viewfinder or lcd screen factory

LCD screens are great, and the quality improves with each new generation of DSLR cameras appearing on the market. But, many professional photographers prefer to use a camera"s viewfinder. We explain the benefits and disadvantages of each.

LCD screens have advantages, but so do optical viewfinders. When it"s time to frame a photo with your DSLR camera, you need to decide which side of the viewfinder vs. LCD debate you lean. Unlike the optical viewfinder, the LCD screen displays the entire frame that the sensors capture. Optical viewfinders, even on a professional level DSLR, only show 90-95% of the image. You lose a small percentage on the edges of the image.

Digital SLRs aren"t light, and it"s easier to produce a crisp, sharp image when you hold the camera up to your eye to use the viewfinder. That way, you can support and steady the camera and lens with your hands. But, viewfinders are generally smaller than LCD screens. Viewfinders are also less convenient to use, especially if you wear glasses.

At the end of the day, though, as intelligent as digital cameras are, the human eye can resolve more detail than an LCD screen. You get a sharper and more accurate view of your image by using the viewfinder.

The biggest drawback with LCD screens is probably shooting in sunlight. Depending on the quality of the screen, you may not be able to use it in bright sunshine because of the glare. All you see are reflections off the screen. Also, the crystals contained within LCD screens tend to flare in bright sunlight, making the situation worse.

Holding the camera at arm"s-length while looking at the LCD screen—and then keeping the camera steady while zooming in on a subject—takes effort. When you use the LCD screen this way, you often end up with a blurry image.

No matter how good an LCD screen is, it"s unlikely to give an accurate overview of the image you took. Most overexpose an image by as much as one full stop. It"s best to acquire the technical knowledge about photography, rather than rely on the LCD screen to determine image quality. With this technical knowledge, you"ll have the confidence your settings are correct, and your images are properly exposed. So, in most cases, it"s best to use the viewfinder. But, if you like the convenience of an LCD, or you wear glasses, use the LCD. It"s mostly a matter of personal preference.

Should I use the camera viewfinder or LCD? More importantly, in the age of iPhones and touchscreens, is the viewfinder now obsolete? Read on, and you may just discover a need for both.

Should I use the camera viewfinder or LCD when capturing an image? Indeed, this debate will no doubt continue into the foreseeable future. At any rate, long before the liquid crystal display (LCD) came into the picture, the viewfinder was the only game in town. Thus, it certainly stands to reason why many seasoned photographers prefer the viewfinder over the LCD. However, in light of the miniature camera revolution, one might consider the viewfinder outdated or even obsolete; consequently, many contemporary photographers appear to favor the LCD. In any case, the LCD has changed the game and offers distinct advantages and new possibilities for photography. Regardless of your current preference, a bit of experimentation may help improve your game.

Above all, composition is the most crucial element in any photograph. Indeed, everyone enjoys a stunning well-exposed tack sharp photo. Of course, the methods used to capture an image play an essential role in the quality of the image. For example, during hand-held photography, using the viewfinder draws the camera closer to the body offering a lower profile thus providing a better foundation as opposed to extending the camera forward to compose an image. Naturally, getting the shot is what counts! Deciding between using the LCD or viewfinder boils down to personal preference.

Although wearing eyeglasses can exacerbate the situation, it’s still possible to use the viewfinder. However, whether farsighted or nearsighted, fumbling around with eyeglasses can take the fun out of photography. Fortunately, many cameras offer viewfinders with a built-in diopter that permits one to compensate for optical shortcomings. In fact, some camera models offer additional diopters for those requiring further correction. Honestly, while wearing reading glasses, I do find it a bit cumbersome to bounce back and forth from the viewfinder to the LCD. I sometimes wear my glasses tethered around my neck. At any rate, I find using the viewfinder worth the extra effort.

No doubt, shooting at ground level can make framing an image extremely difficult. Composing a photograph with the viewfinder while lying on wet grass presents an unacceptable challenge for some people. Still, using the LCD does not guarantee the user will remain completely dry, even with a tilting LCD. Plus, not all cameras have an adjustable LCD. Nevertheless, the increasing popularity of the adjustable LCD suggests many people may favor the LCD over the viewfinder. Although I prefer the viewfinder in most situations, the LCD occasionally has its advantages. Regardless of one’s preference, an adjustable LCD has an undeniable ergonomic benefit when shooting at low levels. On the other hand, for the diehard viewfinder fan, it is possible to retrofit many camera models with an angled viewfinder.

