M diaopters

[davidrc]

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Quoted in the UK for M240 type eye diopter is anything from £99 - 144, new.

Everything Leica seems OTT on price, but since we pay a hefty price for lenses and bodies in particular, you’d think a diopter could be offered at a sensible price.  Finding a used one may as well be as rare as hens teeth.

Does anyone know (if) another diopter for another camera make can be used, and if so, which?

Thanks.

[ECohen]

Used diopters are everywhere, throw it out to the forum. Which one are you looking for?

Why would you think anything Leica would be offered at a sensible price?

Edited February 29, 2020 by ECohen

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[Stealth3kpl]

What power are you looking for? Ffordes seem to have a few used eyepieces +1,+2,+3 @£45, a -2 and +1.5 @ £49, and a +1 @ £39 at present.

I guess the expense comes from Leica being a bit niche and the desire for dioptres being a bit more nicherer (😅). Heck, they're not even available through aftermarket suppliers as far as I know which would suggest the Leica pricing is pretty reasonable.

Pete

Edited February 29, 2020 by Stealth3kpl

[davidrc]

9 hours ago, ECohen said:

Used diopters are everywhere, throw it out to the forum. Which one are you looking for?

Why would you think anything Leica would be offered at a sensible price?

- 0.5  possibly, -1 probably.  
Viewing would seem essential first as I am guessing, as I am in between those two depending on the camera optical viewing.

 

[davidrc]

9 hours ago, Stealth3kpl said:

What power are you looking for? Ffordes seem to have a few used eyepieces +1,+2,+3 @£45, a -2 and +1.5 @ £49, and a +1 @ £39 at present.

I guess the expense comes from Leica being a bit niche and the desire for dioptres being a bit more nicherer (😅). Heck, they're not even available through aftermarket suppliers as far as I know which would suggest the Leica pricing is pretty reasonable.

Pete

Ffords @ £39 are for R cameras.....

As for prices....they are not exactly hard to manufacture and a “reasonable” price would be a good reward to buyers who are paying a lot out in the first place where a high cost is probably warranted, as the quality of bodies and lenses is superior and the results bear that out.

I wonder what buyers in Germany or HK or the USA are paying for new diopters?   I bet they are not equivalent UK prices!!

Remember, the M system relies on the viewer being able to see the rangefinder accurately, and I can well see that a high proportion of users do need some form of correction.  Which will need changing in time, perhaps several times.  I don’t think it’s THAT much of a niche required accessory.....more a case of Leica milking it.

I can focus well, slowly though as it is sometimes.  Putting a spare hasselblad diopter disc over greatly improves the speed.  I recommend anyone who is finding M focussing slow to try one via your local opticians. You maybe surprised.

A DIY made use of that spare disc is well on the cards as something could be done.

Also, a question.....doesn’t the screwed in diopter restrict seeing the edges of the field of view?

Leica do need to take care over “biting the hand that feeds them”.  Service at any price is not endearing PR quality.
Not all Leica users have wallets like bottomless pits.

[davidrc]

9 hours ago, Stealth3kpl said:

What power are you looking for? Ffordes seem to have a few used eyepieces +1,+2,+3 @£45, a -2 and +1.5 @ £49, and a +1 @ £39 at present.

I guess the expense comes from Leica being a bit niche and the desire for dioptres being a bit more nicherer (😅). Heck, they're not even available through aftermarket suppliers as far as I know which would suggest the Leica pricing is pretty reasonable.

Pete

Life would be made a lot easier if a simple screwed retaining ring system was in use, then only the glass diopter would need changing.  Then an optician can take care of more accurate prescriptions where needed.

But I suspect profit is being put unnecessarily before customer needs and satisfaction.  Saying that a limited market is causing it I’d say is untrue.  If they are really bothered they would ensure prescription needs are better met.
Having an optician make up a small diopter isn’t cheap either, but more accurate in most cases.  People are just putting up with the “nearest thing”.

And any optician will tell you that hardly any user falls exactly at say at 0.5 or 1.0 bang on.  Quarter of a diopter change in between is often needed for 100% accuracy.

 

[a.noctilux]

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David,

In the past, Leitz ( becoming Leica Camera and more... later ) had the ring you want (not in catalog, only could be ordered from customer service), the order number

042-253.008 mainly for astigmatism correction lens to be proper prescription lens mounted by opticians.

As I understand, while Leitz/Leica could make the R5 to R9 with continous variable correction, the M viewfinder technology can not accept that.

In my decades use, I had a lot of M correction lenses over time, I can say that "precise" (such as plus or minus 1.25 d ) diopter correction was not mandatory.

Now I use none, benefit of aging a bit 😉.

...

I hope that you can find the correction lens which suits you.

 

My advice is to go to Leica dealer to try the correction you need, in real life.

Calculing can be lottery (as my experiences of astigmatism + near sighted + what else ).

The eye (right or left) for using Leica M must also be considered.

 

[marcg]

£130 in UK.

 

[jaapv]

If

On 3/1/2020 at 9:34 AM, davidrc said:

Life would be made a lot easier if a simple screwed retaining ring system was in use, then only the glass diopter would need changing.  Then an optician can take care of more accurate prescriptions where needed.

But I suspect profit is being put unnecessarily before customer needs and satisfaction.  Saying that a limited market is causing it I’d say is untrue.  If they are really bothered they would ensure prescription needs are better met.
Having an optician make up a small diopter isn’t cheap either, but more accurate in most cases.  People are just putting up with the “nearest thing”.

And any optician will tell you that hardly any user falls exactly at say at 0.5 or 1.0 bang on.  Quarter of a diopter change in between is often needed for 100% accuracy.

 

Leica used to sell "empty" rings. As modern optician's  shaping machines are not able to cut 10 mm round glasses any more, they were discontinued a long time ago.

As for the strength, visit your local optometrist and use his try-out lenses to find the optimal value.

[sblutter]

No they're not cheap - but when I got the right one, focusing the 240 quickly & accurately became easy without my glasses, which I just flip up onto my head

Aging eyes...

[Jeff S]

Could be worse... the M10 diopters, which are larger diameter, are much more expensive.  In the US, at B&H (which has reasonable pricing), the M10 new diopters are $195, versus $109-119 for M240 diopters. 

Jeff

Edited March 19, 2020 by Jeff S