Question on Leica LTM viewers

[d miles]

I know "viewers" isn't the right word, but on a IIIf, if I use a 35mm lens, I

know there is an attachment to show what I'm actually going to get in the shot.

Could any of you tell me what it's called, and where they are available?

Thanks!

[waltflanagan]

It's called an auxiliary viewfinder. You can find the CV brand at http://cameraquest.com

[ronald_moravec1]

The original Leica ones are outstanding, have metal feet that do not break, have life size image. Wide ones, 28/21, show barrel distortion that is not in the picture. 90/135 have paralax adjustment.

 

I have all Leicas except for a CV 75 which Leica does not make. They appear as well made, the metal ones anyway, but the frame mask was tilted in the first one. This gave me tilted horizons.

[vics]

I have a CV 35mm brightline viewfinder which is outstanding, but I think it cost me about $125.00. I thought that was high, but I really do enjoy using the finder in spite of the distortion. I got it at CameraQuest.

Vic

[john_shriver]

For a 35mm lens, the Leica Imarect (code name VIOOH) is not a bad choice, and reasonably economical. No bright line, but a large bright erect image, with a sharp focused edge. It has settings for 35 to 135mm, but by 135mm the frame is very small. 90mm is usable, and 50mm and 35mm are quite nice.

 

The Leica 35mm bright-line finder commands a ridiculously high collector price.

[d miles]

Thanks, everyone. I see a V100H on EBay now in good shape, reasonably priced; I think I'll bid. Do you think that this is preferable to the standard viewfinder, even in 50mm?

[alex_lofquist]

If you get a bright-line viewfinder for the 35mm lens, be sure to check for proper rotational alignment. Mine had an error of about 5 degrees which I failed to notice for some time. It may have happened when I once dropped it, rotating the rear lens with the etched frame.

[photojim]

I don't find the VIOOH superior to my Feds' and Zorkis' viewfinders, but I've never tried using a IIIf.

 

The VIOOH is great at 35mm. It's not so great at 85 and 135 but it works. (It crops the field; it doesn't zoom.)

[gunnar_norden]

I would vote for the Leitz SBLOO. The other ones are nice but this one is fantastic and

inspiring :-) Absolutely worth the extra $$$. You should be able to get one in pretty good

shape for $200.

[dan flanders]

I vote for none at all! Beg or borrow a 35mm finder from someone and carry it in your pocket for a week or so and view various scenes that you might have wanted to photograph. Pretty soon you will know almost by instinct just how much additional to allow for using the built in finder. The outstanding asset of Barnack's invention is its compactness which is severely compromised when impedimenta are hung on an otherwise pocketable camera. You'll find that the many more pictures you take will more than offset any minor cropping, which will diminish as you become more accustomed to the basic outfit!

[Rob F.]

I also use the 35mm CV finder, and find it to be very good. Dan Flanders makes a good point: it's easy to estimate the 35mm field. Why? Because the width of the frame will be equal to your distance to the subject. If you are 15 feet from a building front, then the 35mm lens will cover a 15 foot wide area of that wall.

[skip_williams]

For a budget 35mm finder, find a Russian KMZ 35mm finder. Two glass lenses, tough as nails, super bright. No brightlines. I love mine....$30. If you can find one. Lots cheaper than a CV or Leica finder.

 

Skip

[l._david_tomei1]

The VIOOH, especially with the weirdly fascinating TUVOO 28mm attachment, are great for museum displays but a real pain to use. The 35mm bright line finders are much more useful as the others have already said.

 

David

[love4leica]

This one is MINT and so is the case. Costed me 284 US Dollars. I love it .<div></div>

[vidom]

I second the recommendation for the original Leica SBLOO finder. I own both one of those and a Voigtländer 35 brightline finder, and the Leica one suits me better optically as well as mechanically. The plastic foot of my Voigtländer finder finally broke. A VIDOM/VIOOH/IMARECT universal finder is not a good alternative - try one and you'll know what I mean.

[steve salmons]

I use the CV 35mm finder and it is excellent. Just be aware that there are two versions, a metal one and a plastic one. The one I use is the metal version. There is no danger of the foot snapping with this one.

[dan flanders]

Many years ago when I was a 'poor student' I had managed to acquire one of the old 35 Elmars and a 125 Wollensak in addition to the normal 50 Elmar and that comprised my outfit for several years. I learned that I could easily estimate the field of the 35 and the RF patch approximated that of the 125. Ultimately my fortunes improved and I improved my lens battery rather than waste the wherewithal on finders. Later when I obtained a 28 I discovered that the frame of my spectacles defined the width of the scene. To this day, though I have various multifocal as well as dedicated finders, I still prefer the bare camera without any unnecessary appendages.

[vincenzo_maielli]

I agree whit Walt, the best source of the external finder is the CV series, selled by Stephen Gandy at www.cameraquest.com.

Ciao.

[02Pete]

I regularly use an accessory viewfinder on a Leica M2 body, and I don't find that it impedes handling or is difficult to use. If you have an old Leica IIIf, and a 35mm LTM lens, and want something affordable to use with them so that you can frame your shots accurately, I would agree with the suggestions to buy a Cosina Voightlander (CV) accessory viewfinder from www.cameraquest.com. The prices are reasonable, and the quality of the one I have is good.

[peter]

If you search on eBay make sure you search using the term "viewfinder" and then another search using the term "finder". I have found that both terms are used interchangeably and that a search on one will not always find those listed under the other name. I find that 35mm (single) finders can be a little elusive and sometimes expensive. The Leica period one espcially so. But there are good alternatives. The Canon 35mm finder is not too rare and can be picked up relatively cheaply (well compared to the Leica one.) It is also small which is a big plus and produces quite a good view. The cheapest single finder is the Russian one which goes for under $50. (A bit pricey for what it is I think but then again thats supply and demand.)

 

The various multi finders discussed here work well enough but need to be cleaned to give a good image. The Leica IMAREC is around the best. However, my favourites are generally turret finders. There is a Russian one copied from a Zeiss model which is quite OK too. But there are several turret finders including an Optimus one which is excellent. This has viewers/lenses for 35, 50, 85/90, 135. There is also smaller turret finder with only 3 viewers - 35, 50 and 90. This is a Braun one which I think is a very nice size. The larger ones can be a bit overpowering in appearance when mounted on a Leica screw mount body. The only small problem I have found with my Braun is that its base seems to be a little thicker than others and so has problems fitting on some cameras accessory shoes. Alternatively if you can find a copy of the TEWE finder (the originals are amongst the most sought after and hence most expensive) this will serve you well too.

 

Another one which will serve you well is the rectangular and boxy looking multi finder designed for the Voightlander Prominent. It is quite large and hence bright. Good luck and good hunting.

 

PS the IMAREC and Braun finders are surprisingly easy to strip and clean if the image is a little blurry.