Waist level finder on the Nikon F3/F5 or other 35mm cameras?

film_man · Feb 17, 2021

I'm just curious, does anyone actually use the waist level finder on their F3 or F5? They make great instagram photos for people using expensive leather straps I suppose.

I've been tempted to get one for my F5 but I just can't see how it will be useful given the tiny screen. Maybe it is just me, I always found them so so my 6x6 cameras and preferred eye level 90deg finders but I did like it on the RB67, which of course is massive and easy to use.

On the other hand, the F5 does have autofocus so maybe that makes it useful?

So, anyone using a waist finder on a 35mm camera?

bdial · Feb 17, 2021

They are handy in situations where you need to work from above the camera, rather than behind it. For example, with the camera on a low tripod or on a copy stand. Assuming you have a WLF, and it’s in the kit you have with you. For me, the more common situation is that it’s not with me, so it’s pop off the prism, compose the best i can, shielding the screen with my hand, if necessary, make the shot and move on.
With any WLF camera, I usually focus and compose using the magnifier, and rarely use it actually at my waist.

Indeed, a 35mm screen is small to use from the typical waist to eye distance, even for young eyes.

Peltigera · Feb 17, 2021

I find WLFs improve my composition. This is because I am looking at the image as a part of my vision. With an eye level finder, the image is not a part of your vision, it is all of your vision. This distinction means that I am using different parts of my brain to analyse what I am seeing and I end up with a better picture.

As far as focus is concerned, my WLFs have magnifiers to help the focus, which I do with the camera close to my eye, then I compose with the camera much lower down. The slowing down doesn't hurt either.

narsuitus · Feb 17, 2021

I use a waist level finder on my 35mm SLRs when I am shooting macro, using a copy stand, shooting with a telescope, or when shooting with a microscope. My very first SLR (Miranda Sensorex) had a removable viewfinder that allowed me to use a waist level finder. Since then, I have used Nikon F, F2, F3, and F4 with the removable viewfinder feature.

Nikon F4 with waist-level finder by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Paul Howell · Feb 17, 2021

I had a WLF which came with my F that I t had bought used, thought I could use it to shoot over a crowd by holding it upside down, TLR shooters use that tech, but the screen on a 35mm for it to useful. I have a WLF for Miranda but I use the critical focus finder when shooting with a bellows.

k.hendrik · Feb 17, 2021

I used WLF on my F5 when I wanted to make unobtrusive shots inside cafés, buses etc. but the LOUD kloink of a F5 shutter make all my efforts idle.

Nicholas Lindan · Feb 17, 2021

k.hendrik said:
...unobtrusive shots inside cafés, buses etc. but the LOUD kloink of a F5 shutter make all my efforts idle.

Lock the mirror up and look at the subject to pick the right moment. Kinda like shooting large format.

narsuitus · Feb 17, 2021

k.hendrik said:
I used WLF on my F5 when I wanted to make unobtrusive shots inside cafés, buses etc. but the LOUD kloink of a F5 shutter make all my efforts idle.

When I want to take unobtrusive shots with a film camera, I use a Leica M6 rangefinder which makes less noise than most SLRs.

Les Sarile · Feb 17, 2021

From a waistlevel, you can frame. To get critical focus, your eye has to be on it and use the flip up magnifier.

MattKing · Feb 17, 2021

IMHO, with 35mm, they need to be more of a chest level finder than a waist level finder.

k.hendrik · Feb 17, 2021

Nicholas Lindan said:
Lock the mirror up and look at the subject to pick the right moment. Kinda like shooting large format.

the winder still make a noice like 'hey boys & girls i'm here!!' My Contax G2 does "whoosh" but hasn't a WLF
Narsuitus
'unobtrusive' with a Leica M6 in front of your head?? a joke maybe
Matt King; CLF ! hence my likes to shoot in a café/bar; F5 next to my beer!

narsuitus · Feb 17, 2021

k.hendrik said:
'unobtrusive' with a Leica M6 in front of your head?? a joke maybe

Using a wide angle lens, setting the lens to the hyperfocal distance, and shooting from the hip is one way to be unobtrusive without putting the camera in front of your head..

GRHazelton · Feb 17, 2021

I have my Father's AsahiFlex IIa which has a WL finder. It's almost unusable without the flip-out magnifier certainly for focusing and to a large extent for composition. The image is just too small, as opposed to a 4x4 or 6x6 waistlevel finder. Remember that the right-left is reversed,, that makes action shots difficult and vertical format shots .... challenging. My Father did a lot of closeup and macro shooting, the WL finder is good for that if in horizontal format.. I have a WL magnifying finder for my Pentax LX, but I find my right angle magnifying finder much more useful for ground level work. I shoot low level pix with my Pentax 645n; the right angle finder for it is almost essential.since there is no VF interchangeability.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 17, 2021

narsuitus said:
When I want to take unobtrusive shots with a film camera, I use a Leica M6 rangefinder which makes less noise than most SLRs.

BobD · Feb 17, 2021

I used to do a lot of tabletop photography with an F and then an F2 and the WLF was very useful for that.

Nicholas Lindan · Feb 17, 2021

k.hendrik said:
the winder still make a noise like 'hey boys & girls i'm here!!'

Ah, yes, F5 - I have an F3 w/ WLF and was, er, projecting.

Most of my right angle shooting is using a bellows, a long lens on a low tripod or sometimes a weed's-eye perspective in the, er, weeds.

I find the critical magnifier finder the nicest one to use for this, but the screw-in-the-eyehole right-angle finder is remarkably good. But you can't play Secret Agent Man in the cafe with either.

Ariston · Feb 18, 2021

film_man said:
I'm just curious, does anyone actually use the waist level finder on their F3 or F5? They make great instagram photos for people using expensive leather straps I suppose.

I've been tempted to get one for my F5 but I just can't see how it will be useful given the tiny screen. Maybe it is just me, I always found them so so my 6x6 cameras and preferred eye level 90deg finders but I did like it on the RB67, which of course is massive and easy to use.

On the other hand, the F5 does have autofocus so maybe that makes it useful?

So, anyone using a waist finder on a 35mm camera?

I don’t have one, but wish I did. I hate lying on the ground trying to look through the viewfinder to get those low shots. I have taken the finder off to use the ground glass, but it is hard for my bad eyes to focus without a magnifier.

Mick Fagan · Feb 18, 2021

Well I carry a waist level finder with my F3 pretty much wherever I go, one never knows when it will come in handy. It is especially handy with the camera on a tripod against a wall and a wide angle lens fitted, focus, then trip the shutter and let the self timer do it's work as you quietly walk away.

In the middle of a couple of months in Iceland and pondering the day we had just had, I noted the wall heater directly in front of me. I worked out what exactly I was going to do, which was use my 24mm, tripod quite low and the waist level finder. This I did, wonderful almost abstract picture was obtained.

One can tell that the image presented was approximately 70mm away from the objective. And yes, I did use the pop up magnifier to get a brilliantly sharp focused negative.

Mick.

film_man · Feb 18, 2021

Thank you all for the comments. I suppose I can try a bit without the finder on the F5 and then get the DW30 if that kind of shooting sticks.

Waist level finder on the Nikon F3/F5 or other 35mm cameras?

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Waist level finder on the Nikon F3/F5 or other 35mm cameras?

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