Hi,

I have a question regarding the Nauticam 45° viewfinder NA-32203 and I’m unsure what it actually looks like in real use. According to my research, the viewfinder is compatible with my Nauticam NA-A7CII housing, but it may require an additional adapter.

However, my research also indicates that these viewfinders are less optimal for cameras like my A7CII, and that the viewfinder image may not be fully sharp or may appear soft at the edges.

My question is whether anyone can provide more detailed information about this. I’m currently using an underwater monitor, but the topic of viewfinders still interests me from time to time, and in my opinion, it takes several dives to really find out what would work best.

Therefore, I’m grateful for any feedback.
Tino

I use my original 45deg viewfinder with a Z8 which has the same warning about size and clipping the EVF. However the Z8 had a "shrink EVF" option that reduces it slightly. With this setting the EVF if fully viewable with the old 45. Some Sony models have a similar option. Look it up for your camera.

No doubt the newer model is better, but is it $2000 better?

On 12/6/2025 at 6:42 AM, Tino Dietsche said:

Hi,

I have a question regarding the Nauticam 45° viewfinder NA-32203 and I’m unsure what it actually looks like in real use. According to my research, the viewfinder is compatible with my Nauticam NA-A7CII housing, but it may require an additional adapter.

However, my research also indicates that these viewfinders are less optimal for cameras like my A7CII, and that the viewfinder image may not be fully sharp or may appear soft at the edges.

My question is whether anyone can provide more detailed information about this. I’m currently using an underwater monitor, but the topic of viewfinders still interests me from time to time, and in my opinion, it takes several dives to really find out what would work best.

Therefore, I’m grateful for any feedback.
Tino

The older viewfinders will require an adapter that fits through the plexiglass on the back of the housing. I had to do that with for my Nauticam A7c housing.

I think monitors are a great but bulky choice. I’m looking at trying one, as I am also trying to shoot more video.

On 12/6/2025 at 3:03 PM, Dave_Hicks said:

I use my original 45deg viewfinder with a Z8 which has the same warning about size and clipping the EVF. However the Z8 had a "shrink EVF" option that reduces it slightly. With this setting the EVF if fully viewable with the old 45. Some Sony models have a similar option. Look it up for your camera.

No doubt the newer model is better, but is it $2000 better?

Hi Dave,
I have been using the attached 45 viewfinder with my Nauticam OM-1 housing and wanted to use the same viewfinder with a Z8 housing however it does not appear to fit well as it is 'too short'.

I have seen different collar adapters online but I am not sure which one I need as I dont know the exact model of my viewfinder, it could be a na-32205 or na-32203.

Does anyone know what collar adapter I need for it to work with a Nauticam Z8?

Thanks

2 hours ago, Igor Ledo Lizarraga said:

Hi Dave,
I have been using the attached 45 viewfinder with my Nauticam OM-1 housing and wanted to use the same viewfinder with a Z8 housing however it does not appear to fit well as it is 'too short'.

I have seen different collar adapters online but I am not sure which one I need as I dont know the exact model of my viewfinder, it could be a na-32205 or na-32203.

Does anyone know what collar adapter I need for it to work with a Nauticam Z8?

Thanks

That one looks like the original 45° viewfinder, the difference between the two versions is the nosepiece that fits into the housing. This is the manual which shows the difference, one of which is the 32203 has alignment pins while the 32205 has a flat section cutout. Your looks ike a 32205:

https://www.nauticam.cn/upload/portal/20190124/201901241132017209.pdf

When you say it's too short what exactly do you mean? Does the nose go in the viewfinder hole far enough to fit the retaining o-ring? If not you need a different nosepiece. I believe this collar adapter is what you would need to turn your 32205 into a 32203:

Nauticam

Viewfinder Collar Adaptor for 32204 (from A153408) and 32...

Allows for the 45/º viewfinders to be adapted from MIL to DSLR housings. Instruction Manual PDF Download

Again you would need to confirm this with Nauticam or a dealer. If someone can confirm they are using a 32203 on a Z8 housing this seems to be what you would need to adapt it.

15 hours ago, Chris Ross said:

That one looks like the original 45° viewfinder, the difference between the two versions is the nosepiece that fits into the housing. This is the manual which shows the difference, one of which is the 32203 has alignment pins while the 32205 has a flat section cutout. Your looks ike a 32205:

https://www.nauticam.cn/upload/portal/20190124/201901241132017209.pdf

When you say it's too short what exactly do you mean? Does the nose go in the viewfinder hole far enough to fit the retaining o-ring? If not you need a different nosepiece. I believe this collar adapter is what you would need to turn your 32205 into a 32203:

Nauticam

Viewfinder Collar Adaptor for 32204 (from A153408) and 32...

Allows for the 45/º viewfinders to be adapted from MIL to DSLR housings. Instruction Manual PDF Download

Again you would need to confirm this with Nauticam or a dealer. If someone can confirm they are using a 32203 on a Z8 housing this seems to be what you would need to adapt it.

Thank you. Yes I meant the collar is not long enough so cannot fit the retaining o-ring.
This clarifies and confirms I currently have a 32205 but I need a 32203 to fit my NA Z8 housing https://www.nauticam.cn/upload/portal/20190124/201901241132017209.pdf
My confusion came from the fact that the description for the 32203 says 'DSLR' which the Z8 is not so I assumed I needed a MIL collar adapter instead of a DSLR collar adapter.

It looks like the old 45 DSLR viewfinder just works on the Z8
https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/3071-questions-about-45%C2%B0-viewfinder-na-32203/#findComment-20934
I will ask my Nauticam dealer anyway but I wanted to avoid the 'is not fully compatible' response as I understand this can be resolved by reducing the viewfinder size on the Z8 to small which has appeared in multiple posts already.

10 hours ago, Igor Ledo Lizarraga said:

Thank you. Yes I meant the collar is not long enough so cannot fit the retaining o-ring.
This clarifies and confirms I currently have a 32205 but I need a 32203 to fit my NA Z8 housing https://www.nauticam.cn/upload/portal/20190124/201901241132017209.pdf
My confusion came from the fact that the description for the 32203 says 'DSLR' which the Z8 is not so I assumed I needed a MIL collar adapter instead of a DSLR collar adapter.

It looks like the old 45 DSLR viewfinder just works on the Z8
https://waterpixels.net/forums/topic/3071-questions-about-45%C2%B0-viewfinder-na-32203/#findComment-20934
I will ask my Nauticam dealer anyway but I wanted to avoid the 'is not fully compatible' response as I understand this can be resolved by reducing the viewfinder size on the Z8 to small which has appeared in multiple posts already.

So you could see if you buy the viewfinder collar adapter to attach to your viewfinder this converts a 33205 into a 33203. Link is provided above. It's Nauticam 90156.