Recomposing & ext viewfinders

[Roger Vadim]

I have to commit: I love external viewfinders!

The process of focusing with the RF and recomposing using the ext VF does make me a better photographer (I have to admit) - it is as if the technical side is being left at stage 1 (focusing, aperture etc.) and then the magic of the framing can take place. I wonder if some of the FCB shots had to do with that...

I even thought of sticking one on my beloved Nikon SLR's (although one thing which improved my vision is to have a totally uncluttered P screen installed in My F3 - massive difference, no circle in the middle, no splitscreen, 100% VF very bright - great!)

I must say that I don't own a Leica or similar camera with a decent RF - main shooter is a Kiev4 with T* CZ Sonnar, known for its pathetic and dark VF - although the patch works great - and a couple of japanese fixed RF's, Oly SP and RC and Yashica GS, all of them with quite small and cluttered VFs.

How about you, or you leica users out there: do you also like the pure view, having just a frame to compose, and no distraction?

Cheers, Michael

Btw: looking for a Leitz 50mm finder, one of those beautifull SBOII 5cm for a decent price in Europe...

 

[petronius]

I started to use a VIOOH on my Zorki 1 some time ago and I love it. On the Kiev I use a Altix finder for 35 and 50mm. I use the rangefinders only for focussing since then.
(I started photographing 30 years ago with a Porst FX3 SLR that had a complete empty screen; dark, but nothing but the picture!)

 

[payasam]

Petronius, I used a VIOOH on my IIIc, with all the lenses I had. The 50mm view was far better than that of the finder in the body. For my Zorki 1C I had a turret finder made for some Argus model. Same reasoning. With my M3 I used a SBLOO. Now I have an M2, whose finder has frames for all the lenses I own. I can think of no reason to use an accessory finder. A "pure view" is achieved simply by mentally shutting out the R/F patch.

 

[Spider67]

There is a wonderful external VF the old Voigtländer Kontur! You shoot with both eyes open otherwise you just see a black rfectangle with framelines. It's great on my IIIc ....not that great with my Kiev on short distances. And the VC 21mm VF which is really very bright.

 

[vrgard]

There is a wonderful external VF the old Voigtländer Kontur! You shoot with both eyes open otherwise you just see a black rfectangle with framelines. It's great on my IIIc ....not that great with my Kiev on short distances. And the VC 21mm VF which is really very bright.

I, too, like the old Kontur finder. Sorta hard to describe but very easy to use. And particularly useful for us left-eye dominant shooters who normally have the camera blocking our right eye. I find the Kontur works best with my dominant eye looking past the Kontur and my other eye using it to provide the framelines. Here's a link to Cameraquest's finder page which describes and shows the Kontur about half way down the page:

http://www.cameraquest.com/leicafin.htm

 

[peterm1]

I have to commit: I love external viewfinders!

The process of focusing with the RF and recomposing using the ext VF does make me a better photographer (I have to admit) - it is as if the technical side is being left at stage 1 (focusing, aperture etc.) and then the magic of the framing can take place. I wonder if some of the FCB shots had to do with that...

I even thought of sticking one on my beloved Nikon SLR's (although one thing which improved my vision is to have a totally uncluttered P screen installed in My F3 - massive difference, no circle in the middle, no splitscreen, 100% VF very bright - great!)

I must say that I don't own a Leica or similar camera with a decent RF - main shooter is a Kiev4 with T* CZ Sonnar, known for its pathetic and dark VF - although the patch works great - and a couple of japanese fixed RF's, Oly SP and RC and Yashica GS, all of them with quite small and cluttered VFs.

How about you, or you leica users out there: do you also like the pure view, having just a frame to compose, and no distraction?

Cheers, Michael

Btw: looking for a Leitz 50mm finder, one of those beautifull SBOII 5cm for a decent price in Europe...

I agree about loving external finders. I dont know why in my case - maybe its just that I enjoy gadgets. In fact I had started a small collection of them - only to stop when I realised how expensive some are.

In some cases even though they may not strictly be required, they also be justified as they provide a better view - eg as with the LTM cameras where the built in finder is pretty rudimentary.

But I also like using them even when I do not need to for any reason - check out my picture.

 

[Luddite Frank]

My main user camera is a Leica III ( two to six rolls / week ).

I find myself shooting ANYTHING but the "standard" 50mm lens over the last six months or so, most often using a 35mm wide-angle.

So, I need an external finder most of the time.

I have tried the Leitz VIOOH ( Imarect ), but found it "squinty" at longer focal legnths.

I have become very comfortable with the Nikon "Varifocal" and Tewe "Poly-focus" finders, which maintain a constant size image in the VF, functioning like a "zoom" lens on an SLR.

My [minor] complaints about external finders are: the bulk, the additional fiddling (dialing in frame-size, distance adj for parallax, etc), additional time spent focusing / framing....
Oh well....

I would like to try some of the various multi-focal bright-line finders.... have to get myself to one of the "Second Sunday" camera shows in Wayne, NJ, and see if Ican try a couple different types.

Being a serious "GAS-aholic ", I like to have the "appropriate" finder for a given camera, and need to find some external finders for my Contax IIIa andmy Voigtlander Promient I.

But, my "go-to" ext finder is my Nikon "Varifocal" (for the S rangefinders), which I got "by accident" when I was chasing a Chinon Super-Rokkor 135 lens on e-bay. I wasn't paying attention to the finder that was being included... what a pleasant surprise when I opened the package !!!! ( Of course, I then had to go find the appropriate Minolta finder for the lens...🙄 )

I haven't thought about using the external finder instead of the built-in finder when shooting the 50 mm prime-lens.... maybe I'll give it a try.

Regards,

Luddite Frank

 

[pvdhaar]

My RF is a Bessa-T, so external finders is the way to go..

I really do prefer fixed focal length finders though, the main reason being one of weight and balance. When I've got the 25/4 or 50/2 mounted with the appropriate finders, the Bessa balances perfectly. But the 35/2.5, I haven't covered yet with a dedicated finder; I'm forced to use a 35-135 zoom finder. It makes the camera so top heavy that it topples over backwards on the strap.. a real drag when you're walking around.

 

[Jan Van Laethem]

After using Nikon and Canon 35-135mm finders, I have almost completely adopted the single focal length external viewfinders. I have the 21mm VC that came with the Skopar 21mm f/4, a 35mm Voigtlander that I use with the Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8 and am about to purchase a 10.5cm Nikkor with dedicated 10.5cm viewfinder.

As mentionned in previous posts, the 35-135mm finders are quite bulky and add extra weight. They are great when you change lenses often, but I tend to shoot more with one focal length during a shoot. If I need two different focal lenghts, I actually prefer to use two camera bodies.

I also have the Kontur finder and it is a great concept, although I struggle a bit when light levels are not so bright.

"The process of focusing with the RF and recomposing using the ext VF does make me a better photographer (I have to admit) - it is as if the technical side is being left at stage 1 (focusing, aperture etc.) and then the magic of the framing can take place."

I couldn't have phrased it better myself, this is exactly why I like them so much. I have the 50mm VC finder on my wish list, even if all my rangefinders have viewfinders that cover this focal length.

Thanks for the tip about the P screen for the F3, I should try that as well.

 

[Roger Vadim]

Wow, my old threat appears again...
I still need a decent 50mm finder - I am using a Russian 35 mm finder with some blackboard glued onto it, very roughly 50mm vision...

Anybody using a wireframe finder on their 35's ? composing would be like Albrecht Durers famous etching:

No need to comment that, eh?

Cheers, keep it coming