menos
Veteran
I have had unbelievable luck to get both a black paint SP and a black paint S3 recently and have also found a nice set of lenses for both.
I would like to add a period correct 3.5cm accessory finder to the SP and would love to have a finder for telephoto lenses for the S3.
I am curious about the different versions of the vari-focal finder Nikon made.
Which would have been the correct contemporary (black paint) versions of those finders?
Which of the different versions of the vary-focal finder is preferable (I understand there are at least two different versions)?
Were any of the Nikon finders made with parallax controls marked in "meter" instead of imperial markings ?
How difficult are these finders to find (no pun intended)?
I see only here and there silver chrome external finders mostly for the 10.5cm, occasionally a 8.5cm finder and many vary-focals.
Please share your findings about Nikon finders
I would like to add a period correct 3.5cm accessory finder to the SP and would love to have a finder for telephoto lenses for the S3.
I am curious about the different versions of the vari-focal finder Nikon made.
Which would have been the correct contemporary (black paint) versions of those finders?
Which of the different versions of the vary-focal finder is preferable (I understand there are at least two different versions)?
Were any of the Nikon finders made with parallax controls marked in "meter" instead of imperial markings ?
How difficult are these finders to find (no pun intended)?
I see only here and there silver chrome external finders mostly for the 10.5cm, occasionally a 8.5cm finder and many vary-focals.
Please share your findings about Nikon finders
jim_jm
Well-known
Dirk -
Here's a good page with information about the Nikon finders:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...or/RF-Accessories/Nikon-RF-Finders/index2.htm
I have a version 1 of the Varifocal 35-135 finder, made around 1954. The parallax adjustment is marked in feet, and there is an index mark for the 105mm lens. As you zoom in, the frame does get smaller, but magnification also increases. This is better than other zoom finders that just make the frame smaller. It's really well-made, but it's considerably bigger and heavier that the fixed finders. I use mine on a Contax IIA, for which I have the Nikkor 35/2.5 and the 105/2.5 (Contax mount) lenses.
Personally, I would try to find one of the later black "bright-line" finders, which Nikon made in 35, 85, 105 and 135mm sizes. I have Leitz BL finders for my Leicas and I find them to be much easier to use.
Here's a good page with information about the Nikon finders:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...or/RF-Accessories/Nikon-RF-Finders/index2.htm
I have a version 1 of the Varifocal 35-135 finder, made around 1954. The parallax adjustment is marked in feet, and there is an index mark for the 105mm lens. As you zoom in, the frame does get smaller, but magnification also increases. This is better than other zoom finders that just make the frame smaller. It's really well-made, but it's considerably bigger and heavier that the fixed finders. I use mine on a Contax IIA, for which I have the Nikkor 35/2.5 and the 105/2.5 (Contax mount) lenses.
Personally, I would try to find one of the later black "bright-line" finders, which Nikon made in 35, 85, 105 and 135mm sizes. I have Leitz BL finders for my Leicas and I find them to be much easier to use.
jim_jm
Well-known
Here's another page with the fixed finders:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...kor/RF-Accessories/Nikon-RF-Finders/index.htm
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...kor/RF-Accessories/Nikon-RF-Finders/index.htm
enasniearth
Well-known
3.5 cm brightline
3.5 cm brightline
The black 3.5 cm brightline finder is among the best of nippon kogaku finders
3.5 cm brightline
The black 3.5 cm brightline finder is among the best of nippon kogaku finders
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Dirk, you should get a copy of the book of Rotoloni, The Complete Nikon Rangefinder System.
The Varifocal-zoom finders are quite useless: no framelines and fuzzy borders. The Variframe finders are extremely rare and top-heavy. The chrome finders are quite useless too, as they have no framelines. You should get the 35mm, 85mm, 105mm and 135mm finders in black. They are great.
Erik.
The Varifocal-zoom finders are quite useless: no framelines and fuzzy borders. The Variframe finders are extremely rare and top-heavy. The chrome finders are quite useless too, as they have no framelines. You should get the 35mm, 85mm, 105mm and 135mm finders in black. They are great.
Erik.
menos
Veteran
Jim, thanks a lot these are excellent pages indeed to find some info on the Nikon finders!
I didn't pay enough attention for example that none of the varifocals had a 2.8 cm setting (I am planning to pick up a 2.8 cm if I find a nice deal).
@enasniearth
I think the black finders are super hard to find :-(
So far I only have seen two of them and both on par in price as contemporary Leitz metal finders.
I keep looking but finding a black 3.5 cm finder seems a very rare thing indeed :-(
I didn't pay enough attention for example that none of the varifocals had a 2.8 cm setting (I am planning to pick up a 2.8 cm if I find a nice deal).
@enasniearth
I think the black finders are super hard to find :-(
So far I only have seen two of them and both on par in price as contemporary Leitz metal finders.
