CONTAX iii viewfinder compostionparalax

[drtomm]

I put my KIEV turret finder on a Contax IIa, a KIEV 4a, and a Contax III. Surprisingly, the optical paths of the finder and the camera lens coincide in the vertical plane only on the Contax IIa. The accessory shoe on the Contax III and KIEV 4a offset the optical path of the finder in the vertical plane toward the rewinding knob of the camera! This, and the additional height of the meter housing may not be significant at longer distances, but closer up may indeed impinge on the accuracy of the field of view as Phil has experienced. I don’t have my Zeiss 440 finder at hand to see what it does.

It may be of interest, that the optical path of the Leica 21-24-28mm finder coincides with that of the lens in the vertical plane, but won’t fit the Contax accessory shoe.

 

[sol74]

Peter, do you know the Leica product code for that Leica viewfinder that you have?

 

[solienear]

Hello Phil,
it's Leica code "Vidom" in chrome work with KIEV and fit accessory shoe

 

[drtomm]

I was surprised to find the attached image in an Italian Contax III manual: It shows the pre-war Contax universal finder with the lens drum toward the winding/shutter speed knob! I had purchased the Russian KMZ universal finder "for the KIEV" with the opposite arrangement. You can't trust anybody these days!
My apologies for posting inaccurate information.
Tom

 

[sol74]

Yes Tomm, the photo confirms what the sections cameraquest say - the contax turret finder lies to the right! This repair site -http://www.sdash.plus.com/ however says the opposite (paragraph under viewfinders)
This is the main problem. Vertical alignment is correctable using the parallax adjusting turret barrel - but my problem (especially with wide angles) is the horizontal framing which is VERY difficult to correct without physically moving the camera ... u see?

 

[drtomm]

Phil: Perhaps the problem is the way in which we look through the finder. I compared the fields of view for the 5 cm lens on a Contax IIa and the Russian KMZ finder, centering both on a street light. On the photographs, there is indeed a difference in both the horizontal and the vertical plane and, in my case, the KMZ finder’s cross-hairs are centered more accurately than the rangefinder spot in the camera's viewfinder. Go figure!

 

[drtomm]

More on viewfinder parallax: Stephen Gandy has an excellent discourse on the subject at

http://www.cameraquest.com/leicafin.htm

Stephen may have the last word!

 

[sol74]

Dr Tomm, well done on digging that out - I keep looking on UK ebay but don't see the right-handed russian turrets. Will be looking out for this L**a one as mentioned above... Zeiss ones very rare I gather. I have been considering adapting the lefthanded ruskie turret that I have by sawing a hotshoe adapter in half etc... But I would have to be accurate to position it 1 2/3 cm to the right . any suggestions? even the new voigtlander stuff might be an option.