Nauticam Viewfinder.

Hi Folks,

a question for the Nauticam reps on this forum. Is Nauticam looking at producing a version of the Viewfinder without the adjustable diopter?

I have two reasons for asking, one it would make for a cheaper option and two I'm concerned that the diopter adjuster knob could easily be bumped

thus throwing off the view focus. Why does it have to be such a pronounced knob anyway as it's not as if you'd be regularly adjusting the diopter. A

more flush dial/disc with perhaps a coin slot for turning could be more appropriate and certainly more streamlined.

Cheers,

Jim.

Hi Jim,

As best I am aware it's not their intention.

If your coming up to the Byron Bay Shootout you can demo one on your housing.

Hope to see you up there.

Peter

G'day Jim,

I've been shooting with one for the last few months. At first I was worried about the same thing, but it's not something that's troubled me at all in practise. Once I've set it for where I need it, it's good to go.

I did find one case when it was a bonus being able to change it on the go as well. I bumped the camera's dioptre so it was way out for my eye, which I didnt realise until I was in the water. The Nauticam viewinder meant I could then adjust it externally to get everything correct again!

And now you've got another good reason to come up to the Byron shootout!

Ryan.

I would love to get up to Byron for some diving but my current finances and work simply won't allow me to make the trip at this point

in time. I'm not really into the whole competition, shoot-out thing but it would be great to catch up with the local divers and all of

those from around the country making the trip. Maybe next year for me and here's hoping that this years one is a great success

for all concerned

Cheers,

Jim.

I would consider an external diopter adjustment capability an excellent feature. I use a Seacam D700 housing with Seacam's 45 degree finder and the diopter adjustment must be done on land and by breaking the watertight seal by unscrewing the eyepiece collar. And so there is always the question of whether the view on land, even with my prescription dive mask, is exactly the same as viewing underwater with water between the mask and viewfinder eyepiece. And on some days my eyes just seem a little different. The ability to fine tune the viewfinder while underwater would be very nice to have. So nice that I want to see the Nautica 180 viewfinder and decide whether I can adapt it to my Seacam housing rather than buying Seacam's viewfinder which cannot be adjusted underwater.

Also, if you are diving with a friend and are allow them to look through your camera and allow them to take a few shots of their own, then the ability to change the diopter adjustment during the dive, depending on who is using the camera, is an excellent feature.

Fred

Also, if you are diving with a friend and are allow them to look through your camera and allow them to take a few shots of their own, then the ability to change the diopter adjustment during the dive, depending on who is using the camera, is an excellent feature.

 

Fred

What! Hand my camera over to someone else to use UW! Inconceivable!!!

Cheers,

Jim.

I do it with some frequency. It allows someone else to see how a particular lens works or views a subject. And if you allow them to also take shots of their own, you are sharing the dive experience more fully. And that can meke almost any dive that much better - sharing it with someone else.

Fred

I do it with some frequency. It allows someone else to see how a particular lens works or views a subject. And if you allow them to also take shots of their own, you are sharing the dive experience more fully. And that can meke almost any dive that much better - sharing it with someone else.

 

Fred

Jim has done it once, so I could take a picture of him wearing a barnacle encrusted cap.

This is the only documented case of it that I know of.

Speaking as someone with eyes that have different diopters who does switch which eye I use on occasion, I find it a godsend. An ability to somehow lock it against accidental turning would probably be good for most people though.

Otara

I haven't seen this viewfinder yet, so I only making a conjecture. Would it be possible to place an o-ring around the diopter knob to add to its resistance to being turned? OR what about placing a colored (white?) mark on the knob and a series of marks on the viewfinder so that you can easily see if the setting has been changed and put it back to "your spot" very easily?

Fred

Since posting my previous comments I have recently purchased a Nauticam viewfinder. And with the help of a machine shop friend, made an adapter to use it on my Seacam D700 housings. Took about a hour and a short length of delrin (acetyl) plus a couple o-rings. The Nauticam viewfincer seems to provide a pretty good image visually, though I don't have a Seacam 180 degree finder for a direct comparison.

