How do you carry accessory viewfinders?

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I've gotten together a small collection of accessory viewfinders to use with my Leicas. They're especially needed for my Leica IIIf bodies, since they only have a 50mm finder built in (and it isn't very good), but I use the wider-angle finders with my M3, since it only has 50, 90, and 135mm framelines built in.


An issue I have has is just how to carry them? I didn't want to just throw them into a pocket or compartment in my camera bag, they'd bang against each other and get broken or scratched. Some of them came with little felt pouches, but they were a pain to open and a pain to stuff the finders back into, and I had a bunch of them so finding the finder I needed at any given moment was a pain.


Here was my solution:

A little plastic compartment box. Keeps them separated so they don't scratch or break each other,and the plastic is soft enough that it won't damage them either. Plus it makes finding the one I want EASY. I have a 25/21mm Voigtlander, 28mm Voigtlander, 35mm Zeiss/Sony, 50mm Leica, 90mm Leica and 135mm Leica finder. Six finders, six compartments. It fits perfectly in the front pocket of my Think Tank Retrospective 6 bag.

I'm curious what everyone else does to carry their accessory finders.

 

[Doug]

A little draw-string velour pouch, which is then kept in the camera bag when not on the camera. That's when on a trip. Closer to home the finder stays on the camera. I don't carry a lot of lenses and finders around, so it's generally just one finder and its associated lens.

 

[presspass]

Small hard shell boxes used originally for rings. Replaced the inside with tiny bits of foam and wrote the focal length on the outside with a silver Sharpe. Your solution is more effective and elegant. Now I have to go to a hardware store or a fishing tackle shop. Thanks for posting this.

 

[raydm6]

I only have 4:

The SBOOI's are permanently on my two IIIfs.

The SVGOO (90mm BL finder) and SHOOC (135mm BL finder) in a bag at home and on my M6 when needed. I'm usually a 1 camera/lens guy when leaving the house so I place the appropriate finder on the M6 before leaving.

Leitz BL Finders by rdc154, on Flickr

 

[Richard G]

The two I use most in two leather pouches, zippered, made in Italy, bought years earlier with no purpose in mind. Red and green. I put the 21 Zeiss in the Red and the 25/28 in the green - the order of the colours of the rainbow the link to picking the correct focal length. In the bag the cylindrical pouch seats neatly on top of the lens. No rattle. The 135 and 90 are in orignal Leica cases in good condition, the 90 in the outer pocket of the colour camera bag. The SBOOI is always on my IIIf. The SBLOO is too big for me and sits in a drawer. The 18 and 135 are in the cupboard and come out only when the lens does. Drawstring bag for the 18.

 

[retinax]

Nice solution! Alternatively I could imagine something 3d printed with accessory shoes the finders slip into, no rattling around and protection for protruding front elements that way.
I only have one external finder, and when it's not on the camera, it goes into the little pouch it came in.

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Nice solution! Alternatively I could imagine something 3d printed with accessory shoes the finders slip into, no rattling around and protection for protruding front elements that way.
I only have one external finder, and when it's not on the camera, it goes into the little pouch it came in.

My dream solution was always going to be to salvage hot shoes/cold shoes from junk cameras and mount them the exact distance apart to accommodate the finders I have, which vary in size, and custom fab a small but accessible outer container for that. This would give the smallest possible solution and keep them from rattling around in something and keep me from having to sort through the various tiny sacks they live in now, which often get separated into “where did I put that” mode.
That’s my ideal solution, but I have never taken the time to pick up enough $3 cameras at the second hand place to proceed. Chris’ solution is better than what I am doing now, though.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

My dream solution was always going to be to salvage hot shoes/cold shoes from junk cameras and mount them the exact distance apart to accommodate the finders I have, which vary in size, and custom fab a small but accessible outer container for that. ...

Great idea.

Me? I mount finder on camera and leave it there. (I generally avoid changing lenses while out; therefore don't have to change the finder.)

