# Can you use a Canon Angle Finder C handheld?



## pulseimages (Mar 4, 2014)

I would like to shoot low without having to get on my stomach and the Canon Angle Finder C looks like the perfect solution but I don't want to use a tripod. Has anyone had any experience using one handheld? Thank you.


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 4, 2014)

Yes, I use my Angle Finder C handheld.


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## pulseimages (Mar 6, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> Yes, I use my Angle Finder C handheld.



Great, I see that you use a 1DX, do you release the shutter with the vertical grip shutter button or shoot with the Angle Finder C normally?


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 6, 2014)

pulseimages said:


> Great, I see that you use a 1DX, do you release the shutter with the vertical grip shutter button or shoot with the Angle Finder C normally?



Either, depending on my position, how I'm holding the camera at the time, and the orientation in which I am using it. The angle finder can rotate around it's attachment, so you can use it with the camera in portrait orientation, too.


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## mb (Mar 6, 2014)

Hmmm, I've got an old "Angle Finder *B*" lying around here, from my analog SLR times (EOS 100, back in the 1990s).
Has someone here experience in adapting an Angle Finder B to the new Canon DSLRs, e.g. 5D Mark III?

Regards,
Mattias


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 6, 2014)

mb said:


> Hmmm, I've got an old "Angle Finder *B*" lying around here, from my analog SLR times (EOS 100, back in the 1990s).
> Has someone here experience in adapting an Angle Finder B to the new Canon DSLRs, e.g. 5D Mark III?



Assuming you still have the Adapter S (for square), I think that works with many dSLRs, but I'm not sure about the 5DIII.


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## mb (Mar 6, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> mb said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm, I've got an old "Angle Finder *B*" lying around here, from my analog SLR times (EOS 100, back in the 1990s).
> ...



Thanks, Neuro.
Yes, I do have a square mount on the Angle Finder B. But sadly enough it doesn't fit to the 5D3...


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 6, 2014)

mb said:


> Yes, I do have a square mount on the Angle Finder B. But sadly enough it doesn't fit to the 5D3...



Bummer.  The Angle Finder C comes with two adapters, and I need to use the larger one for my 1D X.


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## pulseimages (Mar 8, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> pulseimages said:
> 
> 
> > Great, I see that you use a 1DX, do you release the shutter with the vertical grip shutter button or shoot with the Angle Finder C normally?
> ...



Could you please post a photo you took using the Angle Finder C handheld? Thank you.


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 8, 2014)

pulseimages said:


> Could you please post a photo you took using the Angle Finder C handheld? Thank you.


Here's one...




EOS 5D Mark II, MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro @ 3.5x, 1/60 s, f/14, ISO 400, MT-24EX


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## pulseimages (Mar 12, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> pulseimages said:
> 
> 
> > Could you please post a photo you took using the Angle Finder C handheld? Thank you.
> ...



So it's hard to get sharp images using the angle finder handheld?


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 12, 2014)

pulseimages said:


> So it's hard to get sharp images using the angle finder handheld?



??

No, it's hard to get much DoF at high mag, without focus stacking. Only a very thin region is in crisp focus.


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## Marsu42 (Mar 12, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> Yes, I use my Angle Finder C handheld.



How much practice does it take to get used to it? I though of buying one (China ripoff, of course ) vs. lying in the mud with my non-swivel screen 6d, but am not confident it'll feel as natural as looking straight through the vf and I won't use it much in practice.


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 12, 2014)

Marsu42 said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, I use my Angle Finder C handheld.
> ...



Not hard. Takes me back to using my first camera, an Argus TLR (albeit with less eye relief). 

Just be sure the version you get presents a normal image – some of them, including the 'A' version from Canon, reverse and/or invert the image, which would make handheld use a real PITA.


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## Sporgon (Mar 12, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> pulseimages said:
> 
> 
> > Could you please post a photo you took using the Angle Finder C handheld? Thank you.
> ...



That's a great piece of macro focusing; you've nailed a tiny depth of field focus bang on the grasshopper / cricket / locust - not sure what it is !

Just out of curiosity, how did you achieve focus on this ?


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## neuroanatomist (Mar 12, 2014)

Sporgon said:


> That's a great piece of macro focusing; you've nailed a tiny depth of field focus bang on the grasshopper / cricket / locust - not sure what it is !
> 
> Just out of curiosity, how did you achieve focus on this ?



Thanks!

I focused the way I usually do with macro shooting - manually set the lens focus distance/magnification to where I want it, then move the camera back and forth and release the shutter when focus is where I want it. With the Angle Finder C, the 2.5x magnification option helps.


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## TAF (Mar 12, 2014)

mb said:


> Hmmm, I've got an old "Angle Finder *B*" lying around here, from my analog SLR times (EOS 100, back in the 1990s).
> Has someone here experience in adapting an Angle Finder B to the new Canon DSLRs, e.g. 5D Mark III?
> 
> Regards,
> Mattias



If you have the "S" adapter, it works just fine on the 5D3. That's what I use.

And I do use it hand held most of the time.


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## BL (Mar 12, 2014)

mb said:


> Hmmm, I've got an old "Angle Finder *B*" lying around here, from my analog SLR times (EOS 100, back in the 1990s).
> Has someone here experience in adapting an Angle Finder B to the new Canon DSLRs, e.g. 5D Mark III?
> 
> Regards,
> Mattias



yeah I use the B version on my 5Dc all day long. Never found a reason to upgrade to C because of that.


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## mb (Mar 13, 2014)

BL said:


> yeah I use the B version on my 5Dc all day long. Never found a reason to upgrade to C because of that.


