Mark II Artist's Viewfinder users

This topic might be worth a thread. As I was looking for traditional director's viewfinder options, @David A. Goldfarb shot right back with this iPhone app instead. Apparently there are Android alternatives too.

Quick look at the 80 page book published for this app revealed some interesting and promising options. But looking deeper, I have not found clarity in what they do or don't do. A lot of digital fluff makes it harder to see how it works out with film shooting, in any format. App claims to cater to both, digital and analog shooters, but it appears analog is a bit a of aside, given potential of better integration, especially with record keeping.

So here are few questions to those who use this app (and to anyone with other similar apps on same issues). Keep in mind I do not have this app, just the book to get an idea of what it does.

1. App has B&W mode, it applies a filter to get the B&W view. I do not see na option to actually play around with color filters as they apply to B&W outcome. Is it possible, or a missed opportunity, perhaps worth mentioning to the creator?

2. Saving views: not clear whether a snap of actual view with applied framing is possible (so only what is being framed is saved), or it records the whole screen with frame lines (in preview)? It seems like a good way to integrate this with archiving of negatives, but appears to fall short of such application. I wish it would allow for view naming on a fly, user defined to go along with whatever archiving style one uses for negatives.

3. As it appears to be targeting digital more than film shooters, custom cameras/backs appear as the way to pre-set certain ratios, but am not clear how this works in reality. I suppose sorting ratio choices to keep most used ones on top of a list is also not possible either (book appears to imply custom added set-ups appear at END of the list)?

Don't know the answers to all your questions, but I do use this app simply for composition and framing possibilities. IMO, it's incorrect to classify this app as geared more toward the digital user; for fact, I don't use it for digital at all. My main use is for LF film cameras. Personally, I find it indispensable for 8x10 shooting. You can customize the heck out of a camera setup and quickly switch between each camera. For example, there are many default film sizes, but you can also measure the image area of your film and enter these specific measurements into the app. You can enter lens focal lengths that aren't on the list. Wide angle lenses get a little trickier depending on the focal length because the view required might be wider than what your phone lens provides. For these wider lenses you need an auxiliary lens for your phone. I bought a Schneider iPro lens set off eBay for something like 15 bucks; already had the appropriate phone case.

I'm pretty sure when saving a view that it includes the frame lines, but I've only done that a couple of times and that was way back when I first started using the app. If you decide to go with it, I think you'll find it has plenty of options to handle anything you want to do. But, I can't know your needs and $30 for an app ain't cheap!

Hope this helps.

Reason I called it "geared towards digital" is from going through 80 pages of its book and the book made me ask these questions. While custom set ups are explained, one cannot miss the "digital fluff" (or constant references to digital cameras) that covers a lot of pages. If I had the app and not book, I might have never seen the "digital" in it at all.

Thanks for wide lens tip and all the rest, it sure helps understanding what it does.

My question on B&W conversion view "features" came from using Fuji's X100 and its options for B&W in "normal + filtering red, green, yellow". Seems like not having this is a missed opportunity. Not about getting accurate depiction of scene, yet application of single colored filter will show an accurately enough change. Book says nothing about it, so I assume it is not the case.

The app probably leans more toward digital because that's pretty much where photography has gone nowadays. Honestly, I'm not sure why a digital shooter would need this app; maybe, using an optical viewfinder, but mirrorless with these OLED displays you can see changes in the viewfinder as made.

Alan9940 said:

The app probably leans more toward digital because that's pretty much where photography has gone nowadays. Honestly, I'm not sure why a digital shooter would need this app; maybe, using an optical viewfinder, but mirrorless with these OLED displays you can see changes in the viewfinder as made.

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That was my feeling too. Anyways, app looks quite nice. In my case it requires an iPhone, so first I will check out the Magic app for Android in free version and go from there, before splurging 800+30 on Artist's

Personally, if I didn't already have an iPhone I wouldn't spring for one just to run this app.

Neither would I, but I will be upgrading phone next year and one needs to come my way. What I already see in Magic app for Android, it does not seem as a match to this one, but no idea how the paid version differs, if at all.

