An image recording device having a projected viewfinder is described that projects individual, or multiple sets of synchronized framing beams onto a target image that are coaxially aligned with the field of view of the camera. The set of framing beams is projected onto the target image beyond the scope of the field of view being recorded by the image recording device but still within the field of vision of the operator of the device. In this way, the operator of the image recording device will be able to clearly see the framing beams identifying the limits of the recorded areas, while not having any portion of the field of view of the image recording device obscured by the framing beams themselves.