Anyone tried the Nauticam 45 deg viewfinder?

How does the viewfinder size compare to the Nauticam 180 deg and Inon 45 deg viewfinders?

Nauticam 45° viewfinder

The enhanced 45° viewfinder is another new addition to your housing; it is able to provide a bright, clear and undistorted 1:1 image of the camera's finder and is most advantageous for precise focusing and artistic composition.

 

Long sighted or short sighted? The viewfinder features an external knob for eyesight compensation; hassle-free dioptor adjustment can now be easily performed even when you are underwater, no disassembling of the viewfinder is necessary. The viewfinder also features a 360° rotating viewfinder body to suit different view angle.

 

The casing is made of anodised aluminium, all lenses and prisms in the viewfinder are precisely ground and multi - layer coated to ensure optimum light transmission and no distortion.

 

With Nauticam housings, it is simple to switch between the standard 0.66x and our two patented viewfinder and with our specially designed adaptors, it can also be used on Ikelite, Aquatica, Sea & Sea and Nexus housings.

 

 

 

KEY FEATURES

 

Dimension: 124mmx86mmx85mm

Weight: 477.8g

Depth rating: 100m

 

Casing body: Anodised aluminum alloy

Optical glass: F4/K9 with enhance multi-layer anti-reflective coating

Prism : With enhance multi-layer anti-reflective coating

How does the viewfinder size compare to the Nauticam 180 deg and Inon 45 deg viewfinders?

Hi onewolf,

The Nauticam 45º VF is not shipping yet - very soon though. Can't wait to try it myself. On the Nauticam product page, there is a pic showing it next to the 180º VF.

Cheers,

Cp

We tried it on the most recent trip. Seems like same optics as the 180 degree, I'd like to say that I think it is very impressive, but I'll likely have my post removed for overt commercialism.

Alex M was with us on the trip and used the viewfinder for the week so will be giving his objective opinions when back from his latest trip.

Full report due when I get a break from shooting. It is a very good viewfinder.

I had used the Inon 45 degree on the D7000 (in Iceland) having used the Nauticam 180 before that. I prefered the Nauticam 180 to the Inon 45, but used the Inon in Iceland as it was easier for swapping between my Subal and the Nauticam and not having a change in viewfinder angle.

Anyway, I wasn't that happy with the Inon 45 degree on the D7000, which was noticeably poorer than my Subal 45 on my D700. So went back to the 180 after Iceland. But now seem to have the best of both - as the Nauticam 45 is much better than the Inon 45 - but likely to cost quite a bit more too.

Alex

Hi onewolf,

 

The Nauticam 45º VF is not shipping yet - very soon though. Can't wait to try it myself. On the Nauticam product page, there is a pic showing it next to the 180º VF.

 

Cheers,

Cp

Will you have one on the MV Spree Dry Tortugas trip?

I held one! I want one!! I can't afford even more stuff!!! Basically, what do I need most (advice can be given, but not by Alsky72): a second body, a mini-dome or a superior viewfinder?

Tim

Will you have one on the MV Spree Dry Tortugas trip?

Yes! We will definitely try to have one or two at least on that trip.

I held one! I want one!! I can't afford even more stuff!!! Basically, what do I need most (advice can be given, but not by Alsky72): a second body, a mini-dome or a superior viewfinder?

All three of course. : )

Cheers,

Cp

I held one! I want one!! I can't afford even more stuff!!! Basically, what do I need most (advice can be given, but not by Alsky72): a second body, a mini-dome or a superior viewfinder?

I asked for a second body but my wife insists I am limited to one...and only from time to time with that one.

I asked for a second body but my wife insists I am limited to one...and only from time to time with that one.

Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker - Ogden Nash

I held one! I want one!! I can't afford even more stuff!!! Basically, what do I need most (advice can be given, but not by Alsky72): a second body, a mini-dome or a superior viewfinder?

 

Tim

 

I would vote for the mini-dome. There are shots you can get with that that you can't get with a large dome and while the finder is amazing, it probably won't help you get shots that you couldn't get otherwise.

