[Leica] OT: Canon accessory viewfinders

[ealadner at comcast.net (Eric Ladner)]

My apologies for a non-Leica question, but I received only one reply to 
this on the Rangefinder List's Canon section, and I hoped the assembled 
expertise here might help. I'm not really primarily interested in the 
value (although I'm curious about it), but I would like to know more 
about the sportsfinder, since I haven't located any mention of it 
online. Was it rare, or just not interesting? Anything in Dechert?

One other question that I forgot to put in the original message: each 
of the finders has a slot cut through and almost all the way lengthwise 
on one side of the mounting foot. (visible in the pictures mentioned 
below). What could this be for?

Many thanks,
--Eric

 >> Years ago I picked up a couple of Canon finders at a close-out sale: 
a 100mm bright frame finder (with auto-parallax adjustment) and a 
multi->> frame sportsfinder (which may be called an "OLEX"). I think I 
payed $2 each, but it's been a long time.

 >>  The other day, I was surprised to see a similar 100mm finder on a 
certain auction site, with a starting bid of $159. I also noticed, 
though, that >> no one had bid on it.

 >>  It's fairly easy to find information on the black "Lumi-field" 
finders, but I can't find anything at all on the sportsfinder. Does 
anyone have any >> >> information on it, and maybe some idea about 
realistic values for the two finders (since it looks like $159 won't 
fly)?

 >> I've put a few pictures (short-term) at
 >> http://homepage.mac.com/eric_ladner/PhotoAlbum4.html.