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Poll: right angle viewfinder

Started Nov 6, 2014 | Polls
Wesley Byrne Contributing Member • Posts: 556
Poll: right angle viewfinder

The other day I came home with a sore back, pockets full of sand, and pieces of sandbriar embedded in my flesh after shooting ants and tiger beetles. It made me wonder if a right angle viewfinder attachment might on occasion be useful in the field. I do have a camera with an articulating screen, but that I can use, but I do prefer to use a viewfinder. I have read product reviews and searched the forum, and I'd like to ask your opinion:

POLL
I have never used a right angle viewfinder attachment and don't plan to at any point in the future.
18.8% 3  votes
I have never used a right angle viewfinder attachment, but would like to have one.
31.3% 5  votes
I have used a right angle viewfinder attachment, but do not find it useful for field macro photography.
0.0% 0  votes
I have used a right angle viewfinder attachment and find it useful for field macro photography.
37.5% 6  votes
A right angle viewfinder attachment is neither better or worse than a viewfinder, it is just different.
6.3% 1  vote
What's a right angle viewfinder attachment?
6.3% 1  vote
  Show results
OP Wesley Byrne Contributing Member • Posts: 556
sorry about the typo! (nt)

No text.

Stew Volt Senior Member • Posts: 2,375
Re: Poll: right angle viewfinder

Yes, they are very handy. I use mine all the time, and never lie on the ground anymore. Also good for regular shots, helps keep the camera close to your body like a twin lens reflex can.

D Cox Forum Pro • Posts: 32,979
Re: Poll: right angle viewfinder

In the days of film SLRs, I had vertical viewers which replaced the pentaprism on Exakta, Topcon and Nikon cameras. So far as I know, nobody has made a digital SLR with a removable pentaprism and a range of easily changeable focussing screens.

Nowadays, I find the tilting LCD works very well. I don't see the need for a reflex finder of any kind.

Perhaps a rotating electronic finder would be handy. Or one could use a camera that can be triggered from a phone.

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Sigma fp
Martin.au
Martin.au Forum Pro • Posts: 14,336
Re: Poll: right angle viewfinder

I tilt the screen.

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OP Wesley Byrne Contributing Member • Posts: 556
Thanks

Thanks for all the votes and comments! I think I will put a right angle viewfinder attachment on my wishlist.

blackwiggle Forum Member • Posts: 62
Re: Poll: right angle viewfinder
1

Using a right angle viewfinder can be useful at times [more for low mounted studio tripod shots], but things have moved on recently, most modern cameras can now be operated via a small tablet with USB cable and US$25 worth of software [Control my Nikon / Canon], which you can view / focus/ bracket, even do stacks with.

Saves you having to crawl around, and also makes it a lot easier to operate if you need to have your camera hanging upside down between a tripods legs on a reversed center column, which is a situation even a  right angle finder isn't really that much help.

I suppose it depends if your camera suffers from 'hot pixels' from being in 'Live View' for any length of time, if so, stick with a right angle finder, if not, and you camera is supported by the software, try the modern alternative.

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Nikon D800E
OP Wesley Byrne Contributing Member • Posts: 556
Not for me

I don't think tablet-tethered shooting would work very well for the field photography I do. It might be okay for some sedentary subjects or elaborate rigged shots though.

Stew Volt Senior Member • Posts: 2,375
Re: Not for me

My problem with all electronic screens outdoors is the difficulty I have in simply seeing what's displayed. I use a tilting screen as well as a remote screen and hide them under hats and umbrellas to block out the sky reflections, but the right angle viewfinder is essential for me. I use the Olympus VA-2, which rotates and has a lever for 2x magnification. I believe, but am not certain, that it fits Canon and Panasonic optical viewfinders as well.

blackwiggle Forum Member • Posts: 62
Re: Not for me

I know what you mean.

I made a cardboard screen hood that can be pulled out then flat packed down against the screen.

Pity camera manufactures don't make cameras with duel viewfinders, like they did for first camera, a Ricoh TLS401.

You could just flip the knob on the side of the prism housing to change from standard viewfinder to the above viewfinder.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Ricoh_TLS_401

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