In the disclosed viewfinder, a focusing plate receives light from an objective via a reflex mirror, and after focusing, passes light to an eyepiece via a penta prism. A by-pass optical system receives light from outside the view field of the viewfinder and directs the light through an information carrier outside the optical path of the photographic light and into the penta prism so that the information can be displayed close to the view field of the viewfinder.