Fully Orientable Viewfinder

[Nick Norton]

After finally receiving my Kinoptik 5.7mm Tegea Lens, i am having a bit of a hard time framing up my compositions with my Eclair ACL.

 

I like keeping the camera low to the ground, shooting slightly upwards... but my viewfinder makes this extremely difficult without shooting "blind."

 

I have the Kinoptik Orientable viewfinder, but the viewfinder seems hardly "fully orientable."

 

It seems all i can do is rotate the viewfinder on a horizontal axis (and i'm not sure how this would ever help you with a shot, seeing that the standard position for over the shoulder shooting seems like the only functional way to orient the viewfinder.)

 

OK, long story short... do any viewfinders exist for the ACL that allow you to tilt the viewfinder on a vertical axis, a la the XL1 and XL2 viewfinder?

 

I'd like to look straight down at my viewfinder if possible.

 

Thanks-

 

Nicholas

[Jason Hinkle RIP]

It seems all i can do is rotate the viewfinder on a horizontal axis

 

Hey Nick, I hope I understand what you are asking. First off, are you positive you have the orientable viewfinder? Because they both do rotate up and down. (ie neither are totally fixed in place. )

 

This is the non-orientable one:

http://www.my16mm.com/assets/pics/cameras/eclairacl.jpg

 

This is the orientable one:

http://www.erkanumut.com/upload/sayfalar/b...r/EclairACL.jpg

 

For both of these viewfinders the image rotates when you move the viewfinder. So, shooting low you probably are seeing at the image rotated 90 degrees on it's side? The orientable one has a dial near where it attaches to the camera body that lets you rotate the image right-side up. It is kinda funky, but using that dial you can "correct" the image so it's right-side-up no matter where you position the viewfinder.

 

I have one of each of these viewfinders. when I shoot a really low shot with the non-orientable one, I actually hold the camera so the lens is pointed directly to my left and look straight down into the viewfinder sideways (just rotate the eye cup). That way I can see the image right side up. It definitely is not the ideal situation, but that's how i do it, unless your brain can frame a shot sideways - which mine cannot!

[Nick Norton]

I actually have neither of those viewfinders. Those are both Angeneiux viewfinders if i am correct... mine is a Kinoptik.

 

However, you did answer my question... It seems i would need the Orientable Angeneiux viewfinder. (Or video tap)

 

 

I've heard the Kinoptik one was best... could anyone argue why if it isn't fully orientable?

 

 

Thanks!

-nicholas

[Jason Hinkle RIP]

I actually have neither of those viewfinders. Those are both Angeneiux viewfinders if i am correct... mine is a Kinoptik.

 

ah, it probably would help if I had read your post a little closer. I've never tried the Kinoptik but from what I've read there is a version that auto rotates the image so you don't have to deal with turning a dial.

[Saul Rodgar]

I have never encountered the so-called "orientable" ACL viewfinder. I acquired an Aaton LTR to solve the problem instead.

[Alex Turner]

I use the orientable Angeneiux viewfinder with my NPR, which I believe has the same mounting thread as the ACL. Cinema Products also made an orientable viewfinder which some people prefer to the Angeneiux. The Kinoptik was always something of a dog - sure you can position the viewfinder for a better angle but what's the use if the image doesn't remain upright?

 

Call Whitehouse AV, Optical Electro House or Bernie at super16inc.com - if you have a question about an Eclair camera they will probably have the answer you are looking for...

[Leo Anthony Vale]

I use the orientable Angeneiux viewfinder with my NPR, which I believe has the same mounting thread as the ACL.

 

The mounting threads are different, but Eclair and CP made adapters.

 

At Sawyer, we had an Angie orientable mounted on an ACL using the CP adapter.

The Angie O is longer the the standard ACL finder.

With the Angie O, the ACL with 400' mabalanced nicely on the edge of the shoulder.

[Nick Norton]

Just wanted to update this topic in case anyone went looking for information on this particular viewfinder:

 

After talking with the great Mr. O'Doherty it seems the Kinoptik "fully orientable" viewfinder does indeed exist and is, as it seems, the best viewfinder available for the ACL.

 

Turns out my viewfinder did exactly what i wished it could, as seen in the attached photos. (image is always upright/correct viewfinder can complete full 360 degree rotation)

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam3.jpg

[Willem Jansen]

On 1/19/2009 at 7:50 PM, Nick Norton said:

Just wanted to update this topic in case anyone went looking for information on this particular viewfinder:

 

After talking with the great Mr. O'Doherty it seems the Kinoptik "fully orientable" viewfinder does indeed exist and is, as it seems, the best viewfinder available for the ACL.

 

Turns out my viewfinder did exactly what i wished it could, as seen in the attached photos. (image is always upright/correct viewfinder can complete full 360 degree rotation)

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/truespin19/cam3.jpg

Hi Nick,

I have the same viewfinder and I’m wondering how you got it turned to the position as shown in the second picture.

I have a shoot tomorrow, so I don’t want to mess too much with the finder without knowing how to do it.

(Anyone feel free to reply, as I would like to know this asap).

Thanks!

Edited September 18, 2020 by Willem Jansen