well, I've mostly stopped shooting 35mm, so at this point the ETRSi is my small portable camera. So I am very focused on maintaining portability. With grip and AEIII prism, the usability of the ETRSi is actually quite nice (I have the manual grip, which came with the camera when I bought it and I also have the smaller power grip which is actually very good.) and I do use it occasionally. I actually really like the ETRSi, and its big brother, the GS-1 (the prism on that is big!) and since 95% of my photos are in landscape orientation, the WLF doesn't bother me. I have taken portrait oriented photos with the WLF handheld, but I wouldn't try that with a live subject. The reversal I got used to reletively quickly, and now seems natural (especially that now most of my photography is upside-down on a 4x5 or larger.)
Additionally, the WLF has no protective glass between the focusing screen and the environment. I find this a design flaw on these (otherwise great) cameras. Dirt, grime, etc, thus easily gets inside the fresnel grooves. The Pentax 6x7, the Mamiya RB67 and C330, all of them have a protective glass over the focusing screen.
I've never seen a camera with a waist level finder with glass over the focusing screen--usually they are just simple metal hoods. I have a P67 and waitslevel finder and there is no protective glass.
They all have a protective glass over the focusing screen.
For example on the Pentax 6x7 the focusing screen has over it a fresnel, and then it has a protective glass. It's a 3-piece assembly. Yes, the WLF has no glass,but the focusing screen is protected. So, for example, you can't scratch the delicate fresnel. Or dirt doesn't get into the fresnel.
On the ETR series, the focusing screen is a 1-piece assembly, which has the focusing surface on one side and a fresnel on the other side. There is no protective glass on top, that's my point.
Yes, i fully understand. I have two ETRSi and one ETRS (silver), plus the 40/4 MC, 50/2.8 MC and PE, 75/2.8 MC, EII, and PE, 105/3.5 MC, 150/3.5 PE, 200/4.5 PE and the 1.4x PE teleconverter. Plus some accesories like the Motor Drive E (the original).
BTW, i don't know how many lenses do you already have, but the 150/4 (early mc) has an unfair reputation of being a "bad" lens. It is a very good lens, really.
If you don't like heavy weight, don't use the Motor Drive E! It weights about 900g or so and uses 8 AA batteries. I bought it because it's the only one to give you electric shutter release, which also allows it to have a remote cord connection. All the later 'winders' don't have a remote connection, nor electric release. Otherwise they're better in every regard.
If you're using the WLF, be careful. I carry my ETRSi inside my camera bag and one day, the WLF de-attached itself from its place (it's easy to push the viewfinder release button) and started scratching the focusing screen. Now I have a scratched focusing screen. The prisms, having more mass, seem to be more difficult to de-attach.
Additionally, the WLF has no protective glass between the focusing screen and the environment. I find this a design flaw on these (otherwise great) cameras. Dirt, grime, etc, thus easily gets inside the fresnel grooves. The Pentax 6x7, the Mamiya RB67 and C330, all of them have a protective glass over the focusing screen.
The past week or so I've been carrying my "three folders" bag -- containing my White Russian Moskva 5, my Mamiya Six folder, and my Daiichi Zenobia.
White Russian? From before the revolution?
while the glass for it is wonderful, they have proven themselves to be the least reliable cameras
I have 5 RB67 lenses. One shutter works properly. For now.
Apart from the 55mm wide angle. The one I had was so soft it could be used as a feather bed.
I have 5 RB67 lenses. One shutter works properly. For now.
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