Focus Aid Magnification on TL2 with M Adapter L

[jmm1]

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Hi,

Just picked up my TL2 and testing out a Voigtlander 35mm lens with the M Adapter L - I can see Peaking but is it possible to get Magnification using the left or right dials like you can with the CL?

I do have Leica M lenses as well - but haven't tested them yet.

I can't see to find any settings on the TL2 to change to allow this.

Thanks,

John

[LocalHero1953]

I think the short answer is no.

The manual is out of date with respect to firmware changes. Buried deep in the menu under the General settings, you can assign 6 options for the left dial, one of which is Focus Aid. Under the Focus menu setting, you can set Focus Aid to one of none, Magnification, Peaking or both. When you turn the left dial momentarily it shows up the dial functions in two boxes in the TR corner of the screen. Tap on the left one and you can select one of your 6 options. BUT I don't think this gives you direct control of magnification with the dial - I think it just switches Focus Aid on or off. You might want to play with this to check - I've just put my TL2 away again and didn't check the behaviour in full, nor did I check it with an M lens mounted.

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[Kim Dahl]

Yes, that is possible. Precise as described. I have the enlargement on the left wheel. When you turn, the image is enlarged. It works really well.

[jmm1]

Thanks Kim,  

Sounds very promising - but can you describe how exactly you were able to get this to work with an M lens using the M adapter L on the TL2?

I am on Firmware 1.5.

John

[Kim Dahl]

I also have firmware 1.5.
1. Open toolbox (big menu)
2. Choose a. "General" - b. "Left dial"
3. Set “on” to “focus aid” 6/6 (6 different points must be selected)
4. Press “set”
5. In the right corner, you can choose what function your left wheel should have. Select the magnifying glass with a + i. Focus aid.
3. Select “focus aid”
Press “focus aid” (below your menu items) until there is a man and a magnifying glass (if you want peaking AND enlargement. If you only want magnification, there must be only one magnifying glass.
Now magnify the TL2 - when you turn the left wheel - so you can set perfectly sharp. Vola ☺️
Hope it is understandable English is not my native language.

[Kim Dahl]

The Leica TL2 is a very underrated camera. You can use this feature with both the rear screen and external viewfinder. If you only use the rear screen buy a pair of cheap glasses +3 or +4 (if you have trouble looking closely) then you have a very compact camera that is very simple to focus when there is not much movement or zone focus on the street and in good light with Leica M optics.

[jmm1]

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Kim - you are brilliant - many thanks for helping me with this - I kept missing the "Focus aid" option in the list of 6 features assignable to the left dial.

That was the only feature that I felt was lacking.

You are totally correct - the TL2 is very underrated.  I love that it also has internal storage and battery charge via USB C - although I havent tested how fast it charges with that.

When I don't use the EVF -  I also set the Film mode to BW- that way I can easily see the RED peaking lines.  I also like composing in BW - so that's a double bonus.

Regards,

John

[Kim Dahl]

Right - maybe we should post more in the forum about TL2. I combine my TL2 with Leica MD and ME. Charging with USB does not go so quick but if you have an extra battery and drink a cup of coffee while you charge, then it works really well. Resident GPS I would very much like so that I did not have to put the searcher on.

[Dopaco]

On 9/8/2019 at 10:10 AM, Kim Dahl said:

I also have firmware 1.5.
1. Open toolbox (big menu)
2. Choose a. "General" - b. "Left dial"
3. Set “on” to “focus aid” 6/6 (6 different points must be selected)
4. Press “set”
5. In the right corner, you can choose what function your left wheel should have. Select the magnifying glass with a + i. Focus aid.
3. Select “focus aid”
Press “focus aid” (below your menu items) until there is a man and a magnifying glass (if you want peaking AND enlargement. If you only want magnification, there must be only one magnifying glass.
Now magnify the TL2 - when you turn the left wheel - so you can set perfectly sharp. Vola ☺️
Hope it is understandable English is not my native language.

 

 

I also have firmware V 1.5, which, I think is the last one.
Reading I found this thread and thanks to his explanations and that of others, I could clarify some doubts I had.
It is a pity that the manual is so basic.
I also have firmware V 1.5, which, I think is the last one.
My English is also very poor and I am not native

Edited February 16, 2020 by Dopaco

[peezy]

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice in this thread - just stuck a Voigtlander 35 1.4 on my TL2 and couldn't work how to get the magnification to work - invaluable. I love the TL2, have 3 a/f primes for it (18,35 and 60) and love using this manual lens on the camera - circumvents any issues with slower than perfect a/f when light fades etc.

[Kim Dahl]

👍🏻it works just fine

[d30gaijin]

For whatever reason that does not work with my TL2, and I too am running firmware 1.5.  When I try to set the left dial function as soon as I press the "focus aid" menu item the "set" option disappears leaving me no way to set that option.  If I turn the camera off and back on the left dial menu returns to factory default, meaning "focus aid" never got "set."  Frustrating to say the least.

