes a bit of getting used to on the X. As you bring camera to your face to frame and use the OVF, you need to see that the green light is focused on your subject area. On the X1, there is a light that comes on on the back of the top panel that is easy for you to see. With the X there is no such green light but only a green square on the LCD to let you know the lens is focused.

So the OVF is best for hyper-focal distance shooting; when you have the camera stopped down to say f8 as you can focus on an area "f8 and be there" so to speak, using the OVF to frame your image. Hope this is useful and good luck finding the Viso

David