If you were searching for viewfinder optics...

[cfrye]

Where would you look?

I'm trying to fabricate a wide angle viewfinder, so I can place ~40mm framelines within it. I need to source some optics, and I was wondering if any of you had experience doing so. The square lens at the front is proving to be quite a pain. Most of these optics would probably be custom-made.
The only options I am currently aware of are chinese factories that can make this kind of stuff, and also edmund optics.

Any help is appreciated, company names, contacts or just plain advice!
thanks!

 

[AgX]

I would use the complete finder of a cheap plastic camera with 35mm optics.

 

[mshchem]

I agree with AgX figure out what angle of view you are after and find a plastic viewfinder lens in a second hand shop.
There's adjustable finders but they just crop . I have a Leica 5cm brightline viewfinder from the 50's it's beautiful, I paid 100 bucks and that's cheap.

 

[bernard_L]

+1.
Many plastic P&S have a zoom starting at 38mm, close enough to 40, but possibly their v/f only shows 80% or less?
Then there is a model of Albada v/f (reflected framelines) that came with the wide/tele add-ons of Yashica cameras. I've seen it under various names.
Not sure whether "wide" frame is 40 or 35mm, but IMO close enough that one might perform the small correction mentally.

 

[AgX]

Voigtländer made two kinds of accessory finders, the Kontur one and that swivelling one.

 

[Nodda Duma]

I would look no further than Surplus shed for optics to make your own.

 

[bernard_L]

Come to think of it, I have an Agfa Optima Sensor in the bin at the charity where I volunteer. It has a 40mm lens and a brightline finder. If you are interested, I could send you the finder for the cost of postage (don't know the cost of postage to the literal moon) . Unless you prefer to cook your own from Surplus Shed lenses and have a good workshop or 3D printer to make the mount.