Subal View Finder Options

The viewfinder is critical to your ability to properly compose your photograph through your D- SLR camera. If you cannot see details in your picture as you shoot, then the final image may disappoint. You also need to be able to read critical exposure information. And you may need to manually focus your lenses under difficult conditions that defeat autofocus sensors.

Subal owners may select from three different viewfinder modules for their D- SLR housing. A reducer, an eye- level magnifier and an angled swivel magnifier.

The Reducer

Many D- SLR housings offer a reducer viewfinder module. Its purpose is to let you see all four corners of your camera viewfinder at the same time. If you just used a simple viewport without any optics, you'd only see the middle of the camera finder clearly. The camera manufacturer usually assumes your eye will be very close to the viewfinder - at most you might be wearing eyeglasses. Underwater the distance between the camera eyepiece and your eye is increased by your face mask, the thickness of the housing back and the clearances needed for controls built into the housing to operate your camera. All of this creates tunnel vision. Subal reducers work (like all competitive reducers) by making the original camera viewfinder screen appear smaller so you can see the entire image. To use the Subal reducer you will need a very low volume facemask and to push your mask right up against the eyepiece surround.

At Ocean Optics, we like to be very clear about which viewfinders on our camera housings are reducers and which are magnifiers. We believe some housing manufacturers encourage confusion over this.....

Truthfully, the Subal reducer is rarely specified as a viewfinder option by Ocean Optics clients. When it is chosen it is either to cut costs or reduce the size of the housing.

GS180 Eye Level Magnifier

The Subal GS180 Eye Level Magnifier is time proven over many years. Combining lenses and prisms into its optical path, the GS180 provides an image that is correctly orientated, bright and sharp. It provides magnification over your cameras own viewfinder of 150 %. All of this makes it very easy to see detail in your subject, helping with composition, aids reading viewfinder displays, and makes critical focusing by eye as easy as possible.

The Subal GS180 Eye Level Magnifier does not require you to press your mask up against the viewfinder eyepiece. You may comfortably use larger face masks, including full face models and there's clearance below for bulky mouthpieces if you use SCR or CCR units or comms in mouth masks. Because your eye is not tight against the GS180, you can look around your housing to see subjects about to enter shot.

WS45 Angled Swivel Finder

The Subal WS45 Angled Swivel Finder has just been introduced by Subal. Angled at 45 degrees, the WS45 provides a very comfortable viewing angle while swimming. The Subal WS45 makes shooting close to the seafloor much easier than using eye level finders as you can look down through the finder from above. It's also an excellent choice for split level photography as the eyepiece can remain above the waterline.

Subal's WS45 is a genuine magnifier and provides an image that is 150% larger than the camera itself provides. Composition, manual focusing and reading in finder readouts are made easier. The swivel action makes shooting in both landscape and portrait styles straightforward.

The WS45 can be retrofitted in place of an existing GS180 finder by upon request.

It's important to get your viewfinder choice correct from the start. Although they can be retrofitted this is an expensive option compared to buying the viewfinders factory fitted. Ideally, you need to see and compare viewfinders before purchasing.