Less Expensive Viewfinder Eyepieces For Your Leica M Series

[br1078lum]

http://leicarumors.com/2011/08/19/alternative-phottix-0-85x-and-1-25x-viewfinders-magnifiers-for-leica-m-rangefinders.aspx/

Now, if I only had a Leica M...

PF

[Kalkadan]

Hey thanks PF.  Can anyone help me with this: my M4 has a viewfinder magnification of .72X - so if a 1.25X magnifier is fitted does it give an effective magnification of .90X similar to the M3? (.72 x 1.25 = .90) ??  maths and optics and me don't mix real well  :rolleyes:

Dan

[br1078lum]

Okay, here is a big assumption.  If your viewfinder magnification is at 0.72, and you swap the 1.25 in, then I think you have a 1.25 viewfinder.  I'm thinking it has more to do with the reticle than the rest of the optics.  So the closest you can get is the 0.85 they offer.  I'll see if there is any info elsewhere, Dan.

PF

ps: The Phottix site states that the 0.85 magnifier will turn your 0.72 viewfinder into an 0.58, so I think you are on the right track Dan.  They didn't give the same explanation for the 1.25, but it does work out to 0.90.  Only thing is, the math doesn't support what they say about the 0.85 on an 0.72 (which comes out to 0.612).  Guess they just rounded it down.

[Bill Smith]

http://leicarumors.com/2011/08/19/alternative-phottix-0-85x-and-1-25x-viewfinders-magnifiers-for-leica-m-rangefinders.aspx/

Now, if I only had a Leica M...

PF

Thanks for sharing, I recently picked up a M4-2 off my brother to compliment my M3. So if I get this straight by putting the .85 magnifier on my M4-2 with a .72 finder turns it into a .58, therefore I can throw a 28mm lens without an auxiliary viewfinder? Sounds cool, however there's a reason why I am in PR/communications and not managing a hedge fund, I suck at math.

[rgeorge911]

Here's where I think this breaks down.  The eyepiece magnifier just magnifies the existing framelines.  So, if you have 90mm framelines, they're still going to show you what's going to be captured by your 90mm lens, but the overall image of the framelines is bigger on your retina.

If that doesn't make sense, think of the eyepiece magnifier as a focusing aid only; it won't change your framelines per se.

Regards,
Reed

[br1078lum]

I think Reed nailed the explanation.  Besides, you will never see more than the viewfinder frame will allow, so an aux finder would still be appropo for a 35mm lens.

And speaking of not having an M (and I'm going to have to explain this to Pete), I picked up a Yashica YF the other day that had a Canon 50/1.8 mounted.  Camera and lens both need work, but now I have an "M like" camera that uses LTM lenses.  Can't use these eyepiece magnifiers though, since there is no way to mount them on the YF.  It has the frame lines for the 50 and 90 in the finder, and the whole finder can be utilised for the 35 view.  Should help me to keep my horizons straight.

PF