Cheap 35mm viewfinder

[jgrainger]

I've been using a battered old Leica viewfinder for the 35mm FL and am tempted to try something else for my least favourite focal length, in the hope of finding some use for it.
I already use finder masks for longer lenses and want something small and ok just for the 35mm.

Has anyone tried this type (available on eBay)? Ignoring the lack of parallax, are they optically alright?


Jonathan

 

[Nitroplait]

It’s the plastic parts from disposable cameras.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Cheap Chinese mass production. I heard different user experiences about them, from okay to too blurry to look through.

 

[qqphotos]

I wouldn't bother. I bought one of those (Keks brand) and it's essentially unusable. Extremely blurry and distorted view and no clear edges or borders (and definitely no frame lines!) so it's impossible to tell if you're framing straight or what's encompassed by the field of view.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Check this one out. They're getting very hard to find.

 

[splitimageview]

Get a Canon Sure Shot Owl donor cam, and use this: https://www.metro-case.com/grips/viewfinder

 

[jgrainger]

Thank you for the feedback about those viewfinders, I'll give them a pass.
The voigtlander finder looks nice but I'd have a tough time spending that much until late in the year - and it's more than I paid for each lieca bright line finder for 85+135 prior to locating a finder mask.. if I see one at a shop and become taken with it then that might be different though.
The canon owl idea's cool, and I have a similar aps camera which could be a donor.
Lastly, if I became really obsessed with the idea, I've got access and experience with machine tools - might see if a parts Kiev could be modified to have 2 finder magnifications, but standard and lower for 35mm.. or to try a rough set of lenses from Leica goggles in a custom mount.
​​​Has anyone messed with any of these machining ideas?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

MiC ones are hit and miss. First I got is blurry, second never came. Make sure you are getting them from where they could be checked prior shipping.
I got crapped out Oly XA2 and used it VF for 35mm. I used eBay hot/cold shoe covers from eBay to use as VF foot.
Minox 35 is another source for good 35mm VF with brightlines.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Olympus VF-1 often sells for around $50 in good used condition. KEH currently lists one in BGN condition for $45.31

Chris

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Olympus VF-1 often sells for around $50 in good used condition. KEH currently lists one in BGN condition for $45.31

Chris

VF-1 is for MFT, where four thirds are aspect ratio of the frame.
So called 35 (135) frame aspect ratio 3:2.
I was fooled by same impression what I could use cheap (for the reasons) VF-1 on 135 film cameras, but it didn't worked well.

 

[Nitroplait]

Olympus VF-1 often sells for around $50 in good used condition. KEH currently lists one in BGN condition for $45.31

Chris

It works well in my experience and it is cheap.
The VF-1 is made for 17mm in m43 which is 34mm in 35mm but with a bright line aspect ratio of 4x3 instead of 3x2.
However, It doesn't matter much because accessory finders are always way off anyway, often by more than 15%.

In this case you just use the inside of the brigthlines horizontally and the outside of the brightlines vertically to get the approximate aspect ratio - if this detail matters to you.
This finder is ugly but of good optical quality. I have taped mine over with black masking tape.

One big BUT is if you use it on a Barnack Leica. It will block you from lifting the shutter dial (required to change the speed on old Leicas).
I have added a hot-shoe adapter to lift the finder in order to remedy that problem.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Looks close enough to me.

The KEH VF-1 is still available.

Chris

 

[Muggins]

Beware the odd Voigtlander viewfinders that you have to use with both eyes open. As you can see below, it *says* 35mm on the front - but the 24x36 is the giveaway, it's actually for 50mm on *35mm film*. Don't ask me what they were thinking off because I don't know!

Low-Budget Leica rig by gray1720, on Flickr