LEICA Visoflex 2, What do you think?

[bcaslis]

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I understand about magnifying an image. However when viewing the total image (not magnified), the image size appears significantly smaller than the Q2 EVF. I have compared them side by side. The Q2 is about a x.76 magnification of the view (the normal way EVF specs are listed). I can't find any specs online for the Visoflex 2, but I would guess it's probably about x.70 for it. This doesn't sound like much but it's a clearly visible difference if you compare side by side. It's not a terrible EVF but I was expecting it to be closer to the Q2.

I just want to be clear for anyone considering buying this. It's a good EVF but if you are expecting it to be the same as the Q2, you will be disappointed.

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[geotrupede]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:38 AM, Photoworks said:

Is anyone having  a problem in getting the screen switch working reliably ?

I find myself of them taking the Visoflex on and off multiple time in order to get an image.

Some times the eye sensor works but the screen keeps flashing...

I have tested another unit in the Leica Store and it seams more an issue of the EVF rather than the camera.

I had the same issue with the first viso I was sold, the second is a little more reliable but in both cases at times the camera does not like to display images. with the first unit this would happen 80% of the time, with the second 10%. 

G>

 

[hmzimelka]

11 hours ago, bcaslis said:

I understand about magnifying an image. However when viewing the total image (not magnified), the image size appears significantly smaller than the Q2 EVF. I have compared them side by side. The Q2 is about a x.76 magnification of the view (the normal way EVF specs are listed). I can't find any specs online for the Visoflex 2, but I would guess it's probably about x.70 for it. This doesn't sound like much but it's a clearly visible difference if you compare side by side. It's not a terrible EVF but I was expecting it to be closer to the Q2.

I just want to be clear for anyone considering buying this. It's a good EVF but if you are expecting it to be the same as the Q2, you will be disappointed.

I have noted this slight crop at full image view to Leica support. They don't seem at all concerned that this is a weird implementation that needs fixing. I would have thought that precise framing Live View on the LCD and through the Visoflex would be assumed. Apparently not. 

[WvE]

I tried the Visoflex 020 and 2 in the shop but was far from impressed (especially for that price). I'll just continue to use LV instead (hoping that the next M will have a tilting LCD screen).

Edited January 9, 2023 by WvE

[lct]

19 hours ago, bcaslis said:

I understand about magnifying an image. However when viewing the total image (not magnified), the image size appears significantly smaller than the Q2 EVF. I have compared them side by side. The Q2 is about a x.76 magnification of the view (the normal way EVF specs are listed). I can't find any specs online for the Visoflex 2, but I would guess it's probably about x.70 for it. [...]

Both Q2 and Viso2 have the same resolution so perhaps Leica chose 0.73x the same way as for the OVF? I have no idea.

[robsonj]

2 hours ago, lct said:

Both Q2 and Viso2 have the same resolution so perhaps Leica chose 0.73x the same way as for the OVF? I have no idea.

Would the slight crop be related to the EVF image stabilization maybe?

[lct]

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12 minutes ago, robsonj said:

Would the slight crop be related to the EVF image stabilization maybe?

I did not take any mesure but i don't seem to perceive a difference crop wise between the EVF and the LCD.

[robsonj]

Just now, lct said:

I did not take any mesure but i don't seem to perceive a difference crop wise between the EVF and the LCD.

Does the stabilization also pertain to the lcd though?

[lct]

1 hour ago, robsonj said:

Does the stabilization also pertain to the lcd though?

I don't know sorry.

[Photoworks]

1 hour ago, robsonj said:

Would the slight crop be related to the EVF image stabilization maybe?

yes in EVF and LCD. Final image is slightly larger.
But then again lens correction is going to have an impact too if you are brining the RAW file into editing.

[Jon Warwick]

I’ve now properly tried the Visoflex 2 on an M10 family camera and an M11 and found it more useful than my initial try had suggested, especially now that I switched off the red focus peaking assist (which I find distracting compared to just a clear view) and also now that I learnt how far it can zoom in (more than I thought!)

2 things i didn’t fully establish though, perhaps someone knows the answer? ……

(1) does the “noise” I saw in the viewfinder essentially correlate to the chosen ISO for the camera? ……ie, will the view through the Visoflex 2 at low / base ISO have less noise than at high ISOs?

(2) I assume yes, but do the lines for the in-camera perspective control (ie, for architecture) get shown though the Visoflex 2 too?

Edited March 19, 2023 by Jon Warwick

[rustyrus]

Late to the party here....I just picked up the Visoflex 2 up and love it! 

 

I found it shooting with a B&W film style, the Focus Peaking really pops in red and makes it blazing fast to focus when needed. I did an indoor party and was able to quickly nail focus even at 1.4. Granted it was on a 35mm but loved using this thing inside at a party. 

 

I also much prefer when using a 90mm vs using the Magnifier. 

