Rollei 6008i: 45 viewfinder vs waist level

[david_simonds]

Friends, I would appreciate hearing from those of you who have

experience with both the 45 and waist level finder. My recently

acquired 6008i has the 45. While it helps me think that I am

shooting with a 35mm, the more I use it, I get the sense that some

type of shots (landscapes) could be better composed with the waist

level. I wear glasses. Is one devise superior for us myopic guys?

Thanks.

[b_kosoff]

I use both, in some ways i like composing with the waist level because I will

put croppers in front of the finder and see the image cropped, and the

magnifier can make it easier to focus. However it makes sense to carry the

45 finder because there are times when the camera needs to be high on a

tripod. You can get diopter correctors for either.

[erik scanhancer]

For maximum sharpness AND the brightest image I can

recommend the use of the Rollei 6x6 magnifier with the

magnifier adapter. It gives a very good sharpness throughout

your entire ground glass and is brighter than the 45 degree

viewfinder. Great for the most difficult setups, where precise

focusing is extremely important.

 

You should have a waist level finder, BTW. It comes standard

with every 6008 and is the first choice for most situations (easier

composing, brighter image, more compact and lighter).

[rainer_nagel]

David, I had the same questions including 90 degree prismn additionally but in the opposite direction (you can get the Waist level finder cheep for around EUR 90 from ebay.de)

 

The 45deg prism (any flavor, lettered SLX or ...) is more handy for composition, but surprisingly harder to focus than the WLF for near distance stuff (for a Distagon 4/50). So in case the camera is on the tripod and adjusted horizontally with a bubble spirit lever (Wasserwage) already AND the sujet/target won't run away THEN the WLF is easier.

[david_kite]

David.

I too wear glasses and have run into the same problems. When I shoot with my Hassy I

always use the 45 degree prism. The prism has diopter correction that lets me remove my

glasses and focus quickly and accurately. I don't know if the Rollei has diopter adjustment

on the prism. I also shoot with the 6008af. My current preference is to shoot waist level

with the Rollie using the focus confirmation with my glasses on. For my style of portrait

work I find that shooting waist level lets people relax. I can meter, focus and compose

and wait for the right moment while just glancing into the wlf. I find that having the

camera up to your eye using the prism makes people more self conscious and focused on

posing.

[david_simonds]

Thank you for all your kind replies. Perhaps Ebay has a WLF with my name on it.

[OCULUS New York]

David, At least you are going for the most inexpensive one (should be around $65). I have all 3 (45, 90, Waist) and they all have their place. My take is that the waist is best reserved for studio work. After that, its REVERSED image (R to L) is a disorienting nuissance for anything moving. Secondly, outdoors the sun really kills it, unless you are right down on top of it.

 

I am casually searching for the 4th variety, the magnifying finder mentioned above, as I really need that to compliment my Schneider 55 PCS (shift) lens. Seeing adjusted depth of field is critical and the magnifier is really the best way to go; and as a bonus, it breaks apart to become a loupe.

 

Finally, I have graduated lenses (really trifocals), but don't have any problems with any of them. On the prisms, just be sure to roll the rubber eyecup back on its mount; it is not meant for glasses wearers when extended.

 

FWIW, the 45 stays on both my SLX and 6003 all the time.

 

good luck, Ray Hull

[david_simonds]

Ray, Thanks for your kind replies to my two posts. I have the graduated bifocals which seem to work well enough with the 45, though under some circumstances, the split screen center goes black at certain angles. I will retract the rubber piece as you suggest. Ray, I was wondering if you have had experience with other focusing screens used with the 45. Many thanks. David

[OCULUS New York]

Yes David, I have the older style High D screen currently mounted in the 6003, with the 45 above it. Great combo. In my Rollei 3003 (modular 35), I have the plain ground glass with the circle in the center. I really miss the grid to keep thing straight. Also, I replaced my Pentacon 6 ttl milk glass viewer with a sawed-off Rollei plain screen and it made the camera usable for the first time in its 40 years of life. It had the ground glass center also.

 

So to answer your question, the 6003 comes with the grid screen (not the new microprism that is standard with the newer 6008), and I have since replaced that with the now-discontinued High-D screen that used to come in 6008s. Both VERY bright. My SLX has inherited the old 6003 screen (trickle-down screens), but I am not replacing the 3003 screen with a grid because its grid does not feature a ground glass center.

 

As I mentioned, the only thing I want to improve on the 6x6 is the chimney magnifier so I can get a better fix on depth of field perspective control on my PCS shift lens. There, you must seen the entire screen in absolute clarity (and preferably dark), which using the waist finder is just not suited for.

 

Good luck, but if you didn't have that eyecup turned down, you're in for a pleasant surprise--BIG difference. You may even forego the WLF once you grow accustomed to the 45. Repeating: that wrong way-around viewing in teh WLF is very annoying, except indoors for still lifes.

 

Cheers,

Ray