While composing an image, a mindful photographer pays careful attention to every detail in the frame, especially distracting elements near the edges. Unfortunately, excluding high-end cameras, most DSLR viewfinders do not offer 100 percent coverage. For example, when using a DSLR with only 95 percent coverage, during post-processing one is likely to discover overlooked articles near the edge of the image. Whereas the articles would have been visible if composed on an LCD. In other words, unlike the LCD, what you see in the viewfinder isn’t necessarily what you get in post-processing. As for myself, this is an outright deal-breaker. Although many camera models offer viewfinders with greater than 95 percent coverage, nothing beats 100 percent. On the other hand, is five percent more coverage worth the added expense? Honestly, the deciding factor comes down to personal preference and budget.

Viewing an image on an LCD in brightly illuminated situations may prove difficult indeed. When shooting under extremely bright conditions, one may find it impossible to actually see the image on the LCD. Although I certainly prefer the viewfinder in bright situations, purchasing an LCD hood or shade provides a simple solution. Though an LCD hood will help reduce glare, these devices are bulky and require removal to use of the viewfinder. Honestly, the LCD has its benefits, but in this case, why add an additional device if it’s not necessary.

I occasionally hear the notion that bright light from an LCD impairs night vision. Of course, staring at any bright light source will affect one’s night vision. Be that as it may, I would not rule out using the LCD for night photography. In fact, I often use the LCD at night for image playback, and I’m yet to stumble over my gear from loss of night vision. In any case, both the viewfinder and LCD are beneficial for night photography. Incidentally, while shooting a moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Park near Corbin Kentucky, I found the LCD indispensable in reviewing the color span captured in the moonbow. Due to sparse lighting, the human eye has a difficult time discerning the colors of a moonbow, and thus it appears white to the naked eye. Nevertheless, during image playback on the LCD, the colors in the moonbow are evident. See the moonbow here.

Depending on the camera model, the information available in both the viewfinder and LCD will vary. Regardless of the camera data, with today’s technology, most people have no trouble pointing and shooting a camera with satisfactory results. However, being acquainted with the exposure triangle can open new possibilities with the potential for boundless creativity. Hence, the ability to observe shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and exposure is paramount. One advantage of the LCD is the ability to view a live histogram in live view. Indeed, a live histogram is pretty impressive, but not available on all cameras. In any case, I prefer to use the histogram during image playback.

Now, this is extremely important for those that need to squeeze every ounce of life from a battery. I often hike and camp in primitive areas where electrical power is a luxury. That being the case, the difference in battery life is monumental! An LCD requires far more energy compared to an optical viewfinder. In fact, the LCD requires 100 percent more energy. However, poor battery life is easily mitigated in most cases. For example, carry extra batteries and take advantage of charging opportunities while traveling near power sources or while dining in a restaurant. Also, consider investing in a battery grip.

Depending on the type of photography, both the viewfinder and LCD have distinct advantages. For example, live view employs contrast detection to analyze image contrast pixel by pixel, thereby significantly improving focusing accuracy. Furthermore, live view provides additional focusing points allowing more versatility, especially handy when the camera is mounted on a tripod. Utilizing the LCD, one can zoom in and precisely focus on a specific detail. Consequently, a landscape photographer may favor using the LCD to enhance the focus of still subjects. However, the focusing speed is at a snail’s pace compared to using a viewfinder which employs phase detection for focusing.

For this reason, a sports photographer would likely opt for the benefits of the viewfinder. In fact, because of its quick and reliable focusing, phase detection yields better results for fast-moving subjects. Indeed, a sharp image is the benchmark of any serious photographer. With this in mind, understanding the fundamentals of phase detection and contrast detection is instrumental.

Indeed, whether using the LCD or viewfinder to compose an image, covering the viewfinder eyepiece on a DSLR is an excellent idea. In fact, in backlit situations, light can enter through the viewfinder and appear on the image as a solar flare. Moreover, light entering through the viewfinder can fool the camera’s light meter resulting in an underexposed image. Despite manufacturing attempts to protect against light leakage, even the most expensive cameras can leak light back to the sensor. In fact, with the mirror in the up position, the light may still pass through and find its way to your image, especially during a long exposure. Consequently, and for a good reason, many manufacturers deploy the use of built-in eyepiece shutters or external eyepiece covers. Why leave your masterpiece to chance?

