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On the Leica M10 with the 21mm Voigtländer Aspherical Color Skopar lens

In the mid 1990s Kyocera made two rangefinder cameras, the Contax G1 and G2, along with a range of lenses spanning 16mm through 90mm and including a 35-70mm zoom. Focus was automatic and as I recall the 21mm Biogon usually came bundled with the related finder. Kyocera abandoned camera manufacture in the late 1990s.

Given the ridiculous used prices of recent Leica finders and their shoddy plastic housings I looked around and found a 21mm Contax G finder for $200. Not cheap, but beautifully made, a nice tight fit in the accessory shoe and in a chrome metal housing. The view is remarkably undistorted, showing minor barrel distortion, and comparing with a Live View image framing is very accurate. There are no frame lines – just the field of view in a black mask. The satin chrome color is just a touch warmer than that on the Leica. The black plastic foot has a small expansion joint to secure the finder tightly in the accessory shoe. There is no mechanical lock. The elevated foot sees to it that you can still see the index mark for the shutter speed dial, though a touch of squinting may be called for. If you want a finder with Leica quality fit and finish, this is a strong candidate, and one which crops up now and then on the used market. The view includes a central silvered reticle, though I’m not too sure what value that adds.