O-ME53 1.2x eye piece: get it, if you don't wear glasses

K200D · 02-12-2009, 04:03 AM

I love the O-ME53 even with my glasses. I have it on 100% of the time.

m8o · 02-14-2009, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by mattdm

...So the bottom line is: if you don't wear glasses, this is a must-buy. If you do, consider getting contact lenses.

I have great difficulty getting the eye close enough to the viewfinder wearing glasses to be able to see thru the viewfinder that well. Much more comfortable w/o glasses. But without glasses, eyes are too bad to quickly & easily focus manually with non-telephoto lenses. The 1.2x helps out with the magnification and makes the manual focusing easier w/o the glasses on.

I'd taken it off after having it a while. But since building-up my manual lens stable and getting the katzeye screen, the magnifier is on for good, even if just to correct micro-focus adjustment when using AF lenses.

Ratmagiclady · 02-14-2009, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by Buddha Jones

I have one and my only gripe about the thing is why did they have to make the viewfinder so small?

Ive been tempted to buy another one and take a dremmel to it and make it bigger.

I'd guess it might be about the cost of precision, and not distorting if you looked at such a magnifying lens from too far off center? I agree, though, if they could go a touch bigger, that'd be nice.

This one's really turning out to be a win for me, too. Improvements might be a way to lock it down with more authority, and, maybe some more tension on the diopter adjustment, (It's easier to get at than the stock eyepiece allows, but also easier to accidentally move, too. )

chalion · 02-25-2009, 07:57 PM

I just found this thread after stumbling around trying to use my cameras with my bad eyesight. (I didn't know what a diopter was till now, that's how new I am to SLR's). I'm terminally nearsighted - 183/18, plus I have a stigmatism in my primary eye, so contacts are out. I guess a diopter wouldn't be much help.

Ratmagiclady · 02-26-2009, 09:50 AM

Originally posted by chalion

I just found this thread after stumbling around trying to use my cameras with my bad eyesight. (I didn't know what a diopter was till now, that's how new I am to SLR's). I'm terminally nearsighted - 183/18, plus I have a stigmatism in my primary eye, so contacts are out. I guess a diopter wouldn't be much help.

Hrm, I gather you shoot through your eyeglasses, then. The magnifier helps best with manual focus, usually. I take it your glasses are rather thick?

Built-in diopters are generally fairly limited in strength... It used to be that you could get add-on ones which an optician could have ground to your prescription, but I haven't seen anything like that in years.

(Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. )

chhayanat · 02-27-2009, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

(Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. )

Does this mean that the Magnifier-M sold with K-mount film cameras beginning with the MX family will fit the K200D? Or is it that the viewfinder area visible to the eyeglass user with the magnifier has remained unchanged. One assumes it is the latter.

eva2000 · 02-27-2009, 01:35 PM

Originally posted by K200D

I love the O-ME53 even with my glasses. I have it on 100% of the time.

yup same here

stevebrot · 02-27-2009, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

Hrm, I gather you shoot through your eyeglasses, then. The magnifier helps best with manual focus, usually. I take it your glasses are rather thick?

Built-in diopters are generally fairly limited in strength... It used to be that you could get add-on ones which an optician could have ground to your prescription, but I haven't seen anything like that in years.

(Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. )

I think that Chris Platt still has a -3 diopter on the marketplace. I got the -2 for my daughter.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/52330-diopters-eyecups.html

Steve

Ratmagiclady · 02-28-2009, 11:33 PM

Originally posted by chhayanat

Does this mean that the Magnifier-M sold with K-mount film cameras beginning with the MX family will fit the K200D? Or is it that the viewfinder area visible to the eyeglass user with the magnifier has remained unchanged. One assumes it is the latter.

Actually, I meant that the physical fitting on Pentax cameras appears to have stayed the same all along. (Unless maybe they got fancy on like the LX or something.) As Steve here seems to say, if you can find an add-on Pentax diopter, it should fit up. Just possibly if you add one to the built-in adjustable bit, it could even add up to your prescription. I'm a little out of my depth, here, on how well that would function. But the parts should go together, anyway.

