[Leica] Quick review of the HK made 0.85 VF Magnifier.

[red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)]

I finally gave up trying to find out from others how this thing works.  I
bought one.

I wear glasses, and my objective was to get something that allows me to see
the way out frames ( 28mm lines on a M6 .72) without getting as close to the
VF with my glasses on.

I own the Leica 1.25 Magnifier, and find it does a very nice job with my
M6TTL .72 to help focus the longer lenses, especially when I am going to
shoot wide open.

It arrived nicely packaged in a plain ( read that as unpadded) manila
envelope.  USPS did not mulch it up, so the packaging is sufficient.  The
item was wrapped in some bubble pack and packaged inside its nicely made
leather(ette?) case.  Production of the item was very nice.  It screws into
the VF eyepiece very nicely, and seems to sit still.  Optically very nice.
Clear and crisp.
So now I actually look through it.....

What you see when you put  the thing on the camera is that the through image
appears smaller ( duh) and more like a .58 magnified view.  It seems to do
NOTHING to allow you to see the edges of the frame lines, and in fact, since
it projects from the rear of the camera, it puts your eye farther from the
camera, which makes the frames lines HARDER to see.  So I took off my
glasses.  No better.  In fact, without glasses, I was able to more easily
see the 28 frame lines than with the magnifier on the camera.

Bottom Line.... anyone want to purchase a very slightly used Kong Kong made
0.85 eyepiece magnifier for an M?

Waste of $50.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net