Inon 45deg Viewfinder S&S kits from Taiwan

[pakman 0]

Just about to put an order in for a S&S MDX-40D. I've been noticing a number of Taiwanese shops online have for sale Inon 45 degree viewfinder for S&S saying it doesn't need a mod. Still waiting for a response from these shops on how it's mounted.

 

edit: dooh... forgot the link... pic of one mounted on a D200 housing. Click photo for link.

 

Anyone tried these yet? I understand the ones Backscatter sells requires modification to the housing.

Edited January 12, 2008 by pakman

[pakman 0]

Seems these kits are the ones made for Nexus housing with maybe some kind of custom nut/ ring for the S&S housings.

 

Also heard from Yuzo that the new S&S D300 housing (and possibly the new 40D housing) has a larger diameter viewfinder...

[blibecap 29]

Where can this be found? how about a web site ??

 

 

 

Seems these kits are the ones made for Nexus housing with maybe some kind of custom nut/ ring for the S&S housings.

 

Also heard from Yuzo that the new S&S D300 housing (and possibly the new 40D housing) has a larger diameter viewfinder...

[wideanglelens 0]

try www.divervision.com and www.fun-in.com.tw

 

They do sell the adapter.

[Mike L 0]

The Inon viewfinders (both the 180 and 45) can be modified to fit nearly all aluminum SLR housings on the market. Some require modification due to the size of the opening on the housing, some do not. As opposed to modifying the housing, the viewfinders themselves can be modified to fit your specific housing, thus allowing the original viewfinder to be used should you need or want to.

[JimDeck 1]

Just about to put an order in for a S&S MDX-40D. I've been noticing a number of Taiwanese shops online have for sale Inon 45 degree viewfinder for S&S saying it doesn't need a mod. Still waiting for a response from these shops on how it's mounted.

 

edit: dooh... forgot the link... pic of one mounted on a D200 housing. Click photo for link.

 

Anyone tried these yet? I understand the ones Backscatter sells requires modification to the housing.

 

Hi Pakman,

 

For any Inon viewfinder installations we do not modify the customer's housing. The stock eyepiece is removed, and the the Inon viewfinder is fitted with a adapter that we make and then mounted on to the housing. The housing can be returned to stock condition at any time by reinstalling the stock eyepiece. This can easily be done by the customer.

 

When we make the adapters, we make sure the viewfinder is set at the correct distance from the camera's viewfinder to ensure the best possible optical quality.

 

With the other finders you have mentioned, the adapter is made to go on the outside of the housing by clamping on to the stock eyepiece. The Inon viewfinder was not designed to have a layer of water and a housing eyepiece between the Inon finder and the camera's viewfinder, resulting in less the optimal optical quality.

 

I hope this explains how we install the Inon finders.

 

Best regards,

 

Jim

[blibecap 29]

Well I took the plunge and purchased a INON 45 Viewfinder. They didn't have one to fit my Ikelite housing so I was on my own. No big deal it's just money right? Well I am a handy guy and after the order shipped I began looking for Delrin to make a adapter out of. Well after it arrived I began thinking of how this could be done. I could adapt it to go one externally but it could also fall off. So after days of thinking, drawing, measuring and planning and erasing and trying different things I had a plan. So out to the shop I went to work with the lathe and micrometers and delrin. Slowly it took shape, and after 3 revisions I am quite happy with the results. I think I can do this for about $250 if anyone else needs a Ikelite adapter. Take a look at some of the pictures, The housing was not modified and can be reverted back to stock in-case I plan to sell the housing. I want to thank everyone in this thread for the information, pictures and links.

 

[Eyematey 4]

Jim,

Is it possible to buy the "adapter" piece you make? I have a S&S DX200 and would like to mount a Inon straight (used) viewfinder to my housing.

Thanks for any help...Steve

 

Hi Pakman,

 

For any Inon viewfinder installations we do not modify the customer's housing. The stock eyepiece is removed, and the the Inon viewfinder is fitted with a adapter that we make and then mounted on to the housing. The housing can be returned to stock condition at any time by reinstalling the stock eyepiece. This can easily be done by the customer.

 

When we make the adapters, we make sure the viewfinder is set at the correct distance from the camera's viewfinder to ensure the best possible optical quality.

 

With the other finders you have mentioned, the adapter is made to go on the outside of the housing by clamping on to the stock eyepiece. The Inon viewfinder was not designed to have a layer of water and a housing eyepiece between the Inon finder and the camera's viewfinder, resulting in less the optimal optical quality.

 

I hope this explains how we install the Inon finders.

 

Best regards,

 

Jim

[BrantD 0]

Not sure why everyone is making this so hard on a S&S housing. You simply need to drill out the hole in the clear part of the plastic, close to where the current Viewfinder is now on a s&S housing. The Inon slides in and I hand tighten a nut on the end. I own both the 45 and the straight Inon viewfinders, and change them out regularly between dives. When I ordered it from Reef Photo, simply ordered a new clear plastic piece(the plastic part that you view the pics in) drilled it and it installs with the few factory screws. If I want to put the stock eyepiece in it when I sell it, I simply replace with the "new" clear plastic with the stock eye piece in it. If you look at your S&S housing, you will see how simple it would be to replace it back to stock. Best of all, I don't think Reef charged me $250 for the new plastic cover and the drilling combined (mine was one of the first they did. I'm sure you could send your plastic part to Reef and they could simply drill it, and if you wanted it back to stock when you sell it, simply order a new plastic part, and install it with a screwdriver.

[Ryan 48]

Hi Brant,

 

We've actually stopped installing the viewfinders that way, as it is more difficult to go back and forth between the Inon VF and the standard optic. Now we modify the viewfinder to match the Sea & Sea housing geometry. It is still easy to go back & forth, you just need a spanner wrench, not a screwdriver.