Jewelltrail · 03-01-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

SoccerJoe: I hope I don't offend the OP in this thread, I tried it and while it served its purpose, you should take a serious look at the KPS 1.35x magnifying eyepiece Hands-on with both, the KPS one takes the cake. Better build, more magnification and has 2 eyecups with it (one real cup, the other one is a slim ring like the D3 eyepiece). Just make sure it's the U-13C model you get. My viewfinder's bigger than the D300 and 5D of my friends

Perfect for my K20D and it's about $60 (Got it locally). You can find it on ebay (U-13C Model). Same thing, highly recommended if you don't wear glasses

BUT, the Pentax one is fine of course. If you can't get the KPS one anywhere, the Pentax one is perfectly fine

I have the Pentax one and am not impressed at all. Maybe I'll give this one a try. Do you lose a portion of the screen when you gain magnification?

mattdm · 03-01-2009, 07:19 AM

Originally posted by Jewelltrail

I have the Pentax one and am not impressed at all. Maybe I'll give this one a try. Do you lose a portion of the screen when you gain magnification?

Well, as I said, it's a matter of eyepoint. I don't loose any of the screen, but a) I don't shoot wearing glasses and b) I learned to center my eye more carefully on the eyepiece.

Fl_Gulfer · 03-01-2009, 08:37 AM

I'd have agree with the Buddah, I wish the eye hole was a little bigger. It would make it easier to see the text at the bottom so I could see if the green focus light was lit with my glasses on, and it sure smears up my glasses no matter how clean I keep the eye piece.

poco · 03-01-2009, 10:53 AM

Originally posted by soccerjoe5

I hope I don't offend the OP in this thread, I tried it and while it served its purpose, you should take a serious look at the KPS 1.35x magnifying eyepiece

Is it easily removable without tools? The video makes it look like it is a more permanent installation. I use a right angle finder, so being able to easily swap between one or the other is a necessity.

**monochrome** · 03-01-2009, 01:44 PM

I own the O-ME53 Magnifying Eyecup and I wear glasses. The VF diopter adjustment is not sufficient for me to shoot without glasses with or without the Eyecup.

I shoot left with right eye closed. Seeing the entire VF including the LED's has been more challenging on the K10D than on my MESuper. On my KX and Spot F I use SMC +2 diopter correction lenses and shoot without glasses. Correction is as near to perfect as one could get - especially considering the older cameras have microprism screens. The MESuper horizontal split image VF is a breeze to focus.

I tried the O-ME53 Eyecup for general use. Wearing glasses it limits my FoV in the viewfinder too much to be useful for hand held photography. When using a tripod (thus able to move my eye around the viewfinder) the extra magnification helps with manual focus while wearing eyeglasses.

I recently found a Nikon +2 diopter attachment that fits the M-series viewfinder frames. It slides down over the K10D frame and fits snugly enough that it will not come loose. Even with little peripheral vision (I have glaucoma and have lost considerable peripheral visual acuity) I can see the entire viewfinder, including the margins, without my eyeglasses. I adjusted the VF diopter so the LED's are as sharp as I can make them and I'm shocked at how much better the viewfinder image appears. The focusing screen seems to be clearer and the image is in sharp focus at the focus point; the image appears to jump into focus just as the focus confirmation hexagon appears.

The Nikon attachment does not accept the regular eyecup over its external frame, so there is not any cushion to protect my face from sharp edges. The diopter adjustment assembly that would normally be covered b the Pentax eyecup (either one) is exposed, which concerns me in case of damage to the assembly. An old Pentax rubber eyecup made to hold a custom correction diopter (ground by an optometrist), but without any glass installed, slides over the Nikon diopter frame and ameliorates this problem somewhat, and has the added benefit of blocking external light from the viewfinder while shooting..

