Do you use accessory viewfinders?

[Rob-F]

I use an accessory finder when shooting lenses wider than the camera's finder--which is pretty often. I do frame as precisely as possible. And, of course, I use the optical finder with the Hasselblad SWC, where I pretty much have to use an accessory finder.

And yes, I do have to go back and forth between finders, focusing and exposing through the Leica's finder, then framing with the accessory finder. Although with a 15mm or 21mm I may scale focus and not use the rangefinder.

 

[Fotohuis]

To get rid of all seperate VF:

C.V. zoom VF 15mm-35mm which will cover the C.V. SWH 15mm-M, Elmarit 21mm and Elmarit 28mm on my Leica M7.

 

[robert blu]

I use the 36 eq OVF on my Leica x1, couldn't do without it!
robert

 

[Dguebey]

My M7 has 0.58 finder, and I love my Elmarit 24mm ASPH, frequently used.
I generaly push the lever to use the 28 frame (unfortunately the 24 arises 35mm frame).
More rarely use the Voigtlander 25mm finder (very good bargain)
Obviously I feel mysel as a trigger happy

 

[coelacanth]

I'm using it only when I shoot new-to-me 21mm Color-Skopar.

Thing we do for that one shot. by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr

 

[Vincent.G]

I have the plastic 21mm Leica VF and the plastic CV 21/25 VF.

I like it that both VF have an offset to the left after being mounted on the hotshoe so that the view is closer to the center axis of the lens. Not so sure about Leica SBKOO metal VF as I have not used those before and they are very expensive.

The Leica VF has dotted bright lines for parallax compensation at close distances (if this matters to you). For me, I just remember to compose a little higher. There is also a locking mechanism at the mount. The CV VF just slides in but still is very secure.

Both my finders are equally clear and bright but the Leica VF has a lower magnification so I can see the frame lines more easily as I wear glasses. With the CV finder, I have to look nearer into the VF and keep my eye centered to see all frame lines comfortably.

Nonetheless with experience, one can easily compensate for all these with whatever external VF you use since the frame lines are just an approximation of what we will get.



2 cameras and 2 lenses for Vietnam. by Days of My Ordinary Life (Vincent), on Flickr

 

[Spanik]

Had to answer it depends. With the Bronica RF and its 45mm I can get away without on because the viewfinder itself is close enough. But with a Fuji 690 and its 50mm there is no way to guess what will be in the frame when using the 100mm viewfinder so there is no other option than to use it.

However I hate those things with a passion. They just ruin the experience of otherwise great cameras. They get lost, banged around, scratched and cost in proportion more than the camera + lens. Utterly revolting things.

 

[ajramirez]

I use a Zeiss 18mm and a Voigtlander 25mm with my M6TTL. With the M-P, I use the Olympus EVF. Focus first and then switch view to the accessory viewfinder.

 

[Ken Ford]

I'm not a huge fan of auxiliary viewfinders, but they are a necessary evil. I currently have an old Leica 35 somewhere, a C-V 21 for when I use my SEM and an inexpensive 40ish VF that is on my new X-M1.

To be honest I like the EVF on my M-P better than most auxiliary OVFs. One exception is for the 21, it's nice to zone focus and use the C-V finder. But the EVF is great with my 75s and the 90.

 

[wjlapier]

On a nice sunny day I'll use the Sony/Zeiss 35 finder with any number of my 35's.

 

[Daryl J.]

It's used with my 3.4/21mm Super Angulon.

 

[agfa100]

I use my Leica 35mm finder with my Sony RX-1, the Sony is a little wider then 35mm but works fine for me....

wbill

 

[Darthfeeble]

I got one with the 21mm and I'm really trying to like it. But I don't. I don't know that I'd call me "trigger happy" but I do guess the frame lines with both the 21 and the 15.

 

[Dogman]

I've used them in the past to more or less a satisfactory degree. Recently I tried using my old 21mm Voigtlander finder on an X-Pro1 with the Fuji 14mm lens. My vision doesn't accommodate the EVF in the XP1 and the OVF is not a good fit for the 21mm field of view. The finder works but it wasn't really satisfactory to me. After several attempts, I just went ahead and bought a used X-E2 to dedicate to that lens. I'm no EVF fan but I'm getting used to it and it's much easier to use (but more expensive) than the accessory viewfinder.

 

[JHP]

Bought the plastic Leica 28mm viewfinder, with 'Leica' in a circle on top.
Amazing how bad the quality is for the price. Very disappointed. Bulky, plastic, light, cheap feeling, even easily split apart with minimal force. Have had to tape each side so as to avoid this.

It's so bad I was actually suspicious I had been sold a fake one. I'm quite sure it's real though. Pretty shocking coming from Leica. If I had the choice again, I'd have certainly bought the Voigtlander finder, which is cheaper, metal, and actually feels like it's worth something.

 

[Fotohuis]

Yes, better buy a Zeiss type if you want to spend money. Or one of the C.V. view finders. I have the zoom-VF for my 15mm-21mm and 28mm lenses.

 

[narsuitus]

I use an accessory view finder with cameras that do not have a view finder.


Olympus E-p1 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[narsuitus]

I use an accessory view finder when I shoot a 21mm lens on my Leica or my Contax rangefinder.


35mm Rangefinders by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have Oly VF-1, but no lens matching it. Just like on first picture above.
I have Russar VF and SLR 19mm, 20mm lenses with F to M adapter 🙂.
I also have DIY 35mm Oly XA VF, good for 28mm as well. I'm using it on LTM cameras with J-12. Used with sold by now L and 28 1.9 ASPH and it was fine.
And I have SBOOI, sold M3 after I got it. I rarely use 50mm lenses 🙂.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

I have several viewfinders. It's tough to use the Bessa "L" and "T" without them.

All the best,
Mike