X-Pro1 viewfinder...I know I'm getting old

[Dogman]

Make that getting "older"--I'm already old.

My eyes ain't what they used to be, I know. I'm 68 and I've worn progressive lenses for the past 30+ years (yeah, my eyes seem to be older than the rest of me). With the prices of the X-Pro1 falling, I bought two of them a few months back and I've enjoyed using them greatly. But I do have an issue with the viewfinder and the inability to adjust the diopters.

I have to be careful in positioning my eye to the eyepiece to be sure everything is in focus with using the OVF. Over time it has become second nature and it doesn't really limit me in anyway. But there is no way I can get an in-focus image looking through the EVF. I have to move my face back several inches from the camera before the EVF image is sharp, at which point I can only see a tiny portion of the center of the image. Luckily, I don't like EVFs and I never use the silly thing. But I've not experienced this phenomenon before with there being two planes of focus through the same finder.

I also have an X100S with the hybrid viewfinder although the diopters are adjustable in this camera. Unlike the XP1, I can switch back and forth and maintain perfect focus with both the OVF and the EVF.

I wonder if anyone else has this issue with the X-Pro1?

 

[Darthfeeble]

I use contact lenses when I really want to see in the VF. I use the regular Rx not the closer ones (Yeah, trifocals). Are you used the progressive part of the glasses? With my contacts in I see fine in both the EV and OV. I also see the focus patch in my Leica just fine too. So far my arms are long enough to allow me to do a quick chimp, but if I want to really see detail in the LCD I need to put on a pair of mild cheaters.

 

[Gerry M]

A couple of years back, I had cataract surgery & lens implants with infinity focus point. I can't use the EVF on my XP1 w/o reading glasses. The OVF is OK. I have the same situation with my Rolleiflex, naked eye with magnifier and glasses to compose on screen. Oddly enough, no problems with my M3 and M4-2. Doesn't make sense, but that's the way it is for me.

 

[Trius]

I too have used progressive spectacles of many years. I sometimes have to move my eye around, but most of my issues resolved when I installed a Nikon +1 diopter. I also use hyper focal focusing a fair bit with legacy lenses.

 

[Larry H-L]

I couldn't shoot with progressives, so I had my eye doc give me a distance-only lens in my shooting eye, a progressive lens for reading the menus in my other eye. Sort of like mono vision contacts. Works well for me.

 

[Dogman]

I'm overdue for a visit to my ophthalmologist. I might take along one of the XP1s and ask about it.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Trius]

I took my XP1 with me to my optometrist, and she helped to determine the diopter I needed. Then I just found what I needed on eBay and clicked.

 

[danielsterno]

TBH- That is why i did not buy the XP1 and went X100 x years back, glad i did though as you know XP2 has the adjustable diopter…..

 

[willie_901]

I'm overdue for a visit to my ophthalmologist. I might take along one of the XP1s and ask about it.

I did this at my ophthalmologist and it worked out well.

I couldn't shoot with progressives, so I had my eye doc give me a distance-only lens in my shooting eye, a progressive lens for reading the menus in my other eye. Sort of like mono vision contacts. Works well for me.

I used the very same method eye-switching method. It took a bit of practice, but it got the job done.

 

[Dogman]

... I can't use the EVF on my XP1 w/o reading glasses. The OVF is OK....

Wow, thanks for this, Gerry. I tried some reading glasses this morning. It actually makes it possible to use the EVF now. I tried my distance-only glasses with the OVF and it's still a no-go, however. Guess I'm using the middle distance correction point for the OVF. Not a problem though, I'm used to it by now.

The only reason I've been messing with the EVF recently is because I just bought a Fuji 14mm lens. I have an old Voigtlander 21mm finder but it's kind of inconvenient and the LCD can be hard to see in bright light. I still don't like the way EVFs look but it's much more convenient and practical for use with the wide view of the 14mm.

 

[Trius]

TBH- That is why i did not buy the XP1 and went X100 x years back, glad i did though as you know XP2 has the adjustable diopter…..

I intended to buy the X-100T but succumbed to lens interchangeability and got an X-Pro1 with 18-55 for a really good price. My next purchase will be either the X-Pro2 or next version of the X-100.

