19 replies to this topic

[Udo van Dongen]

Hi All,
I received some images of the new 45 degree viewfinder that Hugyfot can deliver with their housings. It can be rotated 360 degrees. I understood that it's exactly the same viewfinder as INON supplies with their new X-2 housing.
I can have my housing equipped with this viewfinder but i wonder whether it's worth the money (895 euro/1100 USD). I can imagine quit a lot of useful sitations, but still, it's quit a lot of money. With my current viewfinder i cannot see all 4 corners at once. But still, topside without the housing, you also see only 95% of the image that's taken.

Furthermore i was wondering if anyone has used the INON X2 housing with the 45 degree viewfinder and what their experience is.

To me it seems to be quit difficult to check the display when this wiewfinder is installed, but according to the guy at Hugyfot the display can still be viewed easily, both on the 350D and the D200 housing (see next posting for rets of the images).

So what wouyld you guys do? Get it or leave it?

cheers Udo

[Udo van Dongen]

And two other images

[Rocha]

This looks great Udo, thanks for posting, I added a paragraph about it in the front page. Unfortunately I can't answer your questions as I've never used anything similar.

Luiz

[mattdiver]

Udo,

The magnified 45deg viewfinder is a great tool. It really helps with composition and focus. The only thing is that if you're used to looking straight through the viewfinder, you'll need some time to adapt to looking at an angle. This type of viewfinder is also very useful in a number of situations (e.g. 50/50 shots, macro shots near the bottom, etc.). Once you've gotten used to it, you'll find that it's worth the money.

Mat

[3@5]

udo,
no comment on the inon but i use the S45 viewfinder on my seacam housing and i have to say that now i really really love it. however it took me quite some time to get used to it, to the point where i was ready to sell to get a straight viewfinder,
so keep that in mind if you are thinking about this viewfinder.
/paul

[Udo van Dongen]

Allright, thanks guys.
I'm going to have the viewfinder installed on my housing and probably i'll have my housing back before the weekend. I just got used to looking straight through the viewfinder (coming from P&S), which in fact wasn't that hard IMHO, so i'm sure i'll adapt to this viewfinder as well. I'll let you people know whether it works great for me or not, although i'll not be able to show you impressive pictures, since i have to shoot in murky water with a visibility between 0.5 and 4 meters...

cheers, Udo

[davichin]

Hello Udo!

I just arrived from the Brothers and the housing is alright but I had some problems with the zoom wheel: The first day I tried a zoom lens (a Sigma 15-30 used extensively in previous Hugyfot housings) the inner plastic ring that goes right inside in the shaft of the zoom knob started to have its "teeth" broken or bent. So the zoom kept on working but with unpleasant "slides" or jumps.. Did you notice something like this?

[SilvioMarchena]

[quote name='Udo van Dongen' date='Jul 6 2006, 01:27 PM']

"I'm going to have the viewfinder installed on my housing"

I'm not sure if I understand your comment, but it seems as if maybe the viewfinder is not user changable?

If that is the case I would not want the 45. I use mine on my Seacam to a large degree, but can change to the S180 or Pro as my needs dictate. But if they were not user changable, I would instead opt for a standard or 180 viewfinder.

[Udo van Dongen]

Are you speaking about the lenszoom or the frontwheel (aperture) control? If it's the last one i experienced the same. The wormwheel (spiralwheel...or whatever it's called) wasn't positioned perfectly to the gearwheel (or the other way around). So i put a very thin plastic ring in between the gearwheel and the housng so that it comes forward a little bit. After this modification it never occurred anymore. But probably you're speaking about a different problem. I mainly shoot with primelenses these days, but i'll see how it'll develope.

cheers, Udo

[davichin]

Are you speaking about the lenszoom or the frontwheel (aperture) control?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was in the zoom Knob (on the left of the housing), in the axis of the knob, just inside the housing... I´ll try to upload a couple of pics tonight so you can see it...

[davichin]

Soooo these are some pics of the problem with the zoom knob that developed first day with the housing :

This is the grey piece (the white stuff is glue from a piece of tape I put to protect the piece):





This is part of the wheel not broken yet:



This is how the rest of the wheel is:





I think the best solution would be to have this fragile plastic piece changed for a machined aluminium one. Hugyfot representative in Spain will see this next week and I will keep you informed of what comes up....

