19 replies to this topic

[Ferg42]

I've been thinking about getting one of these viewfinders for a while:
http://www.dyron.fr/...r...&language=2

Seem to be based on the inon 45 finder, but with the difference that you can mount them easily yourself and even remove underwater. I have an ikelite housing at the moment, but if I ever change, it looks like they can be adapted to fit quite a few housings. Could be handy to be able to remove the finder if you're shooting both still and video on one dive.

Anyone have any experience with them? I can't find much at all on the web in terms of feedback.

Fergus

[blibecap]

Hi Fergus
Well I have spent a lot of time on this subject so let me share with you my knowledge. The Ikelite viewfinder actually makes the viewfinder image smaller so that you can see it threw your mask. I INON viewfinder does a little magnification. So if you use the Dyron to look into the Ikelite your have a lot of lenses and first you make it smaller then you make it bigger so the net gain will be about nothing. You could search here and other groups for messages on this subject. Here are a couple links on the subject.

http://www.scubaboar...viewfinder.html
http://wetpixel.com/...showtopic=22416

I also have a Ikelite housing and a INON 45 degree viewfinder. The Dyron is a INON with a general purpose adapter install on it. The chances are that you would find another viewfinder the same size as the ikelite in the future are slim so you would probably need another adapter. The general thought is that you should use a custom adapter for your housing to get the best performance. I have pictures that were taken threw the ikelite and INON viewfinders as well as pictures of my ikelite adapter. Take a look at my site that is still under development.

http://uwcamerastuff.com/Inon.htm

Bill

Edited by blibecap, 11 October 2009 - 04:01 PM.

[RedSeaDiver]

I tried emailling Dyron twice a couple of months ago but got no replies so I pretty much gave up.

[Timmoranuk]

Try emailing christel@dyron.fr. She is going to be on the H&P stand at the NEC show in October and is bringing some lenses for me to evaluate. Maybe ask her to bring a viewfinder too.

[Ferg42]

Thanks for the information all. Bill- I suspected that the combination of reducing and magnifying optics wouldn't be ideal. I will give some serious consideration to your solution. Tim- thanks for the heads-up about NEC- I would go along, but am away that week (hopefully underwater some of the time!).

Fergus

[blibecap]

No Problems, trust you looked at my site.
Bill

[Cerianthus]

Blibecap, the first page of your page opens nicely, but if I click on the "click here for a link" to check your prices (not that I want to buy one this particular moment, it becomes a nightmare of popups...(edit in IE that is: firefox blocks it all and shows a white page)

[blibecap]

Sorry I don't know what the problem is

Here is the link, you can cut and past it in your browser.


http://www.fun-in.co...roducts_id=1123

This is where i purchased my viewfinder from in Taiwan for $490 was about $515 after shipping.

Bill

FUN-IN UNDERWATER PHOTO EQUIPMENT © 2007, All Rights Reserved.
www.fun-in.com.tw info@fun-in.com.tw
TEL : +886 6 2740508 FAX : +886 2 2746238
No.134,Sec. 3,Linsen Rd., Tainan 704, Taiwan

INON 45 Dgree View Finder US$490

Edited by blibecap, 13 October 2009 - 09:27 AM.

[blueglass]

Hi
I am getting a straight Inon viewfinder modified to fit my Ikelite housing, replacing the original Ikelite viewfinder.
Inon viewfinders come in two different kinds of coupling. A threaded version and a non-threaded version. The non-threaded version is easier to adapt to Ikelite housing, making a custom fitting ring that screws in the housing and fits the viewfinder.
The threaded version needs some accurate machining work to be fitted. It needs to be re-threatd to fit the Ikelite thread, the o-ring removed, a new o-ring placed on the seat, the aligning prongs removed. Then it´ll just screw in the housing, replacing the original viewfinder, BUT, to make sure it is horizontally aligned just at the turning point where it is all the way in and the O-ring properly compressed can be very tricky and needs small and accurate changes, cutting the end of the viewfinder.
Mine is being done by Saga dive in Spain and I should have it next week.
bye, bye,

Edited by blueglass, 13 October 2009 - 01:16 PM.