A DSLR utilizes a mirror to reflect an image through the lens and onto the sensor. Obviously, a “mirrorless” camera does not use a mirror to reflect an image to the viewfinder. Instead, a mirrorless camera projects an electronic or “digital” image to the viewfinder. I think an electronic viewfinder (EVF) is much like an LCD only smaller. As a matter of fact, an EVF is analogous to having a tiny TV screen extremely close to your eye. Alternatively, an optical viewfinder (OVF) allows the user to look straight through the lens via the mirror. Nevertheless, both the OVF and EVF provide the user with a practical view; however, the two views are entirely different.

Viewing an image through an EVF is much like living in the Matrix. The world seen through an EVF is an electronic reproduction of reality. “You’ve been living in a dream world, Neo.” Despite my poor attempt at a little Matrix humor, there is much truth in that statement. Indeed, I would rather view the real world through an OVF as opposed to a replica through an EVF.

Nevertheless, the EVF does have a few advantages. For example, like the LCD, the EVF offers 100 percent coverage, so what you see in the viewfinder is what you get in the image. Also, the EVF is illuminated and thus beneficial in low-light situations.

Despite having a few benefits, none outweigh the advantages of the OVF in my humble opinion. Honestly, zero lag time and image clarity alone provide sufficient reason to opt for the OVF. At any rate, it’s important to note that no two photographers are alike, and every situation is unique. As a landscape photographer, I truly appreciate the magnificence of nature and embrace any occasion to connect with it. Therefore, unlike the EVF, the OVF allows me to view a composition in its true color and natural brilliance. Still, the choice resides with each photographer to decide what works for their particular circumstance. In the end, it’s all about having a grand experience and possibly heading home with a magnificent image!

Although I do my best to remain objective when writing, I’m sure it’s apparent that I prefer the viewfinder over the LCD. Despite that being the case, you may have noticed that I practice both in my photography. Honestly, I suspect many people do the same. Indeed, I very much enjoy the connection to nature that photography affords. Although an LCD has its benefits, I prefer viewing my subject through the sharp clarity produced by an optical viewfinder. In short, if forced to decide between one or the other, I choose the OVF. At any rate, these are mere opinions and should be taken with a healthy portion of common sense and personal experience. As I always like to say, it’s genuinely a matter of personal preference.

The benefits of the viewfinder and LCD screen are often compared with one another. Depending on whom you ask, you might hear remarkably different opinions on the usability of the two.

Let’s go through some of the pros and cons of both and present you with an objective case for why you should pick one over the other. Keep in mind that this isn’t meant to dictate which shooting method you should use. There are valid reasons to use both; it just depends on the situation.

As discussed above, photography is all about precision. Viewfinders have been around long before LCD screens, and therefore many photographers find viewfinders more comfortable to work with.

Viewfinders offer much more precision when you are shooting, especially on a bright day. It allows you to focus on the small details. Viewfinders reduce image distortion and capture an accurate image. That’s why most DSLRs and high-end mirrorless cameras today still have viewfinders.

Running out of battery is a nightmare for photographers, especially if you don’t have any spares. That’s why viewfinders are considered optimal in these situations. Viewfinders use comparatively much less battery than LCD screens.

If you are shooting in an area where electricity is scarce, or don’t have access to a charger or backup batteries, the viewfinder will be a better choice for you.

Viewfinders are very convenient to use and provide smooth handling. When looking through the viewfinder, it’s easy to keep the camera steady. This makes the viewfinder an optimal choice when you need to zoom in or have a slightly heavier camera.

For many people, this extra effort of adjusting your eyeglasses is troublesome. However, some viewfinder cameras have a built-in diopter that can help make it easier to use with glasses.

Viewfinders can be much smaller compared to LCD screens. As a result, you may not be able to see everything you’re capturing in the viewfinder accurately. This drawback is very important for photographers who want to preview every single detail when taking a picture.

To see details on viewfinders, especially the electronic ones, you have to zoom in on the frame. However, this can lower the resolution of the preview. Luckily, if most of your shots consist of zoom shots, this may not bother you much.

What sets LCD screens apart from viewfinders is their ability to provide 100% image coverage to the photographer. In comparison, cameras with a viewfinder offer around 90-95% of the image, sometimes less.

What you see through the viewfinder doesn’t always end up in the final result. Small details can be crucial. That’s why this 5-10% difference in image coverage can be a significant reason why you might choose an LCD screen over the viewfinder.

When you are in a lower field-of-view, framing can be much more difficult. Many people can’t take a picture while lying on the ground using a viewfinder. This is where LCD screens come in. Flexible LCDs make it easier for you to capture images when you can’t reach awkward angles.

