Best 35mm lens viewfinder or best bang for buck

[Deleted member 65559]

I have both VC and Leica VFs and both are good. Since I wear glasses I like the newer all plastic Leica VF more than the VC.

"or best bang for buck"

albeit somewhat pricey now.....$777

https://www.schouten-select.com/ind...ders/leica-35mm-finder-plastic-rare-1985.html

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Olympus VF-1, bright and cheap, I use one on my IIIF.

My choice as well.

Chris

 

[Beemermark]

"or best bang for buck"

albeit somewhat pricey now.....$777

https://www.schouten-select.com/ind...ders/leica-35mm-finder-plastic-rare-1985.html

Rare now! Went to the Leica website and see they no longer make a VF for anything longer than 24mm. No plastic 35 VF on eBay but there is a SBLOO cheap. Good VF and so cool looking.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEITZ-LEIC...955019?hash=item3b47c1d20b:g:d2MAAOSwW2Zenf4C

 

[Ko.Fe.]

My choice as well.

Chris

It is for M43 sensors. Different from 135 film frame aspect ratio.

 

[charjohncarter]

Here is one that goes from 35mm to 135mm (Leitz). It is accurate, even has parallax control. I don't remember what it cost but I think less than $35.

Leica IIIf by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[ChrisPlatt]

It is for M43 sensors. Different from 135 film frame aspect ratio.

It matches the 35mm FOV well.
Can be had for around $50 used.

I have no problem using mine on 24x36; YMMV.

Chris

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It matches the 35mm FOV well.
Can be had for around $50 used.

I have no problem using mine on 24x36; YMMV.

Chris

I have it on E-PL1 with 15mm F8 lens. 🙂

But with film I'm spoiled with M4-2 accurate framelines and Olympus XA VF on LTM cameras. No problem to use because it is WYSIWYG.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Here is one that goes from 35mm to 135mm (Leitz). It is accurate, even has parallax control. I don't remember what it cost but I think less than $35.

Leica IIIf by John Carter, on Flickr

35$ ? New in 1950, I bet. 🙂

Here is picture of HCB, M3 and this apparatus.
https://leicabuzz.tumblr.com/post/5104747765/henri-cartier-bresson-with-leica-m3-henri

 

[Huss]

Possibly silly question but I adore the viewfinder on the M3, how would people rate the Voigtlander or SBLOO in comparison to that?

Nothing compares to the M3 vf.
But the M3 does not offer 35mm frames.

 

[jsrockit]

It is for M43 sensors. Different from 135 film frame aspect ratio.

Exactly...and it can't look that good on a Leica either... and the OP wants something that fits well with the look. Well...flickr helps:

Leica M3 + Summicron 35mm 1st + Olympus VF-1 by Choongwoo Nam, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Possibly silly question but I adore the viewfinder on the M3, how would people rate the Voigtlander or SBLOO in comparison to that?

Well they do share the brightness & clean unencumbered frame lines

 

[charjohncarter]

35$ ? New in 1950, I bet. 🙂

Here is picture of HCB, M3 and this apparatus.
https://leicabuzz.tumblr.com/post/5104747765/henri-cartier-bresson-with-leica-m3-henri

1964.... Camera & lens $50 2007 Leitz finder $35

RE: Your photo of HCB. Nobody said, even though a great photographer, that he was smart.

 

[Peter Jennings]

I've never regretted getting a SBLOO. It never leaves my IIIc.

Untitled by Peter Jennings, on Flickr

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Decent VIOOH finders (as per Chris's post) are pretty inexpensive. I do have one - in a box, in store at my old home. I find it looks a bit ungainly and better suited to the Barnacks, but that's just my opinion.

The Olympus idea is nice lateral thinking, but it jars to my eyes.

Looks like I need to track down either the Voigtlander or the SBLOO, which is growing on me.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Decent VIOOH finders (as per Chris's post) are pretty inexpensive. I do have one - in a box, in store at my old home. I find it looks a bit ungainly and better suited to the Barnacks, but that's just my opinion.

The Olympus idea is nice lateral thinking, but it jars to my eyes.

Looks like I need to track down either the Voigtlander or the SBLOO, which is growing on me.

I have a Zeiss 35mm brightline finder sold by Sony for one of their fullframe digital cameras. They're disgustingly expensive new, like $450, but somehow I lucked into one for $140 on eBay last month. It looks a lot like the Leica SBLOO except its black. If you find one cheap, its as good as the Leica. It does look maybe a little 'modern' for an old Chrome Leica, but all I cared about was function.

You can see it on the Leica IIIg in the photo below.

 

[Rayt]

I found an SBLOO at KEH for $200 in bargain condition last month and it’s great. The internal elements tend to rattle a bit so I guess the condition rating. Should I worry about it and is it repairable if necessary?

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I have a Zeiss 35mm brightline finder sold by Sony for one of their fullframe digital cameras. They're disgustingly expensive new, like $450, but somehow I lucked into one for $140 on eBay last month. It looks a lot like the Leica SBLOO except its black. If you find one cheap, its as good as the Leica. It does look maybe a little 'modern' for an old Chrome Leica, but all I cared about was function.

You can see it on the Leica IIIg in the photo below.

That's perfectly livable Chris - it's handsome and I'm sure if I didn't want to look at the blue badge (not something I care about) a small patch of black tape would do the job admirably.

Gorgeous collection of cameras and lenses there!

 

[D.O'K.]

For very high quality and useability at modest cost try to find a Diax. Comparable specification to the Leica/Voigtlander types, and of the right size and look for a ltm camera.

Regards,
D.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Awful rare, but Leitz made a few SBLOO's in black for the black IIIg and the black M3.

Erik.

 

[jcb4718]

The Leica black 35mm finder sits nicely on my black Leica II. Its lower profile than the Zeiss finder but it is also off-set so it is easier to see the shutter dial. It 'locks' which is an advantage given the cold shoe of the Leica II has no means to grip. Both are superb finders. The Zeiss has slightly larger magnification and gives slightly more of an impression of looking down a tunnel.