45 degree viewfinder

Hi Ya'all, just returned from Anilao Philippines, shooting al macro one of our great photographers, Jeff de Guzman was there and he was using a 45 degree viewfinder and it would help me get down below the subject better if I were to use one BUT since it is pretty pricie I wonder what the general consensus is of this piece of equipment. Let me hear from you with a bit of a discussion. Wackydiver Marilyn

I think they are great, but as you've said, pricey.

At first I didn't like mine - I just couldn't get my eye lined up quick enough, but after 10 or 15 dives, I had no problem at all - I just needed to get used to it.

Been using it over 5 years now and glad I bought it

With the cost, they are a long term investment. I would ensure that you have interchangeable viewfinders on whichever housing you have, so when you next upgrade your housing you can keep the same viewfinder (you can on Seacam's but I'm not sure about other manufacturer's).

cheers

Steve

Great advice Steve. I hate to loose 10 to 15 dives with poor pictures. Every dive counts. Maybe I could get in the pool to practice. M

Need to know what brand name 45 degree viewfinder you use Steve. Marilyn

My experience:

- great for wide-angles

- great with a 60mm macro (and probably a 105mm macro on a full-frame sensor)

- difficult with a 105mm on a cropped sensor (small field of view, difficult to line up subjects)

- difficult in the vertical orientation, even when the finder swivels easily (strobe arms hit your forehead)

- used sideways, works quite well for "over/unders"!

Tim

I really like the 45 for macro shooting, especially when diving Muck. I personally do not like using it for wide angle shots and find it difficult when shooting sharks and big animals. I think the 180 is a better all around VF, or if you can swing having both, then thats the way to go! haha

Got one on my Subal for the D300. I don't want to think about what it cost me: but I LOVE it. I have no problems using it for most anything - although I did find it tricky photographing whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef. Tracking them required some practice: not to mention finning like crazy

I agonised over the purchase given the cost - but it was an excellent decision and it has really made a difference to my pics. And like others have said, its an investment: in what I love doing.

I would most certainly buy one again.