I have tried looking "into" the VF and keeping both eyes open, rather than pressing my eye against the back of the camera. For just a few test shots this seems promising, but I'll have to see what I feel like after an extended outing. The hard frame edges aren't an issue with my film cameras, so I imagine I will simply need to adjust the way I hold the K10D up to my face. Holding the camera with my head turned to the left and my body facing about 30 degrees to the right of straight on to the shot, cradling the base of the camera in my left hand, is very comfortable. My nose does not contact the LCD screen so much this way. My pinky and ring fingers gently grip the bottom of my right hand. For manual focus lenses, my index and middle fingers and thumb adjust the focus ring. This grip is very stable. With time it will feel more natural.

Shooting without glasses seems like a reasonable strategy for times when I am going to take pictures without interruption. For those occasions when I will take one or two, then do something else, then take a few more, shooting without glasses might be more of a problem.

I will shoot without glasses for a time to evaluate whether removing and replacing them is an issue - I don't mind doing it, I just don't want to stretch or break the frames.

EDIT / ADDITIONAL: Shooting without glasses absolutely prevents chimping my shots. Since the object is to use this diopter when shooting MF, maybe I should just go to full manual, turn the LCD off and shoot like it is film!

Second observation: I need a cheap pair of "shooting glasses" that hang on a chain around my neck. Next time I go for an eye exam . . .

m8o · 03-01-2009, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

I think that Chris Platt still has a -3 diopter on the marketplace. I got the -2 for my daughter.

Can you or someone explain how this is different than the Magnifying viewfinder? I'm an eyeglass wearer and while the 1.2x helps, manual focus without glasses is very challenging in in-door lighting until I am using ~125mm or more. What does the -3, -2 do differently than a magnifying viewfinder?

thanx

02-27-2009, 01:43 PM	#23
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady Hrm, I gather you shoot through your eyeglasses, then. The magnifier helps best with manual focus, usually. I take it your glasses are rather thick? Built-in diopters are generally fairly limited in strength... It used to be that you could get add-on ones which an optician could have ground to your prescription, but I haven't seen anything like that in years. (Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. ) I think that Chris Platt still has a -3 diopter on the marketplace. I got the -2 for my daughter. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/52330-diopters-eyecups.html Steve

03-01-2009, 12:03 AM	#25
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	Quote: Quote: SoccerJoe: I hope I don't offend the OP in this thread, I tried it and while it served its purpose, you should take a serious look at the KPS 1.35x magnifying eyepiece Hands-on with both, the KPS one takes the cake. Better build, more magnification and has 2 eyecups with it (one real cup, the other one is a slim ring like the D3 eyepiece). Just make sure it's the U-13C model you get. My viewfinder's bigger than the D300 and 5D of my friends Perfect for my K20D and it's about $60 (Got it locally). You can find it on ebay (U-13C Model). Same thing, highly recommended if you don't wear glasses BUT, the Pentax one is fine of course. If you can't get the KPS one anywhere, the Pentax one is perfectly fine I have the Pentax one and am not impressed at all. Maybe I'll give this one a try. Do you lose a portion of the screen when you gain magnification?

