will my new Zeiss VF work?

[jodad]

I just bought a Zeiss external VF and accessory shoe for my SWA (just because the zeiss is small and easily removable). It is 25mm so close enough to my lens (58xl on a 6x8 back which comes to about 26mm Equiv).
I just realised something though, will the aspect ratio have an impact on if the VF is accurate or not relative to what the picture on the film will be? I ask because I assume the VF is made for a 35mm camera and I don’t think standard 35mm is a 4:3 ratio.

I realise I am not expressing myself so accurately but do you get the gist of my question?

 

[dchew]

I just bought a Zeiss external VF and accessory shoe for my SWA (just because the zeiss is small and easily removable). It is 25mm so close enough to my lens (58xl on a 6x8 back which comes to about 26mm Equiv).
I just realised something though, will the aspect ratio have an impact on if the VF is accurate or not relative to what the picture on the film will be? I ask because I assume the VF is made for a 35mm camera and I don’t think standard 35mm is a 4:3 ratio.

I realise I am not expressing myself so accurately but do you get the gist of my question?

It all depends on what you consider "equivalent." The std calculation is to use the diagonal. In my opinion, for the wider focal lengths an equally relevant comparison is the short-side image height.

6x8 is really ~56mm x 75mm, so your 58mm is a 26.9mm in 135 format using the diagonal. Using the image height, it would be 24.9mm. Pretty close but a bit wider effect.

Dave

 

[jodad]

This is the thing...
So will what i see in the frame and record on the film for a 25mm (135 film FoV equiv) lens on a 6*9 be the same as what i see and capture on a 25mm (135 film FoV equiv) lens on a 6*8?

 

[pegelli]

This is the thing...
So will what i see in the frame and record on the film for a 25mm (135 film FoV equiv) lens on a 6*9 be the same as what i see and capture on a 25mm (135 film FoV equiv) lens on a 6*8?

No, but it's probably easier to answer your original question.

For shooting in landscape orientation: your Zeiss 25 mm viewfinder will almost exactly show the entire height of what you will capture on your 6x8 back with a 58 mm lens, but it will show a little bit more on the right/left vs. the 6x8 image due to the different aspect ratio.

On the other hand you need to realise an external viewfinder is never 100% accurate and usually shows a little bit less of what is actually captured on the film/sensor to allow cropping to correct small errors due to parallax etc.

 

[jodad]

No, but it's probably easier to answer your original question.

For shooting in landscape orientation: your Zeiss 25 mm viewfinder will almost exactly show the entire height of what you will capture on your 6x8 back with a 58 mm lens, but it will show a little bit more on the right/left vs. the 6x8 image due to the different aspect ratio.

On the other hand you need to realise an external viewfinder is never 100% accurate and usually shows a little bit less of what is actually captured on the film/sensor to allow cropping to correct small errors due to parallax etc.

Yes, indeed, Like Dave said. Just trying to visualise how everything changes and model it in my head to think of what i can do/or how i should think when framing