cheap 85 finder (small if possible)

[S.H.]

Hello,

I have a nice III and have just bought a 85mm Zeiss (is it real? I'll know when I get it). I already have a soviet turret finder but I always end up with parallax error. I also have a nice VIOOH (like new !), but I'd like a lower profile finder : a III + VIOOH is not that small/convenient anymore. To be frank I bought the VIOOH mainly for the object itself, it is a nice little piece of work.

So, is there a nice finder out there which
- is under 40-50€
- has some form of parallax correction
- is smaller than a VIOOH
- is comfortable with a 85mm (a 90mm finder would be good I think) ?

I was thinking a "torpedo" finder (Zeiss Jena), but they cost $$.

Are the soviet plastic finder worth anything?

 

[Highway 61]

Look for a Nikon or Canon 85mm finder (chrome mirrorless basic tunnel version). Cheap and clear enough when cleaned up (which is extremely easy to do).

Example : 280939847319

(and sold by someone reputable and registered here 😉).

 

[agfa100]

There is no parallax correction on the russian 85 mm finder that I have.. I think if you were really looking for parallax correction you should be looking at canon or nikon, but then the word cheap goes away 🙂 I have a nikon 28 finder and it has parallax, but I have not played with any of the 85mm finders. Good Luck

 

[S.H.]

Thanks!

I'll keep an eye open for the Nikon/Canon finders.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

You may be offered the Soviet triple focal length bright line finder. It's generally cheap but I found it very poor in all except the brightest conditions. It also lacks parallax correction.

You might want to try Peter Loy, in London. I've bought a few things from him and he has a very good stock of RF kit. Unlike some dealers, he covers a wide range of conditions from superb to yuk.. At the latter end, his prices are amazingly good. I just bought a 'IUFOO' hood from him for £12 - very rough but it does the job!

 

[raid]

The FSU 85 finder for the J9 may be a low cost option. It is much smaller tnan a turret finder.

 

[S.H.]

FSU finder costs 50% of the budget already, but quality wise I have some doubts (and no parallax indication).

I did not think about Peter Loy, but his stock list looks interesting. Prices look manageable too, indeed.

 

[Highway 61]

I see no reason why you wouldn't buy the nice Nikon 85mm finder listed for sale by Douglas (the one I mentioned above). You won't find another one for less than $74 (which is almost within your budget once in €).

And to cover the shipping fees just stay away from the coffee machine at work for two weeks, and you're done.

The FSU 85 finder for the J9 may be a low cost option. It is much smaller than a turret finder.

It's a miserable piece of plastic - good enough when you're given it, but not worth the least bit of cash (while its 35mm twin isn't bad at all, especially if it's the metal version).

 

[S.H.]

And to cover the shipping fees just stay away from the coffee machine at work for two weeks, and you're done.

No coffee machine anyway : I work at home for the moment 😛 . But I might put a bid on it.

 

[DNG]

Cheap, 35/85/135 no parallax correction

Nikon 85mm under $80.00

Russian
Another Cheap one

One more FSU 85mm

 

[Highway 61]

Nikon 85mm under $80.00

$1 more than the one I mentioned (given that its price won't increase, which is likely to happen IMO), and less pretty, cosmetics wise.

 

[_goodtimez]

You could also get a Nikonos 80mm finder.

 

[rxmd]

Note that the Soviet turret finder does have parallax correction - the wheel for the five focal lengths has a little distance scale before each setting, and it moves the image in the frame up or down.

 

[RObert Budding]

I have a Zeiss torpedo finder that's very nice - it covers both 85mm and 135mm. Not sure of the going price now, but it was reasonable when I bought it.

 

[S.H.]

Well, I just found a VC 90mm brightline finder for 60€ shipping included on the bay in the UK 🙂 , like the one here : http://www.cameraquest.com/voigtacc.htm . OK, 90 is not 85 however it should do the job. As the retail price in France was 199€ (that's USD244😱) I did not hope to snatch it with my bottom-feeder budget! If I really don't like it I should be able to unload it at the same price. But even with my glasses it should be comfortable.

Thank you all for your input!

 

[DNG]

Great Find....