After Market 1.25 Magnifier Quality

J

JHP

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Has anyone used the knock off leica 1.25 viewfinder enlargers?
Are the $400 leica ones worth all the extra money?

An example of what I'm looking at buying:

ViewImage.aspx


http://cgi.ebay.com/1-25x-Viewfinde...Accessories&hash=item4ced7340d5#ht_4300wt_907


Thanks for any info.
 
I'm just imagining distortion, frame lines not being perfectly rectangular etc on a cheaper knock off...

But if you guys reckon they're fine then I'll probably get one.
 
The original Leica 1.25x screws closely into the eye-piece without to much distortion of the VF image, while the knock-off part sticks out ~ 1cm and converts the nice and clear VF image into a Holga - experience (without being able to read the M7 shutter speeds) ... :)
I have used a couple of these knock-offs (1.25x and 0.85x) and ended up using a Leica 1.25x.
 
I use an MP so shutter speeds are not a real issue for me.
I wonder, I am purchasing this only because I use 50mm 90% of the time and the framelines are just too small in a .75 finder.
Should I be buying 1.25x or 1.4x?

EDIT

Would you say when using the 50mm framelines with a 1.4x magnifier on a .72 MP, the framelines would be similar in size to the 28mm framelines without a magnifier?

And therefore would the 50mm framlines with a 1.25x magnifier be similar to the 35mm framelines without a magnifier?

Hope I'm making sense here. Just can't decide without having a play at a camera shop. (I live in NZ and they will not have any in stock unless speically ordered in I'll bet.)
 
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I have the one pictured. There is no distortion and it is sharp. Only two downsides are that it sticks out really far behind the camera and pokes you in the eye; you have to be careful! The other downside, and this may apply to the Leica one too (I have never tried one), is that the finder does get a bit dimmer with it. You have to keep it clean, a finger print on the glass on either end will severely reduce sharpness and brightness of the finder.

By the way, the "Match Technical" brand magnifier sold for 3 times what this one sells for is THE SAME THING but with a big ugly rubber eyecup on it. Save your money and buy the off-brand one from Hong Kong. That's how I got mine, on ebay from someone in HK. Paid $50.
 
I bought the E-Clypse MAG 34 1.25x for my .72 MP and it works very well with the 50 and 90mm. The only issue I have with it is that the size makes it near impossible to use with a half case. The basic Luigi case is perfect but Zhou and Leica are cut straight so there's little room for the addtl viewfinder.

I also use it with my .85 and the 50mm and 90mm are again, really big and really nice. No distortion, works as it should.
 
Thank you very much for all your answers!

One more question.

With the 1.25 magnifier, does the 50mm framelines become noticeably larger?

I'm looking for something that will increase the 50mm framelines to around about the size of the 35mm framelines in a .72 finder.
 
JHP said:
Thank you very much for all your answers!

One more question.

With the 1.25 magnifier, does the 50mm framelines become noticeably larger?

I'm looking for something that will increase the 50mm framelines to around about the size of the 35mm framelines in a .72 finder.
Click to expand...

Yes, the 50mm lines get a lot bigger, but not quite as big as the 35mm lines. If you have ever used a Leica with the .85x finder (which is incredible for 50mm and longer lenses....I just got one!), the 50mm frames in a .72 with the magnifier are about the same as the .85 without a magnifier.
 
segedi said:
I bought the E-Clypse MAG 34 1.25x for my .72 MP and it works very well with the 50 and 90mm. The only issue I have with it is that the size makes it near impossible to use with a half case. The basic Luigi case is perfect but Zhou and Leica are cut straight so there's little room for the addtl viewfinder.

I also use it with my .85 and the 50mm and 90mm are again, really big and really nice. No distortion, works as it should.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply, are you able to remove that huge rubber eyepiece from the diopter?

Thanks again.
 
JHP said:
Thank you for your reply, are you able to remove that huge rubber eyepiece from the diopter?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

The Match tech one is a waste of money. Its the same cheap Chinese one you asked about in your original post, but sold at 3x the price because they stick an eyecup on it and silkscreen a brand name on it.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
I have the one pictured. There is no distortion and it is sharp.
Click to expand...

Well, then there are some QC issues, me thinks. My copy had distortions and the frame lines became slightly barrel-shaped, which bothered me a lot. It seems that you were lucky and yours work fine. :)
 
maddoc said:
Well, then there are some QC issues, me thinks. My copy had distortions and the frame lines became slightly barrel-shaped, which bothered me a lot. It seems that you were lucky and yours work fine. :)
Click to expand...

I just looked at mine, which I haven't used in a while. No distortion, but the magnification is a little bigger than I originally thought. It makes the 50 frames in a .72 M6 a little bigger than the 50 frames in my .85 M6.

Mine is the 1.25x. I wonder if yours is the same magnification as mine. I know they make a .8x and I think also a 1.5x one. I have not tried those.
 
I bought one a few months ago and found it works pretty well - no complaints at all.

But my eyes are crap so I still had to go and also buy a 1.15 magnifier with built in diopter from Japan Exposures (for the diopter adjustment rather than for the further magnification.) For longer lenses I now use the two eyepieces together to give a 0.98 life size image on the Leica M8. That works even better due to both the diopter adjustment and the increase in the effective baseline length of the rangefinder. For wide lenses I will just use the latter one with built in adjustment.

If you also need a diopter adjustment you may wish to consider going directly for the Japan Exposures one as they also come in 1.35x which they say can be used with all but the 24mm framelines. Its about $200. Another advantage is that it has infinitely variable diopter adjustments from -3 to +1 avoiding the pain of having to buy and try specific ones to see which work best.

If you do not need diopter addjustment fhe aftermarket generic one is perfectly acceptable at around $60.

INcidentally - the fact that it sticks out quite a bit I view as a plus. It is especially beneficial if you are a left eye viewer as it helps keep your nose off the LCD screen.
 
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To clear this up for anyone that cares, my aftermarket 1.25x magnifier shown in first picture and ebay auction came and it's great. Zero noticeable distortion, allows me to now keep both eyes open while using 50mm lens.
The only issue is it sticks out a bit, and can poke you in the eye until you get used to it being there.

And it came in a nice pouch.
 
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