Kontur VF

RML · 12-20-2004

So, who uses a Voigtlander Kontur VF?

I've seen these things pass by on eBay, and I've read about them (on cameraquest?) but I'm wondering who has some working experience with them? Do you use them often, or does it sit on the bottom of your camera bag?

jdos2 · 12-20-2004

Kontur is great. I keep one with me and use it for the 35mm Skoparon- it's smaller than the (wonderful!) Turnit finder.

Is it useable? Yes, absolutely. I'll keep it, too, for use on anything else with a 35mm lens sized frame.

RML · 12-20-2004

Turnit finder? I had never heard of it so I checked eBay. There's one on offer, for 162 euro. Bit out of my league.

I'm currently following a Kontur on eBay. I hope I can win it for a reasonable price. If I win it, all I'll need is a good hood for my J-12 35/2.8.

ScottS · 06-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdos2

Kontur is great. I keep one with me and use it for the 35mm Skoparon- it's smaller than the (wonderful!) Turnit finder.

Is it useable? Yes, absolutely. I'll keep it, too, for use on anything else with a 35mm lens sized frame.

Does the 35mm kontur finder look like the 50mm one? I'm wondering how it's marked, as the 50mm finder is labeled 35mm (referring to the film format rather than the focal length -- Cameraquest finder page with details and pictures of the 50 Kontur). Stephen Gandy is a little confusing in his description, as he says he's not sure if they made any other focal lengths, but then says there _was_ a 35mm focal length version.

I've got the 50mm version, and the only way you'd know it's a 50mm finder is to compare the frameline size to a 50mm view (or another finder). Since the Kontur-type design must be 1:1, I'd imagine a 35mm view would make for a rather large finder.

Were there any other 35mm 1:1 finders made?

Scott

Roman · 06-02-2005

Remy,
be careful! I got a Kontur finder a while ago, with the intention to use it with my J-12; it says 35mm on it, but as others have already mentioned, that refers to the film size - it is intended for 50mm lenses. Consequently, mine does not really get any use (though, after a bit of adapting to get used to the 'Kontur way of viewing', it works quite well).

Roman

ScottS · 06-02-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roman

Remy,
be careful! I got a Kontur finder a while ago, with the intention to use it with my J-12; it says 35mm on it, but as others have already mentioned, that refers to the film size - it is intended for 50mm lenses. Consequently, mine does not really get any use (though, after a bit of adapting to get used to the 'Kontur way of viewing', it works quite well).

Roman

It makes a great 1:1 50 finder for the Bessa T, though, often at a bargain price compared to the other 50 brightlines ($16 for mine _including_ shipping from the UK vs. $100+ for the Leitz, Canon, or new CV finder).

Scott

Little Prince · 06-02-2005

I'm interested in knowing about focal length coverage too. All info I have read points ot 50mm only.

RML, I followed one on the bay a while back. It went for $40 or so. Pretty affordable I think. But let me warn you, there might be no need to buy on the bay. I have seen it listed in some online shops for a very reasonable price. Can't remember where. I'll let you know if I do.

RObert Budding · 06-02-2005

I use a kontur finder when I shoot with my 50mm Sonnar on my Contax IIIa (the finder is labeled 35mm, as others have mentioned). I love it! It's like using a siper-sized brightline finder. You can see everything around the frame. It only took a little while to adjust to shooting with both eyes open. My only regret is that it isn't available in other frame sizes.

Robert

Seele · 06-02-2005

Kontur-type finders were also made by a Scottish company called Kirn (no relation to the Swiss Kern company); they have interchangeable front masks for different focal lengths, some advanced models have a tilting foot for parallax compensation too. I am still kicking myself for having sold mine some years ago.

laptoprob · 06-02-2005

Years ago I altered mine to show 50 and 135mm framelines: I took out the black contour sheet and inserted a clear plastic one with carved framelines. Used it quite a lot with a 135 on a FED2. The nice thing about the clear plastic front is that it is easier to frame with two eyes. It does at least for me.
Now I don't use it anymore since a M2 has lines of its own and the nifty small clear viewfinders have replaced the Kontur for me.

Rob.

John Robertson · 06-04-2005

Checked my voigtlander(old) book. The Kontur was only made for standard lenses. the one for 35mm cameras is marked 35 and 24 x 36. The 35 is the film size NOT focal length. It is for 50mm lenses only. They also made them for 6 x 6 and 6 x 9 cameras standard lenses.. I use mine with the Bessa T its very good. But heed the warning re using it towards the sun, it has a strong positive lens in the eyepiece and you could easily blind yourself if the sun peeks through the clear framelines. I once destroyed a Kontur finder by leaving it on a table face down in strong sunlight, It burned a hole in the front mask!!!

jdos2 · 06-04-2005

I'm guessing then that mine is for the Voigtlander 50mm standard. I'll dig it out to check when I get back there.

clarkmac · 06-06-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by RML

Turnit finder? I had never heard of it so I checked eBay. There's one on offer, for 162 euro. Bit out of my league.

I'm currently following a Kontur on eBay. I hope I can win it for a reasonable price. If I win it, all I'll need is a good hood for my J-12 35/2.8.

For a really nice, really inexpensive screw-in and "vented" hood check out <americaneagle@htn.net>(http://www.stores.ebay.com/americane...tersaccesories). He (Bruce Woodman) has them in both 40.5mm and 39mm sizes. The 39mm size is a very close match in diameter/length for the IROOA hood that Leica offered for 50mm f2.0 and 35mm f2.8 use and costs less than 10% of the IROOA's usual price. The J-12 does present the problem that the hood screws into the iris ring and this makes it easy to knock it out of a setting.

Little Prince · 06-06-2005

Not the right thread, but I did buy a 39mm snap on cap from Bruce Woodman (americaneagle) and it is very nice. He shipped fast too. He asked me to mention him to friends so that's what I'm doing. I don't know anyone in person that is interested in RF type accessories.

michaelallen · 06-07-2005

You can find a Kirn finder NOW on eBay at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...521546010&rd=1

good luck

Mike