viewfinder??

[David A. Goldfarb]

Michael writes--" I feel that to know how to really use an 8x10 camera effectively, you need to open it up, set it up and prepare to photograph with it no matter how long or difficult it is and "see" with it X number of times."

I agree with this statement, but still find my Linhof finder useful (the old one, not the current zoom type) for walking around and thinking about different compositions that might exist in the landscape, perhaps because I am also familiar with the lenses I'm using.

Viewfinders for this kind of thing are standard items on movie sets. Here's a page for a dealer of director's finders with some historical info--


http://www.directorsviewfinders.com/

[Michael Kadillak]

David - I can see how view finders for a movie applications would be very useful.

All I would point out is that both media are similar, but at the same time very divergent. Directors are for the most part producing a dynamic events that tells a story over the duration of the event. Additionally, with what little I have experienced in this area, the director is not behind the camera so the view finder could provide a second set of eyes to work with.

Large format is static and has to stand alone for the most part.

All I was wanting to convey is that the ground glass stands alone as the consumate validating reference point for the elements of composition and also for the scene within the scene.

But at the end of the day, it is all about what works for the photographer and that is all that matters.

Cheers!

[Bobby Sandstrom]

Thanks guys for your help! Much appreciated.

Bob

[Leonard Evens]

Cardboard or plastic frames---which you can make for yourself for a trifling sum---have one advantage, except for price, over a fancy Linhof viewfinder. You can shift it vertically or horizontally to figure out what yoou will have with rise/fall or shifts. To this end I've put marks on the side of the frame to help center the frame and also marks on either side of the center mark to indicate how far I can shift the standards. That way I can get a pretty good idea of just what is going to be included and whether or not I can actually frame the image as I want.

[Arkasha Liwyj]

What is wrong in adapting viewfinders from 35mm cameras ? I find the Leica brightline finders for 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm are much better than the view through the Leica rangefinder for composing.I have used the 50mm finder as a viewfinder on a Plaubel 6x7 with an 80mm lens because the 50mm is normal on 35 and 80mm is normal on 6x7, the view is just as bright and accurate.
Currently I'm restoring a 4x5 Linhof IV system with a variety of lenses and am thinking of using an old folding type sportsfinder made by Leica.At the viewing end it has a square hole and a hinged blind with a peephole .The back end can also be adjusted for 3.5feet,7feet, and infinity.The front part has square cutouts for 5cm,9cm on one side and when rotated closer toward the viewing end it offers views for 3.5cm and 7.3cm.There is also a removable insert for the front frame with cutouts for 10.5cm and 13.5cm. I have seen similar collapsable viewfinders made by Nikon and others.

Although these viewfinders are intended for 35mm lenses they can be used on LF. Just convert the 35mm to the 4x5 or 8x10 equivarent.

[Struan Gray]

Pentax 110 SLR