angle finder c

Hi,

 

Just wanted to ask some quentions about this accesory.

 

1. Does the image in the viewfinder lose light? ex. 1/2 darker or

what not.

 

2. Does the image appear right side up or as a reverse?

 

3. Does the angle finder work exactly as a normal view finder or

would you be able to work farther from the eye piece?

 

Thanks again guys.

 

BTW, has anyone shopped from Beach Camera Online? Any comments?

Rob: I'm curious about the Angle Finder C as well. I'm looking forward to reading the answers to your questions. In addition, I'd like to add the following question: Under what circumstances do people find an angle finder most helpful? (I'm thinking about getting one for work low to the ground, but I'm sure there are other uses I've not thought about.)

 

<p>As for Beach Camera, I've never used them but I've heard bad things about the company. (Maybe just rumors, maybe not) I'd stick with someone well known, well-respected and reputable like <a href=http://www.bhphotovideo.com>B&H Photo</a>. Before making your B&H purchase, click through from the <a href=http://www.photo.net> front page </a> to go to B&H so PN will get a sliver of the profits.

I second the idea of ordering from well reputable stores like B&H and Adorama which support PN. I have dealt with both in the past and have only good things to say about them.

 

Happy shooting ,

Yakim.

1. Yes, you do lose some light, although I cannot estimate how much.

 

2. The Angle Finder C, and its immediate predecessor the Angle Finder B, use a prism, so the image is not mirrored and appears right-way-up if viewed from above. Earlier Canon angle finders used mirrors and reversed the image left-to-right; not user-friendly.

 

3. There is no additional stand-off. Indeed, one problem with angle finders is that it can be very hard to see the meter scale on the right of the image unless your eye is close to the finder.

 

Angle finders are extremely clumsy and awkward to use, but in botanical field photography, which is why I need one, they are better than the only alternative of having to lie full-length on whatever is there to lie on, which may well be wet, thorny, or occupied by local wildlife that has been on assertiveness training.

 

The Angle Finder C also serves as a magnifier, and in most other respects is preferable to the A.F. B. Unfortunately the requirement to be able to fit it to both B/C-type eyepieces and D-type (ECF) eyepieces has resulted in a really gimcrack double-slide arrangement which always comes apart where you do not want it to. Sooner or later I am going to lose my patience with it and apply some epoxy ...

 

If you need an A.F., you really need one; if you just think it might be an interesting accessory to have, then don't waste your money.

I find the angle finder c to be indispensible for close up flower work. I rarely use the 2.5x mag setting, as the 1.25x mag setting provides critical focus assistance and the ability to see meter setting information. I find the ability to peer into the finder at the eight detent stops available in a 360 deg. arc extremely useful too.<div></div>

I find this accessory to be very handy when the camera is low to the ground. It is nice that the finder rotates so that the camera can be used in portrait, landscape or whatever other angle is necessary for the shot. Where I find I use it the most is when it would be undesireable/difficult to lie on the ground to look through the viewfinder such as when the tripod is set up in mud or water or very rough ground/foliage (lying on a cactus or thistles is not recommended!). Helpful for landscape work from a low angle, close-ups of plants and small animals or macro work.

 

Do you need one? Just ask yourself how many times you've been unable (or extremely uncomfortable) to look through the viewfinder, but could if the viewfinder was somehow at 90 degrees to the camera back. Then decide if it's worth the extra money and hassles of carrying and switching to the angle finder to get those shots. There's your answer.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

Some more questions, can the camera be used comftably for normal shots with the viewfinder on? I still havent been able to make out whether or not it is necessary to put your eye up against the viewfinders eye piece or would some relief be possible?

 

Has anyone used the Angle finder B? Any major benefits for using the C instead of the B?

 

Last but not least, anyone hear about a 2nd hand angle finder c?

 

Thanks again folks. always a big help.

 

Rob190

I have had an A. F. B since the early 70s, used originally on my F-1, and I kept it when I got an A. F. C. The A. F. B is very good, and if you are uncertain about your need then you might find one S/H at a modest price rather than spending a lot of money on the A. F. C. It is beautifully solidly made; optically, I think, not quite as good as the A. F. C; slightly smaller and slightly darker image; no magnifier; but a very useable piece of kit.

 

No way do you want to keep an A. F. on the camera unless you are actively using it. For my work this means it constantly comes on and off the camera when I am photographing plants. With the A. F. B on a type B/C eyepiece as on my -1v or my previous -1, I take off the Anti-Fog eyepiece which I normally use on the camera, and then the A. F. just slides on and off via a well-made stainless steel clip mount which it screws into. On the F-1 it screwed straight into the prism, and I was always terrified that it would get knocked and cause a great deal of damage through being too rigidly fixed. On a type D eyepiece (I had a -3 for a while) the stainless steel clip is replaced with a pathetic little plastic mount (sold separately, overpriced) which competes with the old-type release socket for the bad design award. Don't buy the A. F. B to use on a type D eyepiece.

 

The A. F. C does not have a screw thread fitting, but a rectangular plate which slides into one side of an adapter which then slides onto the eyepiece. There is one adapter for each of type B/C and type D. As I pointed out, the problem is that when you slide the A. F. C off the eyepiece, you have about a 50/50 chance of leaving the adapter behind, which is a pain. In my experience the only other downside of the A. F. C is that instead of having a reasonably stiff rotary setting as on the A. F. B, it has a very sloppy one with feeble detents, so it is always falling over. Both A. F.'s have a good dioptric adjustment, by the way.

 

And, as I said in my earlier posting, you do NOT get any extra standoff with an A. F.; contrariwise.