Visoflex 2 or 1.4 magnifier with 75mm lens

[Wwin]

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Hello,

I am thinking of purchasing the Voigtlander 75mm f1.5 lens for my M10-R. I have the Voigtlander Nokton 40mm 1.4 lens and i think the 75mm lens would be a great combo to have ☺️

Which would be a better fit, the visoflex 2 or the 1.4 magnifier with a 75mm lens? 
 

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[jaapv]

Neither. A 75 is a doddle to focus.

[Wwin]

11 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Neither. A 75 is a doddle to focus.

🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣

[jaapv]

The tipping point is about 100 mm if you have trouble the answer is trifold: practice practice and practice. Leica meant the 1.4 for one lens only: the 135 APO 3.4. But most of us focus that one with ease. Personally I can focus a 270 reliably. 

 

[Wwin]

4 minutes ago, jaapv said:

The tipping point is about 100 mm if you have trouble the answer is trifold: practice practice and practice. Leica meant the 1.4 for one lens only: the 135 APO 3.4. But most of us focus that one with ease. Personally I can focus a 270 reliably. 

Thanks for your input! I didn’t know that the 1.4 is meant for the 135 lens 😃 

[jaapv]

Well, you can use it for any lens, but the drawbacks outweigh the advantage. Most buyers stop using it after a few weeks.

[darylgo]

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The 1.25x and 1.4x are great aids to focus long or normal lenses, it magnifies so the frame appears larger and the patch is also larger.  I use these on a regular basis and prefer them to the visoflex as they are diminutive and unobtrusive.  Your lens needs to be properly calibrated to work with the magnifiers.  The visoflex may be the more accurate in all situations, easier, however you have the large attachment that makes the M less M like.  

[Wwin]

6 hours ago, darylgo said:

The 1.25x and 1.4x are great aids to focus long or normal lenses, it magnifies so the frame appears larger and the patch is also larger.  I use these on a regular basis and prefer them to the visoflex as they are diminutive and unobtrusive.  Your lens needs to be properly calibrated to work with the magnifiers.  The visoflex may be the more accurate in all situations, easier, however you have the large attachment that makes the M less M like.  

Thanks for your input! 
I did not know yet about calibrating the lens.

[Flou]

vor 13 Minuten schrieb Wwin:

Thanks for your input! 
I did not know yet about calibrating the lens.

You don‘t need to calibrate the lens for using the magnifier. I had a Summilux 75mm and a 1.4-magnifier and it worked perfectly.

 

If your lens is focusing incorrectly, then you have to send it to Leica for calibration if you want to use the rangefinder. Otherwise you will never have photos which are perfectly in focus, with or without the magnifier.

[jaapv]

18 hours ago, Wwin said:

Thanks for your input! 
I did not know yet about calibrating the lens.

Nor I. It has absolutely nothing to do with calibrating the lens. 
It has to do with the magnifier altering th diopter value of the ocular which in some cases can lead to focusing being harder. Furthermore a magnifier will reduce contrast, again leading to less accuracy. The main function of a magnifier is expanding the frame which is rather small on a 135 mm. As it lengthens the rangefinder base it will enhance the movement of the focus patch as well. 
A practical drawback is that it needs to be removed for the use of wider lenses as the framelines will not be visible. That means that a diopter-if you need one- will have to be screwed in and out all the time as well. If you do need a diopter the magnifier will regularly need a different value. 

[darylgo]

On 11/3/2024 at 5:05 PM, jaapv said:

Nor I. It has absolutely nothing to do with calibrating the lens. 
It has to do with the magnifier altering th diopter value of the ocular which in some cases can lead to focusing being harder. Furthermore a magnifier will reduce contrast, again leading to less accuracy. The main function of a magnifier is expanding the frame which is rather small on a 135 mm. As it lengthens the rangefinder base it will enhance the movement of the focus patch as well. 
A practical drawback is that it needs to be removed for the use of wider lenses as the framelines will not be visible. That means that a diopter-if you need one- will have to be screwed in and out all the time as well. If you do need a diopter the magnifier will regularly need a different value. 

The lens needs to be calibrated either way, whether used with or without the magnifier for best results.  A 24mp sensor reduces to 6mp with slight focus errors.  
 

Regarding all the theory about diopters and contrast, the great thing about the M camera is nobody taught it theory.  So, it behaves very nicely with magnifiers or in other words, they work.  It’s not solely contrast, the patch can separate  verticals or near verticals in the horizontal frame format.  
 

 

[jaapv]

Yes the lens needs to be within tolerance to focus correctly with or without magnifier, however. As for the calibration of the eye of the user, the correct diopter strength is far more important than a magnifier. For most users the disadvantages outweigh the advantage of a lengthened RF base, although some like to use it.  
I wonder by what formula you convert focus accuracy into MPs. That is a new one to me. As far as I know the number of pixels of the sensor remains the same when turning the lens. 

[darylgo]

16 hours ago, jaapv said:

I wonder by what formula you convert focus accuracy into MPs. That is a new one to me. As far as I know the number of pixels of the sensor remains the same when turning the lens. 

Observation when critically testing each lens, no formula, if the lens rotation is uncalibrated by 1mm then 24mp goes down to 6mp wide open on fast lenses.  Try it on your well calibrated M lens and body, simply move your lens 1mm from proper focus, I'd be interested to hear your findings.   Handholding also diminishes resolution, if I had to guess movement could easily diminish 24mp to 12mp or lower, many photographers when handholding take three images and one of the three will be significantly sharper.  

And yes, a sensor does not change it spots, similar to a leopard.  🙂