GF1 optical finder?

[Range Loser]

Has anyone found a good optical viewfinder that will work well with a Panasonic GF1?

[kully]

What do you mean 'will work'? Which lens(es) are you using?

The I've tried the 40mm CV finder and it was OK, and used a 28mm finder for a day, but I stick with the electronic finder.

[Range Loser]

I am thinking of getting a GF1 just with the 20mm lens and imagined an optical finder for that focal length would be less expensive than the EVF and possibly more pleasing to my eye, though I haven't properly tried the EVF.

[scottwallick]

The Panasonic EVF is so-so. It works well though, with focus confirmation and nice on-screen data.

I tried using the metal CV 35 finder but prefer the EVF—which tilts up to 90 degrees, too, which is a feature I use all the time. With that particular finder, a 35mm one, my framing was all over the place. Big surprise, I know.

[Vickko]

I find an optical finder far more pleasing to use. The Nikon 3.5cm finder is ideal, but rare and expensive.

I have the GF1 EVF, and it contains all the display info of the main LCD, but I find the electronic finder display jittery. I don't like it.

For manually focusing lenses, the EVF is about the only way to go, since it shows a magnified display for focusing. e.g. like when I use Leica M or R lenses on the GF1

YMMV

Vick

[Bob Michaels]

Now I have only had the GF-1, 20mm lens & EFV for 14 days, but I did spend 5 days shooting with it last week. I will say that I think the EVF does the job very well for me.

My 14mm lens arrived today. I was thankful that I chose the EVF instead of the optical viewfinder I was originally thinking about. The lenses are small enough to carry the other one in a pocket. But if I had to carry two optical finders, I probably would just pick one focal length and shoot with it all day.

I am thinking of getting a GF1 just with the 20mm lens and imagined an optical finder for that focal length would be less expensive than the EVF and possibly more pleasing to my eye, though I haven't properly tried the EVF.