Optical viewfinders

[satbunny]

Can we use optical viewfinders from Voigtlander etc. with a micro four/thirds body?

For example if I mount a 50mm lens, which will be 100mm on m4/3, could I use a 90mm optical viewfinder in the accessory shoe?

 

[ian paterson]

I'm pretty sure you can, yes, but I think the difference in aspects (3:2mm for the VF & 4/3 for the sensor) means you will not get an accurate view. Unless of course you can select a 3:2 aspect in camera for shooting.
Ian.

 

[twopointeight]

I have the 40mm Voigtlander for the 20mm pancake. The finder is 5-10% too tight, that is, the LCD show more than the finder. But useful in bright sunlight.

 

[Canyongazer]

Voigtlander finder

Voigtlander finder

I have the 40mm Voigtlander finder on the GF1. The round metal version allows the pop up flash to pop. Rectangular plastic one blocks it.

I shoot at 2:3 so framing is good w/ the 20mm lens.

Very helpful in bright sun. Also, to me, the camera feels more stable when held up to my face.

 

[twopointeight]

What round metal version?

 

[AJShepherd]

Olympus E-P1 with Turret Viewfinder by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

Covers 28, 35, 50, 85, and 135mm so good for some lenses i have and near enough for others.

 

[biomed]

I use the CV 35mm metal viewfinder with the 20/1.7 - look at my avatar. Close enough for framing.

 

[LKeithR]

I use a 21mm Voigtlander OVF--which came with my Bessa L--on my Sigma DP-1. The OVF is wider than the FOV of the camera--21mm vs. 28mm--but you soon learn to adjust for the difference. The"extra" field of view is handy for tracking moving targets...

 

[twopointeight]

@biomed: Is the 35 Voigt finder closer to the true view, than the 40 Voigt finder? I find the 40 finder too tight to depend on.

 

[biomed]

@biomed: Is the 35 Voigt finder closer to the true view, than the 40 Voigt finder? I find the 40 finder too tight to depend on.

The 35mm is probably a little on the generous side. The frame lines are very bright and the eye relief is good. It is also small enough to permit the pop up GF! flash to be used. The main factor in using this finder is that I am too cheap to buy another finder. I would rather save the money to spend on lenses and/or camera bodies.

 

[biomed]

Olympus E-P1 with Turret Viewfinder by Antony J Shepherd, on Flickr

Covers 28, 35, 50, 85, and 135mm so good for some lenses i have and near enough for others.

I have not tried one of my FSU turret finders on my GF1. I have one with the lefthand offset and one with the righthand offset. Both were made by Zorki. Pretty nice finders for the money! Perhaps your lens should say ZUIKOV on the front.🙄

 

[Canyongazer]

four weeks ago Twopointeight asked "What round metal version?" in reply to my post above re: my "40mm" Voigtlander round metal finder.

Good question: There ain't one. I meant the 35mm Voigtlander round metal finder.

 

[MaxElmar]

I use the CV round metal 28mm finder for my 14/2.5 on E-PL2 - it's generous on the sides and tight top to bottom for 4:3, but quite useable for rangefinder types who have experienced "not quite perfect framing." Which is pretty much the status quo for rangefinders in general.