LCD screens produce great results for night photography. LCD screens are often used for night photography due to their bright image playback quality. They help you focus on the small details when you are shooting at night.

An evident shortcoming of the LCD screen is its lack of utility on a bright day. Because of the glare, many people cannot use their LCD screen at all on a sunny day. It’s hard to see anything on the LCD except the reflections.

Another drawback to using an LCD screen is its difficulty in handling it. Holding the camera while looking through the LCD screen is difficult and takes a lot of effort, especially when you are zooming and trying to be precise.

Another disadvantage of LCD screens is the fact that they can easily overexpose your image. This should not be a problem for seasoned photographers who can improve the quality of the image with better handling and precision.

Those were some of the benefits and drawbacks of using a viewfinder and LCD screen to consider. So, which one is best? The answer depends on your personal preferences and budget.

If you’re a traditional photographer, you’ll probably be more comfortable with the viewfinder. If you are a photographer who likes to focus on small details and image quality, you should opt for the LCD screen.

Hope you caught the first line of my last post as a joke, and that you recognize that most of my ire about camera design is reserved for whomever else might have the power to change it.

Melissa, there will come a time in your growth into photography that you may begin to recognize that some of the most important stuff happens before you look through the viewfinder. The viewfinder will come to be mostly a confirmation of what you expect from your picture. It"s more of a final, but important, check.

There have been many good photos made with little more than a peephole and a wire frame for viewfinding. I have, and still use, one such camera. It can take a little more time, but once you get there, you may not notice. You"ll probably be too busy composing and visualizing before you make the picture.

The newer versions. Well, you can see I"m not a big fan. Yet, not only should the structure of the viewfinder not be too influential; there will come that time when non-reflex work, pictures without a look through the lens, will be important. The oldest of cameras were like this. We"ve just seen a computerized simulation of the return to these practices, except the contemporary kind is hybridized into that LCD interface in the point and shoot.

Back when, George Eastman needed plenty of ladies to gather chicken eggs and cook "em up in order to build his empire. In his first camera, I think there was no viewfinder at all. I think it was in the second camera that they added a mirrored window to help people aim the camera. Its screen was small enough to fit on the face of a dime.

The thinking before you use the viewfinder will come to be more important as you start to round out your basic skills as a photographer. You might find that this thinking may be one of the most influential segments of your creative process, later. The more I make pictures, the more before the camera work occupies me quite a bit.

While some photographers like the natural view offered by an optical viewfinder, an electronic viewfinder brings the advantage of being able to see the effect of the exposure, white balance and Picture Style settings being applied. If you apply the Monochrome Picture Style, for example, the image you see in the EVF will be mono, while with an OVF it will remain colour. This means you can use the image in an EVF to assess whether your settings suit the scene and to be confident you will get the result you want before pressing the shutter button. That"s especially helpful if, for example, the subject is backlit and you might need to use some exposure compensation.

In this way, an EVF is especially useful for relatively inexperienced photographers, because it enables you to see the effects of camera settings at the shooting stage, not just assess them afterwards. For many, it makes photography more intuitive.

Another advantage of an EVF is that it can compensate for low light levels, which means you always have a clear view of the subject. Conversely, with an optical viewfinder you"re seeing the scene with the ambient light level, which means that in dark conditions it can be difficult to compose a shot or to focus.

On the other hand, because the image you see in an EVF has to be processed before it can be displayed, all EVFs suffer from some degree of lag. Although the latest mirrorless cameras such as the EOS R5 have EVFs with a refresh rate of 120fps and the lag is only a matter of milliseconds, this can still matter if you"re shooting fast-moving action and split-second timing is critical. As technologies continue to develop, the lag is likely to get shorter and shorter, but an OVF works at the speed of light, which means in effect no lag at all. For this reason, many photographers shooting sports, wildlife or other subjects involving fast action still prefer a DSLR.

In addition, when you"re using an EVF you"re actually looking at a small screen, and even though this has a very high refresh rate, an OVF can be more comfortable over a long period of usage. This means that if you"re shooting wildlife or sports where you have to keep your eye to the viewfinder for a very long time waiting for the action to happen, an OVF could be preferable.

My friend"s Olympus isn"t working... the LCD screen stays black (you can see the menus, etc., just fine, but doesn"t display image), viewfinder doesn"t work, won"t take photos (yes, the lens cap is off!).

