Article
Right Angled Finders
A right angled viewfinder is a great aid
for macro, high and low level photography as well as for copy photography
when you are trying to take pictures of paintings or similar. It attaches to the camera
eyepiece and allows you to have the camera at the right position, but
without the need for you to be an acrobat and have to tie yourself in knots,
or needing a pair of steps
to be able to see through the cameras viewfinder.
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A right angle finder is an L-shaped optical
accessory with a mirror or prism mounted at 45 degrees. It attaches to the
camera's viewfinder eyepiece. The eyepiece tube has 360 degrees of rotation,
click stopped at 45 degree intervals, allowing you to look downwards,
upwards or from either side, into the viewfinder rather than the usual
direct view. It also has an adjustable dioptre eyepiece, making it also
suitable for people who wear glasses, and allowing you to correctly focus
the view so that the image is correct for your eyes. A rubber eye cup helps
to keep external light out of view. There is a switch on top to change
magnification usually 1x and 2x although some manufacturers have also used
2.5x. This magnifies the viewfinders display so the elements around the edge
of the viewfinders window also becomes larger to view.
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Nikon DR-6 in normal position |
| There are various models available, with
both Nikon and Canon manufacturing their own for their range of cameras.
Both Nikon and Canon models are made to their normal high standards and the
optics are clear and crisp. Nikon make different versions for their
rectangular eyepiece, the DR-6 (D300) and the DR-5 (D2X) for their circular
eyepiece mount and for this reason they fit nice and tight. The Nikon
viewfinders also come with a ??? on the side so that it can be attached to a
camera strap or some other system to make it secure, at around £200 you
don't want to risk knocking it off and loosing it. Canon on the other hand
produce one model, the Canon Angle Finder C, but provide adaptors so that it
will fit all their EOS range of cameras. |
Nikon DR-6 in at 45 degrees |
Click on smaller images to see
larger versions
Nikon DR-5 = D2X (circular
eyepiece), retails for around £199.50
Fits D2H, D2X, D700, D3, D3X
Reproduction ratio changeable between 1:1 or 1:2
Lens construction at 1:1 is 7 elements in 5 groups (including Dach-Prism).
At 1:2 is 8 elements in 6 groups (including Dach-Prism).
Diopter adjustment at 1:1 is -8.0 to +3.8m-1. At 1:2 is -5.0 to +6.0m-1.
Dimensions (WxHxD) is approx. 48 x 81.5 x 62mm (1.9 x 3.2 x 2.4 in.)
Weight is approx. 90g (3.17oz)
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Nikon DR-5 + pouch for circular viewfinders |
Nikon DR-6 = D300 (rectangular eyepiece), retails for around
£199.50
Fits D40, D40x, D50, D70, D80, D90, D100, D200, D300
Reproduction ratio changeable between 1:1 or 1:2
Lens construction at 1:1 is 7 elements in 5 groups (including Dach-Prism).
At 1:2 is 8 elements in 6 groups (including Dach-Prism).
Diopter adjustment at 1:1 is -8.0 to +3.8m-1. At 1:2 is -5.0 to +6.0m-1.
Dimensions (WxHxD) is approx. 48 x 81.5 x 59.5mm (1.9 x 3.2 x 2.3 in.)
Weight is approx. 90g (3.17oz)
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Nikon DR-6 + pouch for rectangular viewfinders |
Canon Angle Finder C retails for around £198, it's magnification
is 1x and 2.5x. The one model fits all EOS range of cameras via the use of
supplied adaptors.
There are also
versions made by Seagull and Hoodman USA. Their function is the same and
they to rotate 360 degrees, have magnification of between 1x and 2.5x. They
mount on the camera in the same way but they come with adaptor shields to
fit the various different sizes of viewfinders on all cameras. For this
reason on the Nikon cameras they do not normally fit as snugly as the Nikon
ones, although on their plus side they are a lot cheaper.