 

[Dogman]

So I got new eyeglasses. They didn't help with viewing the EVF in the XP1, however. I resigned myself to using the Voigtlander finder with the 14mm but then I found a new X-E2 (adjustable diopter!) at a really good price. At least I felt I could justify the price. While I still don't like looking at subjects in EVFs, the 14mm on the X-E2 is a big improvement in utility over using a separate finder, at least for me.

 

[adamjbonn]

The problem with the XP1 for spectacle wearers is that the OVF is exactly what the eye sees and the EVF is a 2D rendering of what the eye sees, but really quite close your actual eye.

So you need to be able to resolve both near and far sight in order to use both features.

FYI.. the adjustable Dioptre on the XP2 doesn't stay put... yeah, yeah electrical tape is my non-aesthetically pleasing friend!

 

[Ken Ford]

I'm trying to adapt to new monovision contacts (just one, actually) - no contact in my right (shooting) eye and a +2 in my left eye for near stuff. From what I've been reading the XP1 has a native +1 correction, just like Nikon - correct? And Nikon marks their diopters for the final correction achieved?

If this is right, I need to find a Nikon +1 to allow use with my unaided eye. FM diopters are the ones that fit and have a rubber eye ring, correct?

I haven't had to deal with this before, I've been muddling along with bifocals but am giving contacts a try. Getting old sucks!

Edit - the more I read the more confused I'm getting. Now I'm thinking I need a Nikon +2, not a +1. I can say my XP1 is very usable when I wear no contacts plus my 2 power "cheaters". I do need to be sure they have rubber protective rings since I wear sunglasses.

 

[Dogman]

Ken, I can sympathize. I never could figure out the proper correction eye piece either. I remember reading on another thread that someone bought the whole range of Nikon diopters and picked the one that was the best compromise. I'm just sticking to my progressive lenses and using the OVF only or I'll use reading glasses on those rare times I use the EVF. Good luck.

 

[Ken Ford]

I'm going to try the diopter route - my bifocals have very lightweight frames and are always getting bent up when I use a camera, and using readers is a pain. Photography was the driving factor behind my getting contacts, and the XP1 is the only camera causing me trouble. I'll get it resolved, I'm sure.

 

[Jdi]

It's totally normal. The ovf, ovf overlays and evf are on different focal planes on the xp1. Perhaps the ovf overlays are the same as the evf but, based on my xp1, they are not. You have to pick one or the other and adjust for that either with a diopter or your glasses.

 

[Dogman]

Ken, if you want to continue to use your bifocals you might try Flexon brand frames. I used them for years and loved how flexible they were. They're lightweight and allow you to really press the camera against your face. The frame material just bounces back to the original shape without taking a set. When I changed glasses recently I went with plastic frames because they were cheaper and looked better but I may go back to the Flexons if the plastic frames get bent up with use.

 

[Ken Ford]

It's totally normal. The ovf, ovf overlays and evf are on different focal planes on the xp1. Perhaps the ovf overlays are the same as the evf but, based on my xp1, they are not. You have to pick one or the other and adjust for that either with a diopter or your glasses.

I'm thinking I'll optimize for the OVF overlays - I've found my cheaters allow for the digital stuff to be in reasonable focus while the OVF is still usable.

Ken, if you want to continue to use your bifocals you might try Flexon brand frames. I used them for years and loved how flexible they were. They're lightweight and allow you to really press the camera against your face. The frame material just bounces back to the original shape without taking a set. When I changed glasses recently I went with plastic frames because they were cheaper and looked better but I may go back to the Flexons if the plastic frames get bent up with use.

I have Silhouettes which are similar to Flexons without the hinges. They are hingeless and very springy, but warping happens if I do a lot of photography. My goal here is to not need to wear my eyeglasses at all.

 

[Jdi]

Another issue is with age our eyes refocus slower. If interested, see what happens when you switch from ovf to evf. Over a time span too slow for shooting, mine used to slowly adjust. That too is now history.

Rather than conform my glasses to a camera, I used a diopter to adjust for my naked eyes. Then settled on a nice leather croakie and drop the glasses when I need to shoot. Took a while to adjust but now it's second nature. I'm also astigmatic but doesn't seem to be an issue with either my xp1 or xe2. The wonders of AF or zone focusing.