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FA401 Angle Finder For 645DF

Does anyone use this item with the Mamiya/Phase bodies? What is viewing through it like vs the plain viewfinder? I'm curious if this would be a suitable alternative to the WLF experience with the RZ for when I need to travel light and can't take both.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I carry one with me and use this sometimes with my DF and it works well enough when you need it such as when shooting low to the ground etc. However, the shooting experience is definitely different to that of using a big bright WLF such as the one in the RZ which projects an almost 3D rendering of the scene that snaps into focus. With the FA401 you are very aware of the fact that you are using a turret type of viewfinder and I find that I have to move my eye to see into the edges of the frame vs seeing everything in a single view.

The finder is pretty easy to mount in the field with the only tricky part being removing the rubber std viewfinder if you have one of the newer ones with the lock on it. The FA401 latches on to the body with a clip and stays on pretty firmly plus rotates to whichever angle you need. The 'rubber' eyepiece is cheap and nasty but functional plus you can adjust it for your eyesight.

So, does it work and do the job? Yes.
Would I compare it to using a full size WLF experience? No, not really.
 

jagsiva

Active member
I have one. I used it when I have the camera mounted on a tripod below eye level, and am taking multiple shots. It works, but it is certainly not as good as the normal DF viewfinder. You definitely feel like you're looking through a tunnel.
 

FredBGG

Not Available
You might want to consider getting a second camera that would give you a proper waist level finder. Your back is really what counts. The DF body is really the weak point of the system.

The Mamiya RZ for example has a really nice waist level finder and you can fit your back to it. There is a great used market for the RZ lenses, most of which are brilliant lenses.

Also if you wanted to add tilt and shift you could consider getting a Fuji gx680. It's a bulky camera, but absolutely splendid quality and build. Kapture group makes a kit to mount digital backs on the Fuji. The viewfinder options on the Fuji are vast. They even have a moving loup for extra fine focusing. Brightscreen also makes a special focusing screen for the Fuji.

The mamiya 645DF angel finder is $ 600.... You can get a complete Fuji gx680 for about that much. However the kapture group kit will be another $ 800 or a bit less used, but you would have a whole new system with the waist level finder precision as well as tilt and shift.
 
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