Don 

[dpitt]

6 hours ago, d30gaijin said:

For whatever reason that does not work with my TL2, and I too am running firmware 1.5.  When I try to set the left dial function as soon as I press the "focus aid" menu item the "set" option disappears leaving me no way to set that option.  If I turn the camera off and back on the left dial menu returns to factory default, meaning "focus aid" never got "set."  Frustrating to say the least.

Don 

Setting the left dial function button can be confusing. The main rule is that at all times 6 options need to be turned on, before you can save it. So if you select less or more options, the set button is disabled until you select/deselect others to get back to 6 options.

Also. I use a profile preset that is with the left dial pre-selected to magnification aid. It should remain selected as long as you use this profile. I think the default profile always resets when you turn off the camera.

Edited September 30, 2023 by dpitt

[d30gaijin]

Thank you so much for this.  That's what I was missing, 6 items on only to "set."  I now have magnification working.  I also was able to set the left dial function to magnification and it stays set even if I turn the camera off and then back on again.

Again, thank you so much.  I was so frustrated I had boxed up the Leica adapter and was going to send it back to B&H come Monday.  You saved me from the discomfort of the "return process."

Don

 

[dpitt]

21 minutes ago, d30gaijin said:

Thank you so much for this.  That's what I was missing, 6 items on only to "set."  I now have magnification working.  I also was able to set the left dial function to magnification and it stays set even if I turn the camera off and then back on again.

Again, thank you so much.  I was so frustrated I had boxed up the Leica adapter and was going to send it back to B&H come Monday.  You saved me from the discomfort of the "return process."

Don

 

I use my TL2 almost exclusively with MF lenses on a 'dumb' novoflex or URTH adapter. I have some TL and L lenses with AF but they are large and heavy on the TL2. A nice small 35mm like the Summicron 35mm or Color Skopar makes it really small and light. And I do not mind MF at all. I always use the A mode and often use the EVF only option. Make sure you configure the FN button to bring up the menu or chose a profile, otherwise you can not 'escape' the EVF only mode when you need the LCD screen.

[d30gaijin]

1 hour ago, dpitt said:

I use my TL2 almost exclusively with MF lenses on a 'dumb' novoflex or URTH adapter. I have some TL and L lenses with AF but they are large and heavy on the TL2. A nice small 35mm like the Summicron 35mm or Color Skopar makes it really small and light. And I do not mind MF at all. I always use the A mode and often use the EVF only option. Make sure you configure the FN button to bring up the menu or chose a profile, otherwise you can not 'escape' the EVF only mode when you need the LCD screen.

I have a lot of M & LTM glass, some dating back to the 1930's.  I enjoy using the older lenses for their "Character" as some say of them.  I too primarily use the A mode and I have the FN button setup to swap between the EVF and the main screen in "menu" mode.  That keeps everything handy.  It's so nice to finally have my TL2 working correctly with manual lenses.  I really do enjoy using the TL2.  It is a bit slippery in hand when holding it with one hand.  I fixed that by cutting a thin piece of skateboard grip tape, about 10mm wide and stuck it on the camera body where my fingers grip the handgrip, such as it is.  It makes a huge difference in holding the camera one handed.  It no longer feels like the camera could easily slip out of my fingers.  Best thing is it is temporary, does not mar the finish i.e., it can be pealed off at any time. It's far less noticeable in hand than it appears in the photo but it really helps holding the camera.

Don 

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[Dopaco]

You may need another Voigtlander to M adapter, that happened to me with Carl Zeiss lenses.

 

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[d30gaijin]

It turns out that I don't even need the expensive Leica L-M adapter to get magnification.  Once I got the magnification working I thought, let's try the US$20 PHOLSY dumb adapter.  Well by golly it worked.  Magnification came up by turning the left dial.  The secret is setting/programming the left dial with only 6 options then hit "set."  Just make sure that "Focus Aid" is one of the options selected.  Again, for anyone reading this down the road, select ONLY 6 options for the left dial then hit "Set."  If you can't "Set" it then there are too many options selected.   Wish I had known this before laying out US$450 plus tax for the Leica L-M adapter.   

[Dopaco]

On 10/7/2023 at 4:45 AM, d30gaijin said:

It turns out that I don't even need the expensive Leica L-M adapter to get magnification.  Once I got the magnification working I thought, let's try the US$20 PHOLSY dumb adapter.  Well by golly it worked.  Magnification came up by turning the left dial.  The secret is setting/programming the left dial with only 6 options then hit "set."  Just make sure that "Focus Aid" is one of the options selected.  Again, for anyone reading this down the road, select ONLY 6 options for the left dial then hit "Set."  If you can't "Set" it then there are too many options selected.   Wish I had known this before laying out US$450 plus tax for the Leica L-M adapter.   

I'm happy you got it

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