Inon Viewfinder - Straight or 45 degree

Has anyone had experience with using an Inon Viewfinder?

I have a choice of the 45 degree or Straight version for my Nexus housing.

No problems with installation - I am wondering about the differences in using the two versions, and why you would choose one over the other.

Thanks

I have the 45 degree version on my Ikelite housing for my Canon 50D. I really like it. Two things take getting used to - overcoming the natural inclination to bring the camera up to a straight-ahead view, which is what we've all been doing over the years, and the need to turn the viewfinder when you turn the camera 90 degrees for vertical shots. But you adjust to these quickly. I like it because it helps allow you to follow one of the major rules of underwater photography ("shoot up") more easily, without necessarily getting on the bottom and stirring things up or just generally having to get your body/neck in a tricky position. In my setup, it also improves in general the view of the viewfinder. I've not used the straight-ahead version.

Good luck!

Ken

I use the 45 degree too and love it. The only problems I have are hunting for subjects when doing supermacro... its that much harder when you are working at an angle...

i have used both and would generally say, that i prefer the 45° viewfinder. you get used to finding things in the viewfinder pretty quick (in the beginning you always aim too high) ... and i find the 45° also very suitable for wideangle. i shoot exclusivly 45° with all lenses.

i tried the straight viewfinder for one trip ... i could not see any advantage in it except for quick and easy changing to verticals

serge

I use the 45 degree viewfinder and i love it. Another bonus of using the 45 is that no-one else wants to borrow my housing cos they hate it!

Serge, I'm in Jakarta now - need me to get you a sensor cleaning kit before lembeh?

45 degree viewfinders take some getting used to - but are addictive once you have. Everyone hates them for the first 3-10 dives. So make sure you plan a week of diving after you get one - so that you can get used to it properly. Folks who just do a few dives each month - really struggle to get used to them - because they never use them long enough to adapt.

The only shot I don't like them for are shots of critters (e.g. flounder) taken directly from above - when the angle is a pain.

I also like them in drysuits or thick semi-dry suits - where you have reduced neck movements.

Alex

I use the 45 degree viewfinder and i love it. Another bonus of using the 45 is that no-one else wants to borrow my housing cos they hate it!

I can attest to that... took me 10 mins to find a bloody pipefish through that thing!

hated it..

I have the 45 degree version on my Ikelite housing for my Canon 50D. I really like it. Two things take getting used to - overcoming the natural inclination to bring the camera up to a straight-ahead view, which is what we've all been doing over the years, and the need to turn the viewfinder when you turn the camera 90 degrees for vertical shots. But you adjust to these quickly. I like it because it helps allow you to follow one of the major rules of underwater photography ("shoot up") more easily, without necessarily getting on the bottom and stirring things up or just generally having to get your body/neck in a tricky position. In my setup, it also improves in general the view of the viewfinder. I've not used the straight-ahead version.

 

Good luck!

 

Ken

Does it increase the size of the image in the viewfinder and can you see the entire viewfinder in one go. I struggle on the standard housing as I can't fee the whole viewfinder in one go. Is it a straight swap or does the housing need to be modified? (Ikelite)

Cheers

Duncan

Duncan, it does help increase your ability to see the entire viewfinder, and I think it slightly increases the size of the image. It does require a modification to the housing; I happened to buy a new housing and the viewfinder at the same time from Backscatter and they installed the viewfinder before shipping the housing.

Hope this helps!

Ken

I have a straight viewfinder in a Seatool. It took some getting used to also.

Does it increase the size of the image in the viewfinder and can you see the entire viewfinder in one go. I struggle on the standard housing as I can't fee the whole viewfinder in one go. Is it a straight swap or does the housing need to be modified? (Ikelite)

 

Cheers

 

Duncan

Yes, it gives a nice magnified view.

Some housings need to be modified, mine didn't. I swap out the viewfinder for travel.

In an ideal world you might have a "straight" viewfinder for super-macro, and a "bent" viewfinder for everything else...

