Directors Viewfinders

[Benjamin Smith]

I have been looking at some directors scopes and viewfinders recently and am wondering what would be the best one to buy. Any Suggestions?

[Bugs Haller]

Ben

 

I guess it depends on how much you want to spend and what you want it to do. I've seen some that look like they cost thousands and they're almost as big as the cameras!

 

I purchased one from filmtools.com for a few hundred dollars and it works out great for me. It covers all the formats and focal lengths and does the job nicely. I think it's made by KISH optics. It's fairly small too, which I happen to like.

[Jaime Toruno]

Just don't buy the micro viewfinder..it's sucks... I had and took it back! :angry:

[Chris Keth]

My favorite is the lowest tech of all: Take a 35mm slide frame and put a mask in it with a cutout the same size (actual size, not just aspect ratio) as your format sensor. Attach a string to the slide frame and tie a knot in it every centimeter.

 

How do you use this thingy? Well, you hold the slide up and frame up the shot you want. Then you use the string to measure the distance the frame was from your eye. That distance will be the focal length of your lens.

 

It's cheap and fits in your pocket.

Edited November 2, 2007 by Chris Keth

[Benjamin Smith]

My favorite is the lowest tech of all: Take a 35mm slide frame and put a mask in it with a cutout the same size (actual size, not just aspect ratio) as your format sensor. Attach a string to the slide frame and tie a knot in it every centimeter.

 

How do you use this thingy? Well, you hold the slide up and frame up the shot you want. Then you use the string to measure the distance the frame was from your eye. That distance will be the focal length of your lens.

 

It's cheap and fits in your pocket.

 

That is a pretty sweet idea. i am going to have to try that sometime.