Customer Reviews

Olympus EYECUP ME-1 MAGNIFIER

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

OK - having read ALL 7 reviews (thank you other 7 for opening my eyes) I decided to plunk down the dough and buy one. I wasn't able to understand why people were so diametrically opposed to this simple accessory - it was always either God's gift to cameras or useless as the day is long. It arrived today by UPS (thanks Amazon prime - next day service!)

Here's what I can tell. I've been an Olympus user since the 2500 days - after the 2500 I graduated to the E20n - similar viewfinder - nice big image, easy to use. I avoided the E-1, content with my E20n and wondering what the 4/3 system would bring to revolutionize cameras or become another standard. Now I've moved to the Evolt 300 - and from day one, my biggest complaint has been "The viewfinder is too small" - still having my E20n I compared them - sure enough the 300 is smaller than the E20n. What's going on here?

I bought my AS-ME-1 and it clicked on easier than the rubber cup does. BAM suddenly my view was big again - like the E20n! I can see again. I can seeeee again! (little miami vice music here) And if you tweek the focus, it's a big deal.

My personal theory (and I am wrong as well as right) is that it depends if you use prescription glasses. Or maybe other prescriptions. The eye has an entrance pupil. The AS-ME-1 guides the light from the focus grid THROUGH that pupil. I personally like to shoot with my glasses on. Camera up, halfway push, fully push if happy, camera down. My friends remove their glasses, in their mouth they go, and up to the eye goes the rubber cup - and they shoot and shoot and shoot. They don't seem to be bothered by the E300.

IF you are nearsighted your glasses make things look smaller than they actually are (ask old ben franklin who invented eyeglasses) - the AS-ME-1 counters this effect of prescription lenses. If you remove your glasses or have 20/20 vision, well, you may like a bigger image, but it's not likely to be as big of a deal as it was for me.

I'm happy - 5 stars and all that - it's a winner. I FULLY respect the people who have given it one star. They made me search for a reason. I think the eyeball & vision & glasses are the key to this product being a benefit or hindrance to the shooter. Yes, its 20% larger (1/5) - for me that's a big deal.

Given the price to potential performance ratio, it's a winner for a good chunk of the population who doesn't remove their eyeglasses to snap a picture Those with 20/20 and shoot at nightime or a dimly lit studio will have a large entrance pupil and likely not benefit.

Human sensory perception has a threshold of noticability of about 10% meaning if one cup of water is 10% hotter than another it will be felt as hotter, but less than 10% and it's likely to feel the same temperature, same goes for shades of grey, and almost any perception. It's called the 10% rule. At 20% increase in picture size, the AS-ME-1 is pretty much guaranteed to be noticed by the human physiology, and that was the final reason I bought it. Lets hope your experiences are good ones - I didn't say you'd like it - just notice it! (the optics however are top notch)

I own an E-300 and a bag full of manual focusing Olympus and Pentax lenses, which I use in addition to some auto-focus 4/3rds ones. As a glasses wearer I was constantly adjusting my diopter and straining to get things into focus when using the manuals, the result being perhaps 25% of my shots being unusable.

This little magnifier makes a big difference. On several recent outings I had absolutely great results. Most shots sharp and clear. There is a bit of a downside in that I have to work a little harder to see the readout in viewfinder, but I really don't need that.

Don't expect an eye-popping change, but a change you will notice.

Good product.

A number of photography review sites recommend the Eyecup Magnifier for the Olympus EVolt E-500 and I purchased it with my E-500. The complaint is the E-500 view finder is small compared to other DSLRs on the market. The Eyecup Magnifier fixes this problem instantly! I was/am glad I paid the extra for it!

I think Olympus should include it as a standard piece to the E-500 package, obviously that isn't going to happen.

If you purchase the EVolt E-500 and can only afford one accessory, buy the Eyecup Magnifier.

I can barely see a difference in E-500 viewfinder with and without ME-1. It even appears that the field of view in viewfinder is narrower with ME-1, that is when exposure info is in the view, the left side of the image is being obstructed by the ME-1 aperture. Very disappointing. I knew it was only x1.2, but now it's clear it's not even worth bothering...

The ME-1 Eyecup is an excellent addition to the E-300 and E-500. I have the E-500 and the ME-1 Eyecup brings everything you are viewing closer and clearer.

It give you a 20% increase in the size of what you are viewing. It's a keeper.
Yes, it makes focusing easier, but don't expect it to be like a big-screen TV.

I really didn't find this product helpful. The magnification is 1.2X which is really not much. Both my husband and I couldn't tell a difference from the original viewfinder. Olympus should make a higher magnification, and should build it into the camera (and not charge you $30+ extra). I plan on applying my refund to an expodisc instead (this is a product that helps with white balancing).

If you ever do manual focusing - this small thing is a godsend.
Good addition to fully enjoy your old OM lenses on new digital body (as i do with my E500)

This review essentially repeats what some of the earlier ones have said: I don't notice much difference with this eyecup. The information is a little more difficult to read along the side of the viewfinder, but not distractingly so. The viewfinder works fine with my glasses, but then, so did the original one. No complaints, but no distinct recommendation, either.

I have a lot of olympus manual focus lenses from my old OM-4t. I like to use these, but the E-Volt 500 has a poor viewfinder for manual focusing.

The AS-ME-1 is just enough to help. It's not perfect - constricts the field of view more than I would like - but it makes manual focusing doable and reasonable for me. This doesn't magnify the smallish viewfinder very much but it makes manual focus a reasonable option.

Oh yeah, it's much more comfortable against my eye than the default eyecup.