03-01-2009, 01:44 PM	#29
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	+2 Diopter vs. O-ME53 Magnifying Eyecup I own the O-ME53 Magnifying Eyecup and I wear glasses. The VF diopter adjustment is not sufficient for me to shoot without glasses with or without the Eyecup. I shoot left with right eye closed. Seeing the entire VF including the LED's has been more challenging on the K10D than on my MESuper. On my KX and Spot F I use SMC +2 diopter correction lenses and shoot without glasses. Correction is as near to perfect as one could get - especially considering the older cameras have microprism screens. The MESuper horizontal split image VF is a breeze to focus. I tried the O-ME53 Eyecup for general use. Wearing glasses it limits my FoV in the viewfinder too much to be useful for hand held photography. When using a tripod (thus able to move my eye around the viewfinder) the extra magnification helps with manual focus while wearing eyeglasses. I recently found a Nikon +2 diopter attachment that fits the M-series viewfinder frames. It slides down over the K10D frame and fits snugly enough that it will not come loose. Even with little peripheral vision (I have glaucoma and have lost considerable peripheral visual acuity) I can see the entire viewfinder, including the margins, without my eyeglasses. I adjusted the VF diopter so the LED's are as sharp as I can make them and I'm shocked at how much better the viewfinder image appears. The focusing screen seems to be clearer and the image is in sharp focus at the focus point; the image appears to jump into focus just as the focus confirmation hexagon appears. The Nikon attachment does not accept the regular eyecup over its external frame, so there is not any cushion to protect my face from sharp edges. The diopter adjustment assembly that would normally be covered b the Pentax eyecup (either one) is exposed, which concerns me in case of damage to the assembly. An old Pentax rubber eyecup made to hold a custom correction diopter (ground by an optometrist), but without any glass installed, slides over the Nikon diopter frame and ameliorates this problem somewhat, and has the added benefit of blocking external light from the viewfinder while shooting.. I have tried looking "into" the VF and keeping both eyes open, rather than pressing my eye against the back of the camera. For just a few test shots this seems promising, but I'll have to see what I feel like after an extended outing. The hard frame edges aren't an issue with my film cameras, so I imagine I will simply need to adjust the way I hold the K10D up to my face. Holding the camera with my head turned to the left and my body facing about 30 degrees to the right of straight on to the shot, cradling the base of the camera in my left hand, is very comfortable. My nose does not contact the LCD screen so much this way. My pinky and ring fingers gently grip the bottom of my right hand. For manual focus lenses, my index and middle fingers and thumb adjust the focus ring. This grip is very stable. With time it will feel more natural. Shooting without glasses seems like a reasonable strategy for times when I am going to take pictures without interruption. For those occasions when I will take one or two, then do something else, then take a few more, shooting without glasses might be more of a problem. I will shoot without glasses for a time to evaluate whether removing and replacing them is an issue - I don't mind doing it, I just don't want to stretch or break the frames. EDIT / ADDITIONAL: Shooting without glasses absolutely prevents chimping my shots. Since the object is to use this diopter when shooting MF, maybe I should just go to full manual, turn the LCD off and shoot like it is film! Second observation: I need a cheap pair of "shooting glasses" that hang on a chain around my neck. Next time I go for an eye exam . . . Last edited by monochrome; 03-01-2009 at 09:53 PM.

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02-12-2009, 04:03 AM	#16
K200D Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 87	I love the O-ME53 even with my glasses. I have it on 100% of the time.

02-14-2009, 07:30 PM	#17
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092	Originally posted by mattdm ...So the bottom line is: if you don't wear glasses, this is a must-buy. If you do, consider getting contact lenses. I have great difficulty getting the eye close enough to the viewfinder wearing glasses to be able to see thru the viewfinder that well. Much more comfortable w/o glasses. But without glasses, eyes are too bad to quickly & easily focus manually with non-telephoto lenses. The 1.2x helps out with the magnification and makes the manual focusing easier w/o the glasses on. I'd taken it off after having it a while. But since building-up my manual lens stable and getting the katzeye screen, the magnifier is on for good, even if just to correct micro-focus adjustment when using AF lenses.

02-14-2009, 07:38 PM	#18
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by Buddha Jones I have one and my only gripe about the thing is why did they have to make the viewfinder so small? Ive been tempted to buy another one and take a dremmel to it and make it bigger. I'd guess it might be about the cost of precision, and not distorting if you looked at such a magnifying lens from too far off center? I agree, though, if they could go a touch bigger, that'd be nice. This one's really turning out to be a win for me, too. Improvements might be a way to lock it down with more authority, and, maybe some more tension on the diopter adjustment, (It's easier to get at than the stock eyepiece allows, but also easier to accidentally move, too. )

02-25-2009, 07:57 PM	#19
chalion Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SE Pennsylvania Photos: Albums Posts: 628	I just found this thread after stumbling around trying to use my cameras with my bad eyesight. (I didn't know what a diopter was till now, that's how new I am to SLR's). I'm terminally nearsighted - 183/18, plus I have a stigmatism in my primary eye, so contacts are out. I guess a diopter wouldn't be much help.

