which Nikon RF external finders?

[Highway 61]

Maybe a little too fast dismiss of the Varifocal finder here, which offers a very clear and satisfying view in my opinion (yes at the cost of etched brightlines) and is a real zoom finder with a large image for every focal length even for everything over 50mm.

Nikon classic black brightlines finders for 105mm and 135mm offer a very tiny frame. The black brightlines 105mm finder is nowhere close to the Leitz SGVOO finder for instance.

I have the first NKT chrome 28mm and 35mm finders which I find very satisfying too. No brightlines but very accurate. Of course when you use them (the same with the Varifocal) you may think that you're using an SLR... 😉

Anyway, for these focal lengths nothing is as good as the recent metal CV brightlines finders...

 

[Erik van Straten]

Yes Erik I agree about the typographical masterpiece but do find that the original "Nikon" logo is even more time less and most beautiful.

Yes, I love that logo too, if you mean the logo on the SP and F. A fantastic piece of design. It looks simple, but it is very refined. The Art Déco logo of the S2 is also a masterpiece in my opinion.

Erik.

 

[enasniearth]

Nikon finders

Nikon finders

If you are buying a varifocal , try to purchase the type 2 , it has the distance and focal length markings on top , and is easier in practice to use ,
The varifocal is big and I'm not a fan unless you need one do all finder and then it's better than anything else from its time period .

The chrome individual finders are harder to use with eyeglasses , there's no marked frame line ,and the exit pupil , what you look through is pretty small . I find them not so accurate , but they were the best finder availible in 1950 .

The later brightline 35 is close to Leica quality , yes the sbloo has A larger exit pupil that makes it easier to see the complete frame , however it's big and does not fit well in the nikon shoe which is wider . The nikon finder has dotted lines for parrelex like the leitz finders , and is in my opinion the best 3.5 finder for nikon


The 3.5 mini finder is a specialty item for the s2 , it brings the finder eyepiece very close to the focus / main finder and in practice , works much the same as the transfer from rf spot to frame as the two port sp finder .
I'll never sell mine , although it's view is minifided ,
I think this finder was produced for photojournalism use , where you need an idea what is in the frame , and the never ready case is not an option .

I still stand by my opinion that the 3.5 cm brightline is about as good as you can get for that focal length .

Just some comments from 43 years with nikon rf

 

[CameraQuest]

Rating Nikon RF Viewfinders

21mm 5
25mm 5
28mm 5 - chrome or black
35mm 8 black 6 chrome
50mm 5
85mm 8 black 5 chrome
105mm 8 black 5 chrome
135mm 8 black 5 chrome

- the later black viewfinders are simply better than the earlier chrome finders - if you have have the choice of a black viewfinder

that said the much later Voigtlander viewfinders are far better than the original Nikon viewfinders, and thankfully a small fraction of the price of current Leica or Zeiss viewfinders

21mm
25mm
28mm
35mm
75mm
90mm

 

[menos]

You guys are such a wealth of knowledge - thanks so much for helping out with all that information!

Out of curiosity I have found a nice looking varifocal finder (the new model with distance setting as a control around the barrel) and am awaiting it in the mail any time soon.

I don't plan to use this one a lot but just having a nice all around finder when I look for a different framing than using the 35mm secondary small finder in the SP frame or seeing just a single frame in the S3. I will see how useful it will turn out.

I definitlely plan to find a 3.5 black paint finder to pair with the SP.
Maybe it was the training on Leica M bodies that my eye always wanders to the hot shoe rather than to the left to frame with the 3.5cm lens and than timing is off and to add to the misery I tend to stab the shutter as I get into a hurry … :-(

I hope the S3 will resolve that issue and I can use just it's 35mm frame to use the 35/1.8.

If the external finder turns out to be so useful that I won't to go beyond the historical correctness, I will definitely look into one of the Voigtländer finders later on - I was very impressed by the latest 21mm metal finder which I find on par with the expensive Leica bright line finder regarding the view.

