Right Angle Finders

[MikeMyers]

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I found several references to "right angle finders" in the M8 story in the New Yorker Magazine, A Critic at Large: Candid Camera : The New Yorker . I got curious, and started to look them on the internet. Supposedly one of these things allows you to look in one direction, while really taking a photo in a different direction. I eventually found several choices, including these:

Leica angle finder - Shop sales, stores & prices at TheFind.com

 

When I was a kid, I remember Spiratone having a device for sale with a built-in mirror. It went in front of the lens, and allowed you to look one way, while really shooting to the right or left. I never bought it, but I thought it was pretty interesting. I don't remember how it changed the viewfinder, if it even did that at all.

 

I'm looking at all these devices on the web page, and I don't understand how any of them can do this. The description for one of them says "For photographs taken in any position and for inconspicuous photography "around the corner".The angle finder can be switched to2x magnif", but how would a device like this allow you to shoot "around the corner"????

 

This does seem like a fairly interesting concept, that might be useful at times.

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[MikeMyers]

Oops, my search here didn't find any articles about this, but after posting, I did another internet search which found this:

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/discus_e/messages/2/42586.html

 

That led me here: Leica FAQ — waist level finders

 

and to pictures such as: Leica FAQ - wlf_aufsu.jpg

 

 

Anybody use these things? Are there current devices like this available? Do they work well enough, or (as the discussions suggest) are they a waste?

[Shootist]

I had one of these and it normally comes with the 90mm Macro kit, lens goggles and angle finder. It works well with a 90mm lens but it does reduce the viewable area of the viewfinder, again fine with a 90mm lens and I guess everything down to 50mm. I had mine for about a year and after first trying it out I don't think I ever used it again. So I sold it. Oh and it is not a 90° angle. More like 75 or 80 °

 

Would it be of use to you? Only you can decide on that.

 

Working with a M camera I rarely do Macro with it, even with the Macro 90mm it's not really Macro like other cameras and lens combos, or get into a position where the angled VF would be needed. Again YMMV.

[marknorton]

I find the angle finder quite interesting but rather pointless. If you want to shoot discreetly, you do it by not even looking through the viewfinder.