What is this old equipment?

ted_smith · Oct 29, 2008

Can anyone help me identify these 2 items for me? They were given to me by my Aunt, who's now in her mid 70's, so I think they date back to the late 60's, early 70's?

What are they and what are they used for and are they useful still, or should I sell\throw them out?

Thanks

Ted

fmajor · Oct 29, 2008

Hi Ted -

I looked in my old Minolta SLR catalog and it has photos of the entire Minolta line - including accessories like yours.

However i'm not exactly sure, but i believe the long object is an early-model angled viewfinder adapter for Minolta SLR cameras. It definitely looks like it was made during the production years of/for the Minolta SRT cameras (60's - 70's).

The shorter object looks like an early-model magnifing viewfinder attachment for doing macro photography on a copy stand.

If these are truly what the objects are, i suspect there should be a rectangular device which actually attaches the viewfinder to the camera.

Sorry i'm not more conclusive....

Jeff Kubach · Oct 29, 2008

I'm not sure either, but sure looks like a viewfinder adapter to me also. If I were you I would keep it. They could be useful one day.

Jeff

fmajor · Oct 29, 2008

Hey Ted -

As i re-examine your photos i can see the rectangular adapter is present on each device. I am now pretty certain my guesses are correct.

As to whether you should keep or sell them, that depends if you plan on using a Minolta manual focus SLR (most likely a SRT). The SRT101 and 102 cameras have a nice mirror-lock-up feature designed to minimize vibrations when the shutter released which was especially useful for copy and/or micro-photography.

I'm not sure what a good price would be for them, though i have on occassion seen them on the BIG auction site.

HTH

frank

panastasia · Oct 29, 2008

I think fmajor has it right. I have the Minolta magnifying viewfinder attachment for the early 70's SRT(fits on many other cameras, I use it on my Cannon AE1) and it has a square bracket that slides over the eyepiece. I don't see the square bracket in the photos

Paul

Christopher Walrath · Oct 29, 2008

Man, I've been shooting X- cameras for twenty years and have had and seen all kinds of stuff. Never seen those before. Your guess is as good as mine. I'm stumped.

elekm · Oct 29, 2008

That first one is a small angle finder that you attach to the eyepiece of the camera.

Useful for framing your shot if the camera is on a tripod and is low to the ground.

In practice, they're a bit clunky, as you get a laterally reversed image (left to right), and the image is small, so focusing can be tough.

I have a couple of these made by Zeiss Ikon and one for a Kodak Retina. I rarely use them.

Interesting pieces, however.

Anscojohn · Oct 29, 2008

Just figure the straight one to be an add-on loupe for magnifying the focussing image. And the angle finder to be sort of like a waist level finder.

Mark Layne · Oct 29, 2008

These were designed primarily for use on a copystand
Mark

ted_smith · Nov 2, 2008

Interesting stuff. Thanks guys. Not sure what I'll do with them then - keep them for now I guess as an interesting historial item.

Andy K · Nov 2, 2008

They look like eyepieces for a telescope to me.

What is this old equipment?

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