Angle finder c for Canon SLRs?

rutt · November 8, 2004

Does anyone own one of these (I know someone does.) How well does it work for waist level photography? Do you have to put your eye to it, or can you just look down at it from a few feet away like using a Roliflex or similar?

Andy · November 8, 2004

rutt wrote:

Does anyone own one of these (I know someone does.) How well does it work for waist level photography? Do you have to put your eye to it, or can you just look down at it from a few feet away like using a Roliflex or similar?

it's an eye-thingie, not like a ground-glass rollieflex

i'm after one myself, rutt

here's a pic (from b&h)

and the specs are here

pathfinder · November 8, 2004

rutt wrote:

Does anyone own one of these (I know someone does.) How well does it work for waist level photography? Do you have to put your eye to it, or can you just look down at it from a few feet away like using a Roliflex or similar?

It is slow to use, dark as a result of magnification, and does not allow eye relief - like Andy said, ya gotta get your eye right up close to it. I tried to use it in the slot canyons and just found it no help at all in the dark, dusty crowded conditions. I suspect that it might be very useful in controlled, bright studio conditions.

What I hear you saying, is that DSLRs are not the best tool for street shooting, that a waist level finder is much more effective in the street/candid venue and I strongly agree. Pointing a DSLR at many folks is like pointing a flashlight at a deer - bling, and they're gone! I use a G5 with the LCD screen for candids sometimes as a waist level viewer. I am still waiting for a nice range finder digital with an APS sensor and a nice large waist level useable LCD EVF.

rutt · November 8, 2004

Remember the Nikon F? It had interchangable finders, including a waist level finder that allowed it to be used like a Roliflex or similar. See:
http://www.cameraquest.com/nfinder.htm
if you don't remember this, and search for "waist level".

This is never going to happen in the digital age. But there is no reason the LDC of a DSLR couldn't function as a waist level finder. In some of the Oly prosumer cameras (E10) it sort of did, but slowed the camera down for some reason. With the processing power of a 1Dmkii, you'd think this could be accomplished (and the box is big enough to fit a third cpu.)

cmr164 · November 8, 2004

pathfinder wrote:

...
What I hear you saying, is that DSLRs are not the best tool for street shooting, that a waist level finder is much more effective in the street/candid venue and I strongly agree. Pointing a DSLR at many folks is like pointing a flashlight at a deer - bling, and they're gone! I use a G5 with the LCD screen for candids sometimes as a waist level viewer. I am still waiting for a nice range finder digital with an APS sensor and a nice large waist level useable LCD EVF.

I really enjoyed my first 35mm SLR. It was a Miranda Sensorex and the interchangeable prisms could slide off and I could use the ground glass.

ahhh... the good old days

pathfinder · November 8, 2004

rutt wrote:

Remember the Nikon F? It had interchangable finders, including a waist level finder that allowed it to be used like a Roliflex or similar. See:
http://www.cameraquest.com/nfinder.htm
if you don't remember this, and search for "waist level".

This is never going to happen in the digital age. But there is no reason the LDC of a DSLR couldn't function as a waist level finder. In some of the Oly prosumer cameras (E10) it sort of did, but slowed the camera down for some reason. With the processing power of a 1Dmkii, you'd think this could be accomplished (and the box is big enough to fit a third cpu.)

I have a Canon F1, that also used a sportsfinder that could be used at arms length or waist level also I believe - was used in a housing for underwater photography long time ago....

Angle finder c for Canon SLRs?

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