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Pop-up viewfinders

Started 9 months ago | Discussions
GossCTP Veteran Member • Posts: 6,207
Pop-up viewfinders

I ran across a blog where someone was using the 7artisans 18mm f/6.3 lens paired with a no-name hotshoe optical viewfinder that runs around $20 from multiple sellers on ebay. I immediately thought that would be good for a Ricoh GR, but then my imagination got the better of me. I have an old Agfa 6x9 folder from around 1950 that has a gorgeous pop-up viewfinder. It's in this style.

It made me curious how such a viewfinder differs from other optical styles, and how hard would it be to make such a thing? It would definitely fit with the pocketability better than the ebay option. I don't think any of the old ones could be cannibalized as they were all based on normal focal lengths.

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ProfHankD
ProfHankD Veteran Member • Posts: 9,146
Re: Pop-up viewfinders

GossCTP wrote:

I ran across a blog where someone was using the 7artisans 18mm f/6.3 lens paired with a no-name hotshoe optical viewfinder that runs around $20 from multiple sellers on ebay. I immediately thought that would be good for a Ricoh GR, but then my imagination got the better of me. I have an old Agfa 6x9 folder from around 1950 that has a gorgeous pop-up viewfinder. It's in this style.

It made me curious how such a viewfinder differs from other optical styles, and how hard would it be to make such a thing? It would definitely fit with the pocketability better than the ebay option. I don't think any of the old ones could be cannibalized as they were all based on normal focal lengths.

The easiest type to make is the wire-frame type -- which doesn't contain any glass.

Basically, you just need a pair of wire frames sized and spaced apart so that looking through the rear one, the edges of the front one match the limits of the lens view angle. That type also can be 3D printed quite easily.

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