Waist level view finder

Alexander wrote:

 > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
 > camera. Any suggestions?
 > Thanks

What camera, and for what purpose?

Bill Tallman<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Alexander wrote:

 > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
 > camera. Any suggestions?
 > Thanks

There is a Voigtländer one that works that way. It would fit on any
accessory shoe, but there is no focusing ability on the device. More
information at these sources:

<http://www.cameraquest.com/voigtacc.htm> scroll to near the end,

and:

<http://www.cosina.co.jp/angle/> smaller version,

and:

<http://www.cosina.co.jp/swc/> larger version, originally intended for
Hasselblad SWC.

In the Nikon system, there is a DR-3 angle finder. I think there may be
a few other companies that make something similar, though it may be an
item no longer made new.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
Alliance Graphique Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"Jim Waggener" <jimw DeleteThis @visi.net> wrote in message
news:3fbc05a9_4@corp.newsgroups.com...
 >
 > "Alexander" <alewismd DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
 > news:I2Tub.12413$bj.4595@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
  > > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
  > > camera. Any suggestions?
  > > Thanks
  > >
 >
 > Now how would that work on the hot shoe?

Presumably like an accessory finder for a rangefinder, only with a mirror.
For the OP; no, these don't exist... but it is sometimes possible to find a
right angle finder that attaches to an eyepiece. It's not waist level,
though.

--
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Alexander <alewismd RemoveThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote:
 > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
 > camera. Any suggestions?
You need to say what camera you have. I think you mean the hotshoe
on the eyepiece do you?

Different brands have different connectors on the viewfinder. I
think if you have a camera where you can change the prism,
you can just take the prism off and look straight onto the
ground glass screen.

Vin.

--
Vin
Melbourne, Australia
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Jim Waggener <jimw DeleteThis @visi.net> wrote:
 >
 > "Alexander" <alewismd DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
 > news:I2Tub.12413$bj.4595@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
  >> I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
  >> camera. Any suggestions?
  >> Thanks
  >>
 >
 > Now how would that work on the hot shoe?
 >
I think he wants something like what is shown here:

<http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/6607/wlf.htm>

I don't know of any ready-made solution, but it looks like a do-able
project.

Peter.
--
pirwin DeleteThis @ktb.net<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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 >I think he wants something like what is shown here:
 >
 ><http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/6607/wlf.htm>

Or...

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001J58" target="_blank">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001J58</a>

--
Hil<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"Alexander" <alewismd.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:I2Tub.12413$bj.4595@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
 > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
 > camera. Any suggestions?
 > Thanks
 >
 >
How about a Canon F-1. They had a waist level finder a la Medium Format.
Even folded up. Not the universal hot shoe mount, but a F-1 body goes for
around $150.00. You can put together an amazing F-1 system off E-Bay for
less than you'd think these days.

Here's one on E-bay for insane money.

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2966108719&category=30033" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2966108719&category=30033</a>



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Peter Irwin wrote:

 > Jim Waggener <jimw.DeleteThis@visi.net> wrote:
  >>
  >> "Alexander" <alewismd.DeleteThis@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
  >> news:I2Tub.12413$bj.4595@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
   >>> I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
   >>> camera. Any suggestions?
   >>> Thanks
   >>>
  >>
  >> Now how would that work on the hot shoe?
  >>
 > I think he wants something like what is shown here:
 >
 > <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/6607/wlf.htm>
 >
 > I don't know of any ready-made solution, but it looks like a do-able
 > project.
 >
 > Peter.

Thanks for this!!!

Bill Tallman<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"Jim Phelps" <Jim.Phelps.TakeThisOut@MI.com> wrote in message
news:3fbcaab1$1_2@news5.uncensored-news.com...
 >
 > "Alexander" <alewismd.TakeThisOut@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
 > news:I2Tub.12413$bj.4595@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
  > > I would like to obtain one of these to put on the hot shoe of my 35mm
  > > camera. Any suggestions?
  > > Thanks
  > >
  > >
 > How about a Canon F-1. They had a waist level finder a la Medium Format.
 > Even folded up. Not the universal hot shoe mount, but a F-1 body goes for
 > around $150.00. You can put together an amazing F-1 system off E-Bay for
 > less than you'd think these days.

The Pentax LX also has a WLF available as one of the interchangeable finder
options. In 35mm the ground glass is pretty small, but a WLF is still
usable - though you won't be using it at 'waist' level, more like chest
level, if you want to have any chance of seeing it clearly enough to focus
on.

I use the LX WLF sometimes if I am travelling and want a right angle finder
for some low angle work but the big action or chimney finders are too
big/heavy to take with me. (The action finder, especially, is very heavy -
so much glass in it.)

For a hotshoe mount, as the OP suggested, I would have thought bodging
something up with a finder from an old broken rollfilm folder would probably
be an effective option.



Peter<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Bandicoot wrote:


 > The Pentax LX also has a WLF available as one of the interchangeable
 > finder
 > options. In 35mm the ground glass is pretty small, but a WLF is still
 > usable - though you won't be using it at 'waist' level, more like chest
 > level, if you want to have any chance of seeing it clearly enough to focus
 > on.

I just take the finder off, but you're right: it's a chest level finder in
any case... <grin>

 > I use the LX WLF sometimes if I am travelling and want a right angle
 > finder for some low angle work but the big action or chimney finders are
 > too
 > big/heavy to take with me. (The action finder, especially, is very heavy
 > - so much glass in it.)

Aha. I've been contemplating the acquisition of the action finder, as I
have to peer around through the finder to see the corners of the frame.
Well, it's not like I don't have to do that with the Elan as well, but not
to the same extent. But your statement that it's very heavy leads me to
ask: does it in fact unbalance the camera with its weight? LXes are quite
light, of course, and that may be a factor.

