FDA-ME1AM Magifying Eyepiece

[KevinBarrett]

I bought Sony's FDA-ME1AM Magnifying Eyepiece for my DSLR-A700 a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share my findings with the forum.

The viewfinder image is indeed magnified, and I feel more comfortable now making wider angle compositions and letting subjects appear smaller in the frame.

I am not experiencing the higher relief as expected. Instead, I find that I have to crowd closer to the (extended) viewfinder to eliminate the vignetting. This is probably not an issue on the entry level models with smaller viewfinders (for which this magnefier was surely intended). Still, if I'm crowded closer to the magnified image, I'm still marginally further away from the LCD, and I have noticed that the LCD stays significantly cleaner.

Eye-start works intermittently on the a700 body. The varied reports are probably due to differences in usage and accessories. The eye-start sensors can detect my proximity if my cheek is against the main LCD, but that defeats the purpose. I do not use a screen protector, so I cannot report if one would alter your experience, but my guess is that it would. I currently have eye-start turned off, and that takes some getting used-to.

One unexpected complication with the FDA-ME1AM magnifying eyepiece is that I find it harder to see which AF point is chosen within the viewfinder. The center point is most visible, followed by the outermost 4 at NSEW locations, but the six smaller AF point markings are all but invisible against darker scenes, I find that I'm using the main LCD to change to one of these or to get the AF point back to center.

Finally, despite the complications, I am leaving the magnifier on the camera. It makes the viewfinder larger, period, and for that I love it. I would urge every alpha user to pick up an FDA-ME1AM if only just to see if it suits you. It is not expensive, and it has breathed new life into my camera and the photographic experience.

[David Kilpatrick]

Kevin, I have been using the slightly more powerful Olympus model - which does allow eye-start when correctly fitted, but I don't use eye-start, only auto LCD off. You will never get more eye relief, that would involve a mini-fying attachment. Magnifying attachments always reduce eye relief relative to their own ocular, but if they have the correct afocal construction (a bit like a screw-on lens front tele adaptor) they increase actual face distance from the screen a bit.

I have one on the A350, it does not fit the A380 and the A380 screen really does get nose-rubbed.

They all make the viewing slightly darker as well as slightly larger, which would explain your harder-to-see markings. I used one on the A700 for a while but stopped when Shirley took over the camera. She found she could not see the whole frame and preferred the clarity of the 'naked' finder.

David

[Juanito200]

I have taken 30+ shots with the eyepiece on my a200. I agree with Kevin and David about the problem with seeing the af points, but it does make it easier to compose photos. However, I find that you do have to cram your eye against it quite a bit to see the whole frame.
On my a200 it completely blocks the eye start sensors, so the main LCD no longer goes off when I put it to my face. I am sure I will find that very annoying when shooting in low light... But again the pros outweighs the cons. I just wish I could change the LCD time from 5 sec to 2 sec that would be helpful. Overall it makes me miss thehuge prism on my old 8000i. But it will stay on my a200.

[Andy B]

To get the eye sensors to work on my A700, I have to raise the Sony eyepiece about 1/8th of an inch above its "click" position. This does not appear to affect the view, and the eyepiece still feels fairly secure at this position (nonetheless keeping the original eyepiece in my bag just in case). While I generally don't use eye-start AF, I do like to take advantage of the LCD auto off feature.

I like the Sony eyepiece better overall than the Pentax version, although the latter has slightly greater magnification and fits a little better (i.e., less eye-sensor interference).

Andy

[aster]

Thanks for the elaborate feed back Kevin. And enjoy your new tool.

And thanks to the otheer gentlemen too for sharing their personal encounters with the eye piece. Good to learn all that!

Yildiz

[bossel]

Thanks Kevin, very helpful review (even though it means I probably won't get one).

My question is: Are there actually any "magnifiers" out there that increase the eye relief? I would probably sacrifice a little bit of brightness to have a higher eye point, even if the viewfinder image remains same size. That would be cool for all those glassies like me.

[KevinBarrett]

Glad to be of help! Like I mentioned above, I think a2xx-a3xx users will benefit the most without drawbacks. Still, an a700 user is probably invested enough in the system that they ought to at least give it a try. That might mean just going into a Sony Style store.

[Juanito200]

Thanks to Andy B for the tip. I slightly raised my eyepiece and the sensors work. I just got back from shooting some lightning at night, and it was nice having the LCD shut off as I brought my face to the eyepiece. Having the eyepiece was helpful manually focusing the camera. Now if it just could have generated some cloud to ground lightning... Without frying me that is.... Thanks again, John.