Cheap finders fit the hot shoe fine. Try these:

• TTArtisan 28mm Optical Viewfinder
• Voigtlander 28/35mm Mini Finder Both are CNC aluminum with 0.5x magnification.

Building on the earlier suggestion, what lens are you using? Im really satisfied with the Brightin Star 28mm Optical Viewfinder lately.

• under $50
• clear glass Does that work?

Caught this thread today and man, I totally get the M8 screen struggle! It is basically a mirror in bright light lol. Since the M8 has that specific 1.33x crop factor, picking the right glass for the top is actually a bit of a math puzzle to get the framing right. To give you some solid data on what glass will actually match your field of view, what lenses are you actually shooting with most of the time? Are you rocking a 28mm or maybe something wider like a 21mm? Also, do you need dedicated frame lines for accuracy or are you just looking for a general window to point and shoot? The magnification ratios vary wildly on these things so knowing your focal length is super key! Love the M8 sensor though, those colors are still amazing today.

Honestly, the screen glare on those older models brings back so many memories of when I first started out. I was so obsessed with fixing my own gear back then. I actually spent a whole Saturday once trying to craft a DIY hood for a different camera using some scrap metal from a hardware store and some industrial adhesive. It was a total project, but I felt really satisfied when I finally got it to sit flush. I remember sitting there at my kitchen table with a file and some sandpaper, just trying to get the edges smooth. It didnt really help with the framing much, but it was just such a fun process to try and solve the problem myself with whatever I had lying around. I ended up with glue all over my hands and a camera that looked like a science experiment, but man, those were the days where just tinkering with the setup was half the fun of photography.

Building on the earlier suggestion about the crop factor, you might want to consider how that 1.33x multiplier messes with your head. I've had my M8 for ages and basically gave up on the screen the second day I owned it. When I finally grabbed a finder for it, I learned pretty quickly that the frame lines are just a suggestion. I spent the first few weeks constantly wondering why my framing was off until I realized the magnification on the one I got was slightly different than the internal ones. Be careful with the mounting too. I once had a finder that felt solid but the foot was slightly out of spec, and it would wiggle just enough to throw off my horizon. I ended up having to use a tiny bit of shim material just to keep it straight. It's definitely a learning curve... you kinda have to get used to the look through feel versus the precise framing of a modern EVF. Just make sure to test your framing at different distances before you head out on a big trip, otherwise you'll be cropping every single file in post.

Framing math on the M8 is definitely the biggest hurdle since that 1.33x crop factor is a beast to calculate! I totally agree that you need a bright window, but for reliability, you really gotta prioritize a metal foot. Plastic ones are basically junk. Honestly, a well-made glass finder is amazing for these older bodies! Look for these specs:

• All-metal housing
• Multicoated glass to kill glare
• 0.5x magnification or better
• Parallax correction marks Getting a rock-solid fit in the hot shoe is everything! It feels fantastic when the finder stays put and your framing actually matches the sensor. Love how it transforms the shooting experience!

Facts.