Canon LTM Difficulty in attaching and detaching Canon 100mm bright line viewfinder

[jake76]

Hi everyone, Though I’ve read many of the interesting and informative posts on this great site as well as enjoyed seeing so many photos, this is the first time I’ve asked a question. I am fairly experienced with 35mm film slr’s, but have only a little experience with rangefinders. Having long been attracted to rangefinders, a while back I happened upon a Canon L1 in very nice condition, purchased it and had some basic service done, but have just begun to actually use it. I have multiple questions I’d like to ask about photographing with this camera and the two lenses I have for it, the 50mm f1.8 and the 100 f3.5, but the issue I’ll describe with the accessory viewfinder seems most pressing.

The 100mm Canon viewfinder I’ve purchased is the one with the parallax adjusting pin (or small ball) in its base which corresponds with the one in the camera’s shoe; I think it’s called the “V-type” or “Bright line" finder. It seems to be in excellent condition all-around, but is quite stiff going on and taking off. I realize this stiffness is much better than it being too loose, but the degree of difficulty in attaching/detaching the finder is enough to cause me worry about possibly bending or otherwise damaging it, or the camera. I have looked closely inside the “rails” on the camera’s shoe to see if there is any kind of possible obstruction, but there doesn’t seem to be, and it looks clean. The corresponding rails on the finder also appear clean and smooth. I wondered if any of you have encountered this same difficulty in attaching and detaching one of these finders, and if you can recommend a solution? Many thanks for any help! - Joe

 

[dexdog]

The shoe on the L1 is spring-loaded. I put the finder you mentioned on my L1, and it fits about as tight as all the others. If the fit is so tight that you are really having difficulty, I suppose you could try a small amount of paste wax or shoe polish on the finder base, and buff it off after it dries. Might make it move easier.

 

[ranger9]

This shouldn't make a difference, but maybe try lifting up the front edge of the finder body as you insert it, to retract the pin on the bottom of the finder and make sure it's not dragging? Normally the finder pin wouldn't touch anything until it reaches the camera pin, but after 70-odd years, who knows?

I don't have the same setup, but do have the 85mm V finder for my Canon VI-T, and the fit is snug but not tight or draggy. Incidentally, the V is a roman numeral 5, because the parallax-compensated finders were introduced on the V-series cameras.

 

[Beemermark]

Due to the tolerances involved it's not unusual to have a VF go in easily in one camera and difficult in another camera of the same make. I have a Leitz 21mm VF that slides in smoothly in some Leica's (LTM & M) and almost impossible to install or remove in others. The VF is plastic and I always worry on the difficult ones that it going to break. But 20 years on it is still in one piece.

 

[jake76]

Thanks very much for the replies so far.

dexdog, just looked closely at it again and it’s becoming more clear- I think what you mentioned zeroes in on it. The problem starts when the finder is inserted to the point where it starts to come into contact with the spring-loaded mechanism. It seems to get tight exactly at that point and slides perfectly easily for the very short distance just before that point.

ranger9, yes, I had previously tried lifting up the finder’s front edge, and also, with a lens attached, I’ve focused it to the closest distance, which seems to also put the pin that is in the camera shoe at its lowest point. But no difference, I’m afraid. I should have looked more closely at what was actually going on before posting, but thanks.

That’s interesting about the naming of the V finders! I had wondered about that name that I’ve seen used sometimes, and it seemed confusing before you mentioned this.

That’s interesting about the differences in the tolerances among your various Leicas, Beemermark. Glad that your finder has held up.