4x5 viewfinder rangefinder

[Drew Bedo]

I think the Polaroif reference is for the conversions by Byron, Razzle and Alpinhaus . . . et al.

some folks swear by them, some don't.

I do wish someone would make a 4x5 RF from scratch . . .like a Mamya-7 or a 4x5 SLR based on the Polaroid SX-70 geometry. Could be another Kick-Starter project!

[Otto Seaman]

with a motor drive for action....

[steve barry]

I hacked together my own Polaroid conversion... It works ok... But not really for me... The biggest problem I see with all the conversions I have seen - they all use the original Polaroid RF which ssssuuucccckkss.

[Corran]

I love my Polaroid 900 4x5 and I think the RF is awesome. Is it the best one ever? No, but it works a treat.

[steve barry]

Maybe just the ones I tried were terrible. Yours is clear? Compared to what I know.

[Corran]

Just looked through it critically and it does have a slight purple tinge that I never noticed when shooting. Bright rangefinder spot, though it is a weird shape, not that it matters. It's as least as bright/contrasty as my Nikon SP 35mm RF, maybe slightly less so than my Bessa, which is renowned for the bright RF. Seems like pretty good performance to me.

[Otto Seaman]

On the three different Polaroid 110s I've had the rangefinder regularly needed adjustment and was a pain in the arse.

[lbenac]

I do not have this problem with my Chamonix Saber. I adjusted the RF when I changed the lens and it has not moved since.

[Corran]

The vertical alignment in my Polaroid is off a little bit. Been meaning to open it up and get it adjusted.

I've adjusted dozens of Kalart RF's, now THAT is a piece of junk RF!

[Otto Seaman]

Didn't the 900 on which the Saber is based have the better Zeiss rangefinder?

I agree, Kalharts are very difficult and I've never gotten either the top or the side RFs on Graphics to agree across their entire range from close to infinity. You end up favoring the close distances and rely on the infinity stops and distance scale for far....

The only really good LF rangefinder I've found is a proper Technika.

For most of the photos I see here, landscapes, seems like scale focusing is all people really need.