Are there any autofocussing waist level finder cameras?

tomfrh · Jun 23, 2016

35mm or 120 film would be ok.

gone · Jun 23, 2016

There's the Yashica T5 (T4 Super in US version) and the Canon Sure Shot Ace in 35mm. Don't get your hopes up too high, they're compact P&S cameras w/ considerable shutter lag, but if you need some sort of viewfinder on the top, they have that.

spijker · Jun 23, 2016

120: Rollei 6800 AF or Hy6,Contax 645, Hasselblad H series. All quite pricey.

cowanw · Jun 23, 2016

contax 645

jimjm · Jun 23, 2016

Nikon made WLF finders for the F4 and F5 autofocus bodies.

macfred · Jun 24, 2016

My F4 came with the DW-20 WLF = right to left reversal - no exposure metering (only spot metering from the F4's body).
A 'nice-to-have' for special purposes - I didn't use it very often so far.

rubbernglue · Jun 24, 2016

I use it alot on my Nikon F5.

tomfrh · Jun 24, 2016

Thanks for these helpful suggestions!

I never realised that recent nikons had these options. They sound like a good option. Spot meter would be fine.

Those fancy medium format contact/hasn't systems would be lovely however it's too expensive for me.

I should clarify, I'm looking for a camera for candid spontaneous shots of people, family mainly. I'd like something with meter, and assumed autofocus would be helpful too. I was going to buy an older medium format with waist finder, however figured it would be too slow.

Open to any other suggestions.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jun 24, 2016

Older medium format cameras with waist finders ("slow" and not, not sure what you mean by that) have been used for decades for the exact purpose you're proposing with great results.

Chan Tran · Jun 24, 2016

F4 and F5 have AF but only spot metering. F3 doesn't have AF but with center weighted metering. F and F2 have neither AF or meter with WLF. F6 doesn't have a WLF.

AgX · Jun 24, 2016

Pentax LX with WLF and stand-alone K-mount Autofocus 50mm lens

Canon FD camera with WLF and stand-alone Canon autofocus 35-70mm lens

Chan Tran · Jun 24, 2016

Among the 35mm SLR's only Nikon has both WLF and AF.

Paul Howell · Jun 24, 2016

Pentax, Canon, and Minolta dropped interchangeable viewfinder and prisms when they moved to auto focus, Nikon dropped with F6. Have you thought about a 90 degree finder, attached to a standard view finder?

tomfrh · Jun 24, 2016

Richard S. (rich815) said:
"slow" and not, not sure what you mean by that)

I was referring to the extra time needed to meter and focus, however I'll look into these again if they're widely used.

Would a mamiya 220/330 be suitable?

Richard S. (rich815) · Jun 24, 2016

tomfrh said:
I was referring to the extra time needed to meter and focus.

Maybe it's not really an issue though?

I see. It's all in getting used to your camera. Many claim, and I believe them, that they can focus faster with their well-known rangefinder or SLR than an AF camera which sometimes does not focus where you want or can often "hunt" in darker situations or with shimmery highlights in the scene. Also, make no mistake, use of scale-focusing and DOF, and pre-focusing in predicting where your subjects will likely fall in distance, actually works really well. I do it all the time shooting on the street with my TLRs or with my 5 year old daughter that no AF camera can seem to keep up with! Scale focusing and judicious use and knowledge of DOF is all that works with her!

tomfrh · Jun 24, 2016

Paul Howell said:
Have you thought about a 90 degree finder, attached to a standard view finder?

I was wondering about these, however it doesn't seem quite as discreet as a waist level camera?

tomfrh · Jun 24, 2016

Richard S. (rich815) said:
scene

Richard S. (rich815) said:
I do it all the time shooting on the street with my TLRs or with my 5 year old daughter that no AF camera can seem to keep up with! Scale focusing and judicious use and knowledge of DOF is all that works with her!

Good to hear. What sort of cameras and lenses do you use?

Prefocus sounds good too.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jun 24, 2016

tomfrh said:
Good to hear. What sort of cameras and lenses do you use?

Prefocus sounds good too.

Mostly Rolleiflex TLRs.

tomfrh · Jun 24, 2016

80mm lenses?

Richard S. (rich815) · Jun 24, 2016

tomfrh said:
80mm lenses?

Oh, yeah, sorry. Yes, 80/2.8 and and also 75/3.5. Planars and Xenotars. I have a lot of Rolleiflexes I've collected over the years. Also own and shoot the Tele- and the -wide but I'm fairly certain none of those above are either of those cameras.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jun 24, 2016

Correction. The one with my son and the ball covering his face was the Tele-Rolleiflex. That's a 135/4 Sonnar lens. Also the one with my son on the stairs was a SL66, 80/2.8 Planar lens.

tomfrh · Jun 25, 2016

Ooh that 135 sounds nice.

Are the rolleiflexs a lot better than cheaper ones such as yashicas/mamiyas etc?

AgX · Jun 25, 2016

Chan Tran said:
Among the 35mm SLR's only Nikon has both WLF and AF.

Only true when concerning AF bodies. See my Canon reference.

Les Sarile · Jun 25, 2016

Paul Howell said:
Have you thought about a 90 degree finder, attached to a standard view finder?

tomfrh said:
I was wondering about these, however it doesn't seem quite as discreet as a waist level camera?

How about using a right angle lens adapter? They even called them "spy" lenses as I guess people don't see you pointing the lens directly at them. Never owned one so I don't know if this will work with the autofocus.

Chan Tran · Jun 25, 2016

AgX said:
Only true when concerning AF bodies. See my Canon reference.

In my original post I said only Nikon has both WLF and AF I meant to say in the same camera as per the OP question. Many other manufacturers offer WLF for 35mm. In fact only Olympus didn't have one. Canon, Nikon, Minolta and Pentax all have at least one.

Are there any autofocussing waist level finder cameras?

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