Best/Worst Super 8 Viewfinders..

Post by **Elmogs** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:03 am

What are your thoughts on the best viewfinders and the worst for Super 8 that you have used?
The best for me was the Canon DS8. It was very bright and large. Also the Fujica z800. The Nizo 6080 I didn't like..i thought it was too small. And the worst one of all had to be the Bolex H8. How can anyone see anything through that viewfinder?
The Beaulieu 6008S was ok, as is the Canon 310xl, 514xls.
I heard somewhere that the Fujica ZC1000 had a great viewfinder. How about the Leicina? Or the Beaulieu 4008 series?

Post by **carlweston** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:52 am

The Nizo S80 viewfinder sucks...

Post by **clivetobin** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 2:23 am

Elmogs wrote:What are your thoughts on the best viewfinders and the worst for Super 8 that you have used?

My former Nizo S56 had, I remember, the most accurate reflex viewfinder (for framing and focus) that I have ever used.

But since I no longer have it and last used it around 1971 I don't remember how bright it was etc.

Post by **christoph** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 2:25 am

Elmogs wrote:The Nizo 6080 I didn't like. [..] was ok, as is the Canon 310xl [...]

if you think the 310xl is ok and dont like the nizo you must have strange eyes (well, in comparison to mine at least ;)
++ christoph ++

Post by **filmfan** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 3:38 am

Of the cameras I have tried, the Bauer C Royal with the short zoom has the best viewfinder. It has the largest image I ever seen in super 8.

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 3:40 am

I'm still dreaming of an aftermarket "orientable" viewfinder. Too me they all are bad because I usually find a position for my camera that is either too high off the ground for me to look through the viewfinder, or too low to stoop over, or really low and thus requiring me lay on the ground.

All of those unnecessary physical gyrations could be avoided if an orientable viewfinder were available.

Post by BK » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:03 am

My vote goes to the Beaulieu 4008ZMII, large and very bright, the Fujica ZC1000 is similar. The worst is the Bolex H8 Reflex, grainy and piss dark.

Others such as the Bauer S409XL deserves a mention, decent size,crisp and bright.

I too would prefer a orientable viewfinder for those low angle shoots.

Bill

Post by **Evan Kubota** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:35 am

My R10 has a very nice, large, bright viewfinder. I also like the viewfinder on my Nizo S560, but the Nikon is overall better. I also like having an indication of the shutter opening and the lightmeter in the same area without having to look away from the image.

Post by **carlweston** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:36 am

BK wrote:My vote goes to the Beaulieu 4008ZMII, large and very bright, the Fujica ZC1000 is similar. The worst is the Bolex H8 Reflex, grainy and piss dark.

Others such as the Bauer S409XL deserves a mention, decent size,crisp and bright.

I too would prefer a orientable viewfinder for those low angle shoots.

Bill

I agree the Beaulieu 4008ZM's are the best in my camera lineup 8)

Post by **david** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 8:07 am

haven't tried many yet, anyway
bolex h8 ds8 - worst one
beaulieu 4008 zm4 - better but still quite dark IMO
zeiss moviflex s8 - best one so far - really bright

Post by **Sparky** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:03 am

The Leicina has a very good VF- its brighter than my B2008 but the optics on that are a bit hazy. It uniquely has the choice of 3 different focussing "screens" so you can choose between a microprism cirle, a cross hair or a split image prism for easiest focussing. If you add the R/A finder with its special bracket you have the cosest thing to a proper orientable V/F- you can focus with the camera and lens flat on the floor!

However its nothing compared to the VF of the Pentaflex 8- it is truly magnificent with 28x magnification- about 50% larger again than the Leicina
and bright and clear. But its a chunky camera to lug around!

Mark

Post by **Sparky** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:04 am

The Leicina has a... oops :oops:

Post by **audadvnc** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:51 am

Is a bright viewfinder one of the main goals of a camera design? My Bolex H16 presents an image that's dim and brown, but it shows me focus and framing. Its viewfinder system allows most of the light through to the film gate, rather than wasting it on the viewing system. Perhaps the Bolex designers were of the opinion, "if it's too dim to see in the viewfinder, it's too dim to expose on film". A big bright image in the viewfinder may fool you into thinking you can shoot something that's too dim to capture.

Post by **Angus** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:53 am

I am more or less ambidextrous (can do everything but write with my left hand)...and for some reason I look through viewfinders with my left eye. This makes some cameras very difficult.

Back in '86 when I was shopping for my first cine camera I tried several models including a small Nizo and the Canon 310XL which I simply could not see anything through at all.

My favourites are Elmo super 110 (no surprise), Beaulieu 1008XLS, and the Braun Nizo Integral 7 that I sold a while back.

My Canon 514XL...I could see through it most of the time, ditto Sankyo super MF606. I think it's the left eye problem.

Post by **npcoombs** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:59 am

since I have an f1.4 lens on by Beaulieu why can't I magnify the viewfinder...or would this require another lens in the viewfinder?

Filmshooting

Best/Worst Super 8 Viewfinders..

Best/Worst Super 8 Viewfinders..

Re: Best/Worst Super 8 Viewfinders..

Re: Best/Worst Super 8 Viewfinders..