 

[Livesteamer]

I use a variety of finders for my screw mount Leicas. I have a number of rear lens caps that have an accessory shoe mounted to the back so I have lens and finder in one place. Nikkormat accessory shoes work very well for this. Take the Nikkormat shoe apart, use the shoe to mark and transfer punch the hole pattern onto the lens cap, drill four holes and assemble. It does require a thin metal lens cap as the screws provided on the Nikkormat accessory shoe are rather short. Don't have a digital camera or I'd include a picture. Joe

 

[Doug A]

I never go out with more than two lenses - one on the camera and one in the little Domke F-5XA bag. If the lens on the camera needs an external viewfinder, i.e., if it's anything other than a 50mm lens, the viewfinder is on the camera. If the lens in the bag needs an external viewfinder it's in the little blue drawstring bag that came with the 35mm Voigtländer viewfinder. My "collection" of viewfinders is a 35mm Voigtländer, 50mm Leica, 85mm Leica and 135mm Leica.

 

[Franko]

I like to carry my cams with strap over the shoulder and camera under my coat. I've always felt like the possibility of unnoticed loss of my finders was pretty great carried this way so I loosen the screws holding my accessory screws, loop a short piece of ten lb test clear fishing line around them under the shoe, tighten the screws, insert the finder, wrap around the finder and tie a fisherman's knot at the front. You'd have to look close to see it and I've never lost a finder. My SBOOL stays on my IIIa all the time and a Japanese finder that combines 35mm and 80mm lives on my IIIf.

 

[charjohncarter]

I like your solution. I only have one finder but it goes from 35 to 135 (VIOOH). It has a original leather pouch, maybe a small plastic box like yours would be better. I'll have to think on it.

Just remembered I have a 65mm for my Super 23 65mm lens, but I leave it on the camera.

 

[Franko]

I like your solution. I only have one finder but it goes from 35 to 135 (VIOOH). It has a original leather pouch, maybe a small plastic box like yours would be better. I'll have to think on it.

Just remembered I have a 65mm for my Super 23 65mm lens, but I leave it on the camera.

John, I left out one detail. Once the screws are loose enough, I lift the shoe enough to get the line under it before tightening the screws again. No mods to the camera and it's easy to undo.

 

[aizan]

I use the little leather case that they came in.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I'm surprised how many of you artificially limit yourselves by carrying only one lens. I can't do that, if I see something I want to photograph, I need to GET THE SHOT; and that means having the right lens for the job. I've been doing this so long that I can look at a scene and instantly know what lens I want to use for it.

A couple of you mentioned the Leica VIOOH. I have one of these finders, too. Its a universal finder for 35, 50, 85, 90, and 135mm lenses. Its big compared to the finders made for one focal length, but convenient because its all you need to carry for those focal lengths. I rarely use it, though. Its great for 35mm and 50mm, but for longer focal lengths, the image is so tiny it is hard to compose the image. Still, if you don't want to carry a lot of stuff and don't want to bother changing finders when you change lenses, the VIOOH is great! It has the most accurate framing of any external finder I have tried.

Livesteamer's idea of attaching accessory shoes to his rear lens caps so each lens's finder is kept with it is a neat idea! I may have to try that 🙂

 

[farlymac]

If there is a case available for the finder, I put it in there. But the Voigtlander Zoom Finder only has a bag, so it's usually mounted on the Bessa-T.

I do like your compartment box idea, Chris, and will keep that in mind as I get more finders.


PF

 

[Malcolm M]

Plastic food container boxes. One about 2½ inches square will take a VIOOH or NOOKY.

 

[Dogman]

I used to be a pipe smoker--quit over 30 years ago--and the better pipes ($$) came in pouches made of soft fabrics or chamois leather. One finder per pouch rolled up in the bag took up almost no space. I still have several finders although I don't use them any more.

 

[sanmich]

99% of my use is a VC 28mm finder that fits just great in a film canister.
I also have a 24mm Leica finder that comes with a nice little boxy pouch.

 

[Godfrey]

I have a Waterfield Design pen/pencil case ..

https://www.sfbags.com/collections/gear-pouches/products/stylus-pencil-case

This case is padded, zippered, and has a soft interior. There's a slot on one side for a pen/pencil (the Apple Pencil is what I usually put there) and another little pocket about 1x3 inches that I put the Moment Remote Release for my iPhone into. The interior body of the case is long enough to fit up to four of my accessory viewfinders, with a little piece of foam between them (or both of my Moment lens accessories for the iPhone and two accessory viewfinders...).

It's a very nicely made case that protects its contents well, and about $40. I've had it for a few years now, and it's traveled around the world with me a couple of times: still looks like new.

G