Nikon viewfinders

for Nikon rangefinder cameras

 

Nikon 2.5 cm. viewfinder for Nikkor 4/2.5 cm. mounted on a Nikon S2 (black dial)

 

Although all Nikon rangefinder cameras have a nice and bright built-in and coupled viewfinder, Nikon provided separate viewfinders for most lenses. All those viewfinders can be put on the accessory shoe of the camera body. For some lenses the extra viewfinder was/is a great focusing assistant. Most viewfinders have a parallax correction! Of some viewfinders there are various versions known: with and without inscriptions like 'made in occupied japan' or 'nippon kogaku tokyo' and /or 'EP'.

 

A rather rare 2.1 cm. viewfinder (with serial number!), that came with the Nikkor 4/2.1 cm wide-Nikkor 4/2.1 cm. When not in use it can be mounted on the rear cap of the lens.

 

Early viewfinders for the Nikkor lenses (from left) with a focal length of 8.5 cm., 10.5 cm. and 13.5 cm.

 

For the Wide-Nikkor lenses with a focal length (from left) of 2.5 cm., 2.8 cm. and 3.5 cm.

 

A very rare 3.5 cm. viewfinder (some having a serial number!) for the lens with the corresponding focal length

 

A later black model of the 3.5 cm. viewfinder

 

For the black versions of the later Nikkor lenses Nikon introduced black viewfinders

 

Two vari-focal (zoom) viewfinders for lenses with a focal length of 3,5 cm . - 13.5 cm. (Left without and right with feet-scale)

 

Nikon vari-focal viewfinder with its original box

 

A Nikon vari-focal viewfinder for 3.5 cm. lenses with an additional close-up lens to obtain a viewing angle of a 2.8 cm. lens

 

Early Nikon 'Variframe' viewfinders with an accessory eyepiece (attached via a metal chain) enlarging the focusing image and giving some diopter control.

 

Next to a regular (below) viewfinder a very rare viewfinder for the Nikon I, indicated by the additional inscription '24x32', being the frame size (aka Nippon Size) of the first Nikon rangefinder camera!

 

This rare sports finder has four frames for lenses with a focal length of 3.5 cm., 5 cm., 8.5 cm. and 13.5 cm.

 

Finally a rare eyepiece correction lens for the Nikon I, Nikon M and Nikon S rangefinder cameras. Although eyepiece correction lenses for the later Nikon rangefinder cameras have been spotted, it is not sure whether they were manufactured by Nikon.