Time correct 9cm finder for use with "Fat" Elmar?

[nitroplait]

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The lens below was part of a little lot I acquired the other day. Lacking reference books and old price lists, I hope someone here can help.

What Leica 9cm finder would have been available in 1932 when my Fat Elmar was sold?

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[williamj]

Well I'm interested in seeing what a specialist will come up with, especially whether there is a 9 cm only viewfinder.

The Leica Accessory Guide says for 1932 the following VISOR type viewfinders include a 9 cm focal length among a range of other focal lengths.

VISAX, VISET, VIEFF, VIGEH, VISSI, VIKAN, VILLO and for 1933 the VISWO as well. The VIDOM came out in 1933.

Cheers

[Anbaric]

46 minutes ago, williamj said:

VISAX, VISET, VIEFF, VIGEH, VISSI, VIKAN, VILLO and for 1933 the VISWO as well. The VIDOM came out in 1933.

Early 'torpedo' multi-finders in this style seem to be the only ones listed on the Wiki for 1932:

https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Rangefinders_and_Viewfinders

The familiar single focal length brightline finders are surprisingly late - the SGVOO was introducted in 1951. That's one anachronism I'm happy to accept when using a 1930s camera - it's such a good finder!

[Anbaric]

I wonder what most people actually used? The reversed image in the VIDOM and earlier finders must have been inconvenient. The VIOOH, which fixes this, wouldn't appear until 1939. Maybe the RASUK sports finder, listed from 1933, was a popular choice?

[williamj]

Hard to know what most people did, looking back from 2023. Further checking of the accessory guide shows some Albada-type reflected frame finders, so bright-line finders, dating from 1935 with the SEROO calibrated for the 9 cm focal length. This is a folding type of view finder. Then in 1943 there was a SOOUT for 9 cm, a cradle type viewfinder. It depends on how close nitroplait wants to get to the construction time of the lens and also whether these other finders offer something more, are readily available, and are in good condition. Lots of unknowns. I'm just reading the guide, I'm no expert.

Edited January 22, 2023 by williamj
caveat on my opinion

[Anbaric]

That SEROO looks interesting, and is at least from the right decade. Earlier thread:

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/305656-collapsible-viewfinder/

A quick check suggests that today it's somewhat more expensive than the SGVOO (which if you look around is a bit of a bargain for a finder of this quality), but doesn't go for crazy money. The SGVOO would be the top choice as a user, though. One thing to look out for is that some finders don't have dual metre and feet scales for parallax adjustment, so it's possible to have a mismatch with the focus scale on the lens if it also only has one scale (I discovered this the hard way - at least it's good for my mental arithmetic!).

Edited January 22, 2023 by Anbaric

[nitroplait]

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Thanks for all the suggestions and pointers.

I wasn't really shopping for a fat elmar, it just came as part of a lot, but it matches beautifully with my Leica II, and I thought a time appropriate accessory finder would be a nice completion of the setup.

Those black paint/nickel torpedo finders may not be super practical, but they would sure look great - but the price for some of them is pretty high. 

I will need to explore further - thanks for giving me a place to start.

[williamj]

You’re welcome. I have a black paint and nickel torpedo finder, a VIDOM, and agree they look very smart even if they may not be the best to use. Practice makes perfect though. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by williamj

[willeica]

33 minutes ago, nitroplait said:

Thanks for all the suggestions and pointers.

I wasn't really shopping for a fat elmar, it just came as part of a lot, but it matches beautifully with my Leica II, and I thought a time appropriate accessory finder would be a nice completion of the setup.

Those black paint/nickel torpedo finders may not be super practical, but they would sure look great - but the price for some of them is pretty high. 

I will need to explore further - thanks for giving me a place to start.

For use, a VIOOH or SGVOO (or indeed any decent 9cm /90mm finder that will fit in the shoe). For display, a VIDOM or VISOR (for the latter make sure you get a variant with 9cm) which are time correct and you won't have to worry about the reversed image. The II Model D from that era will have nickel furniture. VIDOMs with nickel usually go for a bit more nowadays, even though chrome was more valued back in the 1930s. 

This gives the sequence quite well.

https://opinionateddesigner.com/2015/01/03/leica-early-accessories-1/

William 

[Pyrogallol]

This is from the November 1931 catalogue. It is a little too early for the 90mm lens as the “new universal view-finder” only has 35, 50 and 135mm frames.

Four years later the summer 1935 price list had several viewfinders.

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[Pyrogallol]

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[willeica]

3 hours ago, Pyrogallol said:

This is from the November 1931 catalogue. It is a little too early for the 90mm lens as the “new universal view-finder” only has 35, 50 and 135mm frames.

Four years later the summer 1935 price list had several viewfinders.

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if you look under viewfinders in Laney's large book, you will find which VISOR variants have a 9cm setting

William