EVF 020

[james.liam]

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Anyone out there use one? I’m thinking of buying it for my 21SEM and perhaps an adapter for use with my R lenses. In truth, the only EVFs I’ve had experience with are the Sony A7II (disappointing) and the SL (fantastic). I fear that the 020 is not even up to the Sony’s clarity. 

Thanks all in advance. 

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[TomB_tx]

I use one with my 21mm and sometimes 135mm. It's not bad - quite usable - but there is the long delay for the shutter to first close, then trip for exposure, then close and open for "after" viewing. As a result I prefer to use my A7 with an old Pentax 20mm lens for ultra-wide.

[a.noctilux]

It's called Visoflex typ 020 that pleased me a lot when I purchased it with M10.

I use the original Visoflex III for years with long lenses (280 to 560mm) and macro/repro use.

So "020" it's usable but not "better" than the OVF of M10 or added VF for example 21mm VF that I prefer.

Sometimes, I hope less time lag, but the old Viso has it's own "time lag" and more vibrations ( "020" doesn't have vibrations added).

Some eye correction dioptre can be continously adjusted.

The dof can't be seen (or difficult) in the 020, better here on screen with Viso III.

With long lenses mag x10 is the "fast way to manual focus" and this adds more time lag when triggering the shutter.

I see it as complement to use the devices not usable with OVF.

Some progress since M240/246 but far from perfect.

[Peter Kilmister]

It is a lot better than the VF2 or Olympus EVF2 for use with the M240 series and I have found it useful for close work (under 1 Meter) where the rangefinder has problems ... particularly with my eyes. Focus highlights are a really helpful feature. 

[astrostl]

I have it and a Leica 12008 21mm viewfinder. I find that the OVF blows it away in usability, especially since being hyperfocal at f/8 is a point-and-shoot experience. The Live View lag on the EVF makes it the near-opposite of a point-and-shoot experience: click, clunk, clunk...

Edited May 8, 2019 by astrostl
clarity

[Guest]

+1 for a clip-on OVF rather than the 020 Visoflex, which I own but use OVF's much more often by choice.

At 21mm your depth of field can be large enough not to need to focus through the viewfinder or the 020, ( say around f5.6/f8 onwards ), zone focussing works well and the 21mm FoV is wide enough to almost "shoot from the hip" so maybe the accurate framing view from the 020 or Liveview isn't needed most of the time......When it is, use Liveview on the LCD.

As to which OVF, after a lot of messing around with clip-on finder choices I have found the Leica 21-24-28 finder to be far the best option, it gives you the three focal length choices which is handy, it allows you to use a Leica eye-piece diopter should that be a requirement for your eye-sight, and it "locks" onto the hot-shoe securely via a knurled screw. Having lost a couple of clip-on finders off of my M's because they lack a locking screw, ( i.e.: the otherwise really excellent VC clip-on OVFs ), the latter has proven to be a real plus!.......Also the 21-24-28 is cheaper than the 020 and requires no power to function.

Hope this helps.............

 

****Just a quick addition re: the 020 Visoflex.....I wish that Leica had redesigned the 020 for the M10's rather than repurpose it from it's first usage with the T models. It's rather "plasticky" feel and build is one that can easily be broken if it catches on clothing or when pulling quickly from a bag when mounted on a M10. I think it is a real let-down and could have been made so much better, metal cased more compact and such that it doesn't partly hide the shutter dial for instance. An afterthought of an accessory. Hopefully there will be a better version someday.

Edited May 8, 2019 by petermullett
additional remark.....

[Gelatino]

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I 've got one that helps me quite a lot for framing with SEM21 and short distance focussing. Can  be used  as a right angle viewer, which helps in street photo or with tripod use.

I also use it as a check of the a/misalignement of the RF.

As said by petermullett  "it's rather plasticky feel and made" , not worthy of a brand like Leica. Don't let it mounted on the camera puting it back to the bag and forget the idea of walking with the M10 cross chest.

 

That said I do not regret my purchase, as there is no other offer.

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 8, 2019 by Gelatino

[SrMi]

 Visoflex type 020 can be used in two ways: for framing and/or for focusing.

If used for framing only, you could use Live View instead: focus with rangefinder and then frame with rear LCD ( I believe Jono does that when shooting with something wider than 28mm).

Another nice thing about the Visoflex is that it can tilt 90 degrees and allows shooting from a lower position.

The quality of the EVF is not up to the quality of EVF in cameras that depend only on the EVF, but for an accessory, it is good enough, IMO.

