[Leica] They call it a Hasselblad because __________.

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> 
> Okay, so I broke the magnifying thingie on my Leica 500CM (to be honest, 
> _I_
> didn't break it, it broke all by itself) someone had recommended just 
> buying a
> new waist level finder -- there dont seem to be a huge number of them on 
> ebay
> (there's one for a Kiev88, but something in my mind says that doesn't fit 
> the
> 500cm, but some OTHER hasselblad?) but there are a bunch of 45' angel 
> finders.
> is this a good option? should i "upgrade"? any experience with the 45' 
> finder
> as opposed to the wlf?
> 
> danke!
> 
> kc
> 
A very popular way to shoot Hasselblad. By far the most popular finder.
But not mine.
But then again most Hassy users are Wedding Geeks.
It seems to double the weight and bulk of what should be an elegant little
sweetish cube.
My ELM landed up side down on the floor once the folding finder unfolded
acted like a perfect NASA designed break away. Never worked so well after
that for years. I saved up for a year once for a prism.
Finally at one point at a swap meet I bought a brand new waste level finder
they had meanwhile improved it. Spent 200 plus USD on it. Now you'd spend
20!!!
I have all the prisms the old ones made in Germany before the Polaroid backs
and the new ones but by far my favorite is the waist level.
That's because you can glance down at the camera at your waist and see the
whole shot as if you're looking at it on a light table.
Then flip up the magnifier and fine focus.
Then flip it down again and shoot the shot from your waste if you feel like
it. You see the whole shot in one glance I love it.

I'd not lug a prism to the desert that's for sure. Those things are heavy.
They're made of crystal supposedly. Which is heavier than glass.
That said you can get them for 99 bucks now.
And they are very Man From U.N.C.L. E.





Mark William Rabiner
markrabiner.com