Adapting the Mamiya 65mm finder

[dante_stella]

Ok... bought a Mamiya Press 65mm finder to adapt for use on my Fuji

GSW690III. I figured out how to remove (and save) the tension spring for the

foot (fine on a spartan Mamiya camera shoe but way too much tension when

you combine it with the spring that is already in most modern hot shoes).

 

And now, some questions

 

1. Is the finder going to fall apart if I remove the metal arrows (accessible from

the outside) for 6x7? Would these make good clips for a gel filter?

 

2. Does anyone know what distance the finder's field corresponds to? The

finder has nice parallax correction, but the field shrinks too as you close in.

 

3. What's the easiest way to remove front or back glass to insert a Wratten

#90 filter?

 

4. Does anyone have any idea of how I might implant a linear bubble level on

or in the finder? The Fuji has a teeny bubble level on the top plate; I would

like to find one of these that might fit inside the finder, but I will settle for being

able to see it through the finder.

[roger krueger]

I may have answers for your other questions later, but first, please tell me you don't

wear glasses.

 

My experience with this finder (on a Mamiya) is that it's impossible to get even a

remote approximation of what's framed on the ground glass unless you have it right

against your eye. With glasses, it's not only useless, but it'll scratch the #$%& out of

your glasses lenses while you're trying.

 

I eventually gave up and bought a 28mm Voiglander brightframe finder, which was

dead on and useable with glasses, but which felt VERY small and squinty after using

the huge Mamiya (and the Voigtland has no parralax corrrection).

 

Pity Mamiya never brought out a version of their later, absolutely awesome

brightframe finder for this focal length instead of just the 50mm and 75mm.

[dante_stella]

No glasses; sometimes I wear brown glass Persols when shooting b/w for better approximation of tones, but with a 90 viewing filter that will obviously be unnecessary....

[incitatus_rex]

Sorry, I can't help you with the Mamiya finder, but if you seek a wide angle finder with a built in level you could cannibalize one from a Horizon panoramic camera and mask it. It covers 110 degrees and has an integral circular bubble level but no correction for parallax or field of view and some barrel distortion.

[dante_stella]

Ok; here's the answer. Pick up a crappy construction level from the dollar store.

Crack it open and extract the three tube levels. Choose the best looking one. Make

sure there is no flash on the plastic. Use Elmer's glue (liberally, in a bead front and

back) to glue the level horizontally to the top of the finder, just behind the upper

accessory shot. Cure the glue over a warm air register. Total cost: $70 for the finder;

one dollar for the level. Now you can look through the accessory finder and see the

level at the same time.