would this work? - a focus patch that can be toggled to a higher magnification

[ron2009]

What do you think? - would this work?

I yearn for a rangefinder focusing patch which can be toggled
to and fro between the default 0.68X magnification and a
2X or 3X magnification by flicking a toggle or turning a special
viewfinder dial . It is not Live View I am talking about, but an
optical lens that drops into place to provide the 2X or 3X
magnification, and which tucks away to return to the default
0.68X magnification. If optical viewfinders can have diopter dials
that can adjust for short- or long-sightedness, I would imagine an
optical viewfinder also can have an optical method to switch
to a higher magnification. I suggest this in-camera magnification
toggle for four reasons:

(i) makes it easier to focus when using long lenses like
75mms, 90mms, 105mms and shudder, 135mms.

(ii) makes it easier to focus when using fast lenses like f1.4
or f0.95 when shooting wide open. The depth of field is
so shallow at such large apertures, it makes nailing a sharp
focus on the intended subject very difficult on a consistently
successful shot-after-shot basis. Leica lenses can achieve
bitingly sharp images, but only if the user himself manages
to nail the focus, and without magnification, it is difficult
to achieve a high success rate of bitingly-sharp images at
the intended focal plane, shot after shot.

(iii) toggling between the default 0.68X and 2X or 3X will
allow you to quickly switch between assessing focus and
assessing framing.

(iv) an in-camera magnification toggle would be convenient
and faster than having to screw in and screw out the 1.25X
or 1.4X magnifier to and from the camera's viewfinder.
Not to mention that to achieve 2X magnification, you
would need to screw in 3nos of 1.4X magnifiers.


-ron

 

[Richard Marks]

What do you think? - would this work?

I yearn for a rangefinder focusing patch which can be toggled
to and fro between the default 0.68X magnification and a
2X or 3X magnification by flicking a toggle or turning a special
viewfinder dial . It is not Live View I am talking about, but an
optical lens that drops into place to provide the 2X or 3X
magnification, and which tucks away to return to the default
0.68X magnification. If optical viewfinders can have diopter dials
that can adjust for short- or long-sightedness, I would imagine an
optical viewfinder also can have an optical method to switch
to a higher magnification. I suggest this in-camera magnification
toggle for four reasons:

(i) makes it easier to focus when using long lenses like
75mms, 90mms, 105mms and shudder, 135mms.

(ii) makes it easier to focus when using fast lenses like f1.4
or f0.95 when shooting wide open. The depth of field is
so shallow at such large apertures, it makes nailing a sharp
focus on the intended subject very difficult on a consistently
successful shot-after-shot basis. Leica lenses can achieve
bitingly sharp images, but only if the user himself manages
to nail the focus, and without magnification, it is difficult
to achieve a high success rate of bitingly-sharp images at
the intended focal plane, shot after shot.

(iii) toggling between the default 0.68X and 2X or 3X will
allow you to quickly switch between assessing focus and
assessing framing.

(iv) an in-camera magnification toggle would be convenient
and faster than having to screw in and screw out the 1.25X
or 1.4X magnifier to and from the camera's viewfinder.
Not to mention that to achieve 2X magnification, you
would need to screw in 3nos of 1.4X magnifiers.


-ron

Hi Ron
I certainly have sympathy for your problem. I hope you dont take this the wrong way but are your eyes OK? This can often be the rate limiting lens in achieveing sharp focus and changes in vision can be insidious and subtle.

The drop down lens would magnify the patch but it may introduce flare and distortion. The VF would also be darker and I expect less contrast which may reduce the benefit. Not sure unless one tries it though! However one thing is there would be loss of spontaneity and that is part of the rangefinder charm.

The longer lenses do have a lower hit rate for sharp focus, but remeber also the rangefinder accuracy becomes less with longer lenses and it they are wide open this will matter much more. Another issue with longer lenses is the requirement for a faster shutter speed. This also affects sharpness. If you can i would recommend the 0.85 viewfinder for longer lenses but of course this is not an option for M8 / M9.

