External Finder ? for Rangefinder

[SLOWiN'_DOWN]

I have 2 Kiev 4am with 53mm f/1.8 Helios 103 lenses.

I have become accustomed to the lens and am ready to expand my view.

I would like to add a 35mm f/2.8 and a 85mm f/2.0.

It is my understanding that you cannot get the proper view from the viewfinder on the cameras body but must have a seperate piece to give you the proper framing. Is this correct?

Also, I am unable to locate a single small finder for just the 35mm. Is there one manufactured? They are available for the 85mm.

I may prefer to carry 3 bodies with the 3 lenses rather than fiddle with switching lenses constantly and using one of those rather large Universal type of finders.

I am wondering also if you can focus looking through the attached finder. If no, is the distance going to be the same if you focus through the bodies finder and frame the shot in the accesory finder?

I know the 85 will be great for head shots.

Will 35mm be wide enough to have a subject loom large in the foreground while allowing the background to fall off and show great expanses of the world behind the subject?

Thanks for any advise you can give me on this topic.

 

[Lee L]

I have 2 Kiev 4am with 53mm f/1.8 Helios 103 lenses.

It is my understanding that you cannot get the proper view from the viewfinder on the cameras body but must have a seperate piece to give you the proper framing. Is this correct?

Also, I am unable to locate a single small finder for just the 35mm. Is there one manufactured? They are available for the 85mm.

I don't know about the framelines on Kiev bodies, so can't help you there.

Cameraquest.com has shoe mount finders for many focal lengths, including 35mm: http://cameraquest.com/voigtacc.htm#12mm Aspherical Finder Prices aren't cheap, but they are well made, and I can see the bright framelines by starlight alone.

With a little searching, a used 35mm finder should also be relatively easy to find.

Cosina makes a combined 28mm/35mm mini-finder that I really like for keeping the size down that is on the referenced web page.

I am wondering also if you can focus looking through the attached finder. If no, is the distance going to be the same if you focus through the bodies finder and frame the shot in the accesory finder?

There are accessory shoe mount rangefinders, but they don't tie in with the lens focusing mechanism, and the reading is simply transferred to the lens focusing scale. Shoe mount viewfinders do not typically have rangefinders built in. So you'll probably need to focus with the camera body rangefinder and switch to the shoe mount viewfinder. The rangefinder focusing will be correct through the body even if you use an accessory viewfinder.

Will 35mm be wide enough to have a subject loom large in the foreground while allowing the background to fall off and show great expanses of the world behind the subject?

I've found that a carefully chosen point of view can make most lenses of 50mm or shorter have a somewhat wide perspective on 35mm film. However, this only becomes "easy" and more dramatic at 28mm and shorter focal lengths. A 24mm or shorter is pretty easy to make dramatic, but if you square everything up parallel to the film, even a 24mm doesn't have to look exaggeratedly wide.

Hope this helps.

Lee

 

[Max Power]

I picked up a Petri Tele-Wide auxiliary finder on the RFF from a member for about $10 IIRC.

It's marvelous. Small, retro, and has both 35mm and 85mm framelines.

A Petri Tele-wide might work for you too.

Kent

 

[SLOWiN'_DOWN]

Thanks Lee! Yes this is helpful!

I am trying to simplify my kit and this link leads to my BiG subject with wide expanse which does not distract idea:

http://www.terra.com.br/sebastiaosalgado/

My subjects are quite different than Humanitarian Tragedy; but the "Style" "Look" "View" is what I am after.

Thanks

 

[SLOWiN'_DOWN]

Thanks Max, I look it up on Google!