viewfinder for 85mm ?

[gliderbee]

What's the best viewfinder for a Jupiter 85mm lens ? I have a voightländer 75mm finder; should I try one of these russian turret-finders or a dedicated russion 85mm finder ? Or a voigtländer 90mm finder ?

Stefan.

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

90mm viewfinder will fit a 85 lens in a pinch. It can even hold down a 105mm view pretty well if you can mentally adjust.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The turret finder is excellent but bulky; there's always the Tewe; and the 85mm frame on a ZI is exactly the same size as the 90mm frame on a Leica MP (see http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/zeiss.html).

Cheers,

R.

 

[mike-s]

What about the Leica VIOOH? It has the 85mm focal length plus a number of others. Additionally it has an accessory shoe on top and parallax adjustment. Not always easy to find but they do appear on ebay from time to time and (usually overpriced) in stores.

 

[payasam]

You could try the 75mm finder, framing loosely, to see if you can manage with it. If it isn't acceptable, a 90mm finder will be fine. My understanding is that the Soviet 85mm finder is not so good. The turret finder (or the Tewe or the VIOOH) makes the most sense if you will use its other focal lengths also.

 

[gliderbee]

Ok, I'll be on the lookout for the VIOOH and the Tewe. What are normal prices for these in normal, clean condition ?


Thanks,
Stefan.

 

[mike-s]

Ok, I'll be on the lookout for the VIOOH and the Tewe. What are normal prices for these in normal, clean condition ?


Thanks,
Stefan.

For a VIOOH, hard to say. Two were sold on ebay UK last month for £52 (E60) and £26 (E30), on the other had the Leicashop Vienna is advertising one at E350 - definitely don't pay that much! I suggest a reasonable price would be E60-80.

Mike

 

[batterytypehah!]

I tried out a VIOOH at a camera show this past weekend. The price tag said $65 (I believe) and there was probably some room for haggling. Perfect optics, nice cosmetics.

Too bulky for me and I prefer to see outside the frame, so I didn't get it.

 

[Roger Hicks]

TEWEs tend come up silly-cheap -- I bought both from a stop in Luxembourg where they had two at 15€ each -- or silly-expensive, $150+. A fair price is probably in the $50-100 range

They've got correction for parallax and field of view; the only real drawbacks are rather soft edges to the frame, and the fact that you can't see outside the frame. Has anyone ever seen the 28mm adapter? I haven't. Mine go from 35-200mm.

Cheers,

R.

 

[newspaperguy]

Depending on the body you are using,
the Kodak Retina 35/85 finder can be a
terrific buy, (read: cheap) but be aware
of its extreme offset.

 

[Bill58]

Get the CV VF 90--best buy and great illumination!

 

[VictorM.]

There's also the little Canon 85mm finder from the 1950's. Squinty to look through but good quality.

 

[mike-s]

Gliderbee. I don't know if we are allowed to mention retailers on the forum but anyway at www.ffordes.com there is a Canon 85mm finder advertised at £50 and a Fed 85mm at £35. Look under usedequipment/miscellaneous/collectables.

Might be worth a call.

Mike