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optical viewfinders

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polutropos

New Member
Hi

Just wondering how many folks are using an optical view finder with their GR - and then what kind of issues or observations have you noted. I read the thread about lack of diopter adjustments, issues for spectacles and so forth. I'm also interested in working distances and parallax issues, brightness and framelines.

I like the idea of an OVF. Unfortunately I don't think I'll get chance to try one, so it's going to be a blind buy. Been looking at the GV1, Voightlander options and the Sigma VF11.

I have a Voightlander Bessa R (film camera) and the viewfinder on that is absolutely amazing. I'm wanting that sort of experience ...

Thanks
 
I read somewhere that the Nikon Cooplix-A viewfinder (DF-CP1) suits well to the GR.
But it is much expensive than the GV1, and I don't think it offers diopter adjustment !
 
I use Ricoh's GV-1 viewfinder and I think it's a great piece of glass. It is very bright and the 21 and 28mm lines are easily seen if only giving 85-90% coverage. If wearing specs the 28mm frame-line is easily seen but the 21mm frame-line is a little harder to encompass.
I was interested in the 28mm Voigtlander but had read things written about where it seemed to give a more restricted view, and you can forget about seeing through it with spectacles...
 
I can't remember where I read it (maybe even here) but someone mentioned that the Panasonic VF1 worked well for them, so I found one at a pretty good deal and ordered it to check it out. Should arrive in the next couple of days so I'll report back. I'm hoping it can sort of split the difference between the 28 and the 21 FOV.
 
I've had my GR for a couple of weeks now and I'm loving it. I got it with a GV-1 on special offer. I have to say that I haven't used it that much as it obviously adds to the size and won't fit in the case. I'm not to keen just shoving it into my pocket without the case for dust reasons so taking the viewfinder on and off is a bit of a pain. The view through the viewfinder is bright and clear. Obviously the exact viewable area changes with ones distance from subject but in bright sunlight when the screen is hard to see I can imagine it will become useful and so carry around with me just in case. Having been used to electronic viewfinders with 100% exact field of view and loads of info I do feel strangely detached from what's actually happening whilst using the viewfinder. I think I'm probably not you're regular user though and for those coming from other optical viewfinders it will be a welcome addition to this great little camera.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Food for thought and interesting stuff. I've still not plumbed for anything yet and soooo want to try before I buy. In fact I've been thinking about why I feel the need for an OV. Part of it (I suspect) is that I feel a twit holding the camera out in front of me! Though the screen gives a great preview it detaches me from the event in a way that the rangefinder experiences connects me.
 
I'm beginning to feel that the GV-2 with its smaller dimensions might be a better ticket. It looks like it offers a 3:2 ratio as well, which is a definite consideration. I suppose the one thing holding me back, if anyone can help, is not knowing if I'll get a 28mm view whilst wearing glasses? I think with the GV-1 that's possible due to the 21/28mm frame lines but I prefer the smaller amd less attention grabbing GV-2. Any thoughts?
 
Hi polutropos - I also researched the subject a bit, as I also wear glasses, but have no way of experimenting with the various viewfinders (not sold here). I found this impression from a photographer helpful : http://alanala.wordpress.com/2012/06/01 ... -the-hate/

Basically he is saying that he doesn't like the fact that the GV viewfinders scratch his glasses, and prefers the Voigtlander 21/25mm (although it is bigger), because the larger view in the viewfinder gives him exactly what he's seeing on the LCD of the GR.

BTW, the GV-2 does not seem to offer a 3:2 ratio frame - at least from what I see in the images of the viewfinder - but because it shows 85% coverage, you get essentially a 3:2 aspect of view. See this : http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk/en/viewf ... -GV-2.html

Again, I don't have one and have only been trying to gather info on the web, so I might be wrong.
 
Thanks quester
That's really useful information. My sense is the Voightlanders are probably impressive (based on my experience with the Bessa R). I also read elsewhere after reading your link of someone else recommending the 21/25 ovf. It's looking promising but the metal version is a tad expensive. Very interesting about the 3:2 ratio. I was basing my assumptions on the Ricoh site but hadn't considered the impact of the limited coverage.

I still can't make up my mind. I was swayed towards the GV 2 for its smaller less obtrusive size. Most other finders, although probably brighter are so much bigger that I think they will just attract unwanted attention but maybe I can work with that better than a tight finder with less light.

One thing I'm doing a lot with the GR is switching off the screen and just blind framing. Most of the time i don't lose anything and occasionally I catch a frame that I would probably not have cropped in that way had I selected with a viewfinder.

All interesting.
 
Well I remembered where I first read about using the Lumix OVF on the GR, and it was here on Colin Steel's site http://phototravelasia.blogspot.sg/ in the post from September. You may have noticed that a more recent post about the GR is up, and it's currently featured on Stevehuffphoto.com http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/11/23/the-ricoh-gr-tokyo-style-by-colin-steel/

I received mine a little while ago. I can confirm that it works great as far as the FOV goes. The frame lines correspond to a final image that's just a hair bigger. The frame is off for the wide angle lens, as I should have suspected, plus you see the lens itself in the bottom quarter of the frame.
The back of the viewfinder only sticks out a few mm from the rear of the camera, so I find it kind of hard to get a comfortable position for my eye. I finally found that with my nose and mouth clear of the lcd and off to the left side of the camera (I'm right eye'd) I can tilt my head in an only slightly ridiculous fashion to get a good position for my eyeball. I wear glasses, and my thinner wire frames work better than the thicker plastic ones, but I suppose that's always the case. But either way the lenses of my glasses are forced right up against the rigid plastic of the vf, and that can't be good. (For now I've put on a few tiny strips of gaffer's tape to smooth the hard edges a bit.)

In general, I've never been all that invested in using a vf as far as framing the image goes. I like using the lcd. I have no problem with cropping, and enjoy having decisions made in front of the computer be a part of the process. So I'm not exactly traditional. But I've found that when I was shooting from the hip in free-flowing situations, I was ending up with basically garbage most of the time. So maybe using a VF can instill some discipline and I'll have less and crazy canted angles and less mostly empty frames with only a part of a person hanging off the trailing edge. Extra stability is always good, though the GR is not crying out for it, and if I had to choose I'd rather get stability via a tilting LCD that you can hold against the body. But I'm really liking using the Lumix for now, plus it's tiny.

*Edit* to update that, 24 hours later, I'm now pretty enthusiastic about this combo. I spent a couple hours walking around the city today with the slanting late Autumn sun pretty much at my back, and into my camera, for good chunks of time. The Lumix OVF performed like a champ - perfectly clear viewfinder in a situation that would seriously cripple any EVF or LCD, in my experience. I'm beginning to see the beauty of it. Plus something I never thought about - you can use your polarized sunglasses no problem. I get serious interference when I attempt that with my Olympus vf4
 
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