Viewfinder use

[Jonathan Brooke]

I was finding it hard to find the right place to put this question, but this seems as good as I'll get...

I have an 89% viewfinder, how do people think it is best to use what is outside the visible area? This is for things to print myself, rather than slide film. I'll give a couple of examples of what I mean. 1) Compose in the viewfinder and when in the darkroom, cut out what you don't remember being in your composition. 2) Try to compose for the full area of the negative (which is what I'd do for slides obviously). 3) Just shoot and see how best to print/crop it afterwards.

Also, any advice on composing for 8X10 ratio prints with a 35mm camera? Just shoot then worry about the crop?

Cheers,
Jonathan.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I don't have an answer about the 89% viewfinder issue. I am not likely to think that much about the 11% lost. (come to think if it, I don't know what % my viewfinders cover.)

About the other issue, I do tend to print to an 8X10 or 11X14 ratio, so I definitely think of that when composing. I do my best to avoid having critical parts of the composition on either edge. If I do, I will choose a different ratio for my enlargement.

Paul.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

Doing a lot of rangefinder work, the composition is never exactly right forcing some slight afnjustment in the darkroom. Slr work requires less. 4x5 even less as the glass image is perfect, just upside down and reversed.

Use what you need for the camera at hand.

I do tend to compose so cricical things are not at the very edges of the frame.

You can get perfection with an slr if you get a Nikon F, maybe F2. I would not buy into and old system at this time.