Visoflex 020 on M10M

[Ken Abrahams]

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I have read some very good existing posts and reviews for the Visoflex 020 for M10 cameras on this site.

Its not a cheap device and there seem to be as many drawbacks as there are positive attributes to this EVF. One main disadvantage seems to be the overheating factor.

Would anyone like to add their experiences using the Visoflex on the M10M in general and whether its use would suit Street photography?

Ken     

[andyturk]

I have an 020 use it occasionally for focusing accuracy with wide apertures (e.g., 50mm @ f/1.4). I've also used it with a 21mm Elmarit to help keep the borders vertical, which I rarely get right with the rangefinder alone.

Shooting people on the street with a 28mm, I often use flash and can't sacrifice the hot shoe to the EVF.

 

[Bo-Sixten]

I use my Visoflex 020 mainly for getting exact focus on longer focal lengths and wide apertures, e.g. 90mm Summicron or 135mm Telyt or with my R-lenses where you have no RF coupling.

It works very well, but I find it slow and not particularly suited for fast action street photography. It uses contrast focusing, and to get the exact focus you want to use it with the lens fully opened when focussing and then turn the aperture down to what you want. It takes a little time.

It works well also with very wide focal lengths as you can replace the optical view finder and get exact framing.

I have no experience of overheating. Hope this helps.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Bo-Sixten

[Ken Abrahams]

23 minutes ago, Bo-Sixten said:

I use my Visoflex 020 mainly for getting exact focus on longer focal lengths and wide apertures, e.g. 90mm Summicron or 135mm Telyt or with my R-lenses where you have no RF coupling.

It works very well, but I find it slow and not particularly suited for fast action street photography. It uses contrast focusing, and to get the exact focus you want to use it with the lens fully opened when focussing and then turn the aperture down to what you want. It takes a little time.

It works well also with very wide focal lengths as you can replace the optical view finder and get exact framing.

I have no experience of overheating. Hope this helps.

Thank you Bo Sixteen, I am familiar with the SL 601 evf focussing in the manner you describe although I did come across an issue with the 35 Summicron. It tends to focus shift in that direction, when you stop back down after the focussing. I hear what you say about the lagging and slowness. Thanks

Ken 

[Jager]

I very much like the Visoflex 020 as an adjunct to the camera's rangefinder.  As already mentioned, it's invaluable for precise framing and precise focusing.  It's also very helpful when you're in a situation with known focus shift - such as when using a dark red filter.

For street shooting it also has the subtle benefit when flipped up (so that you're above the camera, peering down) in that people tend to not realize that you're taking their picture and go on with their business.  And used the same way (flipped up), it is invaluable for getting down at ground level.

I've never heard of any heat issues with the Visoflex.  I've certainly never experienced any.

 

 

[Cliff S]

I love it with the M10M when I want to expose for high contrast. I can look through it will moving the camera around until i see a more exciting contrast of blacks and whites. then I have press and recompose

[snooper]

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I would not be able to tell specifically for street photography, but as far as overheating is concerned I did not feel anything like it during my walks, using the 020 substantially.

Very useful accessory on the M10M !

[setuporg]

I had the Visoflex regularly lose contact with the mothership and that required taking it out and putting back in, restarting the camera, etc.  Also does not fit into the full case.  Overall a nuisance.

[Anakronox]

I have used it with my M10 and M10M, but only when I need to nail critical focus.  This is only an issue with the Summilux 50 and Nokton 75 wide open so far.  It’s small enough to easily go in my bag, but I would never use it for street.  I much prefer to zone focus and snap away using the rangefinder.  

[rsh]

I really like it when I need to use it.

 

[davidmknoble]

My favorite use of the EVF is for 21mm landscape or 135mm landscape.  It is slow as some said, with some lag, but still far better than a rangefinder patch for the extremes....

 

[setuporg]

10 minutes ago, davidmknoble said:

My favorite use of the EVF is for 21mm landscape or 135mm landscape.  It is slow as some said, with some lag, but still far better than a rangefinder patch for the extremes....

 

I also use EVF for 135 Telyt, but 24 or 21 can be done fine in OVF except for the actual framing.  I prefer the Frankenfinder for the wide end, also works on any old M.

[davidmknoble]

3 hours ago, setuporg said:

I also use EVF for 135 Telyt, but 24 or 21 can be done fine in OVF except for the actual framing.  I prefer the Frankenfinder for the wide end, also works on any old M.

I do use the OVF for the 24 'lux, but I frequently use a graduated filter on the 21mm for landscape, so the EVF  does a great job on viewing where the filter lines are.  The LiveView can be hard to see in some lights, the the EVF can tilt and filter out stray light in my vision.  But, landscape is specialty work on a tripod, not carry and shoot...

 

[SrMi]

Visioflex is also useful when shooting from lower perspective (90 degree tilt)

[EddieCheddar]

I like using the Visoflex 020 on my M10 -- I can focus much better, as well as "see" the information such as shutter speed, histogram, etcetera.  I have the display in the EVF set to "high" (or whatever it's called), so that I can see easier.  I also turn off the Focus Peaking color thing. I do miss the not being able to use the Thumb accessory, but the option to look into the EVF is better. And don't forget, just because the Visoflex is on the camera, doesn't mean you have to use it.  I normally stroll around with Live View off, and just use the normal rangefinder.  However, if I want to get a sharper focus, or deal with tricky backlighting, or it's nighttime, I just turn on Live View and look through the VisoFlex. I know I can simply just turn on Live View and look at the back screen, but I can't "view" things as well that way and it's too hard to hold the camera away from my face, and focus, and not cause camera shake, etc.

Dig it.

[strohscw]

"I do miss the not being able to use the Thumb accessory"

Hallo Eddie,
have a look at the "Thumbie thumb grip". I use them at my M10 and am very happy with it.

 

Greetings

Wolfram

[evikne]

I have a Visoflex 020 for my M10, but I almost never use it. I always carry it in my bag however, just in case. Even when I shoot my Noctilux f/1 or 75 Summilux wide open, I think the RF is much faster to use. I am lucky to have lenses that is very well calibrated. The Visoflex slows me down so much that I don't get the pictures I want. It also gets very hot, maybe because the GSP is activated? The only times I consider using it, is for macro/close-up photography. And if I had lenses longer than 75mm I would perhaps also used it with them. 

[robert blu]

I do not use it very oft, when I do I fiund ti very good. I had a few overheating probelms last summer with ambient temperature around 30 °C needing to switch off the camera and wait a couple  of minutes before restarting. I'm using it now with a 75 mm lens for accurate focus, with a cv lens not yet sure which are the most appropriate settings.

As an accessory finder  it is very good in my opinion.

[T25UFO]

1 hour ago, robert blu said:

I do not use it very oft, when I do I fiund ti very good. I had a few overheating probelms last summer with ambient temperature around 30 °C needing to switch off the camera and wait a couple  of minutes before restarting. I'm using it now with a 75 mm lens for accurate focus, with a cv lens not yet sure which are the most appropriate settings.

As an accessory finder  it is very good in my opinion.

This is a thread about the Visoflex 020 on the M10M and the camera wasn’t released last summer.  What camera were you using when the overheating problem occurred?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[robert blu]

Sorry  I didn’t notice the last M in the thread title, my mistake.  I was referring  the M 10 Sorry again