monocular viewer for 4x5 or 6x9

[bicycletricycle]

I was using my medium format camera the other day and i think that i would really like a monocular viewer for my large format cameras. I found a horseman one but i think it might be for horseman cameras only. Who makes or made universal or easily adaptable monocular viewers for 4x5 or 6x9?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Linhof. There are two basic styles with variations.

 

[bicycletricycle]

non reflex?

i was thinking of a non reflex viewer, did they make those too? hpmarketing seems to only show the reflex type?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I see what you're looking for. I thought you were talking about a viewfinder, like on the Technika.

Linhof does in fact make a monocular non-reflex viewer that's essentially a loupe attached to a bag bellows that attaches to the groundglass frame in place of the folding hood. I think the loupe has two positions so you can use it both for fine focus and for seeing the whole groundglass. It shouldn't be too hard to adapt. You can find used ones on eBay for around $150 usually, but be careful of old ones that might have a deteriorating bellows. I think Mark Tucker of "plungercam" fame made such a thing out of rubber sheeting, a loupe, and gaffer's tape, because his Ebony looked too pretty.

 

[Papa Tango]

DIY

There is also an angled viewing hood that is part of the old Polaroid M series copy cameras. These can sometimes be picked up quite reasonably on the bay.

 

[jadphoto]

Sinar makes one...don't know if it could be adapted.

Also, Cambo/Calumet makes an in-line and also a reflex viewer for their cameras. I read that someone had adapted on to a Speed Graphic.

Joe D.

 

[juan]

I have one for my old Omega 45-E - maybe Toyo still makes it.

I thought the viewer would be great - wouldn't have to carry a dark cloth, etc. After using it awhile, though, I found that I wasn't able to compose on the ground glass as well. I don't know why, but looking at the 4x5 ground glass with only one eye just didn't feel right.

On 35mm and my RB67, though, the single eyed viewfinder seems completely natural. It's funny how things are sometimes.
juan

 

[removed account4]

i have one for my toyo, and use it with everything.

 

[bicycletricycle]

thanks for the info

i was thinking about making one out of bellows and a loupe but i was not sure what kind of lens i could use for the viewer. A actual loupe would not work at that distance or see the whole glass. Maybe a simple lens out of a small camera or something. Any ideas? I like the idea of a flexable bag bellows kind of set up, I think.

 

[Troy Ammons]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/410237.html