Mamiya 645 AFD - Viewfinder Magnification Solution

[stevenenglund]

Do any Mamiya AFD shooters out there use a non-standard magnifier? I know that Mamiya made a FD402 but it's nearly impossible to buy. I see one for sale online at this moment for $290 in New York.

I purchased a 2.5x17.5 monocular but I don't enjoy shooting with it, nor do I think it really helps my process.

Hopefully some of you have tested some products that fit the Mamiya AFD system and can help shed some light on this!

 

[Focusrite]

I'd be curious to know what other options are available as well, or at least experiences with the FD402. There was an online blog post I read a few years ago of which also sent me down the monocular route. After wasting a few dollars on one of the cheaper ones that barely seemed to magnify anything I ended up finding a Zeiss 3x monocular for a very good price, but use it sparingly as it is a feat of coordination to hold it centered on the viewfinder while racking the focusing ring and actually being able to see what you're focusing on. A little holder for it could probably be 3D printed to make its use a bit less of a chore, but the Mamiya loupe is probably your best bet. Perhaps a cheaper one will pop up locally at some point?

I tried to find the article again but so far am not able to.

 

[Focusrite]

Well I found the article, but it only goes over a few different options, such as the FD402, a cheap monocular and the Zeiss. Not really much info but may be of interest to someone.

Getting Top Quality from Medium Format - News - Joseph Holmes

www.josephholmes.com

Out of curiosity, you are shooting film with the AFD?