KoniOmegaflex Loc: Central KY

A friend sent me this photo and I have no idea unless it is some kind of viewing device. Any help from the collective wisdom would be appreciated.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Folding Viewing hood for film camera.The measurement of the ground glass can give you a size.

KoniOmegaflex Loc: Central KY

Thanks. It looked kind like a folding viewfinder for an old RB67. I appreciate it.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

Looks like a ground glass with hood for shading. Most likely used on a view camera of maybe a speed graphic.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Yes, the previous responses are correct.... it's a folding hood

It also appears to have a ground glass focusing screen and the folding part simply serves to shade that to be able to compose and focus outdoors in daylight.

These were fairly common on cameras that used smaller size, individual sheet film or glass plates, loaded into film or plate holders. These types of cameras usually date to the 1910s through 1930s, though a few continued to be made post-WWII.

This fits into the back of the camera in place of the film holder. Once it's used to compose and focus the image (which is upside down and reversed on the focus screen), this back has to be carefully removed, the film holder put in it's place, a dark slide removed and then the exposure is made. The process is reversed to set up the next shot.

Even today view cameras still work essentially the same way with a ground glass focusing screen, but most don't have a folding sun shade. Instead a dark cloth is placed over the camera and the photographer's head to aid in composition and focusing.

I can't tell the brand or size from your photo... but those focusing backs were used on cameras by many different manufacturers including Konishi, Kodak, Zeiss, Fomer & Schwing, Ihagee, Seneca and many others.

Before becoming relatively standardized, there was a wide variety of sizes of sheet film, much of it based upon fairly standardized glass plate sizes from around the turn of the centruy. In particular, you'd find this kind of focusing screen with a folding shade most typically on sixth plate (2-1/2" x 3-1/2"), quarter plate (film size 3-1/8" x 4-1/8"), half plate (film size 4-1/2" x 5-1/2") and full or "whole" plate (film size 6-1/2" x 8-1/2") format cameras. There were also European sizes stated in cm, such as 8.5x10cm (also often used in Japan). The dimensions of the ground glass in your example can give you a clue as to what size camera it was made for. Usually the ground glass matches the film size (unless it has marked corners for a smaller size).

Here are some photos of a Konishi "Neat" (horizontal format) Lily No. 2 camera from around 1930 that uses a similar focusing screen with folding shade: https://camera-shop.jp/cameras/japanese-cameras/rokuohsha-konica/konishi-honten-the-lily-no-2-velostigmat-f6-3-victo.html. (The reason I'm estimating 1930 is because of the American-made Wollensak lens and shutter on this Japanese camera... prior to 1933 there wasn't any optical manufacture to speak of in Japan, so they bought American or European lenses and shutters to use on their cameras.)

Medium format roll film start to be used prior to WWII and quickly became the norm during and afterward. While there were roll film backs offered that could be fitted to the older design cameras, they weren't very convenient to use. Viewfinders with built-in or auxiliary rangefinders to assist focus became the standard, replacing the old focusing screens.

By the way (I noticed your UHH user name)... There's a ground glass focusing accessory for Koni Omegaflex too. It's part of the macro/close-up focusing kit for those twin lens reflex cameras. It doesn't have a folding hood though.

ELNikkor

It is a "look-downer" hood. (For use by those who feel superior to everyone else...). It makes everything look and move backwards to the direction you move it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I love titles like that.

I had one of those things for my Miranda Sensorex. Back then, it was easy to remove and substitute parts.

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

Looks like a view finder for a Graflex XLSW.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

A bit, but the Graflex is all metal.
(Are you another XL user?)

(Download)

User ID

Pencil suggests smallish, a rollfilm size, although sheetfilm was available as small as 6x9. Some old rollfilm cameras had a sheet/plate adapter. The device shown is not as modern as a Grahpic, Busch, or similar camera.

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

I did use one back many years ago when I was in business but have not used mined for many years now. I still have one with the 47mm lens, 120 back and ground glass viewfinder back. I do have a slight problem; the focus ring pegs are worn off and I have not been able to find another intact ring. This was a common problem with the XL's.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Sounds familiar, that and the rangefinder problems. When working right, it was amazing. The official USAF medium format camera at that time, it was my first experience with that size. It spent more time being repaired, we got authorization to switch to the Mamiya C-330 purchased from the base exchange at Clark AFB.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

It is to be mounted on the back of a view camera to make it easier to see the image projected on the glass plate of the view camera.

User ID

The glass is already visible in that device.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

NOT OUTSIDE IN THE SUN.