I was able to find a quick fix for this once before, a setting that somehow got toggled, but this time I can"t track it down. Pressing the little button next to viewfinder doesn"t work.

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This is a nice copy of the Zacuto Z-finder. It apes Zacuto"s housing"s design, so it should fit Zacuto"s lanyard and camera mounting solutions. Unfortunately, Seagull did not copy Zacuto"s lens design, so it won"t fit Zacuto"s eye cups, but it might fit the Bluestar chamois. Zacuto"s optics are larger, 40mm in diameter as stated in their website, while Seagull"s are 30mm wide. I haven"t tried a Zacuto for comparison, but I can infer that this difference in optics size will be the reason for 2 thinks I"m seeing in the image that might not happen with a Zacuto:

1. The point of perfect focus is limited to a very small area at the center, meaning that you have to keep your eye dead center on the lens to see the whole image clearly: stray just a little bit off this center area and you see a muddy image that worsens the farther away you move your eye from dead center. Might be a problem if you move a lot while running and gunning, as you will need to keep compensating to maintain your eye in the proper position, don"t know for sure as I have yet to use the viewfinder in the field.

2. Coupled with the way the lens barrel is designed, it"s very easy to see the extreme corners clipped, even when you are looking dead center into the lens. Not a big deal, and you only need to turn your eye just a little bit to get the corner you are interested in back into view and, again, only the extreme corners are affected.

I have to mention the way the diopter works, at least in my case. The lenses came positioned for somebody with perfect vision (not nearsighted or farsighted). There are 3 lenses inside the lens barrel, which came installed from the factory in the following order of lens surface shape (from the eyecup side in):

I am nearsighted and couldn"t acquire focus without my glasses on (you need to place the camera/viewfinder against your face with some pressure to make the most of the 3rd point stabilizing effect, doing so with glasses on is not a good idea, unless you use goggle type frames, ala Kareem Abdul Jabar), so I took the advice from some of the other reviewers and took out the lenses to re-arrange their positions and see what happened. This is fairly easily done: you take away the eye cup and unscrew the lens barrel"s top containment ring (the part where the eye cup attaches) like you would a bottle cap. This part has a very fine thread, so it will take a lot of turns to unscrew, take your time. Now all the lenses are free to be taken out: you only need to push the lowermost lens (the one facing the LCD) up and one after the other come out the components I listed for your convenience above. I tried several combinations and the one that worked for me (I need about -3 diopter) was to turn the lowermost 2 lenses around, so they become:

This afforded me sharp focus with the lens barrel turned very close to the housing to keep the whole contraption as compact as possible. I also tried with the flat/convex lens turned around, with the convex face sitting against one of the faces of the concave/concave lens, their curvatures seem match one another to fit perfectly, but then the lens barrel ended up too much into the housing and the lens retaining ring couldn"t be turned all the way in, leaving the lenses loose. This might be the way to go for -4 diopter (or is it -2 diopter?) with the lens barrel turned away from the housing some more, I don"t know, you"ll need to figure this out for your own diopter need. Seagull should provide instructions for this, or else I don"t see how to get to those -/+4 diopters.

One last detail: with the way the eye cup is designed, if you press it against your face your eyelashes will be constantly running against the lens" surface, oiling/fogging it in no time. This is were the Bluestar chamois will come in very handy, or you can get a plastic ring in a hardware store sized about the same as the spacing ring mentioned above and place it between the lens and the containment ring, there is enough thread there to have this installed and for the whole lens barrel to be safely closed.

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In the description that follows, all available indicators are shown for illustrative purposes; the indicators actually displayed vary with camera settings. Note that the LCD monitor and electronic viewfinder have different aspect ratios.

When ON is selected for SCREEN SET-UP > EVF AUTOROTATE DISPLAYS in the setup menu, the indicators in the viewfinder automatically rotate to match camera orientation.

The brightness and hue of the viewfinder and LCD monitor can be adjusted using the options under SCREEN SET-UP in the setup menu. Choose EVF BRIGHTNESS or EVF COLOR to adjust viewfinder brightness or hue, LCD

Adjust the brightness of the display in the electronic viewfinder. Select MANUAL to choose from 11 options from +5 (bright) to −5 (dark), or select AUTO for automatic brightness adjustment.

Choose how long images are displayed after shooting. Colors may differ slightly from those in the final image and “noise” mottling may be visible at high sensitivities.

Pictures are displayed until the MENU/OK button is pressed or the shutter button is pressed halfway. To zoom in on the active focus point, press the center of the rear command dial; press again to cancel zoom.

