Viewfinders and equivalents (ground glass, screen, etc...)

The viewfinder or its equivalent (from a ground glass under a dark veil to a tethered laptop screen) is the interface between the photographer and the photography.

What kind of "viewfinder" do you prefer and why? A short, incomplete, list of "viewfinder" types:

1. ground glass under a dark veil
2. ground glass seen from the top (Hasselblad, Rolleiflex)
3. ground glass seen through a prism, as in SLRs
4. clear frame, as in rangefinder cameras
5. clear frame with extra space, as in Leica cameras using a tele lens
6. "sports" clear frame, viewed from the top, as in Kodak Brownie cameras (obsolete)
7. electronic screen on back of camera
8. tiltable electronic screen
9. electronic viewfinder (electronic screen used as a SLR viewfinder), e.g. Sony A77, Nex-7, Olympus D5
10. hybrid clear frame / electronic viewfinder (Fuji X100)
11. tethered large screen, laptop

What do you think is important in a viewfinder? It seems that there are two schools of thinking, some photographers want more information about what the camera does, other want as little as possible in the frame so as not to disturb the composition.

Jerome Marot said:

The viewfinder or its equivalent (from a ground glass under a dark veil to a tethered laptop screen) is the interface between the photographer and the photography.

What kind of "viewfinder" do you prefer and why? A short, incomplete, list of "viewfinder" types:

1. ground glass under a dark veil
2. ground glass seen from the top (Hasselblad, Rolleiflex)
3. ground glass seen through a prism, as in SLRs
4. clear frame, as in rangefinder cameras
5. clear frame with extra space, as in Leica cameras using a tele lens
6. "sports" clear frame, viewed from the top, as in Kodak Brownie cameras (obsolete)
7. electronic screen on back of camera
8. tiltable electronic screen
9. electronic viewfinder (electronic screen used as a SLR viewfinder), e.g. Sony A77, Nex-7, Olympus D5
10. hybrid clear frame / electronic viewfinder (Fuji X100)
11. tethered large screen, laptop

What do you think is important in a viewfinder? It seems that there are two schools of thinking, some photographers want more information about what the camera does, other want as little as possible in the frame so as not to disturb the composition.

Click to expand...

Jerome - I use a either a Pad with live view or live view or the finder. a 10 in pad is by far the best way to view an image that i have every used - I can view the work with out any distractions or I can have all the information that I could wish for - its a real evolution from LF working.

cheers

I don't understand. Do you take pictures with an iPad as a camera or use one as remote for another camera or is it a different kind of "pad"?

Jerome Marot said:

I don't understand. Do you take pictures with an iPad as a camera or use one as remote for another camera or is it a different kind of "pad"?

Click to expand...

Sorry Jerome - a Samsung 10.1 pad - this thread shows Cem and I talking about it for tethered work.

ta

Since most of my photography is in the studio, I've become accustomed to working tethered to a 15" screen in LiveView.

I use Breeze Systems DSLR Capture Pro, which allows me a full view (about 9" diag) of the previous capture, a tool bar with complete (except zoom) control of the camera, and an overlaid inset (approx 5" diag) of the LiveView through the camera.

Since my subjects (stringed instruments) don't move around, I especially like being able to digitally zoom in, in LiveView, for critical focus.

When I'm out of the studio, I much prefer #3, the SLR prism view of a ground glass.

Charles L Webster said:

Since most of my photography is in the studio, I've become accustomed to working tethered to a 15" screen in LiveView.

I use Breeze Systems DSLR Capture Pro, which allows me a full view (about 9" diag) of the previous capture, a tool bar with complete (except zoom) control of the camera, and an overlaid inset (approx 5" diag) of the LiveView through the camera.

Click to expand...

Charles,

For free form, I need the eye at the eye viewer of my 5DII. However, I could use your method for more fixed shots.

So I have to start to copy you! It's for taking pictures of staged images for composites. Each person is in a fixed position, but with varied nuances of pose and posture. This would seem to be a good fit for Breeze Browser. An auxiliary screen would allow the model to see the pictures and get feedback.