 

[Erik van Straten]

The black round Nikon 35mm finder is a fine instrument, but the Leitz SBLOO is one step ahead. The framelimes of the Leitz SBLOO anticipate on the barrel distortion of the finder, but those of the Nikon do not. The framelines of the SBLOO are curved to match the barrel distortion of the optics of the finder, so when you want to align the camera to a straight line in the view, for example of a building, it is easy to do. The framelines of the Nikon on the contrary are straight, but the finder has barrel distortion, so it is hard to align the camera to a straight line in the view.

Erik.

 

[bobkonos]

This great thread made me check my black Nikon 3.5cm bright line finders. I have two, both with NKK logo, but one is the traditional black paint version and the other is clearly anodized, and with a different font and letter/number size. So that makes three versions seen so far.

 

[menos]

Erik, the one big issue about the SBLOO is that it is almost impossible to find in black paint at all and when one turns up, it is so valuable that one easily can buy a Nikon RF outfit for the same amount of money ;-)

I am having my eyes open for both of these (in black paint that is).

Hey Bob, I would love if you guys who are fortunate enough to have found any of these finders already to show some pictures of the differences if you can.
I am sure there are also others who like me am interested to see these ;-)

 

[enasniearth]

Sbloo

Sbloo

The 35 leitz finder came with two different bases .
One is a pressed metal , the other a standard shoe .
Look for the one with the standard machined base .
The pressed metal one bends more easily .

The leitz finders are always very nice , many now have haze , good luck trying to find someone to service them as parts are not generally availible .

My nikon s2 with 2.8cm nikkor , I used the metal case black leitz brightline back in 1974 , nothing came close at that time . I use the same setup with the black plastic 28 finder now ,
It's a bit bigger than the metal one , but still the view is better than any current one .

The 3.5 cm black nikon brightline is close to leitz quality ,
It's one of the best nikon finders
You will not regret finding one .

 

[Erik van Straten]

Erik, the one big issue about the SBLOO is that it is almost impossible to find in black paint at all and when one turns up, it is so valuable that one easily can buy a Nikon RF outfit for the same amount of money ;-)

I am having my eyes open for both of these (in black paint that is).

After many years of searching I found an original (boxed) one in mint condition to match my black paint M3.

Erik.

 

[splitimageview]

The Canon 35mm vf is quite good, and cheap, although not a brightline. But would that be considered blasphemy? 😉

Or...how about this curiosity? NKT MIOJ, VIOOH clone.

Not really practical in use, I hunted for this one for quite a while...

 

[menos]

The 35 leitz finder came with two different bases .
One is a pressed metal , the other a standard shoe .
Look for the one with the standard machined base .
The pressed metal one bends more easily .

The leitz finders are always very nice , many now have haze , good luck trying to find someone to service them as parts are not generally availible .

My nikon s2 with 2.8cm nikkor , I used the metal case black leitz brightline back in 1974 , nothing came close at that time . I use the same setup with the black plastic 28 finder now ,
It's a bit bigger than the metal one , but still the view is better than any current one .

The 3.5 cm black nikon brightline is close to leitz quality ,
It's one of the best nikon finders
You will not regret finding one .

Thanks for the tip re. Leitz finder base.
If a Leitz finder is an option than only a black paint sample which automatically rules out the sheet metal foot, as the few I have seen are so rare that they are several thousand EUR a piece 😱

Regarding a 28mm finder I am covered as I have a modern Leica metal brightline finder, which has markings for 28mm and it is a little bit more useful than the internal Nikon SP finder but far from perfect of course.
A 2.8 cm finder is on my list but has very little priority.

After many years of searching I found an original (boxed) one in mint condition to match my black paint M3.

Erik.

Erik, this makes me speechless - just WOW 😉 Truly beautiful and surely worth the long wait to find such a pristine sample.

