Leica Visoflex (Typ 020) Review

The Leica Visoflex (Typ 020) ($595) is the add-on EVF for the T (Typ 701) ($1,850.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) mirrorless camera. It’s one of the better EVFs I’ve used—it packs more pixels than the Olympus VF-4 ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) —but, like most things Leica, it’s expensive. If you decide to buy into the T system, it’s a worthwhile add-on, as it’s quite pleasant to use and also adds GPS capability to the camera.

The Visoflex ($539.95 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , named after a classic Leica accessory that converted an M rangefinder into an SLR, connects to the T via its accessory shoe. It’s an LCD finder with a staggering 3,700k-dot resolution, and it brings a very large image to your eye. I looked at it side by side with the OLED EVF Sony uses in its Alpha 7 cameras under identical conditions. The Visoflex is just a little bit bigger, noticeably sharper, and a bit brighter to my eye.

From a usability standpoint, it’s excellent. There’s an eye sensor that automatically switches from the rear LCD to the EVF when you bring it up to your eye. It’s not overly sensitive like the one on the Sony Alpha 7, so I didn’t have to struggle with my torso accidentally switching it on when using the rear LCD. The EVF locks into a straight back position, but can also tilt all the way up to 90 degrees. There’s no locking at increments in that range, but the hinge is strong and holds steady in the position which you’ve set it. There’s a -3 to +3 diopter to adjust for your vision.

The unique feature that the Visoflex brings to the table is GPS. Rather than build that functionality into the body, Leica opted to put it in the EVF. It’s not the first time the company has taken that approach, as the M (Typ 240) ($4,999.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) has a multifunction handgrip accessory that adds GPS and a few additional ports. The GPS works well, accurately recording the position you were standing when a photograph was captured, but it does take a minute or two to acquire a signal. You’ll want to pay attention to the satellite indicator on the camera’s rear LCD (also shown in the EVF) to see if it has a signal—you’ll probably have to leave the camera powered on for a couple of minutes in order to get the GPS to work when starting your day, but it locks on faster if you’re staying in the same area to shoot.

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If you decide to buy the T, I heartily recommend budgeting for the Visoflex (Typ 020) along with it, especially if you plan to use manual focus rangefinder lenses. It delivers a big, sharp image to your eye so you can focus with precision. It’s also helpful on bright days. The T’s rear display is plenty bright on its own accord, but the EVF is a lot more pleasant to use when sunlight is harsh. As an eyeglass wearer, I found myself having to cup my hand around it to really block out unwanted light, but that’s the case with a lot of EVFs. Leica charges a lot for the Visoflex (Typ 020), but its quality is excellent. It’s good enough that owners of other Leica cameras that use the older Visoflex EVF2 will be jealous that this new model isn’t backward compatible.