I have found the 45-degree finder quite useful, twisted to the side, for over/under shots...

I'm not sure about the benefits of a horizontal in-water position, as Alex said that it made life more difficult for me in Raja Ampat (images soon)!

Tim

I was wondering how the Inon straight view finder compared to the Subal 180 magnifying view finder. I have had a look through the subal view finder and was very impressed. Unfortunately the only viewfinders that I can fit to my sea & sea housing are the Inon finders. The Inon straight view finder would suit me better and I was wondering how the size, brightness and sharpness of the image compare with the subal as this is my point of reference.

Thanks

For Ikelite housings, there is a nice 45 degree enlarged viewfinder sold by a French company which attaches easily to the ring around the standard viewfinder on the housing. It is really identical to the Inon finder (and apparently made in collaboration with Inon), except for the clamp-on feature. I can be removed & reattached underwater if you like. I have had this for two years (used with a Canon 40D in an Ike housing) and have been very happy with it. A huge improvement over the standard Ike viewfinder and I really like the 45 deg angle.

It sells for 590 Euro and I had no problems ordering by phone with a credit card from the US. See: http://www.plongimage.com/product_info.php...roducts_id=1081

Mike

For Ikelite housings, there is a nice 45 degree enlarged viewfinder sold by a French company which attaches easily to the ring around the standard viewfinder on the housing. It is really identical to the Inon finder (and apparently made in collaboration with Inon), except for the clamp-on feature. I can be removed & reattached underwater if you like. I have had this for two years (used with a Canon 40D in an Ike housing) and have been very happy with it. A huge improvement over the standard Ike viewfinder and I really like the 45 deg angle.

 

It sells for 590 Euro and I had no problems ordering by phone with a credit card from the US. See: http://www.plongimage.com/product_info.php...roducts_id=1081

 

Mike

Thanks for that info, never heard of that one!

But, no one (as far as I can tell) has commented the problem with viewfinders that it covers the display more or less. How big is this issue? I mean, how hard is it to review your shots on the display when you have a viewfinder attached? (I especially wonder about this on an Ike system).

/Peter

Thanks for that info, never heard of that one!

 

But, no one (as far as I can tell) has commented the problem with viewfinders that it covers the display more or less. How big is this issue? I mean, how hard is it to review your shots on the display when you have a viewfinder attached? (I especially wonder about this on an Ike system).

 

 

/Peter

Peter,

My experience with the easily attachable 45 degree finder on the Ike 40D housing is that the LCD display is not significantly blocked. You just need to tilt the housing a bit forward to see the entire display. You can also swivel the viewfinder sideways to improve the view.

Mike

I have a Inon 45 degree viewfinder and it is working great especially when you took pictures at a low position.

A friend of my has a aquatica housing and for him i made an adaptor so he can use also a Inon viewfinder.

http://gallery.zweijtzer.nl/v/Duiktools/On...SC4755.jpg.html

Both Reef and Backscatter seem to have installations of the Inon viewfinder for Subal but Reef's is considerably more expensive. Any reason to choose it over the Backscatter install?

http://reefphoto.com/index.php?main_page=p...5d6b45577520710

http://www.backscatter.com/HostedStore.Las...=Ascending&

I have a Inon 45 degree viewfinder and it is working great especially when you took pictures at a low position.

A friend of my has a aquatica housing and for him i made an adaptor so he can use also a Inon viewfinder.

http://gallery.zweijtzer.nl/v/Duiktools/On...SC4755.jpg.html

For me the advantage of a 45 degree viewfinder is obvious. Foremost in our murky waters where you have to keep yourself clear of the bottom. Also if you want to catch some daylight in your pictures you have to put your camera as near to the bottom as possible and point your camera a little bit to the surface. Without a 45 degree viewfinder this is very hard to do, so it almost made me decide not to buy an Aquatica house because they haven’t got one.

Lucky for me, Cor is very handy and made a modification on a standard Inon Viewfinder. Cor did a very good job and it fits perfectly on the Aquatica house.

Thanks Cor!