Hi BL,
seems that either you've got an other mount on your AF-B than I or that the 5D-c has a different mount-shoe for the eye-cap than the 5D-III.
Here is a picture of my AF-B in total plus it's mount next to the mount-shoe of my 5D-III.
I hope that someone just could tell me "buy the 'Adaptor xxx'" or so


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## pulseimages (Mar 19, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> pulseimages said:
> 
> 
> > So it's hard to get sharp images using the angle finder handheld?
> ...



Without focus stacking typical results lends itself to a very thin region of crisp focus?


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## TAF (Apr 15, 2014)

Hi BL,
seems that either you've got an other mount on your AF-B than I or that the 5D-c has a different mount-shoe for the eye-cap than the 5D-III.
Here is a picture of my AF-B in total plus it's mount next to the mount-shoe of my 5D-III.
I hope that someone just could tell me "buy the 'Adaptor xxx'" or so 
[/quote]

MB;

I owe you an apology. Upon closer inspection, it is actually apparent that my Angle Finder B seems to have been 'hacked' by a previous owner.

A few weekends ago, I stumbled upon a new in box AF-B; it looked like it had never been opened. So I bought it, took it home, and tried it. It fit my 50D, but not my 5D3. WTF.

Then I got out the calipers and did a close inspection of the one that does fit. The metal mounting piece is clearly different...then I noticed that two screws were missing. Humm...what's this?

It turns out that the mounting piece from an Angle FInder C (the adapter part "Ed-C") just happens to have a hole though it EXACTLY the same diameter as that of the AFB. And two of the four holes for the little phillips head screws line up.

So the solution to using an AF-B on a 5D3 is to buy an Ed-C from Canon (less than $20 delivered), take the mounting piece off (four size 00 philips screws), remove the mounting piece from the AF-B, and put the piece from the Ed-C on. The screw holes in the opposite corners will line up perfectly (lower left and upper right when looking at it).

Mystery solved.

I am quite ashamed that I hadn't noticed that before, so again, my apologies for misleading y'all.


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## mb (Apr 15, 2014)

TAF said:


> So the solution to using an AF-B on a 5D3 is to buy an Ed-C from Canon (less than $20 delivered), take the mounting piece off (four size 00 philips screws), remove the mounting piece from the AF-B, and put the piece from the Ed-C on. The screw holes in the opposite corners will line up perfectly (lower left and upper right when looking at it).
> Mystery solved.



Hi TAF,

thank you for your clarification.
After thinking a while and using Google a lot I came to the same conclusion: To mount the Ed-C onto the AngleFinder-B and maybe squeezing the screw holes a little bit.

My problem:
Even after searching a lot on the Canon website or even the worldwide google search, I haven't found a single source where to buy the adaptor Ed-C. The only result I can find is a focusing screen called Ed-c, but no adaptor to the AF-C.
It might be that I am "partially blind" and just could not find, where others just make three klicks and say "here it is", so I might need a hint where to look  Do you have a good source / link to a website at hands?

// MB


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## TAF (Apr 15, 2014)

mb said:


> TAF said:
> 
> 
> > So the solution to using an AF-B on a 5D3 is to buy an Ed-C from Canon (less than $20 delivered), take the mounting piece off (four size 00 philips screws), remove the mounting piece from the AF-B, and put the piece from the Ed-C on. The screw holes in the opposite corners will line up perfectly (lower left and upper right when looking at it).
> ...



You're not blind - Canon makes it exceedingly difficult. I traded email with customer service for a week before I got the right answer. This is what they sent:

"The Canon Direct Store does not sell parts. If you wish to purchase parts, please contact our Jamesburg Parts Order Center. They can provide you with the price and availability of the part or Ed-C Adapter you're requesting. You may call them at (866) 481-2569 between 9 am and 7 pm ET, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays)."

So if you are in the US, call that number. The part number is YG2-0430-000 ADAPTOR ED-C (MECH) and it is $12.16 plus $6 postage (and sales tax).


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## privatebydesign (Apr 15, 2014)

TAF said:


> "The Canon Direct Store does not sell parts. If you wish to purchase parts, please contact our Jamesburg Parts Order Center. They can provide you with the price and availability of the part or Ed-C Adapter you're requesting. You may call them at (866) 481-2569 between 9 am and 7 pm ET, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays)."
> 
> So if you are in the US, call that number. The part number is YG2-0430-000 ADAPTOR ED-C (MECH) and it is $12.16 plus $6 postage (and sales tax).



Thanks for doing the legwork on that one, I'll order mine tomorrow


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## mb (Apr 16, 2014)

TAF said:


> "The Canon Direct Store does not sell parts. If you wish to purchase parts, please contact our Jamesburg Parts Order Center. They can provide you with the price and availability of the part or Ed-C Adapter you're requesting. You may call them at (866) 481-2569 between 9 am and 7 pm ET, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays)."
> So if you are in the US, call that number. The part number is YG2-0430-000 ADAPTOR ED-C (MECH) and it is $12.16 plus $6 postage (and sales tax).



Thank you very much.
I will contact them after my Easter vacation, and hope that they will ship do Europe/Germany, too 8)


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 16, 2014)

mb said:


> Thank you very much.
> I will contact them after my Easter vacation, and hope that they will ship do Europe/Germany, too 8)



I highly doubt that Canon USA will ship parts to Europe. But, the part number should be the same (or at least cross referenceable), when you call Canon Europe.


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## Canonite (May 6, 2014)

Hi everyone, here is a site that you can purchase the adapters for the Canon Angle Finder C and I hope this helps some people out.

http://www.cameraspareparts.co.uk/angle-finder-c-parts-75-c.asp

Mike


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