 

Cheers

[Guest]

Do folk tend to focus the Visoflex 2 at the widest aperture, and hence minimum DOF, and then stop down to the "working" aperture?

[Tailwagger]

7 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

perhaps someone knows the answer? ……

(1) does the “noise” I saw in the viewfinder essentially correlate to the chosen ISO for the camera? ……ie, will the view through the Visoflex 2 at low / base ISO have less noise than at high ISOs?

(2) I assume yes, but do the lines for the in-camera perspective control (ie, for architecture) get shown though the Visoflex 2 too?

(1) I don't know... but out of curiosity I went back, tested and came away believing that it is independent of ISO. I had thought there was an wysiwyg vs. viewable menu option ala the SL2, but couldn't find it. Might be buried somewhere I didnt think to look as I tend to set things up and forget about it.  But assuming there is no setting, the M11 seems to boost signal to the VF regardless.  Sitting here in my dim living room, the noise level at ISO 64 vs. 6400 was the exactly the same.  

(2) This I do know... if PC is enabled, the frame will display in the viso. 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Tailwagger

[SrMi]

8 hours ago, Corius said:

Do folk tend to focus the Visoflex 2 at the widest aperture, and hence minimum DOF, and then stop down to the "working" aperture?

I focus with Visoflex at the widest aperture. Note that the DOF of wide angles is often too large for Visoflex focusing. Therefore, I usually use RF to focus with 21mm lenses.
Some forum members are happy with the results obtained when focusing stopped down. You should ry it for yourself.
I often tilt the Visoflex to see the set aperture value when focusing.

[SrMi]

10 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

I’ve now properly tried the Visoflex 2 on an M10 family camera and an M11 and found it more useful than my initial try had suggested, especially now that I switched off the red focus peaking assist (which I find distracting compared to just a clear view) and also now that I learnt how far it can zoom in (more than I thought!)

2 things i didn’t fully establish though, perhaps someone knows the answer? ……

(1) does the “noise” I saw in the viewfinder essentially correlate to the chosen ISO for the camera? ……ie, will the view through the Visoflex 2 at low / base ISO have less noise than at high ISOs?

(2) I assume yes, but do the lines for the in-camera perspective control (ie, for architecture) get shown though the Visoflex 2 too?

The noise in the EVF typically correlate with the scene light. The darker the scene, the more noisy is the EVF/LCD view. 

[EJS73]

I had the visoflex2 for a year but recently sold it, I found that in cases where I’d use it, the excellent rear screen will do nicely. As a gadget, it looks and feels nice but the additional bulk is noticeable; the auto-magnify sounds great on paper but the delay before it kicks in defeats the usefulness in a fast workflow; and the image in the EVF is small and not very smooth or detailed. 

 

[Tailwagger]

4 hours ago, EJS73 said:

I had the visoflex2 for a year but recently sold it, I found that in cases where I’d use it, the excellent rear screen will do nicely. As a gadget, it looks and feels nice but the additional bulk is noticeable; the auto-magnify sounds great on paper but the delay before it kicks in defeats the usefulness in a fast workflow; and the image in the EVF is small and not very smooth or detailed. 

Everyone has their own brief, which depending on how and what one shoots makes the V2 either indispensable or a nuisance. Personally, I find I couldn't live without waste level finding, a flaw in the SL2 design, given its lack of flip screen, which is a frequent source of annoyance.  But even if these cameras did possess that ability, relying on the rear display severely compromises shooting stability when hand holding.  A further issue, for those of us who have difficulty seeing close, is that the viso provides a diopter, the rear display does not. In my case, relying on the display doesn't work as I have to view the scene glasses on, but the display glasses off.  

The zoom delay can be painful, but in my case, I nearly always focus via RF, confirm via EVF.  Any delay present is therefore rarely noticed. For anything that demands speed over accuracy, certainly the RF is generally the best solution.  As for bulk... by which I assume you mean size, not weight... having suffered the 020 for many years on the M10/10-R, the V2 is a huge improvement. But I'm sure for some losing the added hump is but one of the justifications for an Mevf.

In the end, IMO the viso should not be thought of as a replacement for the RF, but rather a compliment to it, adding additional capability the OVF can not provide on its own. If you need these additional modes, you'll find it useful. If not, you won't.  But for me, the combination of OVF/EVF provides a unique set of capabilities that over the years I have become completely reliant on. 

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[EJS73]

That’s quite the treatise on the visoflex2, and I guess that for anyone looking for a vertical viewfinder it’s the best and only option. I was hoping it would make close focusing of the summilux lenses easier, or faster, and found it to be not very impressive for this purpose even apart from the added bulk.
 

[maxpower]

For what it's worth, I thought the Visoflex 2 was very cool and did not have a any issues with it, but for my use case I just didn't really need it and that meant I never took it with me, so it ended up collecting dust and I sold it eventually. Haven't missed it since. Hopefully the new owner uses it more than I did, they got it much cheaper than new after all.