Choose whether the indicators in the viewfinder rotate to match camera orientation. Regardless of the option selected, the indicators in the monitor do not rotate.

Select PREVIEW EXP./WB to enable exposure and white balance preview in manual exposure mode, or choose PREVIEW WB to preview only white balance. Select OFF when using a flash or on other occasions on which exposure may change when the picture is taken.

Choose ON to preview the effects of film simulation, white balance, and other settings in the monitor. Choose OFF to make shadows in low-contrast, back-lit scenes and other hard-to-see subjects more visible.

If OFF is selected, the effects of camera settings will not be visible in the monitor and colors and tone will differ from those in the final picture. The display will however be adjusted to show the effects of advanced filters and of monochrome and sepia settings.

Select ON to display large indicators in the electronic/optical viewfinder (EVF/OVF). The indicators displayed can be selected using SCREEN SETTING > LARGE INDICATORS DISP. SETTING.

Select ON to display large indicators in the LCD monitor. The indicators displayed can be selected using SCREEN SETTING > LARGE INDICATORS DISP. SETTING.

This is a nice copy of the Zacuto Z-finder. It apes Zacuto"s housing"s design, so it should fit Zacuto"s lanyard and camera mounting solutions. Unfortunately, Seagull did not copy Zacuto"s lens design, so it won"t fit Zacuto"s eye cups, but it might fit the Bluestar chamois. Zacuto"s optics are larger, 40mm in diameter as stated in their website, while Seagull"s are 30mm wide. I haven"t tried a Zacuto for comparison, but I can infer that this difference in optics size will be the reason for 2 thinks I"m seeing in the image that might not happen with a Zacuto:

1. The point of perfect focus is limited to a very small area at the center, meaning that you have to keep your eye dead center on the lens to see the whole image clearly: stray just a little bit off this center area and you see a muddy image that worsens the farther away you move your eye from dead center. Might be a problem if you move a lot while running and gunning, as you will need to keep compensating to maintain your eye in the proper position, don"t know for sure as I have yet to use the viewfinder in the field.

2. Coupled with the way the lens barrel is designed, it"s very easy to see the extreme corners clipped, even when you are looking dead center into the lens. Not a big deal, and you only need to turn your eye just a little bit to get the corner you are interested in back into view and, again, only the extreme corners are affected.

I have to mention the way the diopter works, at least in my case. The lenses came positioned for somebody with perfect vision (not nearsighted or farsighted). There are 3 lenses inside the lens barrel, which came installed from the factory in the following order of lens surface shape (from the eyecup side in):

I am nearsighted and couldn"t acquire focus without my glasses on (you need to place the camera/viewfinder against your face with some pressure to make the most of the 3rd point stabilizing effect, doing so with glasses on is not a good idea, unless you use goggle type frames, ala Kareem Abdul Jabar), so I took the advice from some of the other reviewers and took out the lenses to re-arrange their positions and see what happened. This is fairly easily done: you take away the eye cup and unscrew the lens barrel"s top containment ring (the part where the eye cup attaches) like you would a bottle cap. This part has a very fine thread, so it will take a lot of turns to unscrew, take your time. Now all the lenses are free to be taken out: you only need to push the lowermost lens (the one facing the LCD) up and one after the other come out the components I listed for your convenience above. I tried several combinations and the one that worked for me (I need about -3 diopter) was to turn the lowermost 2 lenses around, so they become:

This afforded me sharp focus with the lens barrel turned very close to the housing to keep the whole contraption as compact as possible. I also tried with the flat/convex lens turned around, with the convex face sitting against one of the faces of the concave/concave lens, their curvatures seem match one another to fit perfectly, but then the lens barrel ended up too much into the housing and the lens retaining ring couldn"t be turned all the way in, leaving the lenses loose. This might be the way to go for -4 diopter (or is it -2 diopter?) with the lens barrel turned away from the housing some more, I don"t know, you"ll need to figure this out for your own diopter need. Seagull should provide instructions for this, or else I don"t see how to get to those -/+4 diopters.

One last detail: with the way the eye cup is designed, if you press it against your face your eyelashes will be constantly running against the lens" surface, oiling/fogging it in no time. This is were the Bluestar chamois will come in very handy, or you can get a plastic ring in a hardware store sized about the same as the spacing ring mentioned above and place it between the lens and the containment ring, there is enough thread there to have this installed and for the whole lens barrel to be safely closed.

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