Cutting Room Floor

[gwhitf]

Here are some random thoughts about products that I'd be interested in. I guess there must be some technical hurdle that makes them not profitable, to some Bean Counter.

#1. Magnifying Viewfinder on 200/500 Hasselblad: I've always wanted a square sensor digital camera. Yes, you can crop the 645, but it's just not the same. Once I was in Kurland Photo in NYC and they had a 200 or 500 that had that little square sensor Hasselblad back on it; maybe it was called CFV or something. I remember the experience of picking it up and looking through it, and then realizing that only that tiny little square in the center of the frame was the actual Sensor Area. It was so bad it was almost funny, to expect a photographer to shoot like that. What I wonder is: If Hasselblad made a Magnifying Viewfinder for the H camera, for their NotQuiteFullFrame backs, to "blow up" the viewfinder image to a kind of fake full frame, why couldn't they also do that for the old 500 series? How hard could it be? Just take the sensor area of the CFV and then make a viewfinder that matches that dimension, but when you brought the camera to your face, all you'd see would be the "live area".

Think how many 500 bodies there are out there. And that CFV back is very affordable. It makes you wonder why Hasselblad just turns their back on the 500 and the 200. Money is money; profit is profit. It all spends the same. All those great bodies, just sitting idle on a closet shelf. The viewfinder wouldn't even need to be electronic; just a loupe inside of a Chimney Finder or something.

#2: Phase puts DigitalBack on a Mamiya 7II: I once owned a Mamiya 6, and I've rarely felt a camera that fit so well in your hand. It was just a natural. And with that telescoping 75 lens, that collapsed when you were walking around, it was just about perfect. And tack sharp lenses too. If Phase owns Mamiya, or controls Mamiya, could they not rig a back onto that body? And maybe in the Rangefinder Viewer, just put markings that correspond to the Sensor Area of the DB, for each lens.

#3: KPS 1.3x Magnifying Attachment: I took delivery on this silly little device yesterday. It's sort of a Magnifying Viewfinder for DSLR. I mounted it late last night, in the dark, and I've got to test it today. It barely goes onto the 5D2, but once I got it on there, it transforms the viewing experience from GloryHole to Hasselblad H2 Viewfinder. I didn't even look how much it cost, but maybe fifty bucks or so, but if it works, and the diopter can be calibrated to it, I will nominate it as the 2009 Product Of The Year. Such an afterthought in a way, it makes you wonder why Canon does not make something like this, (with better quality). If I paid fifty, I'd gladly pay ten times that much. Here is video showing about it. Some guy named Rogan sent it to me. KPS stands for "Kinda Pretty Sharp". Imagine if there was Zeiss glass in that little viewfinder thing. Edit: In use, the 1.3 magnification is a bit strong; you end up having to cram your eye up in there to see the corners; ideally 1.2x would be perfect. But I'll take this 1.3x over nothing, any day of the week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4TTdvRpwU

[Craig Lamson]

Here are some random thoughts about products that I'd be interested in. I guess there must be some technical hurdle that makes them not profitable, to some Bean Counter.

#1. Magnifying Viewfinder on 200/500 Hasselblad: I've always wanted a square sensor digital camera. Yes, you can crop the 645, but it's just not the same. Once I was in Kurland Photo in NYC and they had a 200 or 500 that had that little square sensor Hasselblad back on it; maybe it was called CFV or something. I remember the experience of picking it up and looking through it, and then realizing that only that tiny little square in the center of the frame was the actual Sensor Area. It was so bad it was almost funny, to expect a photographer to shoot like that. What I wonder is: If Hasselblad made a Magnifying Viewfinder for the H camera, for their NotQuiteFullFrame backs, to "blow up" the viewfinder image to a kind of fake full frame, why couldn't they also do that for the old 500 series? How hard could it be? Just take the sensor area of the CFV and then make a viewfinder that matches that dimension, but when you brought the camera to your face, all you'd see would be the "live area".

