mukul_dube Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 <p>I have just bought a Zeiss Ikon (M mount) camera and need to know which "diopter" I shall need for vision correction. The choice is probably between +1 and +2. It is a simple matter to visit my optician and try lenses of different strengths to find out how much power is needed -- but the matter may not be so simple.<br /><br />When buying corrective lenses for my Canon FD cameras I discovered that the marked value of a lens could be different from its actual optical strength. A diopter marked +3 was measured by my optician as +4. This was apparently intended to counter the fixed -1 of the camera finder.<br /><br />Does anyone know what is the practice of Zeiss in this? I'd rather not have small packages flying back and forth between the U.S.A. and India.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_Es Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 <p>Okay, I have the solution. You can either use Cosina Voigtlander diopters or Nikon diopters. I use Nikon +2 and +3 on various Bessas and +2 on the ZI. You do need to experiment with the diopters. The nice thing is that the diopters are cheap.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mukul_dube Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 <p>Alex, thank you. I suppose the identical fitting is explained by the fact that the ZI and the FM10 are made by Cosina? Now I must hunt for a source.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 <p>The Leica M viewfinders are natively -0.5 diopters. I suspect ZI does the same. So if you need +2 for distance vision, you would want net +2.5 in your diopter lens. <br> Nikon diopter lenses are marked for the "net" diopter when combined with the -1 diopter of the Nikon camera.<br> Maybe the easiest thing is to order a range of them from B&H or Adorama, and return the "wrong" ones.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mukul_dube Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 <p>Thank you, John. Yes, in view of (<em>sorry, not deliberate</em>) the uncertainty, it makes sense to try out a selection. If the seller agrees, that is.</p> <p>I have since discovered that B&H sell Zeiss diopters for $39 apiece while C-V ones are $19 each from Popflash. Shipping to be added to both.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_bud Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 <p>Zeiss diopters are true to the markings and neither the cameras nor external finders have any bias built in. I went over this with Zeiss USA a few years ago to determine what diopter to mount on their 21mm finder.-Dick</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mukul_dube Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 <p>Thank you. However, I now have to change my original question. I could not buy the ZI I was after and instead have bought a C-V Bessa R2A. Are the corrective lenses for that camera also true to their markings?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mukul_dube Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 <p>For the record. There is an error in one of my earlier posts. For "Popflash" please read "Photo Village".</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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