Sportsfinder?

[blockend]

Anyone know of an "analogue" viewfinder to fit a hot shoe? It doesn't have to be too accurate. If not I'm tempting to fashion one.

 

[AgX]

There once was a bead and notch foldable sportfinder to fix in a flash shoe offered by one of the german accessory manufacturers.

 

[John Koehrer]

The bay has some listed under sport or wire frame.
The Leica had the "ROSOL" .

 

[Sirius Glass]

Which format? 35mm, 6x6, 6x6, 6x9, 4"x5" ...

Interested readers want to know!

 

[cjbecker]

All I know is, I use a sports finder for darn near half my shots. Rolleicord and Hasselblad. Focus with the GG and shoot with sports finder. Its quite an effective tool.

 

[blockend]

Thanks for the help. So far the only ones I can find are large and/or expensive. It seems the Hong Kong manufacturers haven't caught onto the need, yet.

I want to use it on a Bessa L and medium format folders. Ideally a folding finder would be good to keep things sleek, but anything with a spy hole frame pointing in the general direction would suffice. If nothing shows up I'll make a dummy from cardboard and take things from there. Having used sports finders on TLRs in the past, they're great for grabbing the moment.

 

[cjbecker]

I looked on the bay and it seams like there are a few to pick from. The nikon one might be a little pricy

There are a few mamiya 23 ones and also this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Leica-Sports-Finder-/171526038200?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27efbfa2b8

 

[AgX]

Which format? 35mm, 6x6, 6x6, 6x9, 4"x5" ...

Interested readers want to know!

35mm (24x36) and 6x9 would be the same.

 

[Sirius Glass]

35mm (24x36) and 6x9 would be the same.

35mm is 24mmX36mm, 6x9 is 6cmX9cm or for those that do not like mixed units 60mmX90mm which is clearly not 24X36 unless 6 = 24 and 9 = 36. Yes the ratios are the same but the scale is different.

6X9 is a 120 film format while 24X26 is a 36mm format.

So is the sportsfinder for a 35mm camera or a MF camera?

 

[blockend]

35mm is 24mmX36mm, 6x9 is 6cmX9cm or for those that do not like mixed units 60mmX90mm which is clearly not 24X36 unless 6 = 24 and 9 = 36. Yes the ratios are the same but the scale is different.

6X9 is a 120 film format while 24X26 is a 36mm format.

So is the sportsfinder for a 35mm camera or a MF camera?

So long as the frame ratio and focal length equivalent matches, the film size doesn't matter. Sub-miniature to large format would all use the same finder.

 

[AgX]

Yes, the ratios are the same but the scale is different.

But for a finder the image scale is of no intererst, but only the aspect ratio.

 

[Dr Croubie]

Knowing the focal length of each format may also help...

 

[AgX]

In a good sportsfinder you would be able to adjust bead and notch for the angle of the angle of the lens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

But for a finder the image scale is of no intererst, but only the aspect ratio.

That is true but the OP asked for a sportfinder for a camera. Whether it attaches to a 35mm camera, medium format camera or press camera makes a difference of size, attachment type and product.

 

[blockend]

That is true but the OP asked for a sportfinder for a camera. Whether it attaches to a 35mm camera, medium format camera or press camera makes a difference of size, attachment type and product.

That's true in so far as the size of camera dictates the size of sportsfinder - a press camera finder would look silly on a 35mm camera, but it would still represent the same angle of view for equivalent focal lengths. I was trying to discover whether appropriately sized shoe finders were still available for 35mm cameras, most people have opted for optical viewfinders, and wire frame finders have fallen from favour.

For me they represent a useful option between hip shooting, and the necessity to look at the world through a glass lens, especially where moving people in close proximity are concerned.

 

[pdeeh]

How about a Voigtlander Kontur 'finder ?

Not quite wire, but not a lens either, there are different types giving apparent framelines for both 50mm and 35mm focal lengths, and can even be had for MF I believe.

If nothing else, perfect for the Bessa L I would have thought

 

[blockend]

How about a Voigtlander Kontur 'finder ?

Excellent idea. Prices are a little high for a box with lines on it, but it might be just the job.

 

[blockend]

How about a Voigtlander Kontur 'finder ?

Not quite wire, but not a lens either, there are different types giving apparent framelines for both 50mm and 35mm focal lengths, and can even be had for MF I believe.

If nothing else, perfect for the Bessa L I would have thought

I took your advice and found a Kontur going cheap. It's perfect for the job, in fact the best viewfinder I've used. It's like having full surround 1 to 1 viewing with a frame imprinted in your eye! Why this style of finder is not more popular I don't know, perhaps the lack of rangefinder? For street shooting everything else seems cramped and artificial. Thanks for the advice.

 

[pdeeh]

Oh excellent, glad to have helped.

I only thought of it because I happened to acquire one recently for nothing with lots of other odds and bits. I'd have offered it to you but for the fact that it's such a fascinating and clever thing I can't part with it (mind you if it was worth a few hundred squid rather than a few tens, that might be a different matter )