Bill

I'm with Bill on the choice of the little dome Tim. I love mine and it gives you the opportunity to make some images you just can't get with the big dome. The viewfinder is my next major purchase so I'd list the spare body as last but part of that is based on my experience with the good realibility of the 7D and I usually carry my 40D rig along as a back up.

Have fun,

Steve

I'm with Bill on the choice of the little dome Tim. I love mine and it gives you the opportunity to make some images you just can't get with the big dome. The viewfinder is my next major purchase so I'd list the spare body as last but part of that is based on my experience with the good realibility of the 7D and I usually carry my 40D rig along as a back up.

 

Have fun,

Steve

That and the fact that I just bought (of course) the Inon finder for the Nauticam. It is quite nice and I am afraid to actually go see one of the Nauticam versions cause if it is a lot better then I will be really steamed.

Bill

Don't look then Bill, don't look!

I've begun to get worried about you guys so I've added a picture of something I am drooling over at the moment for reasons of bringing back some sanity.

I've begun to get worried about you guys so I've added a picture of something I am drooling over at the moment for reasons of bringing back some sanity.

Does it come with a 45 deg viewfinder?????????

Don't look then Bill, don't look!

I won't want to but Ryan/Chris will probably force me.

Bill

I agree with John that the Zagato is very tasty! Although being an aston if it had a 45 degree finder it would probably fall off!

Alex

I agree with John that the Zagato is very tasty! Although being an aston if it had a 45 degree finder it would probably fall off!

 

Alex

Alex, you are confusing harsh reality with what goes on in my dreams!

Or as an old underwater housing importer once said to me, "What do you expect if you keep taking your housing in the sea? Most of my customers keep theirs under their beds!"

I'm a newbie (only 50 dives but live in the Sonoran desert :-) and am upgrading from my trusty Canon G9 that did me well, but want more! Ha. don't we all.

I just bought a N-600D/T3i housing and will be shooting a 100mm for super-macro and a Tokina/Kenko for WAM and general seascape video. I'm torn between a 45 & 180 after all I've read. My prior rig required me to compose and wait for the little triangle to go green and hit the shutter, while the SLR is another game altogether. If I get the 45, I thought maybe I'd replace the standard viewfinder for video with the Tokina because of LCD blockage. I suppose with the 180 I can just leave it on for both (maybe).

As an artist, my main intention is to shoot organic abstractions using super-macro with 100mm/Kenko/+Diopter for large printing. I thought maybe for the less important WAM-Tokina and video, the standard viewfinder or live view can be used. From what i've read, the 45 seems to be a good match for general macro, keeping me off the bottom and keeping cervical stenosis (pinched nerve in neck) at bay that I suffered from a few years ago. However, more and more posts I've read say it's a real problem for super-macro due to orientation issues. As a photographer, it's often it's hard to stay with the pack on group dives, so anything slowing me down when it comes to getting the shot becomes a problem.

Any comments from super-macro users who adapted and are enjoying their 45 viewfinder, please let me know. I figured I might play it "safe" with the lower learning curve of the 180, but it's $200 more and then there's the neck issue I don't want to come back and damaging the bottom when one has to get down so low to see through the finder. It was doable with the P&S, but I'm afraid not so with the 180. I'm not sure I like the idea of swapping the viewfinders often, nor do I want to get something that will hinder me considering I may have to rob a bank to pay for all this stuff :-) TG for zero percent transfers!

Any and all opinions are welcome!

PS. I plan to live in the Philippines and dive often after this next trip, so acclimating to either shouldn't be a major issue in time.

Marsh,

Congrats on the new rig! Based on what I'm hearing you say I'd recommend the 45 without hesitation. Your neck issues seal the deal for me along with your macro plans. Take a look at using a Subsee +5 and or +10 when the time comes. There are a few thousand fantastic images you can make with the basic 100mm without complicating things with the 1.4 or diopters.

Have fun,

Steve