WTB: 35 mm View finder

I am interested in a 35mm view finder for my M3. Pls advise if you have one for sale. Thanks

Does it have to be Leitz or Leica? The Cosina/Voigtlander 35mm

brightline finder is very bright and quite distortion free. Original

Leitz/Leica 35mm finders tend to be quite expensive.

The "Voigtina" finder has very little eye relief. This can be a

problem if you use glasses.

The expensive route: <a

href="http://www03.bhphotovideo.com/default.sph/FrameWork.class?

FNC=ProductActivator__Aproductlist_html___214115___LEVF35___REG___CatI

D=289___SID=EB8814CC010">Leica 35mm viewfinder</a> from New York's

B&H for US$ 379.

 

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</p>The cheap route: <a

href="http://www.kievusa.com/kievpricelist.html#lensleicfedzorkkiev">R

ussian 35mm viewfinder</a> from Kiev USA for US$ 52.

I wear eyeglasses and haven't found the lack of eye relief on the

voigtlander finder to be a problem. It's very good, just not as good

as a .58 M6 finder.

If money is an issue I would recommend the Russian finder. I find it

clear, bright and accurate. I paid $25 for mine from Russian

Souviners.

If you cover the center viewfinder window with a piece of

electrician's tape, it will blank out the projected frames in the

viewfinder. You can then use the outer edges of the viewfinder as a

close approximation of the acceptance angle for the 35. This has the

advantage of allowing the MR/MR-4 meter to remain attached to the

camera.

I have a Nikon rangefinder 35 finder that I used with my M3.

Probably collectible if you're into that kind of thing. I'm not I

just use the stuff. It is little and round and black and very

bright. It comes with sexy little leather case. I hadn't thought of

selling it but if you may be interested email me and we can talk.

I can also recommend the Russan finders. I paid about $30 for

mine. Its very clear & bright.No bright line, but over $100 cheaper

than the Voigtländer. I used it to replace a German Diax finder

I've used for many years. That finder is kind of interesting. It looks

like a Leitz 90 mm finder, is bright, LIFE SIZE, and has a bright

line. The problem is that its impossible to see anything close to

the full frame with glasses--its even hard to do so w/o glasses.

Tim. In my view, the Leitz Leica 35 mm brightline finder (code name

SBLOO), which was recommended for use of very early 35 mm M lenses

(eg., 35 mm 35/3.5 Summaron prior to introduction of the 35/3.5 M3

model with the "eyes") is the best BL finder they ever made.

Probably better than anyone elses 35 mm finder too. It has excellent

eye relief, is outstandingly clear, and is just a pleasure to use.

 

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There is a dotted line to compensate for parallel in the near focus

range, but no parallel adjustment scale. The only down-side to this

finder is the cost (at $ 300+). There is a very small amount of

barrel distortion (not as much as in other Leica WA finders), but

it'snot bothersome. Despite their cost, these finders seem to be

snarfed up quickly whenever they are offered for sale.