The Canon 35mm vf is quite good, and cheap, although not a brightline. But would that be considered blasphemy? 😉

Or...how about this curiosity? NKT MIOJ, VIOOH clone.

Not really practical in use, I hunted for this one for quite a while...

Nothing wrong about Canon finders per se but I am looking for black paint finders and the more contemporary and fitting to the Nikon S3 and SP, the better - honestly, this is more nostalgia and the warm fuzzy feeling than usability and logic - let's be truthful.

 

[splitimageview]

Yes, as stated, posted as an example of patience rewarded. 🙂

Find a nice SBLOO and have it painted. Likely much more reasonably priced. Like was done to this SBOOI.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I have a black paint SBOOI too! Original, but far from pristine. My most used accessory viewfinder.

Erik.

 

[menos]

Oh, that SBOOI does indeed look very chique on a black paint RF camera ;-)

I will have no use though as the SP 50mm viewfinder is just so perfect - in fact I like it much better than the Leica M3 finder.
Why is the M3 so well known to be the perfect 50mm shooter and so little is heard how good the Nikon SP is for the 50mm and 85mm ?

I am excited, the zoom finder I bought is in the mail and has left Japan for the China mainland and will hopefully be on the camera by next week - although it is not the black paint 3.5cm brightline finder I look for ;-)

… time will solve that I guess.

 

[menos]

I just received the Zoom finder (late version with distance setting on the barrel).

first impressions:
- I am surprised how lightweight and relatively compact it is for what it offers (I know now why people are so upset about the Leica Universal Wide-angle finder's size)
- beautifully made with butter smooth distance setting and nice click stops at each focal length setting
- relatively small view through the finder (higher magnification would have been nicer but I understand that would have made the finder much bulkier)
- I anticipate it to be most useful to me for exactly the purpose I had envisioned:
1) having a clearer, easier view of framing the 35/1.8 in a hurry (unfortunately loosing the view outside the frame but gaining back the - to me - more natural move towards the accessory shoe than the secondary finder)
2) framing the 10.5 and 8.5cm lenses at further distances

Although it is no brightline finder, it is a finder so relatively inexpensive and nicely made with something useful for everyone that I find everyone should have one ;-)

Here is a question I have about this finder which I couldn't figure out:

There are two marks on the focal length control ring: one between 3.5 and 5cm and one between10.5 and 13.5 cm.
What are these marks for?

… oh and yes, I am definitely continuing to look for a black paint finder for the 3.5cm lens ;-)

 

[enasniearth]

Pink and white marks on varifocal

Pink and white marks on varifocal

The two different color marks on the focal length selection ring
Refer to the difference in image size the film sees versus what you see
Through the finder , I think the pink ones are for close distances
And the white ones for distance .
I wouldn't worry about these settings as in actual use it does not make a real differance , and takes a longer time to set finder . If you shoot mainly scenics set it for the white one , if you shoot mainly at close up set it for the other pink dot .

The white marks between focal lengths are for 40mm and 125mm lenses , other manufacturers common focal lengths .

 

[menos]

…
The white marks between focal lengths are for 40mm and 125mm lenses , other manufacturers common focal lengths .

Ahh, thanks - that answers the mystery ;-)
Any examples for these two focal length that could be used on Nikon RF cameras back then?
Where there any significant third party lenses made in Nikon rangefinder mount that may be of interest?

 

[Erik van Straten]

There is still one finder to be mentioned, the Nikonos 80mm brightline finder, works extremely well for the 85mm lenses. It is cheaper than the 85mm brightline Nikon finder. It has a perfect correction for parallax, can be fastened into the accessory-shoe and has nice and good visible framelines. Looks very nice on the Nikon rangefinders.

Oh, yes there is also the modern but beautiful black brightlinefinder from Nikon for 28mm lenses, the DF-CP1. I bought one from Enasniearth and I am very happy with it.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

There is a beautiful black 35mm Nikon brightline finder in the classifieds!

Erik.