Think how many 500 bodies there are out there. And that CFV back is very affordable. It makes you wonder why Hasselblad just turns their back on the 500 and the 200. Money is money; profit is profit. It all spends the same. All those great bodies, just sitting idle on a closet shelf. The viewfinder wouldn't even need to be electronic; just a loupe inside of a Chimney Finder or something.

#2: Phase puts DigitalBack on a Mamiya 7II: I once owned a Mamiya 6, and I've rarely felt a camera that fit so well in your hand. It was just a natural. And with that telescoping 75 lens, that collapsed when you were walking around, it was just about perfect. And tack sharp lenses too. If Phase owns Mamiya, or controls Mamiya, could they not rig a back onto that body? And maybe in the Rangefinder Viewer, just put markings that correspond to the Sensor Area of the DB, for each lens.

#3: KPS 1.3x Magnifying Attachment: I took delivery on this silly little device yesterday. It's sort of a Magnifying Viewfinder for DSLR. I mounted it late last night, in the dark, and I've got to test it today. It barely goes onto the 5D2, but once I got it on there, it transforms the viewing experience from GloryHole to Hasselblad H2 Viewfinder. I didn't even look how much it cost, but maybe fifty bucks or so, but if it works, and the diopter can be calibrated to it, I will nominate it as the 2009 Product Of The Year. Such an afterthought in a way, it makes you wonder why Canon does not make something like this, (with better quality). If I paid fifty, I'd gladly pay ten times that much. Here is video showing about it. Some guy named Rogan sent it to me. KPS stands for "Kinda Pretty Sharp". Imagine if there was Zeiss glass in that little viewfinder thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4TTdvRpwU

How about this one, The Eye-Fi wireless sd card.  Anyone use this thing for wiresless uploads of jpg previews instead of a tether? Got an extra sd slot on the  1DsMKIII, wonder if it works?

http://www.eye.fi/

[tho_mas]

#3: KPS 1.3x Magnifying Attachment[/b]: ... I will nominate it as the 2009 Product Of The Year.

yes, those little items are really nice.
The Nikon DK-17M ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0...394&s=photo ) happens to fit exactly the mounting thread of the Contax eye piece... so you don't have to fiddle around... just mount it.

[DavidP]

#1. Magnifying Viewfinder on 200/500 Hasselblad: I've always wanted a square sensor digital camera. Yes, you can crop the 645, but it's just not the same. Once I was in Kurland Photo in NYC and they had a 200 or 500 that had that little square sensor Hasselblad back on it; maybe it was called CFV or something. I remember the experience of picking it up and looking through it, and then realizing that only that tiny little square in the center of the frame was the actual Sensor Area. It was so bad it was almost funny, to expect a photographer to shoot like that. What I wonder is: If Hasselblad made a Magnifying Viewfinder for the H camera, for their NotQuiteFullFrame backs, to "blow up" the viewfinder image to a kind of fake full frame, why couldn't they also do that for the old 500 series? How hard could it be? Just take the sensor area of the CFV and then make a viewfinder that matches that dimension, but when you brought the camera to your face, all you'd see would be the "live area".


Hasselblad did make one of these, I used to have one, it was a fixed magnifier for a 4x4 cm sensor. It really worked well. It was the only thing I could focus with. they turn up once in a while on ebay, I forgot what they are called exactly
digital finder or fixed focusing hood or something.

[siba]

the nikon eyepiece for the contax 645 sounds great. Thanks for that info. For such a small price it may make my whole life a bit more pleasant.
I'll try to get one asap
here's another link that may be useful
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=26558579

cheers
stefan

[Ben Rubinstein]

How about this one, The Eye-Fi wireless sd card.  Anyone use this thing for wiresless uploads of jpg previews instead of a tether? Got an extra sd slot on the  1DsMKIII, wonder if it works?

http://www.eye.fi/

They just brought out a new one, the 'Pro' which will transmit RAW files and apparently pretty fast though I assume not tether fast, if you shoot RAW+jpg with the jpg to the SD slot then it might be a good idea. Word of warning though, from what I've seen over the net they have a pretty spotty reliability rating so don't shoot anything to it alone if it's crucial. They apparently swop out bad cards fast and without fuss but that doesn't help if you have something important on it.

