Switching to EV1 from Rangefinder not so easy

[Leslie22]

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30+ years using M’s , also SL 3 …. So I do have experience with M lens on SL3

BUT , with the M EV1 (which I like very much) I’m finding it a learning curve to get quick , sharp , in focus images.

After a few weeks I’ve settled on NO focus peaking. Us “punch in” at wide open aperture , then close down and take the shot (using auto ISO)

Thanks to Sean Reid for that suggestion , he calls it riding the Aperture ring.

It does take some getting used to looking into the viewfinder and NOT seeing the patch, 30 years , It will take a little time to get used to it

 

Any hints or differing methods would be welcome to hear.

 

 

 

 

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[SrMi]

I am trying to switch to focusing at working aperture, but it is too strenuous to guess the proper focus settings. I am reverting to my old style of focusing: open wider aperture, set focus, close aperture.

[derleicaman]

My biggest issue is getting used to shooting without the freedom the optical viewfinder gives you. I was beta testing the camera for several months, and loved it for nailing focus with my Noctilux and 75 Summicron, to name a few. Being an avid M user for almost 60 years spoils you, and I am still using the M10P and and M10M cameras. There are a lot of things to love about the M11, but I am not used to it, only having used it before the intro a few years ago. So some of my problems with the M EV1 I attribute to being unfamiliar of the quirks of the M11 camera family. My biggest problem came with quickly focusing, composing and shooting in the field. With an OVF M camera, once you have the camera set, just shoot. With the M EV1, I found the electronic viewfinder getting in the way. As I said, some of this may be due to not being up to speed on the M11 system, partly due to there being no instruction book for the months I had testing the camera.

There were several occasions where I was shooting pictures of the grandkids at a local fair on the rides and other attractions they were into. I was trying to keep up with four of them, ranging in age from 3 to 7, and I found the M EV1 the way I had it set up getting in the way of getting results I was used to. I felt the camera was in the way, and missed using one of my M10s in this situation. It was like running at a track meet with work boots on.

For macro work, and nailing focus with any lens I chose, the M EV1 was a natural. Not having to use a VIso was a big plus. For me, the M EV1 would be a companion camera, not a replacement.

Edited November 21 by derleicaman

[Jean-Michel]

16 hours ago, SrMi said:

I am trying to switch to focusing at working aperture, but it is too strenuous to guess the proper focus settings. I am reverting to my old style of focusing: open wider aperture, set focus, close aperture.

I find it interesting to read all the threads about the M-EV1 (which I do not have). I do have an M-P(240) and an SL2 and occasionally use the EVF2 or an M lens on the SL2. Really, the only way to focus as accurately as possible with a manual lens on an SLR, dSLR or Mirrorless is to do so with the lens open to its widest aperture. In the mid 1960s I sometimes used my older cousin's Exacta. One of his lenses had a device where you would set the desired aperture, say f/8, and push the aperture ring in, if I remember correctly, and the lens would open wide open, you would focus and then move the ring back and it would stop at the selected aperture. Sort of what you are doing, but without the 'automatic' aperture stop!

[duoenboge]

That's to be expected, since it's difficult to achieve precise focus at closed apertures when shooting with lenses that lack an automatic diaphragm. Perhaps Leica wanted to remind EV1 photographers that true Leica photography is done with a wide aperture, because only this produces the famous Leica look. 😘Mr. Karbe always emphasizes that with Leica, the widest aperture was always the working aperture. Which is also true.

[lct]

17 hours ago, Leslie22 said:

[...] Any hints or differing methods would be welcome to hear.

My simple method is two fold. For nailing focus, autozoom at working aperture + focus peaking. For good enough focusing, focus peaking at full aperture. Same method with MEV1 and M11+ Visoflex 2. No problem for me but i cannot speak for others.

[CDodkin]

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On 11/21/2025 at 3:43 PM, lct said:

My simple method is two fold. For nailing focus, autozoom at working aperture + focus peaking. For good enough focusing, focus peaking at full aperture. Same method with MEV1 and M11+ Visoflex 2. No problem for me but i cannot speak for others.

Same for me

[jaapv]

On 11/21/2025 at 11:50 PM, duoenboge said:

That's to be expected, since it's difficult to achieve precise focus at closed apertures when shooting with lenses that lack an automatic diaphragm. Perhaps Leica wanted to remind EV1 photographers that true Leica photography is done with a wide aperture, because only this produces the famous Leica look. 😘Mr. Karbe always emphasizes that with Leica, the widest aperture was always the working aperture. Which is also true.

