Friday, January 6, 2012

Through The Viewfinder!

So my wife gave me a very cool gift for Christmas:  A "monopod".  My thinking is that it will do double-duty... a nice hiking stick and a camera stabilizer.  Here's what it looks like:
It's a heavy duty monopod that should work great for camera stabilization needs like sunsets, etc, that don't require a full tripod/remote shutter release setup.  It may be a little on the heavy side for a walking stick (they sell a carbon fiber version, but it's way too expensive!), but it will do.  I got to playing around with the box it came in... put the box on the outside of my macro lens.  Kind of a fun technique.
Marguerite outside my office window.
Our wild and crazy chihuahua "Miley"
After trying out this "through the box" technique, I thought it might be an easy next step to set up a through the viewfinder system, so here we go:

 I removed the little pop-up light shade off the top of my Kodak Duaflex II.  A very simple modification.

Next, I took some measurements using my Canon DSLR with a macro lens to measure the distance from the top of the Duaflex II to the Canon when the lens was in sharp focus.  It turned out this distance was about 9".  This will vary depending upon your lens.  I cut the box down to this size.
Next, I shaped the end of the box to fit the Kodak Duaflex II.  The box was surprisingly strong and made a nice snug fit.


I took sunrise photos this morning with my brand new system.  The idea behind Through the Viewfinder (TtV) is to give the photo that old-timey look, like a film photo your parents or grandparents might have taken!  Out of focus around the corners, dust and lint in the lens, and light leaks.  Very cool!


Well, I'm having fun with my new setup.  Stop back by for more TtV pics on future blogs!  Please check out Skywatch Friday for great skies from around the world.  Have a great weekend!

27 comments:

  1. Well, IDK! If my grandfather took that linty picture, why are all the cars in the photo looking so modern? Now you have to go out to a "vintage car show" and use your set-up to see if you can *really* fool us with the process.

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  2. I love what you've done here. I hope you don't mind if I start following your excellent blog. Oh and thanks for visiting IHATH today! God bless you in 2012.

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  3. Well done :) Let your imagination go wild.
    Amazing shots!
    Happy New year :D

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  4. That sounds and looks like a lot of fun and the unfocussed effect reminded me strongly of an evening spent viewing some 6,000 similar photos of a friend's Arctic camping trip.

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  5. Fantastic!! Love your experiments - the 'olde' style adds a different dimension to your shots!

    My new Xmas camera seems to get the shakes very easily - I'm sure it would settle down much better with a monopod!!!

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  6. These photos remind me of the kind my father took in the 60's - he was a professional photographer who experimented all the time too.

    Thanks for visiting my little blog project and leaving a comment on my sky shot. I shot it through the kitchen window because the camera has been set up there all week trying to get birds flying into the feeder (no luck so far).

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  7. I suppose a guy loves playing with spare parts but for me I keep it simple.Great end result in photographs!

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  8. I am impressed. Whatever gave you that idea it works wonderfully. Now I am left wondering, are you enjoying the monopod or the box it came in more?

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  9. What an interesting experiment. I must say that the results are truly beautiful and very unique. Keep experimenting and posting the results.
    Thanks for visiting my site.

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  10. That is cool, I'm impressed! Enjoy the new monopod.

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  11. I think your inner child is very content! LOL. Love the results of your experiments.

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  12. Don't you just love it when you have an idea that actually works. I really like the results. Yes, you may be able to achieve similar effects in Photoshop, but what you did is much more fun. Happy New Year.

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  13. Wow, these are beautiful shots! Yes, my sky watch pictures were taken with an iPhone camera. I don't like to carry bulky stuff....and iphone all in one is pretty handy.

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  14. Love the "oldie" look. It looks like crackle decoupage. I agree w/ your answer, so I'm practicing to find my photo style. Thanks for encouraging me!. Look forward to more fabulous photos from you !

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  15. I absolutely love the results. A marriage of high and medium techs.

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  16. Hi there - at what point will you start to use the mono pod rather than the box!!

    I think your 'pod is the same as the one I use - its a great bit of kit.

    Have fun. Stewart M - Australia

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  17. I see you still like to play with the box instead of what came in it! :) Great "contraption" and your photos are very cool. I need to get mine back out and snap some TTVs soon.

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  18. looks like a fun experiment. enjoy your new gadget.

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  19. What a cool setup with some beautiful results! I love that first picture. The color and light is stunning and the vintage feel adds a special layer to the image. Thank you for sharing and for visiting my blog. I am glad to have you along on the journey!

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  20. What a great gift, loving the images you are creating!!

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  21. Wow, I love the results! Your wife knows how to pick great gifts!

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  22. I get out of focus, linty pictures all the time without a monopod box. LOL.

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  23. Your through the boxes and through the viewfinders turned out very cool!
    I had an old Kodak similar to yours a long time ago. I wish I still had it.

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  24. I like the photo effects...nice! sorry for the late visit....:)

    www.explorerminded.com

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  25. I like that effect a lot! The photos are lovely and in focus, and yet have the look of old photos with dust and lint showing. The first one is my fave--the sky colors are gorgeous, and there are so many different colors in that sky!

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