leaf 45° finder

[geesbert]

I just took delivery of a 45° finder for my leaf afi. although everyone seems to hate the design, I quite like the look, and it is not too heavy, which i like.

BUT:

when i pay nearly €1000 for something which should be included in the kit in the first place I want first decent packaging and a case and a cap. the packaging is a wobbly piece foam wrapped around the finder, then put into a even more wobbly piece of cardboard box. ok, it might be not as important, but compare that to the way voigtländer is packaging their finders!
but what really pisses me off is that there is no case provided and to protect the lower glass surface they provide a roughly cut piece of foam. that is ridiculous! as the grip of the afi is non-detachable, the camera won't fit any case with the finder attached. i tried it with the provided cas, with two different pelicases, with two lowepro backpacks and a few bags. I don't mind taking the finder off, but then? the old rollei finder came in a leatherette case ( as was  any supplemantary finder i have ever seen) and i want a protective plastic cap for the bottom.

it is like this ripp off with the lenses. a 80mm lens is nearly 2000€, but you have to buy an additional lens shade, which is not even custom fit for every lens, but rather a fit-all 80-250 design.

I am happy to pay premium prices for premium products, but then it should be treated as a premium item!

very annoyed

stefan

[H1/A75 Guy]

I just took delivery of a 45° finder for my leaf afi. although everyone seems to hate the design, I quite like the look, and it is not too heavy, which i like.

What color was the 45 prism you received?

David

[geesbert]

it's the leaf branded finder, dark grey.

I can't accept the argument of Franke & Heidecke being a small company, because leica is a small company and the provide decent accessories with their lenses. Really Right Stuff is a small company too, and the provide an op-tech bag for their heads. as the external dimensions of the finder is the same as the rollei finder they were producing for decades, and they had a case for it, they don't even have to decide a new one. Any chinese case manufacturer would make it for a decent price, even in small quantities.

[BJNY]

geesbert

would you post a picture of your new Leaf 45º prism, please?

[tomholland]

If you bought the afi as a kit you should have received a case with machine cut foam. I wasn;t liking the way everything was fitting so cut the foam so as to only use the bit for the camera and then fit into the pelican case approved as carry-on.

[geesbert]

i got the case too, but there is hardly any additional space for lenses and stuff. no way to keep the finder attached.  

after fiddling around with the padding i managed to fit the afi with finder and back attached with three lenses, closeup-rings, a bunch of batteries with charger and all necessary cables in a peli 1510.

I don't have the camera with me now, so i cannot take a picture of the finder, unfortunately. might do on monday...

[geesbert]

Attached you'll find a picture of the viewfinder.

a thing to note:

with the back in vertical orientation you get a nice warm breeze up your nostrils. this won't happen with the 90° finder.

[bcooter]

Nice picture!

How if the photographer has a big nose?

I don't understand.  I though the whole idea of the square hy6 was to rotate the back.   why turn it on it's side, why not just rotate it.

by the way, how do you keep water out of that lens with the hole on the top.

[geesbert]

very comfortable shooting in cold weather!

[gwhitf]

.

[geesbert]

I much prefer the 45° finder, it just gives me a better perspective with the camera, especially for portraits. and it is easier to communcate with the subject, as less of the face is hidden by the camera. with a 90° finder i have to crouch a bit, which kills my back.

[BrianSmith]

with the back in vertical orientation you get a nice warm breeze up your nostrils.

For thirty-five grand, that's the least they can do. They should blow you...even if it's only your nose...

[geesbert]

I don't understand.  I though the whole idea of the square hy6 was to rotate the back.   why turn it on it's side, why not just rotate it.

by the way, how do you keep water out of that lens with the hole on the top.

bcooter:

the problem is BECAUSE you rotoate the back and not the camera, the ventilation opening is just where my nose is when i am shooting.

the best way to avoid getting rain into that opening is to use the Canon for wet sessions...