Viewfinder

[lmans]

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What would be the historic viewfinder used for a 1930’s Barnack?

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[luigi bertolotti]

There were several listed, even in the '30s... and of course the choice was depending on the focals one had ; the simplest 50mm VF was the one provided with the Leica Standard (and previously on Leica Ic) , which was made separately available as SUWOO. 

[thomas_schertel]

The only available viewfinder in 1930 was "WINKO" a right angle viewfinder, also used with the repro stand.

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When the interchangeable lenses had introduced, there have been various viewfinders.

Universal finders:

The first one: VISOR (1931). Left and right of the picture were changed and for taking the camera with the small side upward the eyepiece had to be turned. Available for several combinations od lenses.

Better was VIDOM from 1933. here the focal length could be altere continually. But the image was chalge as in VISOR.

RASUK (1933) was a sports finder.

The best user is VIOOH (1939) It shows the image as it is and with TUVOO attached it serves eveb for 28 mm lenses.

The images are taken from Laney, Leica Cameras Zubehör, Hückelhoven 1984

 

yours sincerely
Thomas

 

 

[UliWer]

First of all one should remember that all cameras in the 30s - as well as the 20s since the introduction of the Leica - had a fixed viewfinder for 50mm lenses. Only when lenses became interchangable in 1931 there was a need for additional viewfinders which covered the fields of view for other focal lengthes: first 35 and 135mm, than 90mm, later 28, 73 and 105mm. They are shown in the copies from Laney above.  The first camera which had no fixed viewfinder for 50mm was the Ic introduced in 1949. Though even with the Ic you had the SBOOI as an detachable finder for 50mm. If you wanted to upgrade  the Ic to a IIIc, which was quite frequent, you had to send in your SBOOI, and could keep it only if you paid more for the upgrade.

Edited February 6, 2023 by UliWer

[willeica]

43 minutes ago, thomas_schertel said:

The only available viewfinder in 1930 was "WINKO" a right angle viewfinder, also used with the repro stand.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

small

When the interchangeable lenses had introduced, there have been various viewfinders.

Universal finders:

The first one: VISOR (1931). Left and right of the picture were changed and for taking the camera with the small side upward the eyepiece had to be turned. Available for several combinations od lenses.

Better was VIDOM from 1933. here the focal length could be altere continually. But the image was chalge as in VISOR.

RASUK (1933) was a sports finder.

The best user is VIOOH (1939) It shows the image as it is and with TUVOO attached it serves eveb for 28 mm lenses.

The images are taken from Laney, Leica Cameras Zubehör, Hückelhoven 1984

 

yours sincerely
Thomas

 

 

That is the correct sequence for 35mm Leicas with the extra viewfinders only being added as interchangeable lenses became available. Leica led the way with this concept and there is an interesting tale to be told about the variety and development of the Leitz viewfinders. The M series changed this somewhat and, of course, SLRs solved the issue eventually.

In the period 1920s - early 1950s most cameras manufactured around the world did not have interchangeable lenses and had built-in viewfinders to suit the focal length of the lens which left the factory with the camera. These would have also taken account of the film format being used. Many folding cameras also came with different focal length and format options at purchase which could not really be changed afterwards. Some medium format folding cameras in my collection have both a viewfinder and a ground glass screen. The latter was, of course, the original combined focussing and framing device back in the 19th Century. It took until the 1950s to get back to that in a compact form for 35mm cameras.

William