From X Vario to CL - is it worth the move?

[Charadis]

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2 hours ago, nicci78 said:

CL and Q2 have OLED viewfinder. Just like the rest of the industry. Respectively 2.36 and 3.68 MP 

Epson Seiko gave up their LCD viewfinder. Their last LCD viewfinder equipped cameras are Visoflex 020 and SL  

Sony just won and has a monopoly over every photo manufacturers. Yes everybody are now using Sony OLED panels. Hopefully Panasonic gave up their stupid sequential field LCOS viewfinder for Sony’s

 

 

 

I thought it might be OLED. I asked Leica's technical support about it, and I was told LCD. Perhaps, they don't even know themselves 😂

 

Quote

Hello Donald,

Thank you purchasing the Leica CL and expressing your enthusiasm and appreciation for that model.  The answer to your question is the CL has an integrated LCD type electronic viewfinder.

Best regards,
**** *****

Technical Advisor

 

Leica Camera Inc
1 Pearl Court, Unit A / Allendale, NJ 07401 / USA 
www.leica-camera.com / @leicacamerausa.com

Telephone: (+1) 800-222-0118 ext: 9942 / Fax (+1) 201-995-1686

 

[nicci78]

Maybe you should ask someone who knows. It is an OLED panel. 

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[Charadis]

I tried through repairs this time, and got routed through to the same technical advisor.

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Good Afternoon Mr. Turner,

I spoke to our technical advisor and he mentioned he had emailed you stating that it was an LCD type. I hope this helps. Thank you and have a great day!

Kathy 

Best Regards,

I'm afraid to try again before they get tired of me asking the same question

Then again, I don't know why he would misrepresent any information behind their product. This is coming straight from Leica USA's own technical advisor.

 

Original email: 

Quote

Hi, 

 

I currently own a Leica CL, and I was curious on what is the replacement part for the EVF; I could not find any information on it, or mention of whether it is LCD or OLED technology. 

It has been a great camera so far, and a joy through my first shoot on the streets of Manhattan. 

 

Thank you, 

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Charadis
Added additional/supporting information

[jaapv]

It might be wiser to ask the factory in Germany. I sometimes get the impression that wisdom has a hard time crossing  the Atlantic in Leicaland  

[nicci78]

On 9/6/2019 at 3:47 AM, Charadis said:

I tried through repairs this time, and got routed through to the same technical advisor.

I'm afraid to try again before they get tired of me asking the same question

Then again, I don't know why he would misrepresent any information behind their product. This is coming straight from Leica USA's own technical advisor.

 

Actually you can tell just by looking at the viewfinder. 

CL and Q2 EVF have perfect black (turn off pixel are totally black) and glowing white letters, because each pixels are exiting its own light. No backlight leak, because there are no backlight.  Typical of OLED ! 

If you look at Visoflex typ 020 or SL EVF. You will see wash out blacks and glowing sides, just like backlight leak. It is typical of LCD ! 

[M11 for me]

Unfortunately there is no word about the initially mentioned Fuji X100F. A friend of mine who owns a leica M Monochrome wanted to have „something for color“. And he bought an X100F and claims that it is his best APS-C camera he ever had. So I wonder why not going for an X100F (or the coming model V) if you do not plan to have lots of lenses.

[jaapv]

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A good camera. Unfortunately it does not fit into the Leica system the way the `CL does.

[Charadis]

On 9/7/2019 at 4:38 AM, jaapv said:

It might be wiser to ask the factory in Germany. I sometimes get the impression that wisdom has a hard time crossing  the Atlantic in Leicaland  

I was thinking the same thing, although I haven't really contacted their side, yet. But I think I have someone in mind to contact..

And according to Kathy, I think she may have confirmed what you said. She just responded back today

Quote

Good Afternoon Mr. Turner,

I am told that Leica does not have anything published by Leica Germany that indicates the electronic viewfinder is the OLED type.  The description for the Q2 and V-Lux 5 cameras however do specifically describe the EVF’s for those cameras as being OLED.  The part number for the CL’s  EVF is 470-710.801-016. I hope this helps.

Thank you and have a great day!

Kathy 

Best Regards,

 

At least we have a part number now, maybe someone with more knowledge can trace this back to a specific part or manufacturer? 

 

On 9/7/2019 at 3:04 PM, nicci78 said:

Actually you can tell just by looking at the viewfinder. 

CL and Q2 EVF have perfect black (turn off pixel are totally black) and glowing white letters, because each pixels are exiting its own light. No backlight leak, because there are no backlight.  Typical of OLED ! 

If you look at Visoflex typ 020 or SL EVF. You will see wash out blacks and glowing sides, just like backlight leak. It is typical of LCD ! 

 

I've been comparing the Sony Alpha a6xxx series viewfinders at my local electronics store and with my own CL, and I see what you mean; the resemblances in quality are very alike. When I had a Visoflex 020 (returned it due to nontechnical issues with the product), the differences were also clear; the image on the Visoflex looked washed out compared to the CL's. It could also be that the Visoflex's display is an older technology? I hate to assume, though, and I'm bothered without any official confirmation from Leica about the technology other than what has been given. (and I wouldn't open up my own CL without good reason  )