[Udo van Dongen]

Hi david, this doesn't look very good, I think you should contact Hugyfot directly via the emailaddress on their website with these photos. Most likely Pascal will send you a new gear wheel in an envelope straight away. If you replace the gearwheel, check whether the other wheel is rotating smoothly. If you do this via your hugyfot dealer it'll only take longer, unless your dealer has all these spare parts in stock; my dealer doesn't have this kind of things in stock. Tomorrow i'll get my housing back and i'll check my gearwheel directly. If i see the same symptoms showing up i'll let you know.

good luck with it, udo

[Udo van Dongen]

I'm not sure if I understand your comment, but it seems as if maybe the viewfinder is not user changable?

If that is the case I would not want the 45. I use mine on my Seacam to a large degree, but can change to the S180 or Pro as my needs dictate. But if they were not user changable, I would instead opt for a standard or 180 viewfinder.

Finally my housing didn't arrive before the weekend, so i'll receive it back tomorrow. As far as i know now, it can be detached for traveling but i don't know how easy it is to have the standard viewfinder reinstalled.
But what is the advantage of an 180 degree (or is it zero degree??) /standard viewfinder over a 45 degree (or is it 135 degree???... ...) viewfinder? The possibility to hide less behind your camera?

Cheers, Udo

[SilvioMarchena]

[quote name='Udo van Dongen' date='Jul 9 2006, 01:29 PM']
"But what is the advantage of an 180 degree (or is it zero degree??) /standard viewfinder over a 45 degree"

**For me**, I have found that while I enjoy the 45 for lots of shooting situations I like a straight viewfinder for most wide angle and all fish school shootings. And in blue water, even given my comfort with the 45, I find it better and easier to use a straight finder in those conditions. If I could not easily switch out viewfinders onsite/onboard, I don't suspect I would choose to have the 45 fixed to my housings.

[Andi Voeltz]

Hey guys,

I was too tired to translate it right now. but here are some pictures of the viewfinder I received. I like it. It's nice, detachable for travel, svivelling and offer great magnification. Check out the pictures on DIGIDEEP:

http://www.digideep....nkelsucher-vor/

[ChrisJ]

Soooo these are some pics of the problem with the zoom knob that developed first day with the housing :

This is the grey piece (the white stuff is glue from a piece of tape I put to protect the piece):





This is part of the wheel not broken yet:



This is how the rest of the wheel is:


I think the best solution would be to have this fragile plastic piece changed for a machined aluminium one. Hugyfot representative in Spain will see this next week and I will keep you informed of what comes up....

I have the same problem, it seems like the Zoom gear is not catching/aligning right!

Anyways, here is my mod to fit the 12-24 zoom gear/ silicone ring to fit the Tokina 10-17:


cutting the silicone to fit the Tokina into the 12-24 zoom gear.


10-17 installed

10-17 installed


@15mm


@12mm


@10mm
***There is vignetting on the corners, I will have to cut about 1/2 inch from the zoom gear to finish the mod.

Edited by ChrisJ, 29 March 2007 - 12:16 PM.

[Scuba_SI]

I have the same problem, it seems like the Zoom gear is not catching/aligning right!

Anyways, here is my mod to fit the 12-24 zoom gear/ silicone ring to fit the Tokina 10-17:

cutting the silicone to fit the Tokina into the 12-24 zoom gear.
10-17 installed
10-17 installed
@15mm
@12mm
@10mm

Hey Chris...

With the arrival of your new toy has productivity hit a new high in your office then?

[ChrisJ]

Thats the beauty of owning the company! I admit, I have been in la-la land. If I had the jig-saw with me I would have cut the zoom gear already.

Edited by ChrisJ, 29 March 2007 - 12:57 PM.

[Scuba_SI]

hahaha, i see...

you need to turn your plant around it's growing unevenly!

congratulations on the new toy!

[serge]

the hugyfot 45degree not only looks like the INON viewfinder. it is the INON viewfinder, that hugyfot buys from INON. you can take it off very easily for transport. on the INON X2 housing it is also possible to change from 45degree to normal viewfinder if you want. i dont't know how easy it is on the hugy.

greets, serge