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Improvement of firmware for Viewfinder? (D-Lux4)


strikkflypilot

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I have the D-Lux 4 with the viewfinder, needless to say very happy with it.

 

I have some ambiguous feelings about the viewfinder, though, and I think a small change in firmware could change that quite a bit. Pardon me for drawing this one out...:o

 

As those of us who already have the viewfinder at least know, it is perfectly configured for 24mm wide angle shots.

 

There are also brackets for 35 mm, here is the problem, though.

The viewfinder does not zoom in as the lens zooms in, so there is no feedback as to what the lens really sees without looking at the LCD screen.

 

My suggestion is this: Why isn't there a sort of detent when I zoom in, so that I know it stops at 35mm before it zooms further? That way we could zoom out completely and have 24mm, zoom in and it would stop at 35mm, then one would have to press zoom again to go into further tele. This could be a style that is only active when "External Viewfinder On" is set in the menu? Maybe also a sound-feedback.

 

Thoughts?

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I have the D-Lux 4 with the viewfinder, needless to say very happy with it.

 

I have some ambiguous feelings about the viewfinder, though, and I think a small change in firmware could change that quite a bit. Pardon me for drawing this one out...:o

 

As those of us who already have the viewfinder at least know, it is perfectly configured for 24mm wide angle shots.

 

There are also brackets for 35 mm, here is the problem, though.

The viewfinder does not zoom in as the lens zooms in, so there is no feedback as to what the lens really sees without looking at the LCD screen.

 

My suggestion is this: Why isn't there a sort of detent when I zoom in, so that I know it stops at 35mm before it zooms further? That way we could zoom out completely and have 24mm, zoom in and it would stop at 35mm, then one would have to press zoom again to go into further tele. This could be a style that is only active when "External Viewfinder On" is set in the menu? Maybe also a sound-feedback.

 

Thoughts?

other "detents" would be required for users who don't have the Leica viewfinder, e.g at 28mm to match the Voigtlander "mini" 28/35 one. Must declare an interest as this is the one I have chosen, partly for its size but mostly for a 50GBP saving over the 200GBP Leica version.

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other "detents" would be required for users who don't have the Leica viewfinder, e.g at 28mm to match the Voigtlander "mini" 28/35 one. Must declare an interest as this is the one I have chosen, partly for its size but mostly for a 50GBP saving over the 200GBP Leica version.

 

I agree. It should be possible for the user to add detents at set zoom levels. Although I think that at least there should be a standard setup for the Leica Viewfinder, it should be completely user configurable.

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I've ordered a D Lux 4 from B+H and it should be waiting for me when I next visit our Seattle office on the 22 May and so not having actually used it yet, I can't comment in detail.

 

One thing I have been debating is whether to purchase the Leica Viewfinder, but the fact that it is only accurate at 24mm is putting me off. I think your suggestion would be greatly beneficial, as it would be ideal to have some sort of marking at 60mm and then maybe one, or two (although 2 would mean three sets of framelines, including the 60mm) additional marks at some focal length between the two.

 

I am familiar with the frameline concept as I have a couple of M8 bodies.

____________________-

Regards, Tom

 

 

Photography by Tom Lane

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There are visual markings for 24mm and 35mm only.

 

I'm confused about the inside lines on the viewfinder. While I don't own the finder, I played with one at a dealer recently and he said the second set of interior lines was for parallax correction. Is this so...and do the lines also just happen to approximate 35mm...or are the lines there to specifically denote 35mm?

 

Thanks to any who can clarify.

 

Jeff

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I'm confused about the inside lines on the viewfinder. While I don't own the finder, I played with one at a dealer recently and he said the second set of interior lines was for parallax correction. Is this so...and do the lines also just happen to approximate 35mm...or are the lines there to specifically denote 35mm?

 

Thanks to any who can clarify.

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

 

It depends upon which 24mm viewfinder you mean.

 

The viewfinder for the D-Lux4 is different from that for the 24mm M lenses.

 

The M viewfinder has markings that denote the field of view for use with a 35mm camera. The '35' marking indicate this, as against the inner markings for use with an M8.

 

Is this the one that you mean?

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I'm confused about the inside lines on the viewfinder. While I don't own the finder, I played with one at a dealer recently and he said the second set of interior lines was for parallax correction. Is this so...and do the lines also just happen to approximate 35mm...or are the lines there to specifically denote 35mm?

 

Thanks to any who can clarify.

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff!

 

The outer brackets are for 24mm, inner show the limitations for 35 mm. Remember that the viewfinder for the D-Lux is seated in the middle over the lens, so there is no parallax horizontally, only vertically.

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Hi Jeff,

 

It depends upon which 24mm viewfinder you mean.

 

The viewfinder for the D-Lux4 is different from that for the 24mm M lenses.

 

The M viewfinder has markings that denote the field of view for use with a 35mm camera. The '35' marking indicate this, as against the inner markings for use with an M8.

 

Is this the one that you mean?

 

Thanks...good question. I think he showed me the one dedicated to the d Lux. But, silly me, I was also probably confusing 35mm focal length with 35mm camera (i.e., film). I think I get the picture (so to speak).

Jeff

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Hi Jeff!

 

The outer brackets are for 24mm, inner show the limitations for 35 mm. Remember that the viewfinder for the D-Lux is seated in the middle over the lens, so there is no parallax horizontally, only vertically.

 

Thanks. I appreciate the pic as well.

Jeff

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I don't know if anyone found my idea a good one, I sent a mail to customerservice anyhow. If You DO think it is a good idea I could point to this thread in an e-mail.

in the meantime, (as I already posted some time ago) a guide to setting the focus on a D-Lux 4:

 

<<Use "P" mode with the digital zoom turned off and
watch the white focusing "bar" . If you set it all the way to the left you (obviously) get 24mm. Under the "1" = 26mm. Under the "." = 28mm. Under the "6" = 32mm. Under the "4" = 37mm. Under the "f" = 41mm. Under the "t" 44mm. Under the "first empty space" = 48mm. Under the "hyphen" = 52mm. Under (actually a little to the left of) the "left infinity loop" = 57mm. And finally all the way to the right (again obviously) 60mm.


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