45 Degree View Finder

A couple questions on the viewfinder. Is the image reproduced electronically or are you basically looking through a magnifying glass? I am just now getting into underwater photography in a DSLR. Is it really difficult to shoot through the housing?

Going on my first trip in May I am upgrading from a 4/3 system where I shot using the live view which I could do on my D7000 too. It would slow down the shooting process.

Main questions on how the view finder works? While it’s nice would you consider it a must have?

It is not electronic, but it is far more than a magnifying glass. The high end viewfinders are just as complicated optically as the lens in from of the camera. (And just as fragile.) The standard housing viewfinder is nothing more than a single lens to move the focal position back to where your eye should be with a mask.

After using an enhanced viewfinder I would find it hard to go back to the standard housing viewfinder. To chose between a 45 dgree or a straight viewfinder is really personal preference, though I have listened to convincing arguments that the choice is 45 degree for macro and straight for wide angle. I wish I could afford both for comparison.

My experience acording to the standard and the 45 degrees viewfinider is that the image appears larger and brighter in the 45 degrees viewfinter. It is much easier to control lines, composition and focal plane. If you prefer a horizontal trim / diving style, you will also find it easier to look trough the viewfinder. At least my neck feels better with the 45 degrees viewfinder than without. Anyway it is fully possible to make beautiful photos with a standard viewfinder and i still make awful photos with one.

Generally speaking, I find the 45º viewfinder a must have. I have both the straight and the 45º (INON ones) and I cannot remember the last time I used or missed the straight one.

In your case, the 45º is not the most intuitive of items to get used to (aiming can be frustrating during the first dives), so, if you are not a patient person, it may not be the best idea to use it for the best time on a trip.

Good luck!

The Inion 45 degrees viewfinder with Ikelite adapter sells from my local store in Holland. Its much cheaper than the Ikelite viewfinder that just came on the market. Which is, I believe also an adapted Inion viewfinder that screws into the backside of the Ikelite DLSR housing after removing the standard viewfinder. See also this solution: http://uwcamerastuff.com/inon.htm

I can vouch for the uwcamerastuff adapter. Even though my one was made for my 20D ikelite housing, it also fits on the new 70D housing. Ikelites external viewfinders are definitely Inons with their own adapter.

Albert, did you refer to Onderwaterhuis ? They dont show a picture, but for a good quality picture, it needs to come in place of the original viewfinder,not clamped on.

I can vouch for the uwcamerastuff adapter. Even though my one was made for my 20D ikelite housing, it also fits on the new 70D housing. Ikelites external viewfinders are definitely Inons with their own adapter.

 

 

Albert, did you refer to Onderwaterhuis ? They dont show a picture, but for a good quality picture, it needs to come in place of the original viewfinder,not clamped on.

 

Yes that was onderwaterhuis http://www.onderwaterhuis.nl/

I think you are right about the clamp on adapters. Be also aware that some Inon viewfinders (even the clamped on models) will fit only on some Ikelite housings (not on the Nikon D7100 housing: this has to do with the location of the buttons on the backside of the housing). UWcamera stuff has a solution for this problem and I think they also replace the standard viewfinder, like Ikelite does.

Yes indeed. The original viewfinder is removed. When you order an adapter, you have to measure all the buttons that are up close. Although on my new housing a button was in the way slightly, a bit of sanding down if the button was all that was needed to make it fit.

Yes indeed. The original viewfinder is removed. When you order an adapter, you have to measure all the buttons that are up close. Although on my new housing a button was in the way slightly, a bit of sanding down if the button was all that was needed to make it fit.

I see, yes on the D7100 housing of ikelite the pushbutton for deleting pictures is pretty close to the viewfinder, and also protruding more than its neighbour (and likely blocking rotation). A shorter button would perhaps solve the problem. Another interesting point raised by Bill Libecap from uwcamerastuff is that the Nauticam viewfinder fitted on the Ikelite housing has a larger (thus better) view than the Inon model.

Using the 45 finder is great for shooting macro on the sea floor ie eals hiding under ledges, nudis, or anything on a sandy bottom like you would find in Lembeh. But it makes it almost impossible to shoot small things in the water column, esp at night, like squid for instance. It is also very difficult trying to shoot down on a subject, like for things hiding in coral. Soon you realize what you can and can't shoot with a 45 and it becomes another factor in predive planning for specific shooting. For wide angle I think it is best used for getting low and shooting close focus wide angles into a sun ball... It is great for this! For all other wide angle applications, I think a straight finder is easier. So basically, its best to know what kind of shooting you do most and prefer....before you make the investment.

