Best 35mm lens viewfinder or best bang for buck

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CharlesDAMorgan

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A hunt for 35mm anything here turns up so many search results that I thought I'd just ask. With the arrival of the 8 element replica sometime my thought has turned instantly to gear. My M3 obviously has no frameline for it, and my M5 ones are elusive especially towards the bottom of the frame. I'd quite like a dedicated 35mm finder for both (it's the only lens sub 50mm I'm likely to use now) and suggestions for a good one much appreciated. My days of Russian turret finders pointing somewhere in the general direction of not the subject are hopefully behind me! Not looking inappropriate on a Leica III is an important, but secondary consideration.
 
I use the Voigtlander metal finders. They are excellent and available in silver or black.
I'd buy them again.
 
Charles, like Huss, i've taken to using the Voigtlander. In fact I use it both on my M4 & CL. I like it enough that I sold my SBLOO
unnamed-19 by \Flickr
 
If you are willing to pay hundreds of dollars, look for Cosina made under Viogtlander label.
Original Leica made aren't really much more expensive from those. But they are older usually.

I have VF with 35 frames from crapped out Olympus XA.
49485334618_b268be7c53_c.jpg

Minox 35 is also very suitable source of good quality 35mm VF.
 
Best bang for the buck is probably the one made from the Canon "Owl" P&S viewfinder in the 3-D printed housing. It is "best" because it is very few bucks.


I have one and I find it much more precise than any of the others I own, namely an old KMZ plastic one, and an ancient Canon with no framelines.
 
Since you mentioned it Charles, the round Voigtlander is beautifully snug in any camera. By contrast, I had several of the tiny (and now very expensive) voigtlander 28/35 finders and had them fall out....
 
I've never seen the Voigtländer 35mm metal viewfinder in the flesh, but I can hardly believe that it is better than the SBLOO or the 35mm finders in the M2 and M4.

In the Leitz finders the framelines anticipate on the distortion of the finders, so it is very easy to level the image. When the optics of the finders have a barrel distortion but the framelines are straight, levelling the image is very difficult.

Erik.
 
Charles, I've never owned an M3. Always been primarily a 35mm user and had many M2, M4, M6, MP over the decades before returning to the M4. I wear glasses and use my left eye. Both the SBLOO and the Voigtlander are very easy to frame with & very bright. I've scratched many a pair of eyeglasses with finders. The Voigtlander is the easiest on those as well. As with everything it's a matter of choice, chance and personal preference. Over time, I found I just wasn't using my SBLOO. I use the aux finder for climbing & skiing mountain photos, for quick framing usually with the camera pre-set and zone focused, otherwise i am very comfortable with the M4 35mm framelines. Those have never been an issue for me with either the M2 or M4. Over the years I've used the 21,28,35, & 50 finders from Leitz & I don't find the Voigtlander to be a step down. I'm sure you could sell it quickly if you decided otherwise, as the voigtlander finders have been discontinued.
 
I don't know what the price is now, but several years ago B&H had a deal on a Zeiss 35mm finder. It was not made for the ZM lenses but is the same construction as the 25, 21, and 18 black metal finders. As with all the Zeiss finders, the clarity and framing are superb. It is, however, too large to work well with a iii series camera. The Cosina metal finders are good but not up to Zeiss standards. Cosina also made a plastic 35mm finder, black only, that works well and does not scratch glasses.
 
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