Fisheye Viewfinder: what options?

perkeleellinen · Jan 18, 2010

I mounted a Nikkor 16mm fisheye onto a Leica via an adaptor:

Yeah, I know, crazy. But I like to play and photography is nothing if it's not fun.

I'm wondering if I can complete this contraption with a viewfinder. I found this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400077737699&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Seems very low-tech, possibly featuring a 'lens' from a door viewer.

So, this is to ask, is there, or was there, ever a viewfinder for fisheyes?

keithwms · Jan 18, 2010

Is the flange to film distance short enough? Did you check it with ground glass or paper at the film plane?

VF for fisheye? What for, just in case your 180 degree FOV somehow misses your subject?

I do salute your experimentalism!

Steve Smith · Jan 18, 2010

It's cheap so why not try it? It must be more representative than the camera's viewfinder.

I might get one of these myself. I recently made my own viewfinder for my wide angle panoramic camera using some old lens elements. I needed one with a 90 degree viewing angle which is similar to 21mm on 35mm format. One of these suitably masked could work too.

Steve.

perkeleellinen · Jan 18, 2010

keithwms said:
Is the flange to film distance short enough? Did you check it with ground glass or paper at the film plane?

I need to shoot a roll to be 100% as everything can appear in focus with this lens, but it seemed fine when I placed paper on the film plane.

I'd like a VF, firstly just to complete the thing, but also because I bring the camera up to my eye and need something to look into that's a bit wider than the Leica VF.

perkeleellinen · Jan 18, 2010

Steve Smith said:
It's cheap so why not try it? It must be more representative than the camera's viewfinder.

I probably will, this thread was really just to check I hadn't missed out any other options.

P.S. how do I attach a signature to my posts? I'd like to place my name below what I write.

Steve Smith · Jan 18, 2010

Click on 'My APUG' at the top then in the list down the left side you should find 'Edit Signature'.

Steve.

perkeleellinen · Jan 18, 2010

Thanks.

Mike1234 · Jan 18, 2010

I've seen a few posts... can't remember where... in which the poster modified a 180 degree door peep lens and masked it with black tape. I don't remember how they attached it to the camera... maybe by gluing it to a cheap hot shoe adapter?

perkeleellinen · Feb 12, 2010

The viewfinder arrived from China, it took a few weeks. It's all plastic, surprisingly bright looking through it and seems fairly well made. The image is circular, so I'll have to mask it. The finder is actually so wide that I can see the entire length of the lens when I look through it.

fotch · Feb 12, 2010

It looks somewhat like the finder from the Nikon 7.7mm lens that I have. Of course, it does take circular pictures. The Nikon finder is all metal and glass and is very high quality. I also have the lens you have. While they are both fish eyes, huge difference in the photos they take. Good Luck.

TheSohnly · Feb 14, 2010

looks like a worthwhile experiment

Fisheye Viewfinder: what options?

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