Title: Re: [Cameramakers] Buy or build a viewfinder
I would use a one element lens, such as the ones from Edmund Scientific, as long as it is close to the same focal length, as a viewing lens. That is, put it on a lensboard and frame your image on the groundglass. Then change it to your zoneplate and shoot.

Actually you might try stacking a couple of cheap reading glasses lenses to achieve the approximate focal length, and if they are a little off, the softness might resemble the zoneplate image. Reading glasses are available here for a dollar a pair. This is a good way to frame pinhole cameras shots too.

Other possibilities:
- masking down a cheap door-peephole viewer till it matches your ZP angle
- using the viewfinder off a disposable camera, especially a slight wide-angle
- the discontinued Kodak DISC cameras had very neat viewfinders
- using a cardboard frame with a string to measure the correct distance
- or best yet, use ZEN viewfinder by imagining the camera's point of view. Don't laugh, I do that all the time.

Good luck.

Sam Wang


Hi all:
Where I can buy a viewfinder (cheap if possible) for my portable 5 x 7' Zone Plate camera (under construction)?
Zone Plate Focal Length (mm) = 180
 
It is possible build it?. �How?.
 
Thanks.
Best regards,
 
Manuel Estebanez
Spain

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