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Alpa iPhone Viewfinder - first field trip experience

Paul Spinnler

Well-known member
I just got a magnetic wide-angle adapter from ebay and am quite disappointed. For starters, the magnetic ring doesn't stick to the iphone 4's back very well. Since the wide-angle lens is relatively heavy and since the surface at the back of the iphone 4 is like glass, it will fall off. I used transparent tape to make it stay on, but nonetheless this is suboptimal. Finally, the adapter I bought was toutet to be a 0.45x wide-angle adapter and in reality it is more of a 0.7x vers.

so keep this in mind ... also the optics aren't the best, the picture does get a little fuzzier ...
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Which adapter did you get btw? Do you recall? I don't mind paying for something decent if it's out there vs some junk - assuming of course that I can find something. I have the luxury of being able to dedicate a device just for the VF so it's not terrible if the lens has to be semi-permanent.

The DIRE Studio folks tout the OWLE adapter which does indeed look good but absolutely useless for this purpose due to the size.
 

Christopher

Active member
keep on alert: my Iphone prototype will be done this week.

design parameters:

1. rotates between H and V on the phone lens axis
2. parallax correction built into base, correction ranges from inf to 3'
3. fits any hot-shoe (may take an adapter to fit the alpa)
4. cost under $500
5. very high quality machining
Any news ? I would be really interested. I know that Arca is working on something, but that take a while, I can't see myself spending so much on the Alpa. It just has to many flaws. My current ebay solution isn't that great either. You could also contact me directly [email protected] Thx
 

jlm

Workshop Member
two prototypes are done today except for blackening. I will be bringing it to the east coast MFD get together in New Jersey tomorrow (tuesday, april 5).

so far, it has achieved all the design goals, but the price with the parallax correcting base will rise. Also it has a hot shoe base; when i can get one of the Alpa viewfinder attachments, i will make an alternate that will fit the Alpa system
 

Christopher

Active member
Any chance to get one which fits to the Arca mounting on the 3rmd and 2rmd? I would take one as soon as it is finished ;-)
 

jlm

Workshop Member
I am basing it on the Cambo, standard hotshoe. also planning an Alpa mount, would think the Arca could be done as well

jm
 

Christopher

Active member
I know that a standard hotshoe would work as well for Arca, but it would need a second adapter. So a direct solution would be fantastic.
 

dick

New member
A break in the rain allowed me to get out and try my new Alpa iPhone Viewfinder today
What we need is a full-blown Mac book pro in an iPad case - so we can have proper TTL Live View.

Perhaps we could use a MBP and control it from an iPad? (Why wasn't Phocus Mobile like that?)
 

Christopher

Active member
Before that LV has to get better, otherwise currently I find a iphone viewfinder a LOT better than LV on any MAC or PC.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
What about the Phase One IQ backs? Wouldn't their new LCD make obsolete this iphone viewfinder?
Well, IF you've got an IQ back AND it's got live view implemented then I guess that would put you into the demographic that would have little desire for an iPhone VF solution. Right now, that would be a very very small group of people. ;)

However, there is one aspect of the iPhone with an application like Viewfinder Pro that an IQ back with live view can't match and that's the ability to frame different focal lengths to try out the composition. I actually use this with the iPhone off the camera when looking for interesting composition opportunities too - it basically took over from the cardboard frame that I used to use.
 

dick

New member
Well, IF you've got an IQ back AND it's got live view implemented then I guess that would put you into the demographic that would have little desire for an iPhone VF solution. Right now, that would be a very very small group of people. ;)

However, there is one aspect of the iPhone with an application like Viewfinder Pro that an IQ back with live view can't match and that's the ability to frame different focal lengths to try out the composition. I actually use this with the iPhone off the camera when looking for interesting composition opportunities too - it basically took over from the cardboard frame that I used to use.
The "Holy Grail" is good daylight live view on a view camera - and I think that this is only possible (without an ND filter) on a Sinar and a laptop.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I think that it'll be interesting when the IQ's get into circulation how people will handle the live view/review off the LCD. I wonder how many dark cloths will be brought out of retirement? I confess that I've used mine a couple of times in bright light when I first started with my Alpa Ground Glass and also Leaf 65 back which doesn't have an LCD anything like as bright as the current crop of backs. Similarly I've sometimes used the Alpa leather ground glass hood around either my Aptus 65 or P40+ to review the image too - kind of ugly but helpful when needed.
 
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