diopter corrections for 503 CW WLF loupe and PME 51 (or PM 45)

[wayne1]

I just received a mint condition 503 CW Millennium with Zeiss 80 mm 2.8 CFE. This is my first adventure in film photography. I have been using the X1D ii and X2D and just wanted to give film a try, and I really like the square format.

I now am trying to figure out how to focus the thing! I have vision corrections around -1 diopter and I do not want to wear glasses when focusing. The loupe that is in the WLF now is not great and the manual shows how to replace the magnifier with different diopter lenses. This implies that they must be available, but I cannot find a source. So that is the first question, where can I find other lenses with different focal lengths?

Another option might be to get the split image focusing screen, but they are astonishingly expensive on ebay, like $500-700 ! In addition, there is not a uniform opinion on these things.

I am also considering a P45 or PME 51 prism for the camera (mine has acute matte D screen). Some sources say that these prism finders have adjustable diopter eyepieces. Is that true? In the images I find on ebay it is not clear at all that there is anything adjustable. If true, that would solve multiple problems for me.

Any help would greatly be appreciated! I am sure I will love this camera when I can get it focused properly.

[mikaelo67]

The PME45 has an adjustable diopter from-2 to +1. It also has a light meter. The PM5 and PME51 does not have adjustability built in. On those you have to buy a correction lens separately.

Both of these have a 45 degree viewing angle. What most people prefer.

[mikaelo67]

View screen. This is what you should look for. They costed around 250 USD new a year or two ago.

[JCM-Photos]

Imo the best diopter adjustable prism is the HC3 / 4

meetered hasselblad prisms like PM45 are very sensitive to light entering eyepiece and need to be used with the rubber eyecup for reliable meetering.

[wayne1]

Mikaelo67

I found only 2 3042264 for sale, $600!  Maybe in the end I will bite the bullet and pay the price.
Am I correct in assuming that the PM45, like the PME45, has an adjustable diopter eyepiece? If so, I may get a PM45 and use an external light meter.
I could not find replacement diopter lenses for the PME51 which I would like (I need -1.5, but -2 would likely work). I did order a relatively inexpensive Chimney with adjustable diopter.

JCM

I found an HC4 prism; looks interesting, thanks for pointing this out.   Looks possible, but 90 deg.

[Georg Kovalcik]

The diopters for the normal folding viewfinder look like the attached photo. They are not made anymore of course, but you can find them used or "new old stock". I use the normal hood (with -2) most of the time for weight and aesthetic reasons although I own two prism finders.

[wayne1]

Georg
That is exactly the one I  need! I will keep looking. I found a -1 and bought it; it will make it useable but I really want the -2.

Wayne

[MSuser]

I just received a mint condition 503 CW Millennium with Zeiss 80 mm 2.8 CFE. This is my first adventure in film photography. I have been using the X1D ii and X2D and just wanted to give film a try, and I really like the square format.

I now am trying to figure out how to focus the thing! I have vision corrections around -1 diopter and I do not want to wear glasses when focusing. The loupe that is in the WLF now is not great and the manual shows how to replace the magnifier with different diopter lenses. This implies that they must be available, but I cannot find a source. So that is the first question, where can I find other lenses with different focal lengths?

Another option might be to get the split image focusing screen, but they are astonishingly expensive on ebay, like $500-700 ! In addition, there is not a uniform opinion on these things.

I am also considering a P45 or PME 51 prism for the camera (mine has acute matte D screen). Some sources say that these prism finders have adjustable diopter eyepieces. Is that true? In the images I find on ebay it is not clear at all that there is anything adjustable. If true, that would solve multiple problems for me.

Any help would greatly be appreciated! I am sure I will love this camera when I can get it focused properly.

Hasselblad 45° prism viewfinders made before 2000 all provide 3x magnification and use the same correction eyepieces. They can be found listed with catalog numbers in the 1998 product catalog on page 27.

The last 45° prism viewfinders made from 2000 onward are the PM45 and PME45. They provide 2.5x magnification with a larger high-eyepoint eyepiece suitable for use with eyeglasses. The standard eyepiece is adjustable from -2 to +1 diopters. To change either the + or -  variable range, two eyepieces were offered: 3042469 (-4.5 to -1.5) and 304267 (0 to +3).

[MSuser]

These lists may be helpful in sorting out the prism viewfinders made over the years.

[wayne1]

Thanks so much! The tables and product catalogue are great. Having product numbers will make it possible to track down items on the internet.

Wayne

[mikaelo67]

I guess you got your answer. But to confirm. The PM45 has an adjustable eyepiece as well. This is how you work it.

Mikaelo67

I found only 2 3042264 for sale, $600!  Maybe in the end I will bite the bullet and pay the price.
Am I correct in assuming that the PM45, like the PME45, has an adjustable diopter eyepiece? If so, I may get a PM45 and use an external light meter.
I could not find replacement diopter lenses for the PME51 which I would like (I need -1.5, but -2 would likely work). I did order a relatively inexpensive Chimney with adjustable diopter.

JCM

I found an HC4 prism; looks interesting, thanks for pointing this out.   Looks possible, but 90 deg.

[MSuser]

My preference is to take the lens off and point the camera's open lens mount toward a light source which is reasonably diffuse. No lens is needed as you just want to focus the eyepiece on the focusing screen until any lines on the screen are sharp for your eye

[JCM-Photos]

My meetered PM45 doesn 't have an ajustable eyepiece, only adjustment with correction lenses

[wayne1]

There is a Hasselblad 42459 magnifier  for the PME51 that apparently has an adjustable diopter for focus. It looks a bit cumbersome, but also gives additional magnification to the center part of the screen. It is flipped out of the way for composition. There is also one for PM45 and PME45 (#42462).

JCM, the metered PM45 (PME45) does not have adjustable diopter, but  PM45 apparently does.

Wayne

[MSuser]

JCM, the metered PM45 (PME45) does not have adjustable diopter, but  PM45 apparently does.

Wayne

Both the PM45 and PME45 have adjustable diopter eyepieces. I can post the product catalog page and instruction manual for the PME45 if you need more confirmation, but you can also search the model using Google for descriptions from dealers like B&H or KEH.

There is a difference between the 90° metering and non-metering viewfinder models PME90 and PM90. The PME90 has an adjustable eyepiece. The PM90 is not adjustable, but uses individual correction eyepieces.