Convert the Nikon D600 Viewfinder into a Round Viewfinder (Works with D5100, D7000, and Others)

If there is one thing that has been a continual pain in my butt with the D600 it would be the viewfinder.  The D600 viewfinder is the same as the one on the D7000 and D5100 (albeit the viewfinder on the D600 covers 100% of the field of view while the others are around 90%), they are rectangle and let all the light in the world in, it’s hard to get a good view of the light meter on the inside of the viewfinder without pressing your poor little peepers straight up against the glass.

photo 4-1

If you like to take photographs with the sun in the sky the D600 eyepiece will blind you (not literally).  There had to be a fix, and there is.  Let’s cut the fluff and jump right in, here is what you’ll need:


Nikon FM Eyepiece FM2,FE2,FA Standard (stock) replacement Finder Eyepiece (threaded) ($21.95)

Nikon DK-3 Rubber Eyecup for FM/FM-2, FM-3, FA, FE/FE-2 ($9.95)

Nikon DK-22 Eyepiece Adapter for Nikon SLR Cameras ($12.17)

Total $44.07

photo 5

Putting the eyepiece together is not brain surgery, all you need to do is pancake the rubber eye cup between the eyepiece and the eyepiece adapter, then screw the eyepiece and adapter together with the rubber cup between.  Now just slide your rectangle viewfinder up and off the camera and slide the new one on.  You’re welcome!

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33 replies on “Convert the Nikon D600 Viewfinder into a Round Viewfinder (Works with D5100, D7000, and Others)”
    1. says: j0hnnyb1

      I was not able to find the parts needed to do so but you may wan to check out the DK-19 rubber eye cup, it looks to be a little smaller than the DK-22 if thats what your looking for. I don’t know if it will work but from what I read it should (keep your receipt, it’s only $10). Find it on Amazon, it’s cheaper. Good luck!

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  2. says: RMFearless

    Why you don’t use the dk-22 and dk-19? What is the difference between dk-19 and dk-3?
    Thank you

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      Sorry for the delay, as far as I know this is the only setup that connects together well. I had to use all three pieces because they create a sandwich and the only way to keep them together is using the FM piece. The DK 19 may be able to be used but you’d still need the fm piece to clamp it to the other piece that doing the actual square to circle conversion. Hopefully that helps, let me know if you got another combination to work and I’ll update the page. Thanks.

  3. says: Aqeel Darwish

    i have all of three of them …
    the dk22 + dk19 and the fm piece
    i screwed in the fm piece to the dk22
    but i can’t figure out to fit the dk 19 in the dk22 🙁

    do i need a super glue or something

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      No super glue needed… You need to sandwich the pieces and when you screw in down they will be held in place. I think you may just have them in the wrong order.

  4. I have a D600. Saw this thread and purchased the DK-19 Rubber Eyecup and the DK-22 Eyepiece Adapter. They some how would not connect. Am I missing the piece that connect bth?

    Thanks

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      Yes, you missed the Nikon FM eyepiece FM2 that screws the other two pieces together… There is a link to it in the post above. Good luck!

  5. Thank you for the prompt response.

    I do not wear glasses. Does the FM2 indicate that it is a diopter of sorts?

    I read a post where someone mentioned that their is glass on the FM2?

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      No, it is not… Will not impede the viewfinder you have… It’s only used to hold the two pieces together.

      1. says: Miguel

        Thanks John, I got the FM2 in the mail and the key to getting it all together, is he metal grooved band that came with the DK19. Turn it the right way and it clamps onto the DK19 and the FM2 screws into it and the DK22.

      2. says: Cheema

        Miguel, like you I have a DK22, FM2 and DK19. I do not have a DK3 that John has. I just had DK19 lying around. You appear to have somehow hooked up DK22 with a DK19 using an FM2. I have been staring at these pieces for quite some time and I just don’t see how that is possible. DK19 is just too big for DK22 or FM2. What am I missing? Or did you mean DK3 when you said DK19?

        This is killing me.

  6. says: Miguel

    Thanks John, I got the FM2 in the mail and the key to getting it all together, is he metal grooved band that came with the DK19. Turn it the right way and it clamps onto the DK19 and the FM2 screws into it and the DK22.

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      Sort of, it will fold towards the body and out of your way but it wont fold down or to the side. Make sense?

  7. says: Greg

    Sidenote: I was looking at this conversion for a Nikon D750. The DK-22 doesn’t fit over the D750 mount, but it will over a D7100’s. It’s just too snug the 750. Do you know if there is a piece that will fit, which will accommodate a rubber circular eyecup?
    -Cheers,
    Greg

  8. says: Matt

    Did this. I like. I’m keeping the original mount just in case as the eyecup seems to easily turn and also turns the circular part, but it’s a noticeable improvement over the “stock” offering.

  9. says: Buddy

    Great idea. Would you show a photo of the backside of the body from a lower angle? I want to see how much the round cup will overlap the live view screen. I can’t tell by your photos. I want to be able to use live view for video when i switch back and forth from stills shooting. But I don’t want the round cup to feel like a nuisance when shooting video. Thank you!

    1. says: John Barbiaux

      Would love to but I don’t use the D600 anymore. I did use live view quite often and never had an issue but don’t know for sure if there was any overlap. Sorry.

  10. says: John Gouge

    Just fitted mine to my D750, a great improvement in visibility as I wear glasses, thanks for the guide

  11. says: Bob Koure

    I did something very similar, only with a diopter eyepiece for an FM2. very nice for shooting when wearing eyeglasses, as you can ‘scoop’ the edge of the rubber under your glasses, so they move up but are still securely on your face, take a shot, and no hunting for where I put my glasses afterwards.
    Also, I had a square ‘nikon diopter’ eyepiece that I had modified so the stock rubber piece would fit on top of it (filed the grooves a bit wider with a nail file). I popped the lens out (came out in pieces) and used it to ‘stack’ the eyecup out a bit from the camera. Now the cup folds back perfectly, and I have a tad more room for BBF.

  12. says: Nicola Tullio Cataldo

    Thank you John. I bought the 3 parts on Amazon four months ago, fitted on my D610 and really liked it!
    Sadly, one day I didn’t see it anymore extracting the camera from the bag. I’ve lost it and only the adpater DK-22 survived (it is still attached on the camera). Will try again!

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