Personally I dont like to go much over 50mm focal length. You can get a bit further away from the subject but you dont actually get that much more in the frame and the benefits are small when considering the requirement for faster shutter and difficulties in focusing a longer lens and also composition with smaller frame lines.

Best wishes


Richard

 

[ron2009]

Thanks Richard for advice.

I suffer from horizontal astigmatism, which doesn't
affect my perception of vertical lines that we typically
use for rangefinder focusing. I don't think it's my eyesight
that is of issue.

I find myself using my lenses:
24 Elmar (32mm EFOV on M8.2) - 40%
75 Summarit (100mm EFOV on M8.2) - 40%
90 Macro - 10%
35 Summicron - 10% of the time only,
I prefer the 24 Elmar for standard EFOV.

I guess it's those times I use the 75 Summarit and 90 Macro
that I find myself especially in need of better tools to access
sharp focus. Hence my suggestion for an in-camera magnifier.

I now use the Leica 1.4X magnifier plus another 1.25X magnifier
when I use the 75mm and 90 Macro. Gives me excellent focusing
results.

When I swap back to the 24 Elmar, I 'm evaluating now whether
to take off the magnifiers. When I leave the magnifier on, what
I lose in terms of framing accuracy, I gain in terms of focus
accuracy.

DSLRs can give me both I guess, but I love the feel and use of
Leica rangefinders.

 

[sleepyhead]

I've also wondered about this in the past.

It would be neat if they soome how incorporated another "stop" on the frameline selector that swung a magnifier into place.

 

[jaapv]

It is, for somebody with reasonable eyesight, eminently possible to focus exactly with a Leica RF, even on the M8. But the first requisite is that the view/rangefinder is perfectly adapted to the eye. Go to an optician and use his try-out lenses between your eye and the ocular. Find the value that allows you to see the rangefinder patch the sharpest/ most contrasty and order a diopter in the closest value from Leica. Forget about magnifiers in first instance. They reduce contrast and brightness and for many of us (though not all!) they will only serve to magnify the existing problem.Practise, practise and practise and you will find that your focussing will be more consistent, better and sometimes even faster than any AF system, even with long lenses. Btw, using vertical lines is only one - and the most simple- methods of focussing used on a rangefinder. The second is focussing on a pattern or structure, which takes a bit of experience and the third and most accurate one is, when you have achieved focus approximation by one of the methods above, to watch for the "jump" in contrast in the RF patch. Then you have best focus.

 

[Richard Marks]

Thanks Richard for advice.

I suffer from horizontal astigmatism, which doesn't
affect my perception of vertical lines that we typically
use for rangefinder focusing. I don't think it's my eyesight
that is of issue.

I find myself using my lenses:
24 Elmar (32mm EFOV on M8.2) - 40%
75 Summarit (100mm EFOV on M8.2) - 40%
90 Macro - 10%
35 Summicron - 10% of the time only,
I prefer the 24 Elmar for standard EFOV.

I guess it's those times I use the 75 Summarit and 90 Macro
that I find myself especially in need of better tools to access
sharp focus. Hence my suggestion for an in-camera magnifier.

I now use the Leica 1.4X magnifier plus another 1.25X magnifier
when I use the 75mm and 90 Macro. Gives me excellent focusing
results.

When I swap back to the 24 Elmar, I 'm evaluating now whether
to take off the magnifiers. When I leave the magnifier on, what
I lose in terms of framing accuracy, I gain in terms of focus
accuracy.

DSLRs can give me both I guess, but I love the feel and use of
Leica rangefinders.

Please try a 50mm ! It might give you more hits than the 75 and probably not much less magnification in practical use.
Best wishes
Richard

 

[Ben Z]

I used to have "flip up" magnifiers for my Nikon and Hasselblad prism finders, these screwed into the eyepiece diopter threads, and a 2x (or 3x I think the Hasselblad one was) magnifier on a hinge could be swung in front of the eyepiece for focusing and then swung up out of the way for viewing. Could be some clever guy with a machine shop could jerryrig one of those for use on a Leica. I have one I just hold against the eyepiece when I'm adjusting my rangefinders, but it'd be pretty slow for regular shooting.