Photographers often set up a tripod, mount a camera and then discover the frame is wrong. Forma aims to catch that mistake before the gear comes out of the bag. Canadian photographer and inventor Peter Modzelewski has launched the pocket-sized optical viewfinder on Kickstarter through Oramod, his independent photo gear studio.
Forma works with a wide range of film and digital cameras. It uses interchangeable laser-cut cards, each made for a specific film format or focal length. The cards cover everything from 35mm film bodies to large-format and panoramic systems.
Forma’s swappable cards make focal length comparison easy, and Sigma’s Compact Wide-Angle 20-60mm Zoom Lens shows how one lens can cover many framings in a small package.
Previewing frames before setting up
To preview a composition, a photographer holds Forma to one eye. The camera stays in its bag. That matters with some medium- and large-format systems, where setup can take considerable time.
Forma also helps when scouting locations. Photographers can check the frame from several spots and decide where to place their gear before they commit to a setup.
The device is not limited to cameras with a built-in camera viewfinder. Modzelewski says it works on specialized analog cameras and on modern digital compacts such as the Ricoh GR series.
How the optical viewfinder works
According to Modzelewski, Forma is made from a 3D-printed composite infused with carbon fiber. He says the body weighs 30 grams, just over an ounce. The design borrows the binocular fusion principle, which is the way the brain merges the separate images from each eye into one picture. The same principle appears in Voigtländer’s Kontur viewfinder, introduced in 1951.
Forma’s flexibility sets it apart from the Kontur. Its framing cards can change, so one finder can serve many lenses and formats. Forma also includes built-in illumination for low light, and colored gels that tint the framelines so they stay visible in different conditions. A quick-release mount lets photographers switch between a neck strap and an accessory shoe in seconds.
Modzelewski describes two main ways to use it. “Worn around the neck, Forma helps photographers train their eye to recognize what their lenses will see, explore compositions before setting up a camera, and compare focal lengths by easily swapping cards,” he says.
When mounted on a camera, he says, it “provides a framing reference while allowing photographers to anticipate moments unfolding beyond the boundaries of a conventional viewfinder.”
What field testers report
Modzelewski sent pre-production units to photographers around the world. Two of them were Japanese photographer Kazutoshi Yoshimura and British landscape photographer Lee Pengelly.
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Yoshimura said he was surprised by how clearly he could see the field of view for his lens’s focal length.
Pengelly said Forma would become a permanent part of his kit. “It will be an essential part of my kit from now on,” he says.
Utah-based large-format photographer James Holland praised its accuracy. He said he did not need to move his tripod “an inch” while framing with it.
Price and availability
This optical viewfinder is open for pledges on Kickstarter. The early-bird price starts at $55 CAD, about $39 USD. Analog.cafe reported the early-bird price as $40. The campaign reached its funding goal quickly after launch, and it had close to 60 backers when this article was written. Modzelewski says shipping to backers is expected to begin next month.
H/T petapixel.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Forma and how does its framing system work?
Forma is a pocket-sized optical viewfinder that uses interchangeable laser-cut cards. Each card is made for a specific film format or focal length, so one finder can serve many lenses and formats.
Does Forma work with digital cameras as well as film cameras?
Yes, Forma works with a wide range of film and digital cameras. According to the article, it also works on specialized analog cameras and modern digital compacts such as the Ricoh GR series.
How much does the Forma optical viewfinder weigh?
Forma’s body weighs 30 grams, just over an ounce, according to inventor Peter Modzelewski. It is made from a 3D-printed composite infused with carbon fiber.
How much does Forma cost on Kickstarter?
The early-bird price for Forma starts at $55 CAD, about $39 USD, on Kickstarter. The article also notes that Analog.cafe reported the early-bird price as $40.
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