[blibecap]

Hi Carlos
Wow it seems like you know a lot about these inon things. May I ask where did you get yours? So you have had a chance to look at both types somewhere? I wasn't aware that they made two types other than the strait and the 45 degree? By the way where are you located?
Bill

[mikedive]

HI ,

I have done several adaptions of the INON 45° and 180° viewfinder I adapted it to Sealux, Sea&Sea, UK-Germany, fantasea, 10bar and several Ikelite housings as well. Not mounted it on to the original viewfinder but integrated it as near by as posible to the camera viewfinder. I always have very nice feedbacks.
I mount it in different ways, in some cases it is also posible to demount it without open the housing to get a smaler transport size of the housing. A sealed blind cap closes the housing an other one closes the viewfinder. At my own UK-Germany D300 housing I am able to change between the 45° and the 180° viewfinder depending on shooting situation but bevor the dive....

I think the Dyron solution is a joke it is only a expensive 45° mirror. The magnification is killed through the water so you only angle your viewfinder 45° and with Ikelite housings you get a better handling with your regulater depending on the larger distance to the strobe bulkhead

Michael (www.mikedive.de)

[Cerianthus]

The last link works, thanks.

Seems the inon one is the way to go. But cant understand why a bit of water in between should kill the magnification (as water to air magnifies), and there sure must be some optics in the dyron.

Anyway, unfortunately this is my beyond christmas wish list.....but I am sure watching that space..

PS michael, is your ikelite modification reversible (when I move on the a next one)

gerard

[blibecap]

Hi
I am getting a straight Inon viewfinder modified to fit my Ikelite housing, replacing the original Ikelite viewfinder.
Inon viewfinders come in two different kinds of coupling. A threaded version and a non-threaded version. The non-threaded version is easier to adapt to Ikelite housing, making a custom fitting ring that screws in the housing and fits the viewfinder.
The threaded version needs some accurate machining work to be fitted. It needs to be re-threatd to fit the Ikelite thread, the o-ring removed, a new o-ring placed on the seat, the aligning prongs removed. Then it´ll just screw in the housing, replacing the original viewfinder, BUT, to make sure it is horizontally aligned just at the turning point where it is all the way in and the O-ring properly compressed can be very tricky and needs small and accurate changes, cutting the end of the viewfinder.
Mine is being done by Saga dive in Spain and I should have it next week.
bye, bye,

Hey Carlos
Are these pictures of the different INON viewfinders that your referencing? Inon-a and Inon-b? Inon-c is a custom setup.
Bill

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[blibecap]

Hi Mike

I mount it in different ways, in some cases it is also possible to demount it without open the housing to get a smaller transport size of the housing. A sealed blind cap closes the housing an other one closes the viewfinder.

I would like to see pictures of this and how it is done. I couldn't find it on your web site.

Bill

[RedSeaDiver]

I would be interested in a high quality viewfinder that could be removed without breaking an o-ring seal - it would be a nice option to be able to easily switch between 45 and 180 degree viewfinders.

[blueglass]

Blibecap,
Yes, those are the different types of Inon viewfinders and the modified looks very much like my modified version. I am based in Spain, although lately I'm spending more time traveling that at home.

This is the original viewfinder I got in eBay (USA) for about $250, it had never been in the water. This is the threaded type which needs more work to be adapted:


This is the same unit after modification, a new thread has been machined over the original thread. It may not look a perfect engineering solution but it works perfectly and screws in smothly and tightly in the Ikelite housing which hasn't been modified. I can unscrew it for traveling or go back to the original viewfinder whenever I want. Modification has been made by http://sagadive.com . The dificult part is that the viewfinder needs to be in the correct position (top side up) at the exactly same turning angle where the O-ring is compressed: so when you screw it all the way in, the top part must stays on top, so slight changes in lenght have to be made:



this is the viewfinder installed in the housing:



Let me know if you have any questions. I´ll be here until Wednesday night.

[blibecap]

Thanks Carlos
I haven't had the opportunity to work with the strait viewfinder yet. Yes it seems as if we are using the same process. I believe your using aluminum for the adapter and I use delrin and make a completely new adapter. I understand the difficult part about the length and the orientation problem.

You have a very nice web site but I wanted to let you know that the description of the items do not convert to English like the main items do using Firefox and clicking on the English sign.

Thanks for the reply.

Edited by blibecap, 20 October 2009 - 07:24 AM.

[blueglass]

Yes, the precess looks pretty similar, although this modificated viewfinder does not have an adapter. It is the viewfinder itself which has been machined to fit the Ikelite housing.

The menu in www.expoblues.com is graphics, that's why translators can't figure it out. That website is about a photo exhibition in Spain...

[Viz'art]

Off topic, but congratulations Carlos, very nice shots in the Canary Island photo competition.

[blueglass]

Thanks !