Seagull Right Angle Finder
price 03/2009 at
www.speedgraphic.co.uk
 £79.95
1x and 2.5x magnifications.
9 element, 5 group glass roof prism construction.
2.5x centre image enlargement.
+/-4 dioptre adjustable eyesight correction.
Supplied with slot-on adaptors for:
Nikon 22mm rectangular, Canon 18mm rectangular, Canon 22mm
rectangular, Pentax, Leica.
Plus blower brush, and pouch case.
You can also purchase an extra adaptor for the Nikon round eyepiece
for £4.95
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Seagull Model |
Click on smaller images to see
larger versions
Hoodman H-RAV Universal Ring
Angle Finder
retails in the UK for around £105 in 03/2009 available from
www.newprouk.co.uk
- Fits Nikon, Canon, & Fuji Digital
SLR Cameras
- Adjustable eyepiece Dioptre
- 1x & 2.5x Viewing magnification
- 360 Degree Rotation
- 5 adaptors for Universal Mounting
- Carry case Included
- Approx dimensions 88x69x38mm
- Weight 113g
The supplied
mounts with the Hoodman include:
Nikon 22mm rectangle
for the D50, D70s, D70, D100, EM, FG, FG20, N50, N55, N60, N65, N70,
N75, N80, N2000, N2020, N4004, N4004s, N5005, N6000, N6006 and Pronea
6i.
Canon 22mm for cameras
such as the EOS3/30/33, EOS50D/50E/55.
Nikon round 22mm for
the D1, D1H, D1X, D2H, D2X, F3HP, F4, F5, F6, F100, N90, N90s, N8008
and N8008s. Universal 19mm. It doesn't say what this
fits but fits snugly on Konica Minolta's Dynax 7D and the Sony Alpha
100
Canon 18mm for models such as Canon EOS10D, EOS20D,
EOSD30/D60, EOS300D, EOS350D, EOS400D, EOS10, EOS66, 88/88QD, EOS100,
EOS300/300V, EOS500/500N, EOS700/750, EOS850/888, EOS1000N/1000FN,
EOS1/1N/1D/1V. |
Hoodman H-RAV Universal Viewfinder |
Click on smaller images to see
larger versions
| In conclusion I use the Nikon viewfinders
on our Nikon cameras and they are really nice to look through, you get a
clear crisp image, and the change between magnification is not apparent. I
have attached a small chain to the DR-6 so that when I have it in use I can
attach it to another part of the camera body, that way should it come off
the viewfinder mount it will not get lost. I love it when doing macro
photography, particularly when close to the ground as I don't have to lay
down beside the camera to see what I'm getting. It is a permanent addition
to my camera bag. At the recent Focus on Imaging Show (2009) I took
the opportunity to look through and handle the Hoodman and I felt it didn't
fit snugly, it slips onto the eyepiece of camera, you also have an extra
layer of a conversion plate, which was metal but the one at the show was
said to have been yanked off by someone and wasn't fitting problem. Okay I
might be finicky but I was concerned that if that could happen then with a
lot of use, like I make it probably wouldn't last very long. The plate and
attachments on the Hoodman are metal and the metal springs on the plates
that grip hold of the finder are thin and easy to bend. This design doesn't
work as well on a reverse column tripod as the weight of the finder lets it
slip easily out of the adaptor plate, when the camera is upside down. It
needs some form of lock. There was also no hook to allow it to be secured to
the camera when not in use or heaven forbid it should come off when using
it. I didn't think the display through the eyepiece was as clear and crisp
as the Nikon I use, it was dirty and had a yellowy tinge. When I put it into
1x magnification it made the viewer smaller and put black edges around which
I found off putting, at 2x you got the full viewfinder view. If it had a
plus side then I suppose price is it, although you would only have to loose
it once before you spend as much as you would for the Nikon version. |
DR-5 mounted on Nikon D2x |
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