VF magnifier : Meagpearls vs. Leica

[f16sunshine]

Ok, I'm an idiot. I've lost 2 1.25vf magnifiers off my M8.
They just become unscrewed as I have the camera on a strap on my side.
The first one had the little stupid chain attached but that did not help. Second go I skipped the chain and bravely tried a drop of thread glue. Still F'd.
Who has used both the Leica and 3rd party mags. ?
I find myself shooting more 50mm and 75mm lately on the M8.
It's time to buy a new mag but don't know if I want to pay for Leica again if I don't have to. Thankyou for sharing your experience.
Anyone has one to sell please don't be shy.

 

[rickp]

i have no experience with the leica magnifier(s), but use the megapearls 1.35 with var. magnification since day one with my summilux 75 and 50. i remove it for wider lenses.

the only suggestion i would make is to use a small rubber O-ring between the rotating ring and main body of the magnifier to fix the magnification once you've found the right setting for your eyes. the adjustment ring moves quite easily and could get "out of focus" for you as you carry and use the camera. otherwise, verrrrrrrrrrrry useful.

good luck

rick

 

[f16sunshine]

Thanks Rick . You say you remove for wider. Are the 35mm framlines usable at all?

 

[sepiareverb]

I had a 3rd party one which I hated- was always loose, and was hard to look thorough. Tried a 1.25 Leica one at a shop and have been using it for 75 & 90 on my M's. I don't love it, but it is miles better than the first one I had. I've never had it come loose, I have the little case on my strap and the chain attached.

edit- I had the HK supplies version.

 

[menos]

Thanks Rick . You say you remove for wider. Are the 35mm framlines usable at all?

I use the Leica 1.4 x magnifier on my M6 classic 0.72 and I can see all 35mm framelines, if I really bent it for composing.
This means, I have to move my eye around, to see all the way to the edges.

The 1.25 mag should be considerably better for framing.

So far, I really prefer the unbeaten both eyes open focussing with maximum magnified rangefinder patch @ aprox. 1.00 view over the accurate framing.

I tried the 1.25 x mag and it was not as straight forward (I am a right eye shooter with a dominant left eye).

 

[menos]

I use the Leica magnifier without the annoying chain and leather box.

I shoot the M with a special hand strap though, that prevents the accidentally unscrewing due to body contact. This is much, much quicker to shoot, prevents any neck strap fighting and looks less conspicuous, as you can quickly pull out the camera from a hideout.

I check the magnifier regularly too and have it considerably tight screwed into the eyepiece thread.

 

[maddoc]

I had the 1.25x from HK supplies and didn't like it at all, rarely used because it only provided a "tunnel-vision" and 35mm frame-lines where barely visible using a 0.72x Leica (and wearing eye-glasses).

Now I use the 1.25x from Leica, much much better. The view is less distorted, I can read the shutter-speeds in the VF of my M7 and it doesn't stick that much out compared to the HK supplies version. I have lost once the rubber o-ring (eye-side) and Leica sent me two replacement o-rings free of any charge. 🙂

 

[akiralx]

I have both the 1.25 Leica with chain, and the 1.35 Megaperls (now HK Supplies?) one with variable dioptre. The Leica's rubber ring came off after a while. Both are fine but the latter is much cheaper. It sticks out a little more but not much. Build is about the same.

As a poster says above, the Megaperl's dioptre setting dial moves easily, so I marked mine with a little knife.

 

[JapanExposures]

... the 1.35 Megaperls (now HK Supplies?)

Hi, just to let you know that Megaperls is now called Japan Exposures and the 1.15 and 1.35 magnifiers are the only mags with variable diopter adjustment (not 'variable magnification' as stated in someone's previous post). They are made in Japan. HK Supplies is a different, inexpensive product originating AFAIK from Hong Kong and is usually sold on ebay.

 

[RichC]

I use the Japan Exposures x1.15, which is permanently on my M8 - love it. The rubberised Leica eyepiece surround on the camera grips the magnifier very securely when done up tightly - it's never come loosened.

