Query: Varavon Multifinder

I'm considering the purchase of the Varavon Multifinder. The price has come down considerably on this unit.

This would be used for video on my 7D. Mostly close-up/macro photography of insects, etc.

Comments please.

I have the hoodman version of this. Absolutely essential!

There are many manufacturers, and many very inexpensive imports. I have no idea about the quality of the imports. I've been happy with the hoodman, and spent some time with a zacuto, both are great.

One problem on a 7D is that it tightly controls where your eye must be. That's fine for many shots, but for getting down on the floor to shoot macro it's not so good. OTOH, if you're doing studio/tabletop macro you can control the height of the subject.

To me these ergonomics are sufficiently important that I've stuck to articulating LCD screens, which is more like a traditional camcorder. I don't shoot macro video, but do shoot low and high angle shots. YMMV.

I actually googled for the thing, not knowing what it was. It looks like as well as the usual magnified loupe, to create a proper viewfinder from the camera screen, it also folds open at the top, and by using a couple of front silvered mirrors, just like in the reflex mirror in the optical viewfinder. When it's opened up it works much like the old Waist level finder in MF SLRs, with the advantage the the image isn't reversed.

From looking at it online it looks like a nice well made bit of kit. I checked out the Amazon UK prices, and what do you know, typically the one mentioned in the OP is £140 and the others are £220, which is exactly the same price as listed in US$ on the manufacturer's website. Of course the UK price includes our 20% VAT too, but still at around £1=$1.50 that still seems like a bit of a rip off price wise.

If I wanted to turn a DSLR into a proper video camera with a decent viewfinder it looks like a nice way to do it.

Alan

Thanks for the replies so far.

I have tried the Hoodman, didn't like it, returned it for a refund.

As 'BigAl007' states, it can fold open at the top, much like the view-finder on MF SLR's -- for me, though, it takes me back to my college days when I used a Yashica-D TLR in photography classes. 'A long time ago ....'

With this feature, it could be used at ground level much easier than a just a straight view - sort of like using a right-angle view-finder adapter.

I ordered this unit, received it today.

You can read my initial report at:
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1453223