X-pro1 Diopter Question

[Dave Young]

I'm wondering if anyone can throw some light on this for me.

I've looked at the X-Pro1 this morning, and more or less made my mind up that's what I want to buy...

The only question I have hanging over it is the lack of diopter adjustment.

I'm a glasses wearer and looking through the OVF notice it's not quite tack sharp - so I'm assuming I need some kind of adjustment for it. I understand it's fine for auto focus as the camera locks on, but for manual focus this will be an issue.

I know Fuji do their own adjustment sets and I believe the Nikon Diopters also fit - my question is how do I know which size diopter I need. As an example, I think the Fuji diopter correction lenses come in +3, +2 & +1 for both long and short sighted people.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Dave - the diopters are available 3rd party, and Fuji - and screw in to replace the original diopter on the viewfinder.

The default strength that comes with the camera is shown as -1dpt, but that's misleading as it's correcting for an offset already built into the OVF when compared to say Leica or Nikon.

The best idea would be to take your X-Pro1 to your optometrist and test it using the optometrist's correction lenses.

Note that Fuji (and CV, Zeiss or Voigtlander) provide correction lenses with values of -3, -2, -1, +1, +2 and +3dpt, where Nikon also provides half steps in-between. However Nikon however uses a different way of labeling their lens designations!

Other folks (Larry on RPF) just shoot wearing their reading glasses, and this solves the problem for them - I think he uses a cheap chemist store pair and keeps them in the camera bag.

IMPORTANT TIP - The Fuji diopter has a habit of unscrewing itself and then getting lost - so using a little PTFE tape, or a dab of thread lock/nail polish on the threads, will stop this from happening

 

[Dave Young]

Thanks for the info Chris... I think I'm even more confused than I was before now in a good way!

I think I'll wait until I get my hands on one in my kitchen and see where I need to go from there. I was playing with one today in Jessops and noticed it could be a problem.

I was thinking I could simply buy a diopter (Fuji or otherwise) to compensate for my - let's say -2 prescription and Robert would be my Mother's Brother - maybe not!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Well - that should indeed be the case Dave - if you know your prescription, the same value diopter should be what you'd need

There was however early confusion over the fact that the Fuji std diopter was -1, hence the caution about maybe checking with your optician

They cost about a tenner, so not a killer cost, but also not something where you'd want to get it wrong too many times!

 

[Dave Young]

Oh phew, thanks Chris! Yes, have recently had an eye test, so I have a good idea of my impediment

This is where my confusion lays really.

If my prescription is for -2 (possibly not too far off), do I buy a -2 diopter, or *something different*?

*Answers on a postcard!

 

[Larry Bolch]

Other folks (Larry on RPF) just shoot wearing their reading glasses, and this solves the problem for them - I think he uses a cheap chemist store pair and keeps them in the camera bag.

Cheap from a grocery store, so they must be pretty good. I went one step further however. Both my X100 and Nikon D700 have adjustable finders, so I adjusted them while wearing the reading glasses. Now when on a shoot, I can just leave them on my face, and switch seamlessly between the cameras. Works like a charm. I also use the glasses for reading.

 

[Dave Young]

I'm already a glasses wearer. I think my prescription is around -2.

So do I need to buy a -2 diopter to suit?

 

[Dave Young]

I spoke with Fuji in the week, and they confirmed the viewfinder is set as -1 with a supplied diopter lens of 0. With this info I popped into my opticians for a quick chat who seemed to think based on my prescription of -1.75 (or thereabouts) I'd need a -1 lens.

I've dropped a note to Fuji to see if they can confirm this is correct, still waiting to hear back.

Sounds reasonable to me, what say you guys?

 

[Steve Boykin]

Sorry to be late to this one. I use the Fuji branded diopter. It works great. I have a +1. Very reasonable here in the US. I think it was about $20.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I spoke with Fuji in the week, and they confirmed the viewfinder is set as -1 with a supplied diopter lens of 0. With this info I popped into my opticians for a quick chat who seemed to think based on my prescription of -1.75 (or thereabouts) I'd need a -1 lens.

I've dropped a note to Fuji to see if they can confirm this is correct, still waiting to hear back.

Sounds reasonable to me, what say you guys?

Sound good to me - let us know how you get on

 

[Dave Young]

Sound good to me - let us know how you get on

Will do Chris, I've ordered one from Fuji, just waiting for it to turn up

 

[Dave Young]

OK, so my -1.00 adjustment lens turned up from Fuji today. First off, it's got a tiny mark on the lens which I'm not best chuffed about.

Secondly, I don't think it's the right lens It works fine if I don't wear my glasses to shoot with, but as I do it now makes things worse!

So it's back to the drawing board. I'm going to try and see if the Optician can be of more help!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

uh oh - sounds more complex than we thought then

 

[Pete Askew]

OK, so my -1.00 adjustment lens turned up from Fuji today. First off, it's got a tiny mark on the lens which I'm not best chuffed about.

Secondly, I don't think it's the right lens It works fine if I don't wear my glasses to shoot with, but as I do it now makes things worse!

So it's back to the drawing board. I'm going to try and see if the Optician can be of more help!

Actually that sounds correct. If your prescription is -1.75 and the Fuji is fitted with a -1 as standard, adding another -1 takes you to near your prescription and so the viewfinder will be correct without your glasses. But that isn't what you were after if I understand correctly. I think you need a +1 to take the viewfinder to 0 so your glasses will be OK.

 

[Dave Young]

Actually that sounds correct. If your prescription is -1.75 and the Fuji is fitted with a -1 as standard, adding another -1 takes you to near your prescription and so the viewfinder will be correct without your glasses. But that isn't what you were after if I understand correctly. I think you need a +1 to take the viewfinder to 0 so your glasses will be OK.

Thank you Pete! I've been sat here scratching my head all afternoon thinking about this and kind of got to the same conclusion you have. (my maths is pretty awful)

The lens needs to go back to Fuji as it's marked, so I'm going to ask them to send a +1 to try.