View finder for Olympus E-pl6

garcia69 wrote:

The only one I found was the VF-4 which for a camera that's mostly for play is just too expensive for me... Are there other options for a add-on view finder ?

Thanks

Joel

I echo the other responses you’ve had - the VF-2 (available in black or silver) has a very nice image, a shade smaller and lower res than the VF-4, but still nice, but lacks the auto locking pin and release button, so has the possibility of being knocked off accidentally with rough use.  You can even get a larger eyecup for this one.  The silver-only VF-3 has the pin and button, is a shade smaller, and has a smaller still, lower res image with too much contrast.  It’s not awful, but noticeably less good.  No alternative eyecup, but there isn’t for the VF-4 either.  One thing to bear in mind: only the VF-4 (largest, black only) of the three automatically detects your eye and switches automatically between EVF and LCD as required (the E-PL6 supports this feature) - for the other two, you need to press a button on the back of the EVF.  You can turn the auto feature off on the VF-4 if you need to.

Oh - if you happen to need to have the dioptric correction set to a high + value, the VF-4 and VF-2 could potentially pick up dayglo yellow squiggles on the image which are etched permanently on the panel by focused strong sun.  As far as I know, the different tech of the humble VF-3 shouldn’t do this.

traveler_101 wrote:

dougjgreen1 wrote:

garcia69 wrote:

The only one I found was the VF-4 which for a camera that's mostly for play is just too expensive for me... Are there other options for a add-on view finder ?

Thanks

Joel

Both of those can usually be gotten for under $100

The main differences are, the VF-3 is quite low resolution, but it also has a lock to stay firmly seated into the hotshoe until you wish to release it.

The VF-2 is noticeably higher resolution, but it lacks a lock into the accessory shoe. I have heard that some are loose and they can fall out. My personal VF-2 has never had an issue with coming loose out of the shoe unless I wished for it to.

IMHO, the VF-3 resolution is so low as to be distracting. I would avoid it. OTOH, I find the VF-2 to be a quite decent lower cost, smaller size alternative to the VF-4.,

I have owned all three at one time or another. I still own a VF-2 (for my E-PL7) and a VF-4 that I use with my E-P5.

IMHO: the VF-3 is by far the weakest. I wouldn't buy one unless it was $50 US or less.

I believe a clean used VF-2 is fair value up to $100 , for me personally.

I would generally get a VF-4 if it cost up to $50 more than a VF-2. At a bigger cost differential than that, I'd save the money and get a VF-2.

VF-2 gives a pretty good view and is much better than a VF-3 (to be avoided). The only real downside to VF-2 is that it does not have a locking mechanism.

Mine would occasionally slide out, so I put a piece of thick paper between it and the hot-shoe, now it stays firmly in place. A good EVF, but not great, though the tilt function is a massive plus to these add-on EVF's - so much so I'm now reluctant to buy a camera with a fixed EVF.

Get a VF-4 if you can find one at a good price.

I have the EPL5 which is the same size as your EPL6. The VF2 and the larger VF4 are just a bit too big for the smaller camera.

The VF3 is still bigger than I would like but is more suited to the smaller camera.

The IQ of the VF3, while not as good as the VF2 or VF4, is still more than good enough for composing the photo.

I have used all three VF's so, I have compared.

Allan

left eye wrote:

Mine would occasionally slide out, so I put a piece of thick paper between it and the hot-shoe, now it stays firmly in place. A good EVF, but not great, though the tilt function is a massive plus to these add-on EVF's - so much so I'm now reluctant to buy a camera with a fixed EVF.

One big benefit with the external eye-level viewfinder (the LCD at the rear is as well a viewfinder, a waist-level viewfinder to be more precise) is that you can see easily outside of your framing as there is nothing blocking your other eye view. That ain't the case with the rangefinder or SLR style eye level viewfinders and waist-level viewfinders now just makes you easily to look the camera.

And one interesting info about Olympus VF-2 is that Leica licensed it for themselves as well and Olympus made one for Leica... That costs a lot more.

And how the Olympus made the Leica one different is the front slope, where Olympus has a slight curve and Leica has straight angle.

IMHO, Olympus made a mistake to remove AP2 (Accessory Port 2) from E-PL7, E-PL8 and so on. As those would have gained a lot with VF-4 remade for a smaller size with same round shape as VF-2 was. Actually, Olympus releasing a VF-5 with larger magnification (0.8x etc) could have made big big difference.

And slight info too, VF-4 is same as E-M1, E-M1 II but it is actually with slightly larger magnification, it is like 0.74x vs 0.76-0.77.

Tommi K1 wrote:

left eye wrote:

Mine would occasionally slide out, so I put a piece of thick paper between it and the hot-shoe, now it stays firmly in place. A good EVF, but not great, though the tilt function is a massive plus to these add-on EVF's - so much so I'm now reluctant to buy a camera with a fixed EVF.

One big benefit with the external eye-level viewfinder (the LCD at the rear is as well a viewfinder, a waist-level viewfinder to be more precise) is that you can see easily outside of your framing as there is nothing blocking your other eye view. That ain't the case with the rangefinder or SLR style eye level viewfinders and waist-level viewfinders now just makes you easily to look the camera.

And one interesting info about Olympus VF-2 is that Leica licensed it for themselves as well and Olympus made one for Leica... That costs a lot more.

And how the Olympus made the Leica one different is the front slope, where Olympus has a slight curve and Leica has straight angle.

I believe the VF-2 could even be used on relevant Leicas, if their owners could bear to do such a thing.

IMHO, Olympus made a mistake to remove AP2 (Accessory Port 2) from E-PL7, E-PL8 and so on. As those would have gained a lot with VF-4 remade for a smaller size with same round shape as VF-2 was. Actually, Olympus releasing a VF-5 with larger magnification (0.8x etc) could have made big big difference.

I agree that the AP2 port ought to have stayed, but it's only just gone from the recently launched E-PL9, the previous E-PL8 and E-PL7 still had it - it’s a more recent mistake than you thought.

And slight info too, VF-4 is same as E-M1, E-M1 II but it is actually with slightly larger magnification, it is like 0.74x vs 0.76-0.77.

Allan Brown wrote:

I have the EPL5 which is the same size as your EPL6. The VF2 and the larger VF4 are just a bit too big for the smaller camera.

The VF3 is still bigger than I would like but is more suited to the smaller camera.

The IQ of the VF3, while not as good as the VF2 or VF4, is still more than good enough for composing the photo.

I have used all three VF's so, I have compared.

Allan

I had a VF-2, which was quite good, but sold it when I sold my EPL1. A year later I got an EPM2, so I ordered a VF-3 to save some $. Bad move. The VF-3 looks like a grainy, blue-ish, old portable color CRT tv, and it is impossible to use. I gave up and bought the VF-4 after that, and that is a FABULOUS EVF.

So, if you want to save a few $, get a used VF-2, or splurge on a VF-4 (which I personally don't think you would regret). Don't waste your time or money on the VF-3.

Oh, and my VF-4 stayed permanently anchored to my TINY EPM2 for the entire time I had the camera.  It totally changed the usability of it; the VF-4 had such a great display that it was like working with a much larger camera in a tiny body.  It was great!

-J