As I am not familiar with iPhone and apps, are lifetime updates in the purchase price, or is there a long term catch? Looking at Artist's site I cannot find this info.

Witold said:

As I am not familiar with iPhone and apps, are lifetime updates in the purchase price, or is there a long term catch? Looking at Artist's site I cannot find this info.

Click to expand...

Occasionally, a developer will release what is considered a major update and will charge for it. But, of all the apps I have (a lot) I've seen this only a couple of times; and, so far, never with the Artist's Viewfinder app. Can't remember when I first bought it, but it's been several years.

Thanks @Alan9940 . Possibly my daughter will be happy to see me using iPhone App looks better the more I look at it.

It's good for any kind of camera that has a known format size and lenses of known focal length--analogue, digital, cine, whatever. There are many presets for different cameras, but you can create your own, and then load them into a quick menu format, so I have all the focal lengths I own with each screen for each format, and those are labeled in the menu. All the custom settings are retained, so you don't have to enter them multiple times. So I press "Q" and choose between Canon EOS 5DII, Linhof 6x7 rollfilm (56x72mm), Generic 4x5, Generic 8x10, and 7x17" (I could set it up for other formats as needed, but these are the ones I have currently), and then I can see the frame lines for the selected format. It's possible to zoom them in, but at the wide end, you're limited by how wide your phone lens is. Some of the new phones have multiple lenses, and you can also use lens adapters and program those in, so the framelines will reflect reality.

You can take snapshots and there's some sort of BW filter emulation feature, but I don't use those. I think if I wanted to see how filters would look with an app, I'd try something like 645Pro, which gives you manual control over the phone's camera, and has built in filter and film curve options, and I think you can create your own film curves, or you could even program in a film curve and shoot through the filter you're actually using. I haven't tried that, but if you're looking to visualize on a phone, that's what I'd try. 645Pro is also a great camera app in general, if you like to work manually, and all you've got with you is a phone.

Here's a screenshot from my iPhone 8s with my settings for my Linhof Tech V 23b with a standard 56x72mm back. I usually just carry this camera with its three cammed lenses, 55mm, 105mm, and 180mm, so those are the framelines you see. I don't have a wideangle adapter attached to the phone right now, so you see it's not quite wide enough to show the full 55mm frame, but the app shows where the framelines are, even though the phone lens isn't quite wide enough to show that wide an image on its own.

"Q" is the quick menu that allows me to switch among formats, and each format includes framelines for all the lenses I am likely to use for that format.

@David A. Goldfarb Thanks this is great help and also on the 645Pro. I have seen it mentioned somewhere on the web and it does appear o be useful for filter emulations in B&W. The screen shot you posted is also good to see frame lines still shown outside of camera's wide capability. As my phone is getting an upgrade in a few months, switching to iPhone is not a major expanse.

It appears 645Pro is not being sold and hard to say if it will return. Don't have iPhone so cannot really check actual Apple Store availability, but developer's web site is in suspension mode since July 2020 with no time frame of return to sales and/or support. Bummer.

Hmmm... last update is 3 years ago, "645 PRO Mk III" v. 5.14. Since I actually have the app on my phone, I can't see if there's a link to buy it, and the developer doesn't seem to have any other updates or new apps in the last 3 years. Maybe someone who doesn't currently have the app on their iPhone can check to see if it's still available. I noticed there are some similar apps, "RAW+" and "ProCamera" but I haven't tried them and don't know if they have film emulations where you could test out filtrations before exposing actual film.

Looks like 645Pro is still listed on AppleStore for purchase. Price is shown and ready to be clicked. Given disturbing looks of developer's web site, not sure how that plays into the stated "sabbatical" pause for any support. Maybe app is stable and new/next iOS won't mess it up?

Have received reply from Artist's developer to two questions.

My question on B&W filter simulation became part of feature request list. I hardly believe being first one asking for it, but would not hurt others to flood the gates with same.

On pricing and upgrades, no set policy and no predictions. I suppose this is to protect developer against major iOS update requireing involved recoding in the future.