My recollections of the last time I saw and handled the Seacam 180 viewfinder (on land) is that the Seacam viewfinder is physically significantly longer and heavier than the Nauticam. This would change the balance of the housing more and force you to hold it farther from your mask than would the Nauticam. The Seacam viewfinder does not have the in-the-water diopter adjustment.

I agree with others that the Nauticam diopter adjustment knob turns a little too easily. It also turns about 5 full revolutions over its whole diopter adjustment range. So even with painted alingnment marks, you would still have to count revolutions to set a desired adjustment without looking through the viewfinder, which is not too hard. There is a small gap between the diopter adjustment knob and the body of the viewfinder, but an o-ring could slip too far under this knob as it is now. I will file a beveled edge on the knob and look for a suitable thicker o-ring. I will also paint a couple alignment marks for my "preferred" diopter adjustment on the Nauticam viewfinder.

Fred

I just set it where I wanted it and wrapped a bit of Gaffa over the top to stop it rotating.

Cheers

Chriso

Using gaffer tape to "lock" a diopter setting would make it difficult or impossible to share the camera with anyone who needs a different diopter setting. For me, this ability to change the diopter setting easily is a significant factor in my choosing the Nauticam viewfinder in preference to Seacam's own 180 degree viewfinder. I will pursue the o-ring friction plus index marks option.

By the way, the Nauticam to Seacam adapter I made worked quite well during the dives I used it during a recent trip to Bali.

Fred

Using gaffer tape to "lock" a diopter setting would make it difficult or impossible to share the camera with anyone who needs a different diopter setting.

Fred

Fred "Share the camera"?

Are you serious, Mate if anyone even attempted to touch my rig they would lose a testical.

During the five years I was with my last serious girlfriend, I let her use one of my F5 housings whenever she wanted it, which was virtually every dive. And made a piece marine styrofoam floatation for that housing so it was virtually neutral in the water so she could handle it easier. And when we tried our first digital camera, a Fuji S2 in an Ikelite housing, I didn't like it and gave it to her.

What can I say. Obviously Chriso and JimSwims are selfish MF's who miss out on one of the real pleasures of diving, really sharing the experience with another person. And have such an inferiority complex about the quality of their own images that they don't dare risk that someone else might get a better shot with their camera than they do.

Fred

What can I say. Obviously Chriso and JimSwims are selfish MF's who miss out on one of the real pleasures of diving, really sharing the experience with another person. And have such an inferiority complex about the quality of their own images that they don't dare risk that someone else might get a better shot with their camera than they do.

 

Fred

I really hope you're kidding because it isnt entirely obvious that you are. Otherwise, just um, wow.

Anyhow the real reason Jim doesnt offer his rig often is he just didnt want to insult me with his satanic Nikon setup. It kind of burns just touching it.

Otara

Well, my wife has her own housing and takes some excellent images with it! Generally though we tend to shoot different lenses which gives two perspectives on the dive, usually complimentary. However, whilst dioptric correction is set on my viewfinder, I mustn't have shifted it far because when I've loaned out viewfinders or used my wife's, or she uses mine, neither I nor anyone else has reported a problem. Far more of a problem is getting accurately set up prescription lenses in masks - at the moment I use a 'simple' corrective lens (not prescription) in one side of my mask and my wife is having prescription lenses prepared again. Personally I would suggest that corrective lenses are a better route to go down and will require far less correction on the viewfinder. It also helps you to see better underwater which is handy too.

What can I say. Obviously Chriso and JimSwims are selfish MF's who miss out on one of the real pleasures of diving, really sharing the experience with another person. And have such an inferiority complex about the quality of their own images that they don't dare risk that someone else might get a better shot with their camera than they do.

What's wrong with you? Someone piss in your coffee?

