Originally posted by rawr what current camera body provides a good model for a modern Pentax FF viewfinder?
The Contax RTS II. 97% of picture area. Magnification of .87x. With built-in viewfinder eyepiece blind lever - I think that is a good model to start with, 100% coverage at 0.80X
should be feasible.
For reference i'll also give the OVF specs from the top of the line cameras that I work with from Canon and Nikon:
Canon 1D X ( presently the best 35mm OVF in the industry)
- 100% frame coverage
- Magnification: 0.76x (-1 diopter with 50 mm lens at infinity)
- Eyepoint: 20 mm
- Eye-piece shutter available via lever
Nikon D4s
- 100% Frame coverage
- Magnification: 0.7×(-3 to +1 m diopter correction)
- eye point:18mm
- Viewfinder blind built in.
Between the two cameras there isn't a great deal of difference, but compared to the Contax RTSII both look rather
average. I'm well aware that High magnification viewfinders from the past aren't considered necessary anymore because of autofocus. But the viewfinder in an SLR is what we view the world through, how we compose. The viewfinder is one of the most important interfaces in 35mm photography and I don't think its importance should be reduced because of a bit of electronic automation. I would say from the way things look with the mockup, Pentax should easily be able to beat the Nikon D4s and it should aim at the very least to match or beat the Canon DSLR. The built in viewfinder curtain would be a welcome addition for those who do long exposure, UV/IR and astrophotogaphy.