Does anyone use a director's viewfinder, or similar device, to preview framing/lens choice when working in 4x5? I've come across several designs, but they're all used in the movie industry so the engravings are all for 16/35mm, and usually movie type aspect ratios. I wondered if anyone had found one that could be used to pre-vis 4x5 before setting up the camera/lens...
The Linhof viewfinder has been around in different versions for about 50 years or more. there are versions for 4x5 as well as 6x9 cm. Search the forum for Linhof viewfinder.
I use a simple device which can be fashioned from two bits of cardboard, plastic, metal, etc:
Create one rectangle 4" x 5" and cut a hole in the middle that is 2" x 2-1/2"; then cut a 1/2" deep slot, that will take the thickness of the other bit of card/plastic/metal.
Create a strip with similar slots, spaced at half the lens distances from one end.
insert piece 'a' into one of the slots in piece 'b' and place the end of the strip you started measuring from on your cheek, below your eye. You should get an approximation of the view for any of the chosen lenses.
What's more, it can cost you as little as nothing
I have a Zone VI viewing filter (actually, several in different cars and places). I often wear one around just to look at things and play with composition ideas. I call it "The View form the Couch," which is where I first started playing that way. My everyday one has the filter smashed out, and has only a hole.
Mr. Ritter and I have workshop students make and calibrate a viewer out of a piece of 8x10 mat board with a 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch hole. They learn to accurately mark an attached piece of string to denote how far from the eye to hold it for different lenses.
I have one that's 35mm size for...35mm! It doubles as a proof sheet viewer, allowing me to look at one frame at a time, which is what it mostly gets used for. I find that I use 35mm for speed and ease, so using a viewer defeats those purposes. But for looking at proofs, it's indispensable. The overall size of the mat board piece is about 4x6.
Viewers are wonderful tools. Leave the camera in the car, find and mark the spot using the viewer, then lug minimal gear, because the viewer helped you make a lot of decisions (format, lens, tripod position, composition).
The expensive director's viewers would be nice, but there's no need to spend any money, and I'll bet you'll learn a lot more making and learning how to use your own.
Bruce Barlow
author of "Finely Focused" and "Exercises in Photographic Composition"
www.brucewbarlow.com
I see, typical American, stealing our British ideasOriginally Posted by Bruce Barlow
"The Linhof viewfinder has been around in different versions for about 50 years or more. there are versions for 4x5 as well as 6x9 cm. Search the forum for Linhof viewfinder."
Also for 5x7
I'm quite interested in creating my owner viewer for 8x10, just not sure I can follow the instructions above so well, does anyone have a link to something with images?
Thank you everyone, very informative! I'll check out the Linhof viewers, but I am interested in the 'home-made' types also. I'll second the request for some images of what you're describing though, it's hard to visualize it without any images to go by...
These days, I've mostly gone over to simply using a digital compact (GX100, to be exact) for previews and framing studies - that way I can recheck the image I saw any time further down the process and processing. And it delivers a better B&W preview than that Wratten 90 approximation whenever I want to...
Sevo
http://www.cameraposition.com/podcas...s/ViewCard.jpg
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