Re: finders - hacking solutions anyone?

[Edward Meyers <aghalide@xxxxxxxxx>]

M. Dusariez's suggestion is a very good one. Spiratone, in
the U.S.A. sold such a door-peep-site with a "foot" attached,
so that it'll fit a camera's top-side "shoe". I own it. Ed

On Tue, 29 Aug 2000, Michel Dusariez wrote:

> Dear panoramist,
> Optical door spyviewers (big diameter models) are easy to be transformed in
> wide field  finders.
> Just mark front glass with field.
> Cheap solution.
> Michel DUSARIEZ
> 
> >I find the subject of ultrawide finders to be quite interesting,
> >particularly after pricing some commercial examples (aargh!) ;-) The idea
> >of spending $450 for a finder is disconcerting, but even the russian 21mm
> >and leica finders cost more than some of my 35mm SLR lenses (nikkors at
> >that!)
> >
> >has anyone come up with any decent finder alternatives? Ralph
> >Fuerbringer's point (re: $450 linhof is similar to 0.42x superwide adapter)
> >suggests this might be one low cost way to create a suitable very wide
> >finder?
> >
> >Unfortunately, the Ikelite flash shoe mount finders would be ideal, except
> >they aren't very wide (like 20mm?) and they _are_ painted dayglo orange
> >and they are pretty big and still circa $100 US. These finders are used in
> >scuba diving underwater, where you can't use a regular viewfinder (e.g. on
> >nikonos) for lack of wide angle coverage or ability to get close while
> >wearing a mask. The eye relief on these Ikelite finders is tremendous -
> >like five or six inches - and they support a variety of standard 35mm lens
> >masks and also come with custom plastic screens you can scribe your own
> >pattern as needed. Grids show typical barrel distortion, but they are
> >pretty accurate. Gizmo is size of a small lemon; price was around $100 US
> >last time I bought one (albeit some years ago)...
> >
> >I have been experimenting with a Topcon rectilinear fisheye lens assembly
> >from a digital light processor - the projection TVs that use Texas
> >Instruments mirror chips to project big screen bright tv images. fisheye
> >is about 1 1/2" in diam. and very wide angle coverage, projects from flat to
> >flat screen (e.g., pretty rectilinear) and bright (no iris though) -
> >coverage is small, to match digital chip, but relatively close to the eye
> >pupil size (7mm etc.). Just another alternative for finder hackers to
> >consider? (these are local surplus examples, any others out there?)
> >
> >I suppose one of the new 0.42x or similar mutars would be useful, as
> >ralph notes, with the right masking. I have found at least 2 types, the
> >old solid glass ones are heavy and big, designed for 35mm and 2 1/4"
> >cameras; the newer ones (often claiming to be "autofocus" and "titanium"
> >and "macro") are much lighter and cheaper ($20 used from Goodwin photo
> >for last used one I bought) and might make decent finders at that?
> >
> >anybody got any good examples of finder alternatives that work for panos
> >and ultrawides without leaving that "empty wallet" feeling? ;-) Thanks!
> >
> >regards bobm
> 
> 
> Michel DUSARIEZ
> UNLIMITED FIELDS RESEARCH PANOPTIC IMAGING
> KITE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORDWIDE ASSOCIATION - FOUNDATION
> 14, Avenue Capitaine PIRET
> B-1150 BRUXELLES - BELGIUM
> Fax 32 2 512 68 29
> 
> 
>