Perhaps Leica was unable to overcome the difficulty of not being able to open and close the aperture automatically on a fully manual lens?

[KenTanaka]

For onlookers considering taking the plunge into M-EV1 waters, the focusing experience is essentially identical to that of using an M11 with a Visoflex 2.  Yes, the evf is slightly higher-res but not to an appreciable degree.

I appreciate reading others’ tips after my first 2 weeks with the M-EV1. I definitely need more practice with the M-EV1 as my results thus far have not been exemplary.

I also admit that the M-EV1 has made me more deeply appreciate my M11-P (which I still have) and the true value of that rangefinder mechanism!  It turns out that I relied on it more than I realized.

Moral: Be careful what you wish for.  Leica might just give it to you.
 

[SrMi]

47 minutes ago, KenTanaka said:

For onlookers considering taking the plunge into M-EV1 waters, the focusing experience is essentially identical to that of using an M11 with a Visoflex 2.  Yes, the evf is slightly higher-res but not to an appreciable degree.

I appreciate reading others’ tips after my first 2 weeks with the M-EV1. I definitely need more practice with the M-EV1 as my results thus far have not been exemplary.

I also admit that the M-EV1 has made me more deeply appreciate my M11-P (which I still have) and the true value of that rangefinder mechanism!  It turns out that I relied on it more than I realized.

Moral: Be careful what you wish for.  Leica might just give it to you.
 

Yes, it takes a while to get used to focusing M lenses with EVF, but if you have used Visoflex previously (probably the primary target for this camera), the experience can be applied. I can say now that I get more images in focus with the EVF than with the rangefinder. This means that I need to improve my rangefinder skills :).

[Jon Warwick]

On 11/25/2025 at 3:11 PM, KenTanaka said:

I also admit that the M-EV1 has made me more deeply appreciate my M11-P (which I still have) and the true value of that rangefinder mechanism!  It turns out that I relied on it more than I realized.

Moral: Be careful what you wish for.  Leica might just give it to you.
 

I was certainly one of those that wished Leica would give an M EV1, but when I tried it, I quickly found it far more limiting than I’d imagined for certain types of photography.

I think my wish for an EV1 was because I’ve been using the Visoflex a lot on the M11 recently for landscapes, where I liked it for fully accurate composition and use of histogram (and the focus was just infinity, so easy). But I’d failed to appreciate how different an EVF would be for non-infinity and more spontaneous subjects.

If I stick with the M color cameras, I’m now thinking my M11 and Visoflex perhaps gives me the best of both worlds.

Oddly enough, though, I think this experience has pushed me back over to the SL world. I’m now better appreciating it as a super flexible system for a multitude of subjects (EVF benefit for landscapes, but also pin-point accuracy of autofocus for other subjects like people). Bulkier for sure, especially the lenses (but with bulk comes better edge-to-edge sharpness IMHO). The weight of a SL3 body itself is only 50g more than my M11 + M handgrip + Visoflex, however. And lenses (for travel) like the DG DN 50 f2 Contemporary are also similar to M weight.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 10:49 AM by Jon Warwick

[Mahesh]

A few years ago (5+) I used Sony A7ii with the only M mount lens I had, sonnar 50/1.5. I used just the magnification and I never missed a shot. I used f1.5, f2, and f4. I never felt I was not in a moment. 

I agree it is wildly different experience for someone who has only used RF OVFs all their lives but the more you practice the more it will become second nature.... just like aligning the RF patch. Give it some time but it still does not work out you can always fall back on RF cameras

[SrMi]

5 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

I was certainly one of those that wished Leica would give an M EV1, but when I tried it, I quickly found it far more limiting than I’d imagined for certain types of photography.

I think my wish for an EV1 was because I’ve been using the Visoflex a lot on the M11 recently for landscapes, where I liked it for fully accurate composition and use of histogram (and the focus was just infinity, so easy). But I’d failed to appreciate how different an EVF would be for non-infinity and more spontaneous subjects.

If I stick with the M color cameras, I’m now thinking my M11 and Visoflex perhaps gives me the best of both worlds.