[mujk]

I purchased one for use with the 21 SEM. It works, but feels a bit slow. I don't have much experience of other EVFs, so hard to compare. I don't keep it on the camera all the time and realised on a recent trip that it's more convenient to use the huge DOF of the SEM when stopped down and frame using the rear LCD.

On the other hand,  in very low light it is sometimes even better than the OVF, regardless of the lens used, because the image is much brighter, although grainy. And it can also be useful with longer lenses.

[Peter Kilmister]

The Visoflex 020 isn't perfect. It is an expedient. For close work the focus highlighting is amazing. It pins the focus perfectly. However, as has been said, it isn't quick.

One upside is that it allows GPS to be enabled ... if you want it. The downside is it eats battery power.

In summary, I like it for specific situations. It is light, so easy to have in the bag.

[indergaard]

It’s horrible and I wouldn’t buy it. Get a decent optical finder instead. 

[IkarusJohn]

9 minutes ago, indergaard said:

It’s horrible and I wouldn’t buy it. Get a decent optical finder instead. 

Cobblers - the previous EVF 2 was horrible.  The 020 is usable.  Not perfect, but usable.  Certainly not as good as the SL, but that comparison really has nothing to do with it - the SL EVF is the best in the business.

I use mine on the TL2 and my M10-D and for those times I am using wider than 28mm, it's fine.  There isn't really an alternative.  For everything else, the OVF on the M10-D is the best option, and for the TL2, it's the only option.  The clip-on OVF for the 21mm I had was not as useful, and not as good as the 020 - I lost it somewhere and don't miss it.

[Infantasy]

I recently bought one for my SEM21 before the trip. It have a bit time lag but still useful for some lenses that the M10 OVF can’t do, especially when taking some low angle shots as well as providing more accurate focus on my 90 pre-A. The major drawback is it draws so much power from your battery. I already have two fully charged batteries but still just meet the demand in one day of my trip while the bundled GPS .... just forget it !

[jaapv]

9 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Cobblers - the previous EVF 2 was horrible.  The 020 is usable.  Not perfect, but usable.  Certainly not as good as the SL, but that comparison really has nothing to do with it - the SL EVF is the best in the business.

I use mine on the TL2 and my M10-D and for those times I am using wider than 28mm, it's fine.  There isn't really an alternative.  For everything else, the OVF on the M10-D is the best option, and for the TL2, it's the only option.  The clip-on OVF for the 21mm I had was not as useful, and not as good as the 020 - I lost it somewhere and don't miss it.

 The EVF2 was not very nice, I give you that,  but it was usable; I had no problem focusing my long lenses with it.
I think we agree that an EVF on a Rangefinder camera is nothing but an auxiliary system, and not meant to compete with real EVF cameras.

[mike3996]

6 hours ago, jaapv said:

I think we agree that an EVF on a Rangefinder camera is nothing but an auxiliary system, and not meant to compete with real EVF cameras. 

This is currently the case, yes, but nothing prevents Leica making the next M11 truly a nice pluggable EVF with state-of-the-art image and refresh rate. And truly minimised shutter delay. Could be easily doable with EFCS and a modern processor. Maybe with some help from Panasonic?

 

That would be something. Shoot M lenses with the tried-and-true rangefinder experience but when you feel like doing something new, adapt your old Canon FD wideangles or Leica R lenses, or say a 200 mm Nikkor. All with one high quality German made camera body. No need to have lesser cameras sitting on your shelf. This is what I would dig very much, wouldn't be too difficult a problem to solve, for what I can backseat-engineer.

Edited May 10, 2019 by mike3996

[jaapv]

A modern processor and the processing speed needed for a top-of-the-line EVF can easily give serious overheating problems on a camera like an M.

[a.noctilux]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

A modern processor and the processing speed needed for a top-of-the-line EVF can easily give serious overheating problems on a camera like an M.

Have seen this high heating up when I use Visoflex 020 on M10.

Sometimes, even the heat is too high, the camera needed to shut down itself.

Lovely hand heater while waiting in cold temp 😇.

[jaapv]

The M240 was initially plagued with problems like these, even with the low-grade EVF-2 and larger body. 

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[mike3996]

Sorry to hear. This would be a big legitimate reason not to go all-in. I mean, it should be possible to redesign some parts of the insides to help with heat dissipation, but now it's not that trivial anymore.

 

Btw, I have to try if I can keep my hands warm using LV next winter