For new shooters on a budget I would recommend using just the housing finder. As long as your eyesight is good it should be fine. Then when you find out what kind of shooting you prefer you can get a vf .. or 2...

Using the 45 finder is great for shooting macro on the sea floor ie eals hiding under ledges, nudis, or anything on a sandy bottom like you would find in Lembeh. But it makes it almost impossible to shoot small things in the water column, esp at night, like squid for instance. It is also very difficult trying to shoot down on a subject, like for things hiding in coral. Soon you realize what you can and can't shoot with a 45 and it becomes another factor in predive planning for specific shooting. For wide angle I think it is best used for getting low and shooting close focus wide angles into a sun ball... It is great for this! For all other wide angle applications, I think a straight finder is easier. So basically, its best to know what kind of shooting you do most and prefer....before you make the investment.

 

For new shooters on a budget I would recommend using just the housing finder. As long as your eyesight is good it should be fine. Then when you find out what kind of shooting you prefer you can get a vf .. or 2...

Thanks for your advice! It would be nice if one could switch between the 45 and straight finders without too much trouble.

Thanks for your advice! It would be nice if one could switch between the 45 and straight finders without too much trouble.

This is actually one reason why I stick with Nauticam. The viewfinders are some of the best available and really easy to change out.

Yeah, on Magrone's point, I've got the Subal 45 degree finder and find that easy to remove and replace - although, not having a 180 finder as well, I only remove it for transportation: but easy to do - a 5 minute job and it, too, is superb.

The first time I replaced the viewfinder on my case with the Nauticam 45 degree I was extremely concerned I hadn't done it properly. It simply felt too easy.

The first time I replaced the viewfinder on my case with the Nauticam 45 degree I was extremely concerned I hadn't done it properly. It simply felt too easy.

LOL, yeah, same here. I even did a post to make sure I'd got it right.

When I last changed housings from a Subal D300 to the Subal D800 I even sent my D300 housing to the supplier to get the viewfinder changed over. I had no idea how easy it was to do. Doh! I won't be doing that again....

Is there any way to switch easily between the Nauticam (protruding) viewfinders and the original (flat) viewfinder of the housing? For example the one that is used on Ikelite housings. Without going to the the trouble of screwing out the Nauticam viewfinder and screwing in the original?

This would probably need a second adapter for the Nauticam adapter (-;

The Nauticam viewfinders are held in place by an o-ring. The Nauticam Optical Viewfinder 0.66x will fit in the opening and is also held in place by an o-ring.

Bob W

http://www.nauticam.com/product2.asp?id=90&sid=10

The Nauticam viewfinders are held in place by an o-ring. The Nauticam Optical Viewfinder 0.66x will fit in the opening and is also held in place by an o-ring.

 

Bob W

 

http://www.nauticam.com/product2.asp?id=90&sid=10

thanks Bob that woudl be a nice solution. I guess this viewfinder will also fit in the ring adapter nr 33103 designed for Ikelite housings.

Hi, some feedback on the 45 degree viewfinder that I just tried out on my Ikelite housing. First, to install it your need the Nauticam 33103 viewfinder mounting ring for Ikelite housings. Mounting the ring with the viewfinder is rather easy, and in this respect I found the instruction video by Kelli of Bluewater very useful.

My first opinion is that this viewfinder is a nice improvement (compared wth the Ikelite standard finder) because of its clear enlarged view of the object you are focused on. I think it can be very useful, not only for macro but also for fish-eye shooters that like to focus of very close subjects (like in CFWA shots). If you decide to switch back to a standard (flat) viewfinder during your diving trip its better to stick to the Nauticam standard model (Optical Viewfinder 0.66x) instead of re-installing your old Ike viewfinder.

The negative part concerns the ergonomics after you have attached the viewfinder to the housing, First, handling of the push buttons left and right of the viewfinder can be somewhat problematical, if you rotate the viewfinder. Second, inspection of of the full LED screen on the back of the housing (e.g. to inspect the result of your UW shot) is only possible if you tilt the housing in a slightly forward position. See the pics for clarification.