Originally posted by Lord Lucan Maybe not, but a folding hood type waist level finder is little more than having no viewfinder, being simply a screen around the ground glass.
For the LX that is exactly all that it is + the flip-up magnifier.
Not so with it's peers . . .
The Minolta XK is the extreme case because the finder contains all the metering and you also need it just so you can even see the shutter speed dial.
The Nikon F3 needs a magnifier for the shutter indicator LCD.
I don't have the Canon New F-1 but it too is dependent for it's viewfinder to show modes and shutter information.
I also don't have the WL for the Nikon F2 but it needs a metering VF even though the battery is in the body.
By researching and acquiring all these others, I have gained quite an admiration of just what Pentax accomplished in making the LX.
BTW, keep in mind that when in aperture priority mode, all the others need a viewfinder blind if your eye is not on it. Otherwise light can come in and alter the reading. Note there are no viewfinder blinds on these waistlevel viewfinders.
Yup, the LX is really the only one that is fully functional even without a viewfinder!
One last thing with regards to interchangeable viewfinders, changing them on the LX is far easier then all these others. Of course even though I have all but one of the VFs, I don't change them often. But it sure is a pleasure when you do!