[tesfoto]

yes, those little items are really nice.
The Nikon DK-17M ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0...394&s=photo ) happens to fit exactly the mounting thread of the Contax eye piece... so you don't have to fiddle around... just mount it.

Thanks Thomas, I will get one asap.

How about the corners in the finder, still possible with a full view ?

[tho_mas]

Thanks Thomas, I will get one asap.
How about the corners in the finder, still possible with a full view ?

the extreme corners show vignetting. However with a finder mask for a crop 1.1 digiback that's not an issue.
For something like $50 it's in any case worth a try.

[bart alexander]

This is a great thread. The mentioned Nikon DK17M fitting on the Contax: perfect.
The DK-17M is exact the thing I was thinking off when gwhtf thought off a Zeiss version of the KPS magnifying piece. I had a similar thing for a Nikon D200 I once owned and was never satisfied with it. But the DK-17m, that stands for 1.17x manifying piece, was optically a lot better. It changed the cropped D2X finder look into Canon 5D look. Must be possible to fit it on the 5DII since the Nikon eyepiece is a bit wider than the Canon's.
But the KPS is a great find too, I'll look into that. One can never have a too large viewfinder.
For now, I'm using live view mostly for the largest and most exact view.

Here are some random thoughts about products that I'd be interested in. I guess there must be some technical hurdle that makes them not profitable, to some Bean Counter.

#1. Magnifying Viewfinder on 200/500 Hasselblad: I've always wanted a square sensor digital camera. Yes, you can crop the 645, but it's just not the same. Once I was in Kurland Photo in NYC and they had a 200 or 500 that had that little square sensor Hasselblad back on it; maybe it was called CFV or something. I remember the experience of picking it up and looking through it, and then realizing that only that tiny little square in the center of the frame was the actual Sensor Area. It was so bad it was almost funny, to expect a photographer to shoot like that. What I wonder is: If Hasselblad made a Magnifying Viewfinder for the H camera, for their NotQuiteFullFrame backs, to "blow up" the viewfinder image to a kind of fake full frame, why couldn't they also do that for the old 500 series? How hard could it be? Just take the sensor area of the CFV and then make a viewfinder that matches that dimension, but when you brought the camera to your face, all you'd see would be the "live area".

Think how many 500 bodies there are out there. And that CFV back is very affordable. It makes you wonder why Hasselblad just turns their back on the 500 and the 200. Money is money; profit is profit. It all spends the same. All those great bodies, just sitting idle on a closet shelf. The viewfinder wouldn't even need to be electronic; just a loupe inside of a Chimney Finder or something.

#2: Phase puts DigitalBack on a Mamiya 7II: I once owned a Mamiya 6, and I've rarely felt a camera that fit so well in your hand. It was just a natural. And with that telescoping 75 lens, that collapsed when you were walking around, it was just about perfect. And tack sharp lenses too. If Phase owns Mamiya, or controls Mamiya, could they not rig a back onto that body? And maybe in the Rangefinder Viewer, just put markings that correspond to the Sensor Area of the DB, for each lens.

#3: KPS 1.3x Magnifying Attachment: I took delivery on this silly little device yesterday. It's sort of a Magnifying Viewfinder for DSLR. I mounted it late last night, in the dark, and I've got to test it today. It barely goes onto the 5D2, but once I got it on there, it transforms the viewing experience from GloryHole to Hasselblad H2 Viewfinder. I didn't even look how much it cost, but maybe fifty bucks or so, but if it works, and the diopter can be calibrated to it, I will nominate it as the 2009 Product Of The Year. Such an afterthought in a way, it makes you wonder why Canon does not make something like this, (with better quality). If I paid fifty, I'd gladly pay ten times that much. Here is video showing about it. Some guy named Rogan sent it to me. KPS stands for "Kinda Pretty Sharp". Imagine if there was Zeiss glass in that little viewfinder thing. Edit: In use, the 1.3 magnification is a bit strong; you end up having to cram your eye up in there to see the corners; ideally 1.2x would be perfect. But I'll take this 1.3x over nothing, any day of the week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4TTdvRpwU

