Help needed - Ricoh GXR and (Zeiss) Optical View Finder

[TMP]

Hello,

I am considering a Ricoh GXR with the A12 28mm module yet only if an Optical View Finder is usable on it.

What I mean by usable is that it has to be as "precise" as the GV-1 on the Ricoh GR D X series. Any input from first-hand experience?

In advance, thank you for your help.

(N.B. This has been cross-posted on Ricoh Forum)

 

[TMP]

No one here used a GXR with the A12 28mm module and an OVF?

 

[v_roma]

No first-hand experience but I recall reading on Reid Reviews that the GV-2 framelines were accurate for the GXR A12 28mm at a distance of less than one meter and then very conservative thereafter. I may be misremembering the details, though, but you can check it out if you're a subscriber.

No one here used a GXR with the A12 28mm module and an OVF?

 

[shyoon]

Doesn't Ricoh sell a dedicated 28mm finder for the A12 28mm unit? I swear I've seen one on B&H...

 

[TMP]

All Ricoh's viewfinders have a 4:3 aspect ratio and the GV-2 also have a 1:1 aspect ratio.

When I used my GR D 3, I had both the Ricoh GV-1 (with the camera set to 4:3) and CV 28mm Bright Line Finder (with the camera set to 3:2).

The CV 28mm was a utter catastrophe.

The Ricoh GV-1 was really good. (FYI, I take a lot of time to compose, I am maniac and I almost never crop...)

Now, since the GXR A12 modules have a 3:2 native resolution, I am expecting 3:2 aspect ratio viewfinders to work better than Ricoh's.

Sean indeed mentions that a 28mm viewfinder is usable on a GXR A12 28mm yet nothing more.

One of the reasons I am looking into the outrageously-expensive Zeiss 25/28mm 3:2 viewfinder is that, not only is it built like a tank, it is huge and bright, almost distortion-free and it goes beyond 28mm which is useful.

 

[ZeissFan]

Isn't a 1:1 aspect ratio a square? And you know that the Zeiss viewfinder might be worth more than the camera.

 

[TMP]

Yup…

Yup…

Isn't a 1:1 aspect ratio a square? And you know that the Zeiss viewfinder might be worth more than the camera.

Yes, have a look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sotome/2083285613/

As to the price of the Zeiss viewfinder, it will indeed cost me $100+ than the GXR body.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one with the idea: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24609

Unfortunately, I can't get hold of its previous owner...

 

[jsrockit]

No OVF will be as accurate as an EVF.

 

[jimmy2thou]

The only problem with an OVF is the hot shoe is not properly aligned to the lens on the GXR, so accuracy (or lack of), is likely to be an issue. I haven't tested it myself, so can't be 100% sure.

Just a thought,

James