Wire Bucket | Through the viewfinder Kodak Duaflex Bubble lens |
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eemingly ordinary scenes become magically transformed when viewed through the waist level viewfinder of many twin lens reflex cameras. Recently while surfing the web, I read about “Through the Viewfinder” (TtV) images that exploit this characteristic. The technique involves using a digital camera to take pictures "through the viewfinder" of an older camera. The inexpensive TLR camera models from the 1950's are particularly intriguing, because the viewing optics in these cameras are actually better than the picture taking lens.
From 1947 to 1960 Kodak produced millions of inexpensive 620 format Duaflex cameras, which were really just simple box cameras with a large brilliant bubble viewfinder lens on top. I was able to buy one off ebay for less than $20 including shipping, and immediately upon its delivery took it apart. I removed the two viewfinder objectives and mounted them in a tube (using soda cans) along with an old 50mm enlarging lens that was set to focus on the bubble lens. Electrical tape secured the pieces together and I mounted the contraption on my Canon 5D. Here is an image from the first session with this prototype.
