I’ve always eyed the single-lens reflex cameras shot from the waist level with a bit of envy – but a new gadget is popping up in stores that can give nearly any camera that shoot-from-the-hip experience. The generic, non-branded gadget slides into a hot shoe or cold shoe and uses mirrors to bounce the view to the top of the camera, rather than relying on a standard viewfinder or LCD screen.
The waist-level viewfinder made by XuanLens in China doesn’t actually connect with the camera in any way, nor does it see exactly what the camera lens is seeing. Instead, it uses simple optics and mirrors to add a simple waist-level viewfinder to the top of the camera. A circular opening at the front looks at the scene and a mirror bounces the view up to the top of the viewfinder.
Because the viewfinder doesn’t actually connect with the camera, photographers will need to match the viewfinder to the lens’ focal length. The option from XuanLens offers a 28mm view, but also has markers to indicate what a 35mm and a 50mm lens would see instead. Cameras with an off-center hotshoe will likely have some significant inaccuracies between the add-on viewfinder and the actual framing, but the company notes that the feet of the shoe can be adjusted left or right to adjust the view some.
Without that camera connection, the waist-level viewfinder also won’t show whether or not the image is in focus. Instead, it’s a simple mirror that bounces up a general view of what’s in front of the camera.
The inability to see exactly what the camera sees will likely limit the use of the gadget. But, the nostalgic method of shooting from the waist will likely tempt a few photographers. I may have been tempted myself to try one out, but, alas, my hot shoe slot is typically already taken up by a flash trigger or flash.
With the viewfinder not seeing exactly what the lens does and no reviews on Amazon yet, the generic viewfinder may be a bit of a risk. But the temptation of an optical viewfinder with nostalgic waist-level shooting may prove too hard to resist for some.
The waist-level viewfinder is available on Amazon for $47.97 / £50.09
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