02-26-2009, 09:50 AM	#20
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by chalion I just found this thread after stumbling around trying to use my cameras with my bad eyesight. (I didn't know what a diopter was till now, that's how new I am to SLR's). I'm terminally nearsighted - 183/18, plus I have a stigmatism in my primary eye, so contacts are out. I guess a diopter wouldn't be much help. Hrm, I gather you shoot through your eyeglasses, then. The magnifier helps best with manual focus, usually. I take it your glasses are rather thick? Built-in diopters are generally fairly limited in strength... It used to be that you could get add-on ones which an optician could have ground to your prescription, but I haven't seen anything like that in years. (Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. )

02-27-2009, 12:50 PM	#21
chhayanat Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Cow Belt Photos: Gallery Posts: 173	Originally posted by Ratmagiclady (Then again, the Pentax eyepiece size hasn't changed in years, either. I wonder if anything like that is still out there. ) Does this mean that the Magnifier-M sold with K-mount film cameras beginning with the MX family will fit the K200D? Or is it that the viewfinder area visible to the eyeglass user with the magnifier has remained unchanged. One assumes it is the latter.

02-27-2009, 01:35 PM	#22
eva2000 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 239	Originally posted by K200D I love the O-ME53 even with my glasses. I have it on 100% of the time. yup same here

02-28-2009, 11:33 PM	#24
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Originally posted by chhayanat Does this mean that the Magnifier-M sold with K-mount film cameras beginning with the MX family will fit the K200D? Or is it that the viewfinder area visible to the eyeglass user with the magnifier has remained unchanged. One assumes it is the latter. Actually, I meant that the physical fitting on Pentax cameras appears to have stayed the same all along. (Unless maybe they got fancy on like the LX or something.) As Steve here seems to say, if you can find an add-on Pentax diopter, it should fit up. Just possibly if you add one to the built-in adjustable bit, it could even add up to your prescription. I'm a little out of my depth, here, on how well that would function. But the parts should go together, anyway.

03-01-2009, 07:19 AM	#26
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948 Original Poster	Originally posted by Jewelltrail I have the Pentax one and am not impressed at all. Maybe I'll give this one a try. Do you lose a portion of the screen when you gain magnification? Well, as I said, it's a matter of eyepoint. I don't loose any of the screen, but a) I don't shoot wearing glasses and b) I learned to center my eye more carefully on the eyepiece.

03-01-2009, 08:37 AM	#27
Fl_Gulfer Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida Gulfer Photos: Albums Posts: 3,054	I'd have agree with the Buddah, I wish the eye hole was a little bigger. It would make it easier to see the text at the bottom so I could see if the green focus light was lit with my glasses on, and it sure smears up my glasses no matter how clean I keep the eye piece.

03-01-2009, 10:53 AM	#28
poco Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 153	Originally posted by soccerjoe5 I hope I don't offend the OP in this thread, I tried it and while it served its purpose, you should take a serious look at the KPS 1.35x magnifying eyepiece Is it easily removable without tools? The video makes it look like it is a more permanent installation. I use a right angle finder, so being able to easily swap between one or the other is a necessity.

03-01-2009, 04:06 PM	#30
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092	Originally posted by stevebrot I think that Chris Platt still has a -3 diopter on the marketplace. I got the -2 for my daughter. Can you or someone explain how this is different than the Magnifying viewfinder? I'm an eyeglass wearer and while the 1.2x helps, manual focus without glasses is very challenging in in-door lighting until I am using ~125mm or more. What does the -3, -2 do differently than a magnifying viewfinder? thanx