What is your favorite right angle finder/viewer for your cameras

<p>Nikon is slow to add variable screen to their cameras so I am thinking of buying one of these right angle finders to help taking waist/knee/ground level shots. The Nikon DR-6 is EXPENSIVE at $200 (which is why I think they are slow in adding variangle screen to their more pro-level cameras). I do not want to spend that much on such device because variangle screen will come some day and will allow even more faxible way to taking pictures. Thus do you have any suggestions as to which one to buy? Can they be rotated 360°? Can they be tilted backward? Can you view the object in the finder from a distance or do you have to put your eye right on it to see? I have a D-80 and am planning on getting a D-300. Thanks.</p>

<p>I know it's not what you want to hear but get the Nikon the other ones are a waste of money and time.<br>

IMHO</p>

<p>Mike</p>

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<p>Nikon is slow to add variable screen</p>

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<p>Huh? They're among the first to do so on a DSLR after Olympus and Panasonic? I don't think it makes sense to blame Nikon for slowness here if Canon, Pentax and Sony haven't introduced any model yet. And frankly, I wonder if you ever see a swivelling screen on a D300/Pro class camera, because it may be hard to make it in a weather proof way. Also, LiveView is a very mixed blessing... nice for manual focus, quite rubbish for the rest; so while it all may seem very useful, it's limited in more than one way, and it will need serious improvements in future DSLRs to really work as expected.</p>

<p>I've only once used a angle finder (on a camera of a friend), and it still requires you to bend all the way down for ground level shots... So I might just as well go all the way and lay down; the viewfinder on the D80 and D300 is large enough for some distance. The biggest attraction it has was the inability for 200% view, which would be useful for macro shots. But I'd say: try before you buy, since to me it was far less useful that it looked (btw, this was an original nikon one, on a D200, no idea which model).</p>

<p>Older Spiratone right angle viewers are available very inexpensively on eBay. Just make sure they have the right mount for your camera since there are both screw-on and slip-over versions. These are not the fanciest ones around, but they work fine for the occasional low-angle shot. If you use it every day, maybe the Nikon one is worth it, but I wouldn't pay that much for one for the amount that I use them.</p>

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<p>And frankly, I wonder if you ever see a swivelling screen on a D300/Pro class camera, because it may be hard to make it in a weather proof way.</p>

 

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<p>Olympus can put the screen in nearly all their cameras including the E3 so I think Nikon/Cannon/Sony are slow to do so b/c the lack of live view until recently. The rumored D-400 has a variangle screen, but Nikon chose to bring out the D300s for now.</p>

<p>To pay $200 for an optical finder is ridiculous. They could also make an EVF that can be attached to the hot shoe, like what Ricoh does. In this way they may be able to make the EVF swivel in all directions and display a lot of useful information (eg live histogram) making it almost as versatile as a variangle screen. In that case, I wouldn't mind at all to pay $200 for it. Oh well, ... I have ordered a D-90 as its price just went below $900 at Amazon.com. I will see with live view, may be I I can shoot from the ground more comfortably.</p>

<p>Sorry to disagree with Mike W but I bought a Seagull angle finder cheaply from Ebay. Its built resonably well, comes with adapters and for the mount of times it gets used, has been good value. yes you still need to get on your knees for those low shots but it beats laying in mud or water especially for an old crock like me. I think it was £21 sterling so not a big investment if you later lose it.</p>