Finders for wide angle lenses

[JoeMac]

How many of you don't use a finder when shooting wide angle lenses and just estimate what else will be in the picture. I was thinking for landscapes that it would be just as easy to crop out what I didn't want instead of fooling around with the finder.

Your thoughts.

Thanks

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[x-ray]

Atleast for me every square MM of film is important to achieve the best print. With 35mm there aren't enough sq MM's to waste.

 

[Nick R.]

Aux. viewfinders are pretty handy. With a 21mm, for example, you can easily scale focus and use an aux. viewfinder to frame your shot. They're usually brighter and larger than the built-in camera window. In essence, the camera becomes a P&S. Since I've gotten my 21, I've noticed that I tend to compose more to the edges of the scene to compensate for the larger view, making accurate framing more important.

 

[Pablito]

I agree completely with x-ray. Which is why I've started using an 28mm external viwfinder. Even though the M6 has framelines for the 28, you really have to jam your eyeball into the camera in order to see edge to edge, and even then the hood blocks a quarter of the image. If you don't crop, or rarely crop, you really need to make every bit of the frame count.

 

[JoeMac]

OK, so I need one. Any suggestions on where I can get one for a 24mm that isn't plastic and doesn't cost almost as much as a lens.

 

[retrocam]

Leica sells a viewfinder that can be set to 21/24/28. I tried it in a Leica photo shoot with the 24mm. It's not so dim. I have no qualms about the lens and viewfinder except for the price. B&H is accepting orders on the viewfinder at the moment.

 

[jscolman@scolma]

Source for finders.....

Source for finders.....

Hi, check out www.cameraquest.com, he has lots of great gear. Happy New Year, Jim.

 

[SDK]

Well, I agree with X-ray, for good enlargements, you need to try to make all the film count on a 35mm negative.

 

[peter_n]

OK, so I need one. Any suggestions on where I can get one for a 24mm that isn't plastic and doesn't cost almost as much as a lens.

I use the CV 25mm finder with my 24/2.8. It is an excellent finder and it is plastic (as is the Leica 24mm finder).

In April Cosina will release the R4M and R4A which are bodies specifically designed for wide-angles. The VF has parallax correction from focal lengths of 21mm and up. Then you won't need a finder.