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View Full Version : Monocular Reflex Viewer/Magnifier???



Gary Albertson
15-Sep-2000, 19:40
The seemingly ideal binocular reflex viewer appears too bulky and downright expensive,the Toyo monocular single-sighted viewers are not vertically corrected. Have I seen a Cambo reflex monocular viewer somewhere? Cannot find. Has anyone information on it or any other similar functioning viewer? (Oh, yeah, I have a Toyo 45AX, shoot primarily 135-300mm lenses). Though I have been using the BTZS Focus Cloth, still prefer seeing and framing the world RIGHT side up on my feet, not upside down on my head, even if it is with only o

Sergio Ortega
15-Sep-2000, 20:13
Gary,

Try Calumetphoto.com, they sell Cambo stuff. I got one for my DLC. Works great, especially with roll film backs. Really beats getting flapped to death by a darkcloth in a stiff wind. Sergio.

Glenn Kroeger
15-Sep-2000, 22:43
Gary: The Horseman folding binocular viewer comes with an adapter that fits Toyo's... it is compact when folded, but heavy

John Hicks
15-Sep-2000, 23:19
The Horseman folding thing with an adaptor is probably the best choice; Toyo bin ocular viewers are _huge_. However, I just looked at B&H and found that the Hors eman folding binocular and adaptor come to about $965. (!!!!)

John Hicks
15-Sep-2000, 23:24
I just found the Calumet monocular reflex viewer on calumetphoto.com, Item No: C B0220, $339. I have no idea how easy or difficult it would be to adapt to Toyo. Looks interesting though.

Larry Huppert
16-Sep-2000, 00:04
I tried a Cambo mono viewer on my DLC, and decided it was too limiting considering it's cost. Without a moveable mirror, it becomes pretty dim when you introduce movements. I think Linhof has an interesting mono reflex viewer for the TK. If I remember, the mirror adjusts on the Linhof, but it probably cost as much as a good used car.

Bob Salomon
16-Sep-2000, 07:11
" Linhof has an interesting mono reflex viewer for the TK. If I remember, the mirror adjusts on the Linhof"

Linhof makes them for all of their 45 cameras.

The mirror portion rotates for H or V orientation and comes off so the base can be used as a hood. aThe base hinges to a Linhof so it can swing away to allow full access to the GG.

Linhof makes a similar one for the 23 Technika and TK and a non rotating eyepiece one for their 57 cameras.

Paul Schilliger
16-Sep-2000, 07:20
I have used the Horseman reflex folding binocular. It is true that the reverted image is nice, but after a while I switched for the straight folding binocular v iewer. The advantages are 1) the weight 2) the bulk 3) you can have a comforta ble view at just any height, when the reflex forces you to keep the camera low 4) it fits the toyo back like a charm. The mount is the same as original Toyo fo lding focussing hood whitch it replaces. All you have to do is perhaps unscrew two little screws to adjust the spring loaded inserts so that they won't scratch the paint when you open and close it to check the focus on your ground glass, o therwise it looks like an original Toyo accessory! Adding some rubber foam impr oves it's light tightness. I don't know about other users, but I found a semi-re verted image from the reflex sometimes hard to balance for the right side-left s ide. I am amazed at the BH price mentioned above! I paid mine a little more than half that price. The addition of this viewer to my camera greatly improved bot h the comfort and quality in my work. I now would hardly do without it.

james norman
18-Sep-2000, 22:39
i use the cambo reflex viewer and i find it to be damn near indispensable. there is simply no way i could do the volume of field work i do with a cloth, and some shots i could not get at all where my camera is backed up against a wall or over a railing and i am standing on my ladder to look down into the viewer. it, along with the availability of many other affordable 4x5 accessories from calumet, is one of the reasons i have stayed with cambo cameras for 15 years. i bought the reflex viewer for $150 from jon (f-stops here) back when he worked at del's. the toyo viewer is like $650.

Randall "Red" Thomasson
22-Sep-2000, 16:52
Gary, I have the Toyo 45CX and the focus cloth drove me nuts. I also looked at the mirror viewers and I don't have a lot of money to spend so I made my own out of plywood, a mirror, welders magnifying lenses, and good 'ol Velcro. It's a bit hoky but it WORKS! Granted, I will need another one for vertical shots and if you are concerned about bulk in your travels it may not work for you. Total estimated cost to make?: Magnifiers: $10 (welding supply, different powers available) Mirror: $7 at glass shop. Velcro: $3 available anywhere. Plywood: No cost. I am improving on it all the time and need to make a light blocker for the magnifiers. Otherwise, I get an image that is reversed but right side up. My 2 cents worth. RED!

g. wiley
8-Jan-2001, 14:49
This is a late response and I don't know if its doing anyone any good but for the record I am glad to hear I'm not the only person whose had the crazy idea of adapting a Cambo reflex viewer to a Toyo view camera (in my case a CX). I found mine on ebay for $125 at 5:00 on a Sunday morning with the Buy It Now option. There wasn't time to find out whether it would work or not, but after concluding that there was no way it would lock onto the Toyo, but could probably be easily held to the ground glass manually (by hand), I went ahead and bought it. Then on the way to work I had the worst thought: what if the Cambo viewer was too wide to fit directly on the ground glass?

It's twenty four hour later now, and I've had a chance to call up Calumet, and the guy confirmed that no it wouldn't lock onto the Toyo, but no it's not too wide and should be able to be adapted. Whew!

In any case I am still waiting for it to delivered (obviously), so I can't tell anyone how well this setup works yet, but at least according to Calumet it is possible.