I need 35mm finder for my M3

[cary]

You might want to look at the Olympus VF-1 finder.

 

[rover]

All y'all have missed the mark on this one.

What he needs is an M2 🙂.

 

[filmtwit]

Try a Nikon finder
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Nippon-Vi...pt=US_Viewfinders_Eyecups&hash=item19cbcd3d31

 

[batterytypehah!]

Those of you who recommend using the entire VF window of the M3 clearly don't wear glasses. If you do, even seeing all of the 50 frame is a challenge. Outside of the frame, to approximate 35 -- forget it.

 

[batterytypehah!]

By the way, and a little OT: The Cosina 28/35 looks a lot like a Steinheil finder that shows up on the bay from time to time, and I believe Leica also made one that's much smaller than the SBLOO. (EDIT: That would be the WEISU, duh.)

Anybody using those?

 

[BobYIL]

Goran,

The least expensive 35mm viewfinder is available for funny prices (less than $10) under the name "Petri Auxiliary" on the famous auction site. All you need is to pick up the viewfinder and throw the rest to trash (if you can...)

A second and finer alternative could be the Olympus 17mm viewfinder for m4/3 cameras (34mm effective FL) to be found for less than $60.

If you can afford for more then I recommend the Leica SBLOO like the one in my avatar, I remember of paying $150 for it..

 

[begona]

Thank you all...now I must examine what you told me 😀

 

[batterytypehah!]

Given your location, the FSU finder I mentioned might even be available on local fleamarkets, no?

 

[Fraser]

I used an M3 for ages with a 35mm no finder just as already said use the whole viewfinder. I had a 35mm with the goggles but found it to bulky and for the price of getting a nice 35mm lens with goggles you could get an M2!

 

[raid]

I believe Raid is saying to use the entire viewfinder, outside of the 50mm frame lines to approximate the 35mm field of view on an M3.

Yes, this is what I meant. It works well.

 

[raid]

I own one of the original brightline Leica 35mm finders. It is made out of metal, and it is very bright.

 

[rogerzilla]

The Russian ones are cheap and bright, if you can find one. You need to do the closeup parallax correction yourself as there are no brightlines.

 

[bastian a.]

A good original SBLOO will fit your Leica M3 best.
There are very decent alternatives made by CV and Zeiss too, but why not take the original?

 

[David Hughes]

My votes for Mr Cad's Japanese made view-finders. These are labelled "Helios" because they were sold by a UK firm to go on the USSR cameras they sold some years ago. I've used one for ages on all my screw thread cameras, Leica, FED and Zorki and have no complaints (although the VIDOM is on the model II in the display cabinet).

I expect they appear all over the world with other names on them...

An original Leica VF would be great or the 35m lens with the goggles but the question was about doing it on a budget.

Regards, David

 

[Austerby]

I have an external 35mm viewfinder but when using a 35mm lens on my M3 I tend not to bother as I find it an unnecessary extra step, unlike when using the 21/4.5 when focus is not such an issue and you can just use the external viewfinder and scale focus - not so easy with the 35/1.2 Voigtlander so I tend to just use the internal viewfinder and make allowances for framing.