External viewfinders and a thumbsup

[DigitalHeMan]

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I am considering adding a wider wide angle than the 28mm Summicron I currently have at some point in the future, and am looking at various options, including the 21mm from Leica, Carl Zeiss, and Voigtlander. It's clear that if I am going to get accurate framing, I will need to use an external viewfinder for these lenses.

 

I use the ThumbsUp on my M-E, and like the handling it gives. I have the version without the cold shoe on the top, but if I used a 21mm external viewfinder I would either have to remove the ThumbsUp, or buy a new ThumbsUp with the cold shoe.

 

Question is, if I was to put the external viewfinder on top of the ThumbsUp, will this impact the framing too much, or is there enough margin of error to live with it?

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[jbl]

In my experience, it's not an issue. You'll have bigger issues with parallax correction IMO. When I've used a Frankenfinder on top of the TU cold shoe, it's been very accurate, but that finder has parallax correction.

 

-jbl

[jdlaing]

+1 on the Frankenfinder.

[jbl]

With the caveat that the Frankenfinder is a beast. A well-made beast, but a beast.

[DigitalHeMan]

Thanks. I am not really interested in the frankenfinder, more like a smaller 21mm

 

 

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[Jean-Michel]

I have the Thumbs-Up with the cold shoe and use my VC 21 finder on it. No much of an issue if any at all.

Jean-Michel

[CrisRose]

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I really cannot recommend the Thumbs Up CSEP-4 enough.

 

I use a 3 lens setup of the Zeiss 50/2, 25/2.8 and 18/4 with at least 1 viewfinder attached at all times.

 

Weekend Camera Porn / Leica M9 + Zeiss 25mm f2.8 Biogon by Cris Rose, on Flickr

 

Having the viewfinder moved to just above the regular viewfinder is not only easier to move from one to the other for focusing (should I be shooting the 25mm at f2.8), but it's also far more comfortable on the nose and means that you don't breath into the regular viewfinder and mist it up.

 

Weekend Camera Porn / Leica M9 + Zeiss 25mm 28mm Optical Viewfinder by Cris Rose, on Flickr

 

There is no notable framing difference between hotshoe mounted viewfinder on it's own or moved over to the left in this way. If anything, it gives less obstruction from the lens/hood. It is well worth the money and the Zeiss OVFs are just amazing, they make the regular viewfinder seem small and dull in comparison.

[RoySmith]

I've used a Thumbie for several years on a M9 and have been pleased with it.

It does not use with the hot shoe so you are free to use external finders.

Some forum members have had problems with them coming off, but I started with a clean oil free camera and followed the installation instructions and it has been trouble free.

Check it out here

 

Roy

[jbl]

Also, I would add… if you’re getting a 21mm finder, the Zeiss one is so much better than the Leica one, it’s not even funny.

 

It’s brighter and cheaper.

 

Though if you really want the Leica one, PM me and I’ll sell you mine.

 

-jbl

[swamiji]

I don't use a viewfinder much, I just learn the nature of the lens.

[IWC Doppel]

I use a thumbs up all the time like you, when I use wider angles 18,21,24 I just fit the viewfinder and prefer it with no thumbs up probably because the position if the viewfinder has moved. I did try a version where you could fit the viewfinder on top of the thumbs up but preferred it without the thumbs up

[helged]

In situations when symmetry or alignment is a key element of the composition, I prefer a viewfinder aligned with the lens axis. I therefore put an optical viewfinder (15/21/25 mm in my case) on the M9 or MM, and the EVF on M240. For this reason I may also use the additional viewfinder for longer lenses. All bodies with a thumbie.