A lot of photographers (myself included) choose to dive alone, so they can concentrate on their photography, rather than on what their buddy is doing.

I also dive from time to time with my girlfriend, who is starting to act as my spotter, but has no interest in actually taking UW photos, she prefers the end result.

During the five years I was with my last serious girlfriend, I let her use one of my F5 housings whenever she wanted it, which was virtually every dive. And made a piece marine styrofoam floatation for that housing so it was virtually neutral in the water so she could handle it easier. And when we tried our first digital camera, a Fuji S2 in an Ikelite housing, I didn't like it and gave it to her.

 

What can I say. Obviously Chriso and JimSwims are selfish MF's who miss out on one of the real pleasures of diving, really sharing the experience with another person. And have such an inferiority complex about the quality of their own images that they don't dare risk that someone else might get a better shot with their camera than they do.

 

Fred

Wow! I sure hope that this is a misguided attempt at humour, the problem with internet is sarcasm usually comes out the wrong way.

Unlike yourself Fred I don't dive to bond with my girlfriend. I dive 99% of the time with other photographers who are carrying their own

rigs. For me I share the experiences that we are privileged to witness and record and then continue to share them in cyberspace. The desire

to share with others that may not dive is one of the main reasons that I started doing UWP.

Back to the original subject matter-

I have found the Nauticam viewfinder to be a great addition to my Nexus rig. Composing tight images was a real headache without it and I've loved

having the camera data right there to check too. Although it is quite bulky it has actually balanced up my rig nicely, especially with the 60mm lens

on the front. The adjustment dial certainly has not caused any issues for me.

Cheers,

Jim.

Sorry Jim,

No humor was intended. I didn't dive with my girlfriend for the purpose of bonding. Simply for the pleasure of sharing the discoveries, the things we found, and the experience. And on an occasional dive, either she or I would dive without a camera. And hunt for critters for the other or play model for the other. If I am not traveling and diving with someone, I often dive alone, as I did on my most recent trip to Bali. Probably half of my approximately 5000 dives have been solo. In Bali last month, I hunted for and found my own subjects. But diving with a good buddy adds a second pair of eyes to the hunt and the possibility to shoot the subject from two points of view, not just one. Or with a good buddy who has their own rig, you can as Paul Kay said, each dive with a different lens. And then have the possibility to swap rigs back an forth. And each shoot a subject in at least two totally different ways.

Chriso went so far as to say,"Fred "Share the camera"? Are you serious, Mate if anyone even attempted to touch my rig they would lose a testical." Is that supposed to be an attempt at macho male humor? - that someone would lose a testical if they attempted to touch his rig? I find no humor in threats of physical violence and think such statements say a whole lot about the person who makes them.

Jim also said,"Back to the original subject matter-I have found the Nauticam viewfinder to be a great addition to my Nexus rig. Composing tight images was a real headache without it and I've loved

having the camera data right there to check too. Although it is quite bulky it has actually balanced up my rig nicely, especially with the 60mm lens

on the front. The adjustment dial certainly has not caused any issues for me.

My original posts concerning the Nauticam viewfinder were on the viewfinder itself. I related that I made my own adapter for my Seacam housing since Nauticam does not make one. And during the Bali trip, found the viewfinder quite satisfactory. I also suggested that there were differences between the Nauticam viewfinder other than the external diopter adjustment. I mentioned size and weight of Nauticam viewfinder vs what I remembered about the Seacam 180 viewfinder which I hoped might be of use to other WetPixelites

I did the same thing, included facts and pictures after my first dives with Seacam's fisheye macro port and the Sigma 15mm fisheye.

Fred

Chriso went so far as to say,"Fred "Share the camera"? Are you serious, Mate if anyone even attempted to touch my rig they would lose a testical." Is that supposed to be an attempt at macho male humor? - that someone would lose a testical if they attempted to touch his rig? I find no humor in threats of physical violence and think such statements say a whole lot about the person who makes them.