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Chamonix 4x5 View Finder

E

Eivind

Guest
I have been looking at both these viewfinders:

http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/viewfinder.html

however, I have not used any of them. Are there any other alternatives?
What holds me back is the possibility to use the magnifier. Anyone here familiar with this? Will you have to take the viewfinder off first to focus perfect with the magnifier? Taking a long time allready, and using my jacket is an okay choice - but still. Appreciate suggestions :)


Also I wonder if anyone has ever changed the back the camera comes with if this is possible/useful? Are there any better choices out there ?

Thanks you guys
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I've used similar styles, but never liked them. I generally prefer a lightweight darkcloth and good loupe. However the ones you link to may be convenient for quick grab-n-go style shooting -- but if you're going to shoot grab-n-go, I'd think a good MF camera would be a better way to go...
 

Lars

Active member
An angle finder works well in the studio, but it doesn't collapse so it takes up a lot of volume in your bag. On top of that, you'll have trouble viewing the entire image when using wideangle lenses. Using an angle viewer, you'll find that you will want a fresnel lens added to the groundglass. Even so, using a windeangle lens and large shifts you will still not be able to see the entire image.

The folding shade, well, I'm with Jack on this one too. When I traveled in Chile for 3 months I used a bellows viewer with a magnifier on my 4x5, but I think a darkcloth would have worked better.

On my small Ebony SW23 I use a Horseman angle viewer, on that camera it's great since the groundglass is so small (6x9 format, 56x84 mm). That viewer is very compact.
 

spotmeter

New member
I use an angle reflex viewer on my Linhof (looks just like the one pictured in your link) and wouldn't be without it.
 

viablex1

Active member
An angle finder works well in the studio, but it doesn't collapse so it takes up a lot of volume in your bag. On top of that, you'll have trouble viewing the entire image when using wideangle lenses. Using an angle viewer, you'll find that you will want a fresnel lens added to the groundglass. Even so, using a windeangle lens and large shifts you will still not be able to see the entire image.

The folding shade, well, I'm with Jack on this one too. When I traveled in Chile for 3 months I used a bellows viewer with a magnifier on my 4x5, but I think a darkcloth would have worked better.

On my small Ebony SW23 I use a Horseman angle viewer, on that camera it's great since the groundglass is so small (6x9 format, 56x84 mm). That viewer is very compact.
okay, so the back on your ebony is a horseman?? 6X9 back??
 
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