50mm Brightline finder for eyeglass user?

[Troll]

Is there a really good, life-size image, brightline finder for someone who

wears glasses? I've had a chrome Leica finder for 50 years, but can't use it

because it scratches the glasses, and anyhow there's insufficient eye relief

to easily see the framelines. How are the V/C finders?

[fjords]

How are the V/C finders? 50mm, the same sad story.

[jim nichols]

I've had the same problem with various finders. I use the Leica briteline finder after I covered the rear edge with adhesive-backed black felt. I used felt readily available at places like Wal-Mart, and, it is cheap enough that, if it takes several tries with small scissors or a hole punch to get an acceptable ring cut, you still have enough left over for several other jobs.

[jack_wilber]

This is not the answer you're going to want to hear, but I had the same problem.

 

The Leica and Cosina Voigtlander finders are both hard to use if you wear eyeglasses. The Cosina finder is also fairly inaccurate... it only shows about 70-80% of what ends up on the negative if you use the brightline to frame your shot.

 

What has worked for me is the KMZ "Universal" Turret finder which is the Soviet knockoff of the Zeiss model. It's not a brightline exactly... it has these concentric finelines that "grey-out" the area outside the picture frame and it has a tacky crosshair in the center. But it's surprisingly accurate and easy to use even if you wear glasses. It's also cheap. I got mine for $55 on eBAY.

 

I use an "O" ring I picked up at my Home Depot plumbing department to make a simple bumper in the back to keep the eyepiece from scratching my glasses.

 

The Leitz Imarect finder also works OK with eyeglasses, but I like the Russian finder better.<div></div>

[frederick_muller]

VC makes a special 1x 50mm finder for the Bessa T 101 Anniversary set, but I understand it has poor eye relief.

 

I use the standard VC 50mm finder for a Bessa T - it is not 1x. I wear glasses and am sensitive to eye relief, and I have no complaints about it. It's actually quite nice.

[ronald_moravec1]

Get the antiscratch coating on your glasses. The newest is pretty good.

 

Add liquid electrical tape atound the top half of the finder.

 

Don`t slide the camera once it against your glasses.

 

Imerects and others are not 1;1, therefore offer a smaller picture.

[john_graham3]

Try keeping both eyes open with the Leitz finder. You won't need to mash your glasses into it. Sounds bizarre I know, but try it.

[dan flanders]

Years ago before dedicated accessory finders became common I learned to estimate the coverage of my wider angle lenses and got in the habit of determining my composition before mounting the camera. With a bit of allowance for cropping it has been a satisfactory method for me. Nevertheless I have acquired several types of finders and agree with the previous post that the FSU turret finder is the most useful. I also like the cross-hairs as it gives me a definite aiming point. I have fitted O rings or similar material to most of my cameras and scratched specs are no longer a problem.

[Troll]

Thanks, Guys. I have the following finders: Leica VIDOM, Leica VIOOH (Imarect), Leica Brightline, Zeiss 440 (turret), Zeiss 427 (multiple brightline), and Nikon Zoom. I've used the Tewe (awful), and the Russian Turret. None of these really are satisfactory with eyeglasses, only the Leica Brightline image is lifesize, and only the VIOOH and VIDOM frames are 100% accurate. Maybe I'll try the new Zeiss Ikon body (Hope Springs Eternal).<div></div>

[astral]

Scratch protection - my local hardware store has a selection of wide real leather washers, as used on water taps (faucets), suede on one side and smooth grain leather on the other. All are quite thick but I have to double-decker them to get the required depth, etc (easily modified with a craft knife). They fit M2/M3 finders, Retinas, etc. The cost is around 50p (75c). S'pose I could become 'rich' selling these on EBay as Leica accessories at 10 times the price .... plus postage of course.

[christopher_a._junker1]

Bill, I've used many of the same finders and have the same problem. My wife set me up with a pair of high refracitve index eyeglasses with the new anti-abrasion coating and they've worked better than anything so far. The lightweight lens material is very thin and the anti scratch and anti reflection coatings made for comfortable glasses that give me the best viewing to date. I'm now back to the 50 BrightLine finder as the contrast and image size works best.By the way, scratch coating is warrantied for one year. Still no perfect answer to your problem (or mine) good luck.

[Troll]

Has anyone using glasses checked out the finder of the Bessa R3A?

[john15]

I tried the CV 35 finder on a IIIc, found the eye relief to be more than adaquate. Don't know how accurate framing is, though. The finder on the ZI has been getting great reviews.

[frederick_muller]

Bill, I wear glasses, tried the finder of the R3A and thought it would be useless for anything under 50mm. Decided then and there that if I got an automatic Bessa, it would be the R2A. In fact, I use the R2 all the time and am very happy with the finders. I have the same concern with the RD-1 I'm thinking of buying ... I figure if I buy it, the finder will make it primarily a 50 / 75 platform.

[andyaitken]

Bill, have you considered the old Voigtlander Kontur finders? You use them with both eyes open and they work fine with glasses. They are also pretty cheap.

 

A few on ebay most of the time. eg. http://cgi.ebay.com/EXCELLENT-1950s-Voigtlander-Kontur-finder-accessories_W0QQitemZ7624301600QQcategoryZ67380QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[john_graham3]

The 5cm Leitz finder works the same way with both eyes open, you see the frames floating in space with the whole world around it. I mentioned that already but it seems that Bill doesn't want a solution he wants something else to buy to add to his finder collection.

[Troll]

Hey, John Graham, most of these have not so much been collected as accumulated over 55 years. Even without glasses and both eyes open I can't easily see the framelines in the Leica Brightline finder, (maybe from sunken eyesockets and overhanging brow like a Neanderthal). This is a real problem; I love my old Leicas and Contax's but can't use them as they should be used because of the imcompatability due to my vision problems.

[john_graham3]

"(maybe from sunken eyesockets and overhanging brow like a Neanderthal)"

 

Hey, I resemble that remark!

[hans_berkhout]

Also look at a contemporary frame for your glasses. They can be very flexible so you can move your eye much closer to the viewfinder. (You may want to shave down your eyebrows). I would cover the top of the viewfinder with a small piece of black "darkroom tape",if scratching is a problem. I have plastic lenses with anti scratch coating, no problems.