Do you use accessory viewfinders?

[Pál_K]

i hate the damn things.
In my oppinion,they kill the whole idea of a rangefinder.
On a large format camera, or a scale focus camera, fine. But on a rangefinder??

They do look cool, though 😀

Totally agree!

I am in the very small minority that rarely ventures wider than 35mm (unless it's a Hasselblad SWC, whose 38mm Biogon is an equivalent 23mm in 135 format).

The only Leica M lenses I have are 35, 50, 90, and 135. That's all I need or want. I rarely feel the need for anything wider than 35mm. So with my M3's and M6's and these lenses, no need for an external finder.

 

[f.hayek]

All the best,
Mike

That's a cool hood on the 21!

is is the ƒ/1,4?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I use them on my screwmount Leicas for all lenses, because the built-in 50mm finder sucks even for 50mm lenses and is useless for any other focal length.


For my M3, I use them for wideangle lenses, but not for 50, 90 and 135mm since the M3's excellent viewfinder covers those.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

That's a cool hood on the 21!

is it the ƒ/1,4?

Yes it is!

All the best,
Mike

 

[raydm6]

I'm partial to the Leitz bright-line finders:

I have a SBOOI (5cm) on each IIIf, and use the SGVOO (9cm) and SHOOC (13.4cm) occasionally.

 

[f.hayek]

I have the Zeiss 21 finder. Bright and big. There are some issues that arise from the location of the hot shoe on Leica cameras as opposed to the Ikons causing a “rotational error.” IIRC.
I haven’t noticed issues perhaps because my photography tend to be less technical in nature.

 

[Timmyjoe]

I call this my Stealth Garry Winogrand.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Darthfeeble]

I got one for my 21mm on my M9, tried to love it and never did. It sits in a drawer now.

 

[xayraa33]

I am a SBOOI man myself for the 50mm lens on the Barnacks...the Rostock 35mm finders on the Zorkis and Kievs work great with the J-12 lens.

 

[f.hayek]

No comments on the Leica 16-28 “Franken”finder (12011)?

 

[das]

I use 21mm and 25mm viewfinders on my R4M with a 21-35 Hexanon and 25mm Zeiss, even though the camera has framelines for both. Never hurts.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I call this my Stealth Garry Winogrand.

Best,
-Tim

Very nice!

No comments on the Leica 16-28 “Franken”finder (12011)?

https://imgflip.com/i/2grcbh

 

[Peter_S]

Using the 21/25mm Voigtländer VF quite a bit on the Monochrom (M9M) for the 21mm Ultron. Just as often I guess with the camera VF as well.

 

[agentlossing]

Bessa T here, so yes! When I'm not shooting from the hip. that is.

 

[Rayt]

I have the R4M to avoid viewfinders but then the Leica and 21-35 Hexanon blocked a quarter of the frame. So I bought the tiny Voigtlander wides so it made sense. A constant battle. 🙂

 

[zenza]

I bought cameras that can be used with my wide angle (CV 25/4) without needing accessory VFs as I very much dislike them.

Bessa R4A with its 25mm framelines and Minolta CLE using the whole VF. Both cameras work splendidly with my main lens as well, the CV 40/1.4

 

[muser53]

The only time I use an accessory finder is when I shoot with my 21 Super Angulon on an M body.

 

[Richard G]

SBOOI glued to my IIIf.
I find the SBLOO too big and don’t use it.
SHOOC makes all the difference ‘seeing’ the 135 shots.
I’ll even use the SVGOO for the 90 in a long session like in a theatre or auditorium.
Below 50 it’s the Zeiss finders, 18, 21, 25/8 although I’ll often shoot digital without them. At 21 especially and for architecture I find the RF patch is crucial for the final horizontal alignment. Nothing in the accessories to help with that.

 

[Pál_K]

No option for me either - I don't need an accessory finder because for all of my rangefinders, I use only those lenses for which frame lines exist.

It also helps that I never go wider than 35mm nor longer than 135mm with a rangefinder.

 

[robert blu]

I call this my Stealth Garry Winogrand.

Best,
-Tim

It's a beauty ! Very elegant !