What say?

Thanks,

Bill Tallman<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"William D. Tallman" <wtallman.DeleteThis@olypen.com> wrote in message
news:vrqdapntl5gib3@corp.supernews.com...
 > Bandicoot wrote:
 >
 >
  > > The Pentax LX also has a WLF available as one of the interchangeable
  > > finder
  > > options. In 35mm the ground glass is pretty small, but a WLF is still
  > > usable - though you won't be using it at 'waist' level, more like chest
  > > level, if you want to have any chance of seeing it clearly enough to
focus
  > > on.
 >
 > I just take the finder off, but you're right: it's a chest level finder
in
 > any case... <grin>

Yes, I've done that too. The WLF adds a bit of shading from ambient light,
and a flip up magnifier - but it is hardly an essential it is true.

 >
  > > I use the LX WLF sometimes if I am travelling and want a right angle
  > > finder for some low angle work but the big action or chimney finders are
  > > too
  > > big/heavy to take with me. (The action finder, especially, is very
heavy
  > > - so much glass in it.)
 >
 > Aha. I've been contemplating the acquisition of the action finder, as I
 > have to peer around through the finder to see the corners of the frame.
 > Well, it's not like I don't have to do that with the Elan as well, but not
 > to the same extent. But your statement that it's very heavy leads me to
 > ask: does it in fact unbalance the camera with its weight? LXes are
quite
 > light, of course, and that may be a factor.
 >
 > What say?

Hhmmm - well, it _changes_ the balance. I'll have to think about how -
I'll get back to you! It is certainly rather a nice view - very different
to a conventional viewfinder. Just to check we are talking about the same
thing: you mean the system finder base fited with the action finder that can
be rotated to give either straight through or ninety degree viewing, right?



Peter<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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Bandicoot wrote:


  >> What say?
 >
 > Hhmmm - well, it _changes_ the balance. I'll have to think about how -
 > I'll get back to you! It is certainly rather a nice view - very different
 > to a conventional viewfinder. Just to check we are talking about the same
 > thing: you mean the system finder base fited with the action finder that
 > can be rotated to give either straight through or ninety degree viewing,
 > right?

Yeah, the FB-1 System Finder accepts three different eyepieces. The Action
eyepiece is the FC-1. There's a Magnification eyepiece, the FD-1, and a
Standard eyepiece, the FD-2, both of which are 45 degree viewing angle.

There are three FAs, and two waist level eyepieces, the Magnifying eyepiece
is the FE-1 and the waist level flip top is the FF-1.

All of which I lust after, but can't seem to justify the prices they
want...<grin>

Bill Tallman<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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"William D. Tallman" <wtallman RemoveThis @olypen.com> wrote in message
news:vs3dlv14neql49@corp.supernews.com...
 > Bandicoot wrote:
 >
 >
   > >> What say?
  > >
  > > Hhmmm - well, it _changes_ the balance. I'll have to think about
how -
  > > I'll get back to you! It is certainly rather a nice view - very
different
  > > to a conventional viewfinder. Just to check we are talking about the
same
  > > thing: you mean the system finder base fited with the action finder that
  > > can be rotated to give either straight through or ninety degree viewing,
  > > right?
 >
 > Yeah, the FB-1 System Finder accepts three different eyepieces. The
Action
 > eyepiece is the FC-1. There's a Magnification eyepiece, the FD-1, and a
 > Standard eyepiece, the FD-2, both of which are 45 degree viewing angle.
 >
 > There are three FAs, and two waist level eyepieces, the Magnifying
eyepiece
 > is the FE-1 and the waist level flip top is the FF-1.
 >
 > All of which I lust after, but can't seem to justify the prices they
 > want...<grin>
 >
 > Bill Tallman

In which case I won't tell you that when I got my FF-1 I found in the
display case an FD-1 and FD-2 that I got them to throw in for peanuts, since
they didn't have an FB-1 to attach them to... So now I have a 'full house'.

Anyway, to your question:

I stuck an FB-1/FC-1 combination on an LX last night so I could give some
serious thought to handling and give you a proper answer. And no, I don't
think it does unbalance it. Handling is altered - see below - but still
very good.

You get a fine view with the action finder: it is something of a cross
between the "I'm looking at the subject" view you get with a normal finder
and the "I'm looking at the picture" view you get with ground glass. A bit
like seeing something on a TV. It isn't a really big view, but it is lovely
and clear, and surprisingly bright given what a huge amount of glass it has
travelled through. You can have your eye two or maybe three inches away and
still see the corners of the frame.

Two downsides: One is that the eyepiece is now a considerable way behind
the back plane of the body - the whole thing ends up seeming somewhat like a
medium format in layout. This means that you can't press the body against
your nose and cheek to improve handheld stability. You can press the
eyepiece against the bone of your eye socket though. The other downside is
no dioptre compensation. There is none in the FB-1 but that doesn't matter
with the adjustable FD-1 magnifier. With the FC-1 it might be a problem,
depending on your eyesight, and whether you want to use it with glasses (in
which case no problem) or not. Because I always focus without my glasses
(which I generally only use to drive or in the cinema) I find this means I
can't focus well with an FC-1 pressed to my eye and have to hold it 3/4 of
an inch or so away - not a problem for the way I tend to use it, but it
might be for you.

There is one other slight niggle with the FB-1. It comes close to the
winder handle and prevents you winding with your thumb unless the lever is
already in the stand-off position. This is not a problem, as once the lever
is stood off you can wind very fast and easily - just something it pays to
be aware of.

Overall, I don't use it really often, but I like it. Enough to take it with
me when travelling, if I have room.



Peter<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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