Nikon waist finders?

Newt_on_Swings

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I never really saw the point in theses. Get a blad or a tlr if you like that style of shooting. The 35mm frame is way to small to compose on these finders. If your idea is to get the camera low, you can also use the right angle finder attachments that go on the eye piece, you can pop it on or off quickly instead of carrying two different finder housings. They also come magnified and can be rotated too.
 

BMbikerider

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I would go along with a right angle finder. Removing the prism on the F3, F4, and F5 disables the meter (it is in the prism) and you would be obliged to use a separate hand held meter.
 

ronnies

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BMbikerider said:
I would go along with a right angle finder. Removing the prism on the F3, F4, and F5 disables the meter (it is in the prism) and you would be obliged to use a separate hand held meter.
Click to expand...

That's not quite true. The F3 retains all metering with all finders (it's in the body). The F4 still has spot metering with a waist level finder. Not sure about the F5 though.

I'd agree that they are very difficult to use from waist level though.

Ronnie
 

Paul Howell

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I like using a waist level finder for macro work, had a waist level for my F, but I was doing much macro at the time did not follow up with my F2 or 3, I have a waist level for my Marianda EE which I use with a bellows.
 

bdial

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I had a WL finder for a Nikon F, and I've used my F3 in "waist level mode" several times by just removing the prism.

But, IMH, a WL on a 35 isn't very useful for general work, its much more suited to macro, or other tripod mounted use than just walking around. I currently have a DW-4 "chimney style" finder for my F3, but have never actually used it.
 

John_Nikon_F

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On an F or F2, using a waist-level or 6x finder is preferred to a right angle finder. The plastic eyepiece frame on the prism finders of those models is very brittle, especially now that they're at least 30-40 years old. A cracked eyepiece frame is the norm, not the exception with those cameras now.

-J
 

k.hendrik

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F5 with DW-30; no 3d color matrix, no center weight, only spot metering. But I would love to have one just for fun & looks !
 

GRHazelton

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I have several finders for my Pentax LX, but I never considered for even a moment a waist level finder. I remember all to well using my Father's AsahiFlex with a waist level.
 

Les Sarile

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Waist level finders have a use. Unlike the others, Ricoh didn't need an interchangeable viewfinder system to implement both eye and waist level finder system.

 

Mick Fagan

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I have the DW-3, DW-4 and DA-2 finders for my F3 bodies.

The DA-2 which is the action finder allows you to focus the camera with a motorcycle helmet on, amongst other things. This is also very useful in fast action where you need to be aware of your surrounds, like photographing a mob of sheep with the odd ram here and there trying to ram you in the crotch.

The DW-4 is fantastic as a waist level finder for super critical stuff, the fact that you can dial in your optical correction and view the entire screen for super critical focus is really advantageous. This is my preferred choice of finder when using a wide angle lens, and when the camera is mounted on a tripod and backed right up to a wall. With the F3 mounted to a microscope, this waist level finder is the one to use. Although the DW-3 can be used in the same situation, it doesn’t cut the mustard as well as the DW-4 finder does.

The DW-3 waist level finder with the flip up 6x magnifier is the one I always carry wherever the camera goes on any trip. It is so small, light and versatile and can be used with the camera held upside down and using the focusing screen as a viewfinder held at arm’s length. I have used this set-up quite a few times in crowd situations coupled with a 24mm lens for superb results. This finder can also be used with the camera backed up to a wall, but is not as user friendly for super critical focusing as the DW-4.

Waist level finders have a place in photography, sometimes they work much better than anything else. As for right angled attachment viewers, they are not quite the equal of the Nikon interchangeable viewfinders by a large margin. If you wear optical correction spectacles, then be prepared for compromises in viewing convenience and ability. I have used one and found it to be generally more of a hindrance than a help, and declined from using the one I had, except where 90º viewing was mandated by the shooting conditions. Another negative is that I could not get a camera backed up against a wall with a right angle viewing attachment, the eye piece needed to be about 50mm to 70mm away from the wall to allow me to get one eye close enough to focus.

Mick.
 

BMbikerider

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Not with my F3HP it wasn't. I found out after a series of wrong exposures on slide film. when using the waist level finder. All the metering was in the prism head.
 

bdial

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BMbikerider said:
Not with my F3HP it wasn't. I found out after a series of wrong exposures on slide film. when using the waist level finder. All the metering was in the prism head.
Click to expand...

The meter is in the body on all F3's. But, if you're metering with the prism off, or using one of the WL finders, it's easy for extraneous light to affect the reading, especially if the camera is set for automatic and the finder isn't covered, this is true for the standard prism as well.
 

Chan Tran

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skorpiius said:
Does this even exist? If so, what would be the most recent SLR which accepts them?
Click to expand...

The F, F2, F3, F4 and F5 all accept waist level finder. Each has its own version of the finder so you can't mix. The latest that would accept one is the F5. No meter with the F and F2. Full center weighted metering with the F3 as the F3 has its entire metering circuit in the body. In fact I have used the F3 without a viewfinder. The F4 and F5 only support spot metering when using the waist level finder as most of their metering system is in the eye level finder. The spot meter in the F4 and F5 uses the same AF sensors as light sensors and thus they are in the body.
 

frank

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Which is why the eye level finder has a curtain.
 

narsuitus

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Since I needed to attach my camera to microscopes and telescopes, a waist level finder has been an important feature for me for a long time. My very first SLR (Miranda Sensorex) had a waist level finder. I also had a waist level finder for my Nikon F, F2, F3, and F4.

Nikon really disappointed me when they failed to equip the F6 and all of its digital SLRs with this useful feature.


Nikon F2 by Narsuitus, on Flickr
 

Paul Howell

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