Leica Leica X1 Viewfinder

[christilou]

Well, I just received an early birthday present, the brightline viewfinder 36mm for the X1. Very bright it is! However, I don't understand the guidelines inside the vf. There's a dotted line at the top and I'm not finding it easy to get the framing right still! Anyone have any more experience with it? How can you know what you're focusing on? I think I've become spoilt with the Olympus VF2!!!

 

[BBW]

You don't know what you're focussing on, you kind of have to estimate and use your eyes. I have found that if I am shooting with the lens at a low f stop as in wide open, that I am usually quite close to something so I can focus using the spot meter/focus mode and be OK but also use the viewfinder if I am concerned about what is in the frame. For landscapes or people that are further away, I would not usually have the lens at such a low f stop and thus the depth of field is greater...so again, even if I use the spot meter, I still can bring the camera to my eye with the viewfinder and all will still be well. Does that make sense? I think using the depth of field calculator and factoring in the X1's crop factor which is apparently 1.5 can help if one is mathematically inclined. There is a thread over on L. Camera where this is discussed: X1 + external viewfinder: any best practices? - Leica User Forum you can probably get more out of it by reading it there where one member has linked to a pdf file that has to do with depth of field, too. I believe it's in this same thread that it's mentioned that one person has had the center point for focussing etched on his viewfinder's glass.

I tend to use the viewfinder when I can't see too well (either too dark or too bright) and then depending upon the f stop, I'm usually not too worried. It is different from the good old Olympus EVF, that is for sure.

 

[kathyh]

The dotted line indicates the top of the image and is there to adjust for the fact that the viewfinder is higher then the lens. You have to guess where the centre is (if that's where you have the focus point). It gets easier with practice.

 

[christilou]

Thanks BB, I had already read the thread of the Leica forum and found it MUCH too complicated for me as they began to argue over the crop factor and the figures someone else had posted. Well that just finished me off, I was then thoroughly confused. I did like the way one man had stuck the figures on top of his vf though! That's for me I think...... Anyway, onwards and upwards as they say!

 

[christilou]

Oh, I see. Thanks Kathy. That's also very helpful. I had no idea

 

[BBW]

Christine, I feel your pain regarding that link and the discussion. I'm sort of mathematically challenged. I'm going to ask Don to come on in here and give his much more user friendly description of zone focussing. It's easier for me who feels like Winnie the Pooh at times - the bear of little brain - to grasp.

 

[christilou]

I think the numbers become even more confusing when some countries are using metric and we are using imperial measurements. My mind just switches off I'm afraid!

 

[BBW]

And then there's those of us, here in the USA and our measurement system.