[tho_mas]

But the DK-17m, that stands for 1.17x manifying piece

Nikon states it's 1.2x. Maybe just rounded up. Anyway... sound not like a lot but indeed it makes a big difference!

[Carsten W]

yes, those little items are really nice.
The Nikon DK-17M ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0...394&s=photo ) happens to fit exactly the mounting thread of the Contax eye piece... so you don't have to fiddle around... just mount it.

...and the Nikon DK-19 Rubber Eyecup fits right on the DK-17M, and the magnification of the DK-17M is great for 36x48mm sensors. It is just a little too tight for full frame though. I was out shooting some film with my Contax today, for a long-term project I am doing, and I was sorely tempted to remove it, although I stuck with it in the end. I had to move my eye around a lot to get tight framing (no glasses).

[Dustbak]

I have the same DK17 and used it on the D1x, F5 on which it performed great. On the D200 the magnifier did not work (the rectangular one not the DK17, i thought for the D200 it was the DK21) the viewfinder just got blurry so I took it off almost immediately.

On my D700 I took out the DK17 again and it is great. It is a 1.2 magnification factor (or 1.17 but not 1.7 ).

[jimgolden]

#2: Phase puts DigitalBack on a Mamiya 7II: I once owned a Mamiya 6, and I've rarely felt a camera that fit so well in your hand. It was just a natural. And with that telescoping 75 lens, that collapsed when you were walking around, it was just about perfect. And tack sharp lenses too. If Phase owns Mamiya, or controls Mamiya, could they not rig a back onto that body? And maybe in the Rangefinder Viewer, just put markings that correspond to the Sensor Area of the DB, for each lens.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4TTdvRpwU

ive always thought this would be a killer setup - even with a fuji or bronica 645 rangefinder. prolly WAY to small a market and there is the not so small issue of getting your eye up to the viewfinder with the back on there...we can dream tho.

I'm still holding my breath for a full frame 35mm rangefinder ala Ricoh GR1, nikon 35ti, etc,etc - fast (2.8?) fixed 40 or 50mm, full frame, 12mps or better. I'd easily pay 1500-$2500 for this. doesn't need to fit in a pocket, just be excellent image quality and smaller than 5d2 with a 50mm 1.4

[nad54]

#1. Magnifying Viewfinder on 200/500 Hasselblad: I've always wanted a square sensor digital camera. Yes, you can crop the 645, but it's just not the same. Once I was in Kurland Photo in NYC and they had a 200 or 500 that had that little square sensor Hasselblad back on it; maybe it was called CFV or something. I remember the experience of picking it up and looking through it, and then realizing that only that tiny little square in the center of the frame was the actual Sensor Area. It was so bad it was almost funny, to expect a photographer to shoot like that. What I wonder is: If Hasselblad made a Magnifying Viewfinder for the H camera, for their NotQuiteFullFrame backs, to "blow up" the viewfinder image to a kind of fake full frame, why couldn't they also do that for the old 500 series? How hard could it be? Just take the sensor area of the CFV and then make a viewfinder that matches that dimension, but when you brought the camera to your face, all you'd see would be the "live area".


Hasselblad did make one of these, I used to have one, it was a fixed magnifier for a 4x4 cm sensor. It really worked well. It was the only thing I could focus with. they turn up once in a while on ebay, I forgot what they are called exactly
digital finder or fixed focusing hood or something.

It is called a Magnifying hood 4x4DPS catalogue number 72534 and is very rare. Works if you want to see a magnified square format.

I have one that I don't use now as I switched to the H system. Anyone want to buy it?