45 degree viewfinders

[Xiong Chiamiov]

I primarily shoot (amateur) family photography. My digital camera is 80% of the time with the back flipped up about 45 degrees - I find it helpful to get the camera down to kid level but far enough in front of me that I can keep an eye on things outside the frame.

I like my TLR's waistlevel viewfinder but wish I didn't have to be looking straight down. Are there prisms that put it at an angle in-between? I guess for kid work it'd probably need to be a rangefinder (or autofocus) since it's hard to get focus quickly on fast-moving kids indoors (ie large aperture). I saw there are 45 degree prisms for Hasselblad but all the ones I saw were eyecups, not something you can hold a foot away.

 

[BrianShaw]

Which TLR? Many had prism viewfinders as accessories. Often expensive but often worth the cost. Some will be 90 degree, though. I think you’ll generally be out-of-luck on one with Rangefinder or auto-focus.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Besides Hasselblad, consider Mamiya Cxxx with a Porroflex or Prism. Rollei must have one.

 

[abruzzi]

And for the most part those prisms will require holding the camera to your eye.

EDIT: I know Nikon made an “action prism” for the F2 that allowed you to see with the camera a short distance from your eye, but I’ve never seen anything like that on a MF camera.

 

[EdSawyer]

Rollei has/had a 45 deg prism for it's various models.

 

[AndyH]

I had one in the old days for my Nikon F, but I'ver never seen a version for any MF system. In that size, it would have to weigh more than the camera and lens, I think.
Andy

 

[AndyH]

I had one in the old days for my Nikon F, but I've never seen a version for any MF system. In that size, it would have to weigh more than the camera and lens, I think.
Andy

View attachment 243165

 

[Xiong Chiamiov]

I have a Meopta flexaret and a new Mamiya c330 that I haven't had a chance to use yet.

 

[btaylor]

If you have a Rolleiflex TLR (pictured on the left) they made the Rolleimeter accessory. Rangefinder and sportsfinder in one! It works. I got one, but find I still prefer the mirror built into the focus hood for focusing when using the sportsfinder- one of the seldom mentioned features that make them such wonderful machines.

 

[thuggins]

Zeiss made a 90 degree prism for the Ikoflex. It sat on top of the light shield and looked very hokey.

There's no reason you couldn't adapt an slr prism. It only took a minor modification to mount a Kiev prism on a Kowa Six.