Asher

Jerome,

For macro work I use live view and also for anytime the camera is on a tripod. In the brightest light I need my eye at the eye piece of the 5DII.

For my Large format Chamonix 8x10 camera, the ground glass is essential, as I have no means of focussing without moving the bellows and checking focus. For my Globuscope camera, the focus screen is awfully warped and the lens is a push pull mechanism for acquiring focus. Very clumsy. So I'm having two major changes engineered.

1. Replace the push-pull focus of the camera lens with a precision German Schneider helical focus mechanism. This will allow precise calibration of the helix travel and so with a focus rod,
I'll be able to get pretty close to exact focus by moving the rod to a predetermined position.

2. Replace the Globus plastic screen with the Maxwell Plius Fresnel screen. This is going to be precise and bright and totally change the experience.


Hopefully, I'll be able to use the screen for the most accurate work but also use the Globuscope as a lightweight handheld 4x5 with reliable focus using the new helical mount. Of course, I might be able to even make very precise correction to the calibration that comes back with the camera and check my distance with a separate device like a laser or rangefinder. That I hope won't be needed.

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Charles,

For free form, I need the eye at the eye viewer of my 5DII. However, I could use your method for more fixed shots.

So I have to start to copy you! It's for taking pictures of staged images for composites. Each person is in a fixed position, but with varied nuances of pose and posture. This would seem to be a good fit for Breeze Browser. An auxiliary screen would allow the model to see the pictures and get feedback.

Asher

Click to expand...

A trick I use for composites is to tape a piece of clear plastic over the laptop screen and mark the positions of each element on the overlay, so I can ensure that each element is in the correct position. Multiple exposure composites are difficult to visualize for me, so I need all the help I can get ;-)

The correct answer for me is: It depends.

For macro 7. and 8. are my preferred viewfinders.
For fast moving subjects/objects I prefer 3.

8. can be used in the same way as 2. which makes it interesting for street for me.

Portrait - 3. or 9.

For the rest I am OK with what I have (3. 4. 7. 8. 9.).

Best regards,
Michael

Charles L Webster said:

A trick I use for composites is to tape a piece of clear plastic over the laptop screen and mark the positions of each element on the overlay, so I can ensure that each element is in the correct position. Multiple exposure composites are difficult to visualize for me, so I need all the help I can get ;-)

Click to expand...

Charles,

A great idea. I try to use a complete set and get my angles right. However, where folk overlap your trick would be great to try. Now can your software add a diagram of the complete proposed layout over the screen so that each image can be inserted as made? I believe that one or more of the MF DSLR's allow for that.

Currently with my Canon DSLR's, it's done in my head!!

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Charles,

A great idea. I try to use a complete set and get my angles right. However, where folk overlap your trick would be great to try. Now can your software add a diagram of the complete proposed layout over the screen so that each image can be inserted as made? I believe that one or more of the MF DSLR's allow for that.

Click to expand...

Capture One Pro allows to do that, it's called composite mode, although its tethered shooting is somewhat limited for e.g. Canon DSLRs.

Currently with my Canon DSLR's, it's done in my head!!

Click to expand...

That is difficult when a lot of other things require one's attention at the same time.

Cheers,
Bart

Asher Kelman said:

For my Globuscope camera, the focus screen is awfully warped and the lens is a push pull mechanism for acquiring focus. Very clumsy. So I'm having two major changes engineered.

1. Replace the push-pull focus of the camera lens with a precision German Schneider helical focus mechanism. This will allow precise calibration of the helix travel and so with a focus rod,
I'll be able to get pretty close to exact focus by moving the rod to a predetermined position.

2. Replace the Globus plastic screen with the Maxwell Plius Fresnel screen. This is going to be precise and bright and totally change the experience.

Click to expand...

You either need the service of a good machinist or to invest in a lathe and mill yourself. The latter may be cheaper and easier, I am afraid.

I use the regular viewfinder for portraiture, sports and wildlife but prefer Liveview and a loupe (Zacuto Z-Finder) for macro and tilt/shift shots. I've only ever used tethered shooting for lens calibration purposes.

Bob