Viewfinders for the Kiev 4am

[colyn]

I recently bought a 35mm lens for my Kiev 4am and plan to pick up the 85 and 135mm lens as well.
Originally I was going to get the universal finder but have read several articles that say this finder was made for the higher profile cameras such as the Kiev 4a with meter. They say parallex will be off on the 4am since it is a lower profile camera.
Has anybody used the individual clip-on Russian finders and if so how is parallex on the lower profile cameras compared to using the universal finder??

😛

 

[wlewisiii]

They cost more, though not as much as others, but the old chrome Canon finders can be found reasonably and they are much better than the universal finder. Get one for the 35 & the 85 (if you expect to get the J-9). The 135's fov is almost exactly covered by the RF spot in the main finder view.

Another option is to make one. Several of us have done that too. Use the search to find a few threads on it.

Good luck!

William

 

[captainslack]

I use a CV 35mm with the J-12 on my 4am and don't have any problems.

 

[brachal]

I've used the turret with a Fed5, Fed2, BessaR, Kiev 4a, and Kiev 2a and never had a problem. I think it would work just fine on the Kiev 4am.

 

[colyn]

I've used the turret with a Fed5, Fed2, BessaR, Kiev 4a, and Kiev 2a and never had a problem. I think it would work just fine on the Kiev 4am.

I just bought a turret finder on the bay. I'll have to test it when it arrives and see how it compares to the actual view recorded on film.
I was talking to a local camera repairman friend yesterday who says modifiying a finder for parrallex correction is fairly easy..

 

[bellyface]

are the turret finders brighter than the universal zoom finders? How bout parralax?

 

[payasam]

On my IIIc I use a VIOOH and the parallax correction is bang on. My Zorki 1C mounts a turret finder made for some Argus model and slightly modified to fit. I find that if I set the finder to the focussed distance, I must raise the camera a hair if I don't want to chop off the top of a subject's head. It is now becoming a habit. Unlike the VIOOH, a turret finder also does not allow the user to adjust field size. It will be clear that I speak specially of work at close distances. It makes sense to check parallax correction accuracy with a few test frames of a vertical subject or object and the camera also vertical. Left or right deviation is the perfect guide.

 

[flashover]

I have a Helios Finder. I bought 2 of them and used one on my Leica IIIa with a J12. As I just bought a pair of Kiev's and lenses. I thought I would use it with the J12

 

[Solinar]

For Kiev, I'd say definitely go with the KMZ Turret finder.

The Soviet KMZ Turret finder is fairly bright and the telescopic feature magnifies each successively longer focal length. There is notch or two beside each focal length setting for parallax correction.

Unfortunately, the KMZ Turret finder doesn't fit my Leicas to well. I must say that it took me awhile to appreciate the Leitz VIOOH/Imarect. Yes, it crops the image for each successive focal length - making for a very small image by 1.35cm, - but in addition to a nicer parallax adjustment at the base, each focal length has an adjustment for both infinity and near focus. It is important to reduce the field of view slightly for near focusing with long focal length lenses.

 

[Björn Ylinenpää]

I've been thinking about getting a KMZ univeral finder but i can't find the kiev version, only the one for LTM cameras. I know that they have the housing on diffrent sides of the accessories shoe, but does it make any difference in practical photography?

 

[ruben]

I recently bought a 35mm lens for my Kiev 4am and plan to pick up the 85 and 135mm lens as well.
Originally I was going to get the universal finder but have read several articles that say this finder was made for the higher profile cameras such as the Kiev 4a with meter. They say parallex will be off on the 4am since it is a lower profile camera.
Has anybody used the individual clip-on Russian finders and if so how is parallex on the lower profile cameras compared to using the universal finder??

😛

In my Kiev bag, I have two Kievs 4am, each one with its own Universal Turret Finder.

This is not to testify how money-rich I am, but how important I perceive this amazing piece of craftmanship. I cannot testify for extensive knowledge about the many variations of turrets, zoom, single finders. But I am not a total ignorant too. My lessons have been paid for with good cash, therefore they had a limit.

Colyn you have done the right thing.

Now, how accurate is the parallax correction of the Soviet Universal Turret Finder? Certainly MUCH more than a single, symple, non compensating clip on finder. We are dealing with rangefinder cameras, not slrs. If you follow the acceptable instead of the perfect, you will be more than satisfyied at the begining and with due practice you will end in near perfection.

As you know, the SUTF has clicking points for each focal length, making it fast to use. Soonner than latter you will rotate the wheel according to the different protrusion sizes on the SUTF, rather than by reading the numbers. It is very intuitive. TIP: mask the 28mm focal length and you will not confuse it with the 35mm when rotating at the same time of viewing through it.

How bright is the SUTF ? Perfectly bright.

How much of a bargain is to purchase a SUTF, measuring price and convenience? Extremely favourable to the buyer, perhaps the biggest bargain after buying a Kiev 4am, provided you intend to use several lenses.

Is everything rosy, no drawbacks at all with the SUTF ?
I have found three problems all of them related to ergonomics.

a) The SUTF may fit your Kiev shoe (in your case Hot Shoe) either tight, loosely, or in the middle. Each one is problematic. And more problematic in case your turret is pronged towards the re-wind knob. You will have to remove it in order to re-wind.

If your turret fits tight, you may find yourself battling a bit at time of removal. If it fits loosely or in the middle, most of the chances are that before you finish your first roll the turret will fall once or more times, ending in a crack of the inner prismas.

Therefore, the safest and best, is to have a SUTF tilted towards the shutter/cocking knob. Some eBay sellers price it higher, but many do not.

You have guessed it, first I purchased 2 SUTF tilted to the wrong direction and after I realized it another 2 tilted to the right direction.

If your SUTF is tilted towards the rewind knob, you will have to invent or design a kind of semi-permanent solution, to have it tightly attached to the body and being dismountable at any time. For my solution at the time see attachment.

After you have the right turret, you can fix it, to prevent it from falling down, via tape, elastic band, whatever. CAUTION: even when the turret fits tight, without you taking further security steps like recommended, slow slow it will slip out, with good chances it will happen without you noticing it at the crucial moment. A single fall doesn't necessarily mean the prismas must crack, but after several falls they will.

b) So we have bought the right SUTF and fixed it to the Kiev body. We have no case for the whole combo. Possible solution: wrap your combo with a nice fabric, something like 70x20cm - the fastest ever ready case ever. Kindly look for a luxurious fabric, honouring your amazing camera.

c) Now we are at the street with our Kiev gem. If the exhuberant beauty of the Kiev itself will attract quite extensive attention, with the SUTF mounted on it, it will attract crowds and crowds of tourists pointing to your camera with their fingers. Possible solution: I have black painted the outer chrome plate of my SUTFs.

Cheers,

Ruben

 

[bellyface]

I ended up getting a standard 85mm VF on ebay... since it is the only lens that I need it for. Wonder how it will perform with parallax....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280074476689

 

[Xmas]

Colyn

There is no parrallex problem with the universal finder, unless you dont set it at the click stop, If you are inspecting before purchase one with a poisitve click stop is preferred.

Also Ruben is correct the mirror image of the Zeiss finder the the FSU seems to have produced in largest numbers will block the Kievs rewind even if you dont have a late camera.

Again Ruben is correct about the fit some fit really well, others are less tight.

Lastly Ruben does not warn that the endpiece of the 135mm finder can unscrew and fall off, leaving a parts finder if you need 135mm.

Noel

P.S. If it unscrews the objective lens drops out and is a pig to find.