Making a custom viewfinder

After seeing viewfinder questions arise for some time, I would like to submit an inexpensive solution to deciding which LF lens to use. I have been using my little hand-held format viewer for over 20 years and wouldn’t dream of leaving home without it. You might like to make one of your own (or not) as a viewfinder for the lenses you use most:

Get something durable and black like a dark slide or enjoy the hefty feel of aluminum stock about 1mm thick like mine.

Cut a piece 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches (107 x 82mm). Then cut two holes in it 2 3/8 x 1 7/8 inches and 1 1/4 x 7/8 inches.

To use the viewer, hold one corner between you thumb and trigger finger (tips) while bending your thumb. Now place the knuckle of your thumb on your nose and peek thru one of the holes. What you will now see is the 150mm or 300mm lens perspective thru the holes or the 90mm lens perspective at the outer edges of the viewer. One viewer, three lenses covered so far. Now if you put your thumb nail on your nose, the views open up to approximately 120mm, 210mm and 75mm. One viewer, six lenses covered.

A metal viewer fits easily into a pocket and the extra weight makes it indestructible and easier to locate when you start patting all your pockets to find where you put it. Expert users may enjoy sticking their trigger finger in the big hole and spinning the viewer rapidly around like Buffalo Bill spun his six-shooter.

You can customize your -six-shooter- for the lenses you use most by using a small piece of glass, say 4x5 inches or so like out of a small picture frame. Put your chosen lens on your camera and focus at infinity. Now hold up the glass using the viewer grip and mark the glass with masking tape, sharpie or whatever to place the edges and get the exact dimensions for that lens when making your custom viewer.

Jim Reed