Accessorised! (UK) Helios finder bargain?

It looks identical to the finder that come with the Yashica GSN tele/wide aux lenses, must be made from the same manufacturer.
 
They are v nice glass with a gold reflecting surface inside, giving the internal conditions for the albada framings (which you can see on the image of the finder on the first post). This has three concentric frame sets with markings 35, 85 & 135. The circular housing is of metal with a black plastic shoe. The look is of a gold lens (if you are shameful enough to worry about how cool you look, and what could be cooler than an FSU which works....er sorry, I mean a well sorted FSU outfit)
 
I've had a second-hand one for some time - useful if you don't want to carry lots of extra finders, or you have a camera without any brightlines in the finder but its not very bright and low on contract. Maybe the new ones are a bit better?
 
Without wishing to rain on the parade - has anyone yet tried to use one of these outside in daylight?

I bought one from Mr Cad in the mid 80s and sold it as a collector's item a couple of weeks ago. The finder is well made and looks very neat. But... I found it absolutely useless. The framelines vanished in good light. Mr Cad have been trying to get rid of these for the last 20 years - they haven't sold for a very good reason!
 
Jocko said:
. Mr Cad have been trying to get rid of these for the last 20 years - they haven't sold for a very good reason!
Click to expand...

That could explain why they where £20 and now £6 🙄 Though I suppose at £6 + postage if it turns out to be pap it can go on Eb*y as a L@@k,R@RE item 😀
 
Screwy said:
That could explain why they where £20 and now £6 🙄 Though I suppose at £6 + postage if it turns out to be pap it can go on Eb*y as a L@@k,R@RE item 😀
Click to expand...

If it's any comfort, I bought mine for £17.00 - at that time the price of a Lomo! 😡
I never forgave myself, especially as a few months later Mr Cad were already offering them for £6.00! :bang: The really sad thing was that I only had a 50mm lens! It was what they call an "aspirational purchase"! 😀

Never mind - I hope mine was a dud and everyone else has better luck - perhaps wearing glasses didn't help. In their defence, the framelines were accurate. Just usually invisible 😀
 
Last edited:
finders keepers

finders keepers

Here's a VERY similar one on my FED3 from the gallery. Mine isn't labelled Helios but just 'Tele-Wide Finder Japan'.

On viewing there is a blueish tint and the labelled bright line frames (tele & wide) appear yellow/gold in the viewer.

Note the foot of the shoe is a hard plastic. Closer up attached.

Not the brightest but for six quid ......
 
Well mine turned up this morning and as mentioned above not overly bright but for the price a decent bit of kit in my opinion , Interestingly they where imported and distributed originally by TOE (Technical and Optical Equipment) who used to import Russian camera,s etc into the UK .

btw Its described as a Multifinder mk2 but with out being able to compare it I dont know if its any better than Jocko,s old helios viewfinder.
 
Hallo Screwy - "Mk II" sounds very promising!

As far as I know these finders were imported in the mid-80s, when TOE were still selling accessories for Soviet RFs, although imports of cameras had ended - to the grief of some in the company.

I had a talk with TOE's marketing director in 1991, not long before they closed. He believed their was real promise in developing niche markets for RF cameras, the Lomo compact, the Horizont etc, but having contacted FED to discuss the possibility of an "export quality" LTM camera, the idea was stamped on by his Soviet bosses, themselves soon history.


The poor man must be spitting, given the great Lomography scam and the RF revival.
 
Last edited:
Mine arrived today. Not bad at all. Build quality is good. I have tried one viewing against the (few minutes) of sunlight we had this morning - there is some flare but the framelines are still visible. Interesingly, it is made in Japan not FSU. Todd Hanz's comment earlier in the thread may be correct - it might have come from the same factory as the Yashica finder.
 
just ordered mine - thanks for the reference. This will encourage me to get the Jupiter 9 for my Kiev 2 out again. it probably is a good idea to buy in bulk, as they told me the postage to London would be £3. i didn't complain. How could you??
 
Paul T. said:
just ordered mine - thanks for the reference. This will encourage me to get the Jupiter 9 for my Kiev 2 out again. it probably is a good idea to buy in bulk, as they told me the postage to London would be £3. i didn't complain. How could you??
Click to expand...

If my experiance is anything to go by they will positively push you to bulk buy 🙂 I wanted two and the guy on the phone instantly suggested buying more to save on postage . I dont know how many they have in stock but they are making a concerted effort to shift them so anyone thinking of getting one should probably act now .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom