Looking for a 35mm viewfinder that won't break the bank.

DonW · Dec 26, 2020

What do you recommend? I was looking at the Voigtlander Prominent one. What do you think of that one? Does the 100mm thing fold down flat?

If you have a 35mm viewfinder for sale let me know. Thanks.

Don

radiant · Dec 26, 2020

I just shot first roll with my Yashica Electro 35. It didn't break the bank. It felt like a nice camera, waiting for negatives to be dev&scanned..

DonW · Dec 26, 2020

I am looking for a "viewfinder" to go on top of the camera. Not a rangefinder camera. But thanks for your comment.

ic-racer · Dec 26, 2020

You can get these on ebay for about $20 USD. I don't know the angle of view.

Deleted member 88956 · Dec 26, 2020

Yashica GSN Electro etc. have top mounted tele-wide finder, it should not break a bank, depending on how shutter proof your bank is.

jimjm · Dec 26, 2020

The Voigtlander Prominent (Turnit) finder seems interesting, being reversible to switch between 35 and 100mm views. It appears to be fairly large though, and probably not the best optically.
For inexpensive / decent finders, Nikon and Canon both made non-brightline 35mm finders for their rangefinders. Later versions added brightlines and are probably pricier on the used market.
The Cosina/Voigtlander finders are great - I've used the wider 21/25mm versions in both chrome and plastic. Coated optics and very bright. I would expect the 35mm finder to be the same.
The Leitz 35mm finder is the best I've ever used. I shoot with 35mm lenses a lot and for cameras without switchable framelines, it's worth it to have such a bright clear view.
What camera are you using this on? There's a lot of options out there, here are some links that may help:
https://cameraquest.com/leicafin.htm
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photograph...oresources/RF-Nikkor/RF35mm/index.htm#Finders

DonW · Dec 26, 2020

Thanks!

jimjm · Dec 26, 2020

And don't go by the prices on eBay - they're ridiculous! Look in the Classifieds here and on RFF, as well as online stores like Igor's Camera and KEH.
You should be able to find something decent for under $100, if that's within your budget.

Patrick Robert James · Dec 26, 2020

If you can find an old Canon OWL camera, you can take out the viewfinder elements and there is someone who 3d prints an enclosure for them that only costs like $25. Basically you end up with a cheap HUGE brightine finder.

Otherwise the Russian finders are pretty cheap.

DonW · Dec 26, 2020

Wow Igor has a lot of stuff!

narsuitus · Dec 26, 2020

The 35mm/100mm accessory viewfinder for the Argus C3 rangefinder will not break the bank.

Argus C3 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

neilt3 · Dec 26, 2020

I use one of these for 35mm ;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Voigtlan...737053?hash=item5960991f1d:g:zqgAAOSwbCRftvzs

Don't get that one though , it's priced at about double the usual price !

It's just that it's the only one I found on a quick search to give an example .
It's unusual in that you can't see through it . It has a while frame and central dot that illuminated with ambient light .
You use it with both eyes open , so one eye see's the scene , the other eye see's the frame markings , and your brain puts one over the other .
The result is a big bright viewfinder instead of squinting through a tiny one .

It's a shame they didn't do them for 50mm , 85mm and 135mm . Or if they did , I've never seen them !

GRHazelton · Dec 26, 2020

If you need a VF for 50mm coverage only, a wonderful finder is the Kontur35 from Voigtlander. Despite its name is for 50mm ONLY. It gives 1 to 1 viewing, keep both eyes open. You see a projected frame with parallax markers floating on a field of view unimpeded by any boundries! I have one (no, it is not for sale!) and it surpasses any other auxilary viewfinder I've ever seen. On my Contax IIa it is revelatory.

GRHazelton · Dec 26, 2020

See this for a discussion of the Kontur finder: https://obscurecamera.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/voigtlander-kontur-finder/
Also this from Cameraquest:

50 Voigtlander Kontur This is a very unusual finder, and one of my favorites. Made for the Voigtlander Vitessa, the center of the finder is blacked out! The idea is that you look through it with the right eye, and keep the left eye open. The finder itself shows the frameline for 50mm, instead of the image! I know it sounds strange, but our brain puts the images together when one eye sees the image and the other sees the frameline. This finder will show you virtually unlimited peripheral vision! It's really too bad other manufacturers did not follow this idea. See it and try it, you might love it like I do. Note the ""35mm" label on the finder. This is a bit confusing...it refers to the format, not the lens. This finder does indeed show a 50 frameline. I am not sure if other focal length Konturs were made. To confuse things further, those tricky Voigtlanderians also made a 35mm Kontur. Nevertheless, this is a unique finder which can do good things for your shooting technique, well worth looking for.

MarkS · Dec 27, 2020

I found a Russian 35mm finder at fedka.com long ago. It was cheap then, don't remember how much though.

dourbalistar · Dec 27, 2020

Patrick Robert James said:
If you can find an old Canon OWL camera, you can take out the viewfinder elements and there is someone who 3d prints an enclosure for them that only costs like $25. Basically you end up with a cheap HUGE brightline finder.

Yes, Metrocase is the company who designed a 3D printed viewfinder using a optics from a Canon OWL. A link to the Shapeways printing services is at the bottom of the link below. Note that there are two parts that need to be ordered, the base and the top cover, plus the optics from a donor camera.
http://www.metro-case.com/blog/2018/4/24/metros-35mm-viewfinder-now-available

DonW · Dec 27, 2020

I was really looking at ordering a Kontor so thanks for letting me know it's for a 50mm lens instead of a 35mm!

Someone asked what camera I am putting it on. Either of my Leica M's and a Panasonic GX1 with a 40mm (equiv) lens. That Canon mashup looks interesting. A lot of the viewfinders I have seen on ebay seem to have this tiny peephole you have to look through. Not very conducive to quick street shooting imho.

neilt3 · Dec 27, 2020

GRHazelton said:
If you need a VF for 50mm coverage only, a wonderful finder is the Kontur35 from Voigtlander. Despite its name is for 50mm ONLY. It gives 1 to 1 viewing, keep both eyes open. You see a projected frame with parallax markers floating on a field of view unimpeded by any boundries! I have one (no, it is not for sale!) and it surpasses any other auxilary viewfinder I've ever seen. On my Contax IIa it is revelatory.

Funny that , I bought it for use with a 35mm lens .
I'll have to put it on an SLR with a 50mm lens on to convince myself !
After developing the film a month or so after shooting the film you tend not to notice .

jwd722 · Dec 27, 2020

How about homemade?
Viewfinder from a cheap point n' shoot
Body from front assembly of a 3 1/2" flashlight (the type with 3 triple a batteries)
Rear "cap" from a gallon milk jug cut down
Foot from a scrap flash mount
Some stick on leather

mnemosyne · Jan 15, 2021

neilt3 said:
Funny that , I bought it for use with a 35mm lens .
I'll have to put it on an SLR with a 50mm lens on to convince myself !
After developing the film a month or so after shooting the film you tend not to notice .

Kontur finders came in several versions. The most common marked "35mm" is indeed for 50mm lenses on 35mm cameras. But there is a "wide" version of this finder marked "f=35mm". Hard to find, but they pop up on Ebay every once in a while. This is an example

blockend · Jan 15, 2021

mnemosyne said:
Kontur finders came in several versions. The most common marked "35mm" is indeed for 50mm lenses on 35mm cameras. But there is a "wide" version of this finder marked "f=35mm". Hard to find, but they pop up on Ebay every once in a while. This is an example

There is also a 6x9 version, which I have. What the difference between it and the 35mm variety is, I have no idea, as both are 3:2 ratio. It's close enough to 50mm that I use it on 35mm cameras with an Industar 55mm, and have yet to chop a limb off.

Looking for a 35mm viewfinder that won't break the bank.

Deleted member 88956

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