Framing a folder...

[nancyp]

Hi all!

I have an Billy Record II, 6x9. I love it but I have one question about framing the picture. I am used to SLR cameras mainly, and I was wondering how off set the image is when you look through the finder? What I mean is, in a folder camera, if you wanted to take a picture with something exactly in the center of the image could you do that by looking through the viewfinder of the camera? How off set is the viewfinder from a folder to what is really happening with the lens itself? Hope this makes sense!

Many thanks!
Nancy

[Randy]

My experience has been that when the viewfinder is on center with the lens there isn't a problem, but when the viewfinder is offset like the ones next to the lens where you look down into it the picture seems to be off center. When I use my Speedex the picture is usually centered.

[mickeyobe]

The Agfa Billy Records all seem to have the primary, flip up, viewfinder centered left to right over the lens in the camera's horizontal position so there is no great problem there. Just tilt the camera upwards a mite when you are up close. When held vertically, there is a substantial offset and it is harder to judge. However, the little mirror finder is mounted very close to the lens and has a very small offset which should minimize parallax in both camera positions. Parallax will become more of a problem the closer you come to the subject. Shooting a roll of film and making notes of camera position relative to the subject is one way to determine the difference. The other way is to set the camera on a tripod, open the shutter to time, with aperture wide open and with a piece of ground glass on the film plane see exactly what the difference of view is between the viewfinder and the lens at various distances.

Mickey