As mentioned, the Japan Exposures magnifiers have an adjustable dioptre. I wear contact lenses and have excellent vision with them, so wasn't that interested in this feature, but duly adjusted it for sharpness. After, I noticed that the viewfinder was sharper with the magnifier than without - in other words, despite having perfect vision with my contact lenses, the standard Leica viewfinder needs a slight change in dioptre to suit my eyes (those not interested in magnifiers might like to experiment with the accessory Leica dioptre lenses).

I put a drop of weak threadlock on the dioptre thread as it wasn't as tight as I'd like. Since then, it hasn't moved, Just in case, I made a mark on the magnifier so I can reset the dioptre if it moves.

x1.15 doesn't sound like much but it makes all the difference to my M8, at least for me, with the 35mm and smaller framelines filling the viewfinder more and thus being more usable. The 24mm framelines are very tight, but usable if you don't wear glasses (I rarely use that focal length, so not an issue for me).

The 90mm frameline is still a touch small in my opinion, but still better than without a magnifier.

Like all magnifiers, there's a slight loss in brightness of the viewfinder - all magnifiers do this, as you can't break the laws of physics, and more glass further away will dim the view. But I don't find this objectionable, and this has no impact on usability.

I also have a cheap eBay x1.35 magnifier. Compared with the Japan Exposures x1.15 magnifier:

• it has a poorer build quality
• the optics are not as good - more distortion
• it's bulky (more than the Leica or Japan Exposures x1.35)
• the threads are less accurately machined, so it's prone to coming loose
• the 24mm framelines aren't visible, and 28mm are very tight, even wearing contact lenses
• the viewfinder was dimmer - but that's because it has a higher magnification, and I'm all x1.35 magnifiers will have the same effect.

All that said, the eBay magnifier is good value for money, and makes using 75mm and 90mm lenses much easier. I wouldn't want it my camera permanently though because of the distortion (albeit slight) and the dimmer view.

I'm happy using it occasionally when I need more accuracy with 75mm and 90mm lenses.

 

[menos]

Does someone have a good comparison about all the dirty details between the 1.35 JE and the 1.4 Leica magnifiers including side by side shots for size comparison.

the only things, that could be slightly better with my Leica is, that it sticks out fairly big and that the frame lines could be just a tiny bit less magnified, because the 50mm lines are already very close to the border.

 

[rickp]

Thanks Rick . You say you remove for wider. Are the 35mm framlines usable at all?

hello all
sorry if i caused some confusion in my first reply:

• i have the megapearls (now japan exposures) 1.35 with variable DIOPTER
• i normally leave it on the m8 with 50 or 75mm lenses, and only occasionally remove it with 35mm (nokton 1.2) or 21mm SA (used with ext. finder)
• without glasses, the 35mm framelines are (for me) visible from one eye position
• with glasses, i have to move my eye around a bit to see each frameline
• the diopter ring moves fairly easily and the setting can change due to contact with ........
• the unit itself has never loosened or fallen off
• i haven't tried the competing products, but can easily recommend the japan exposures 1.35 magnifier as focusing aid for 50, 75 and beyond

i hope this helps.

cheers

rick

 

[adrianzg]

i have the leica 1.25, 1.4 and the megapearls 1.35. i use the 1.25 on my m6 0.75, works really really well for me (left eye shooter, right eye dom) i can see the 35mm frames just fine. contrast is good and not much dimming. i used the 1.35 on the m8, didn't like it at all due to the dioper adjustment doesn't seem to be just right, the threads started to die on me after screwing it on too tight, once. bought the 1.4 and i like it a lot more, esp on the m8. it retains the contrast and screws on tight!

 

[JapanExposures]

All -- I am extremely pleased about hearing of the satisfaction expressed in the product by all of you here and I will make sure to once more tell the manufacturer about this, a small one man operation in Japan to whom I speak regularly. He is delighted that via our site his product has found so many followers outside of Japan, in fact he had already stopped making the 1.15, but now resumed it due to the popular demand. Thank you!

One other aspect why it has a brighter image than the cheaper ones is that all lens surfaces are multi-coated. Not even the much more expensive Leica product has this feature.

Lastly, there will be some interesting new types of magnifiers out soon, so watch this space! [not a "minifier/reducifier" though, that one has been discontinued]

Thanks again and greetings from Japan

Dirk