using hoodman loupe as viewfinder

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mainoo

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I've found focusing via the lcd gives consistently much better results than via the viewfinder and am looking for a way to use that method exclusively. In order to do this i would need to be able to focus, frame and meter all at once and without changing perspective while shooting handheld. i plan to do this by enabling tripod liveview whilst shooting handheld through a hoodman loupe (i know this is not recommended by nikon but my initial experiments suggest it will work).

i shoot nikon and one of the issues i have encountered is that few bodies provide metering feedback in liveview mode. The only one i have come across is the d3s (perhaps more recent bodies do too but certainly not the d700 or d3 which i now use). Can anyone confirm the utility of the exposure meter in tripod liveview mode on the d3s?

The other issue i face is how to semi-permanently attach the hoodman loupe to the lcd in such a way that i can easily remove it when i need to yet ensure that it remains fixed in place when shooting through it. I aim to use velcro for this - before i go sticking it on my lcd i wondered if anyone has any experience of this setup. is it stable?

feedback gratefully received.
thanks
mainoo
 
AF is slower in liveview...a lot slower. But yes, it is also more accurate since it uses contrast detection instead of phase detection.

New Nikons (600/800/4) have an exposure meter that can be displayed in liveview, but I don't know that there's much need since you're looking at the exposure that will be captured. I've never owned the D3s so I don't know.

I bought a cheap hood that attaches to a metal bracket magnetically since I lost my hoodman. I almost never use them which is why I got a cheap replacement.
With the one I got the metal bracket is adhered to the LCD...I use glass LCD covers so I'm not worried about it. I think it was ~$15 on amazon.
Hoodman has a bungee type of attachment system as an accessory. And there are some that have a bracket thing that attaches into the tripod mount. I think CarrySpeed has one.
 
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thanks for your responses

daharro:
whether it's manual focusing or AF using the green dot rangefinder i find the focus much more accurate via the lcd. my main subject is people and so far i shoot mainly handheld for the freedom though i'm looking into a monopod as a compromise.


sk66:
even though i am looking at the exposure i will be capturing i still place more trust in the meter in matrix mode than in my dodgy eyesight (i switch to spot when i think the scene is fooling the meter) especially if i am shooting in a hurry.

i plan on using this method to focus (when focusing speed isn't of the essence) - i mainly shoot portraits and some street so i can probably get away with it. which is why i want it to stay on most of the time. when i do take it off though i need to be able to use the viewfinder comfortably - velcro is the only thing i can think of that will allow this. The hoodman strap doesn't have very good reviews. i've seen some diy mods but i'm crap at diy.

thanks again for the feedback.
m
 
The reason I ask is because I always got better results when doing macro with live view, but didn't find it much easier for anything else.
 
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