I keep looking but finding a black 3.5 cm finder seems a very rare thing indeed :-(
menos
Veteran
Hey Erik, now that is info I would trust, coming from you ;-)
So far I had little luck finding the black finders for sale.
I plan to definitely get a 3.5cm and 10.5 cm black finder.
I haven't received my 8.5cm lens yet, it's in the mail from England but I feel the 8.5cm frame lines of the SP will work beautifully.
I intend to get one of the varifocal finders anyway as I can always play around with it on other cameras and when in doubt it will make a great looking prop ;-)
Erik van Straten
Veteran
I was lucky to find the 35mm finder on the left in 2015 for under 40 GBP. It is no black paint, but I assure you it is extremely rare. There is always hope for everybody! For the one on the right I had to pay a hefty price.
Erik.
Erik.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
menos
Veteran
Erik, the black paint finder is extremely beautiful on your S2!
The curious finder on the left - is this a transitional finder ? Do you know the history of it?
The curious finder on the left - is this a transitional finder ? Do you know the history of it?
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Thank you!
Personally I think this finder was made for the S4 long after the rangefinders were phased out. The S4 was made for the home market and lacked a 35mm frame. Nobody has confirmed this theory however.
Erik.
Personally I think this finder was made for the S4 long after the rangefinders were phased out. The S4 was made for the home market and lacked a 35mm frame. Nobody has confirmed this theory however.
Erik.
menos
Veteran
Interesting Erik - I saw on one of the above linked sites that there was also a very curious 3.5cm mini finder which mounted via cold shoe but was offset almost over the actual finder window made for the S4.
That seemed to be a curious time.
That seemed to be a curious time.
The mini finder was designed for the S2, not the S4. It was designed with the offset to reduce the eye movement required when moving from the main finder for focusing to the mini finder for framing. Pics here: http://spclub.web.fc2.com/moriko-09.html
Erik van Straten
Veteran
The minifinder was made to fit into the ever-ready case of the S2, but is not very satisfactory as a finder. The bigger black 35mm finder is good, altough I prefer the Leitz SBLOO.
Erik.
Erik.
bobkonos
Well-known
I must chime in and agree that the 35mm black bright line finder, as with the other bright line finders, is the way to go. Erik-I have same two versions as you have and am not certain either about the history of the "flat black" one.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Congratulations! You are the third owner that I know of. The other one is Shintaro. We must start a club or something!
Erik.
menos
Veteran
Thanks for the clarification guys ;-)
That flat black 3.5cm finder is painted or does it look like a galvanic treatment?
Which material are the bodies of these later finders made of aluminum or brass?
PS: I just realize the Nippon Kogaku Tokyo logo on the glossy black painted finder Erik - so these were already made during the time of occupation?
…*and yes, the Rotoloni is on my urgent buy list - just so hard to come by in China mainland thus far.
That flat black 3.5cm finder is painted or does it look like a galvanic treatment?
Which material are the bodies of these later finders made of aluminum or brass?
PS: I just realize the Nippon Kogaku Tokyo logo on the glossy black painted finder Erik - so these were already made during the time of occupation?
…*and yes, the Rotoloni is on my urgent buy list - just so hard to come by in China mainland thus far.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
They used this logo from about 1946 until 1964 or 1965; these logo's are also on the early Nikon F, and minified (without lettering), on shades until the 1970's. I think the name of the company changed around 1970 from "Nippon Kogaku" into "Nikon", so after this year they did not use it anymore. A pity, because it is a typographical masterpiece.
Erik.
menos
Veteran
Yes Erik I agree about the typographical masterpiece but do find that the original "Nikon" logo is even more time less and most beautiful (a pity it was changed to the more modern, edgy font later).
I was actually referring to the included "Tokyo" on the finder instead of the use of "Nippon Kogaku Japan" but I can see how this could have been used on these finders much longer than on other products as it may be molded rather than inscribed and these finders surely were not made in the ten thousands over a short time period.
I would have to get my hands on one of these though to see how the logo was made during manufacturing.
I always thought that the use of "Nippon Kogaku Tokyo" ended fairly abruptly once the allied forces did not control the use of "Japan" on products any longer.
I was actually referring to the included "Tokyo" on the finder instead of the use of "Nippon Kogaku Japan" but I can see how this could have been used on these finders much longer than on other products as it may be molded rather than inscribed and these finders surely were not made in the ten thousands over a short time period.
I would have to get my hands on one of these though to see how the logo was made during manufacturing.
I always thought that the use of "Nippon Kogaku Tokyo" ended fairly abruptly once the allied forces did not control the use of "Japan" on products any longer.
On lenses, that's true I think. But I think where the Mt. Fuji style logo is used (such as on Erik's finder, the mini finder, and early Nikon F SLRs up to about s/n 675xxxx) the engraving inside the Mt. Fuji logo is "Nippon Kogaku Tokyo", and "Japan" is engraved elsewhere.