Oddly enough, though, I think this experience has pushed me back over to the SL world. I’m now better appreciating it as a super flexible system for a multitude of subjects (EVF benefit for landscapes, but also pin-point accuracy of autofocus for other subjects like people). Bulkier for sure, especially the lenses (but with bulk comes better edge-to-edge sharpness IMHO). The weight of a SL3 body itself is only 50g more than my M11 + M handgrip + Visoflex, however. And lenses (for travel) like the DG DN 50 f2 Contemporary are also similar to M weight.

To the best of my knowledge, but I did not weigh it:

SL3 with battery: 850g

M11 (black) with battery: 530g; M-EV1 is 484g with battery.

EVF2 is 35g. IMO, the grip is really not necessary, but there are third-party lightweight versions that are lighter than Lieca's 135g.

I think the tiltable LCD and IBIS are the key advantages of the SL cameras. The weight and size are key advantages of the M-EV1 series. There is nothing like a rangefinder, though (M11). You either want it or not.

 

[Jon Warwick]

16 minutes ago, SrMi said:

To the best of my knowledge, but I did not weigh it:

SL3 with battery: 850g

M11 (black) with battery: 530g; M-EV1 is 484g with battery.

EVF2 is 35g. IMO, the grip is really not necessary, but there are third-party lightweight versions that are lighter than Lieca's 135g.

I think the tiltable LCD and IBIS are the key advantages of the SL cameras. The weight and size are key advantages of the M-EV1 series. There is nothing like a rangefinder, though (M11). You either want it or not.

 

Fair enough point re the grip being an optional add-on for the M11s, and the EV1 is indeed the lightest of the M11 series.

Interesting re EVF2 is only 35g. It got heavier (c90g) with the Visoflex 2, I assume given more metal in its construction. The Leica grip for the M11 is approx 90g. I think when I totted up my calculation before I was assuming my RRS grip (heading towards 150g), so all in, a M11 + Visoflex 2 + grip was roughly 530 + 90 + 150 = 770g.

Ironically, given my nuanced discussion of grams above, I’ve often carried a 2kg+ 3-series RRS tripod with the M11 when hiking, so the biggest saving in weight (by a huge margin) is whether I feel confident enough to maximise image quality with IBIS alone if I moved over to an SL3. For my M11 Monochrom, I feel happy to crank up the ISO to almost whatever, so keeping ISO low is a much bigger priority for me on the color cameras. In that sense, maybe the SL3 (for my use) could provide the greatest weight savings of the lot if I feel content to leave the tripod at home more often with no visible loss of image quality by resorting to IBIS.

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, SrMi said:

I think the tiltable LCD and IBIS are the key advantages of the SL cameras. 

 

SL2 does not have tilt-screen, but it has the other key SL system advantage: weather sealing.

[BWColor]

I don’t have the EV-1, but I have used my M11M with the Visoflex 2 and Leica 75mm & 90mm APO lenses.  I believe that the quality and magnification of the viewfinder does make a difference because I regularly manually focus my Hasselblad 90mm f/2.5 v lens with greater speed/accuracy than using my 75mm APO and the Visoflex 2.

[newtoleica]

3 hours ago, BWColor said:

I don’t have the EV-1, but I have used my M11M with the Visoflex 2 and Leica 75mm & 90mm APO lenses.  I believe that the quality and magnification of the viewfinder does make a difference because I regularly manually focus my Hasselblad 90mm f/2.5 v lens with greater speed/accuracy than using my 75mm APO and the Visoflex 2.

You should be able to do the 75 APO worth the RF reliably if you work at it. 90mm… not so easy! 

[jaapv]

This  is exactly what the EV1 is made for. Basically 75 and 90 mm are not a problem for the RF, but if they are Leica caters for that customer group. 

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[BWColor]

7 hours ago, newtoleica said:

You should be able to do the 75 APO worth the RF reliably if you work at it. 90mm… not so easy! 

Yes, I rarely use the VF2 with the 70 and I rarely use the 90 APO, mostly use the Macro-Elmer f/4 with rangefinder.

[Leslie22]

A few weeks with the M EV 1 , finding it easier to focus after much practise. DIFFERENT after 30+ years with the rangefinder.

My Method (yours may differ) lens wide open , NO focus peaking , punch in if needed …. Focus then either take the shot of close down the aperture.

I’ve now moved to mostly all manual , ISO after a press of the thumb wheel then turn. I wish they would change it to act like the Q3 43 , a simple turn of the thumb wheel to change ISO (no press)

All going well , it is a learning curve , but I’m happy with the camera.