waist level finder hack

[FrankS]

Leica made some waist level viewers to help in framing pictures without raising the camera to your eye. Some old folding cameras have similar attachments. I removed one of these and epoxied a flash shoe to it so that it will sit atop my camera to serve this function. The image isn't very easy to see and I image the Leica accessory is much better, but this was free. The donor camera is shown in the first picture.

 

[FrankS]

I attempted to show what the finder sees in these 2 pictures, The first is the set up, the second is looking down at the finder which is pointed at the camera it will be sitting on.

 

[BillBingham2]

Very cool project. Am hitting myself on the head now as I have never thought of this approach before. I've always lusted after the Kodak version and some what over the Leica but never could pull the trigger due to the high prices and low potential number of uses, even though I love shooting over my head (TLRS rock at this).

Thanks for sharing, great job!

B2 (;->

 

[vrgard]

Very cool, Frank. And it's perfect with that Hexar AF since it has autofocus. Gee, you got any other donor cameras from which you could make me one?

-Randy

 

[payasam]

The gluing of the flash foot would have to be pretty precise...

 

[peter_n]

Great job Frank! I have a Zeiss 436/8 that I thought I had lost but I found it recently in the bottom of my briefcase. I don't know what it was doing there but I'm really glad I found it again. I've found mine very useful in framing streams of people passing by from below - I hope you have fun with yours!

 

[ruby.monkey]

What a great idea.

(Also, just for all you Bessa R2/3/4 owners, the Nikon DR-3 anglefinder fits perfectly - and it's far easier to focus a rangefinder with this than an SLR)

 

[ethics_gradient]

Very cool idea! I've got one of those little WLF prism things laying around from a disassembled 6x9 folder, I'll have to try this.

 

[FrankS]

Thanks.

Payasam, I just eye-balled the orientation of the finder on the hotshoe foot as the glue was drying. This gives just an approximate view anyway.
Randy, sorry I have no other donor camera but this is so easy to do, I wouldn't want to take the satisfaction away from you doing this yourself. Donor cameras of this type are available for $5 at fleamarkets.