Inon 45 degree view finder?

Hello-

I am considering purchasing an Inon 45 degree viewfinder. Does anyone use one? I am curious weather or not it obstructs the view of the DSLR screen on the back of the camera? I am shooting a D200 in a sea and sea housing.

I appreciate the info

Cheers!

I have the Inon 45 degree viewfinder on my Canon 50D in an Ikelite housing, and there's really no significant impact on the view of the screen. I am generally very happy with the viewfinder.

I just got the Inon 45-degree viewfinder for my S&S D300 housing, and just made 12 dives with it last week in Lembeh. On my housing, it definitely obstructs the view of the LCD on the camera back. If you rotate the viewfinder for a Portrait shot, its better, but still partially blocked and topside, i found it to be quite annoying.

Underwater it's better. I didn't really notice the blockage much. It's still pretty easy to see the LCD if you just tilt the camera down a bit...

I got to admit the viewfinder takes a lot of getting used to, at least for me... With the 105mm lens, I spent a LOT of time just trying to find the darn subject... the 45 degree offset was a real challenge for me. I did find myself getting better over time, and once you do find the subject, the view is great!!

I was fortunate to be diving with Takako Uno and Stephen Wong, and they told me there is a 20-dive learning curve with the viewfinder, so I am not too alarmed...

Good luck, and if you get the viewfinder, please share your experience!

20-dive learning experience for Stephen and Takako maybe. Mere mortals take longer.

I've got a 45 degree finder on my Subal. It terrific. Cllipping of the LCD screen is minor - tilt the camera slightly and its solved.

One slightly annoying if trivial thing: the rubber eye protector is disintegrating after only 12 months and probabaly 200 dives. I'm going to have to replace it. But that could be Lembeh water rather than a fault with the rubber. God knows what's in the water around here.....

I agree that it's tricky with the 105mm, as I have to work very hard at pointing the lens in the right direction. With other lenses it's really nice. I haven't had a problem eyeballing RGB histograms, but I don't look at the detail of my shots underwater, just checking exposure and overall composition by lifting up my housing.

Tim