Small electronic finder for DSLRs

[Chris Beeger]

I'm currently using Marshal 7 inch to monitor my 5D and 7D. It works well on sticks but handheld the weight and balance factors are really bad. Is there anyone developing viewfinder like the one we use on video cameras or something like the red finder. With new ultra small lcds this could be mounted on camera hot shoe, fed through HDMI and even have features like false color and peak filter. Any thoughts ?

[Paul Cook]

SmallHD have what looks to be a great solution coming out in August

http://www.smallhd.com/dpslr/

Its a 5.6" 1280*800 native resolution screen all weighing in at less than 300 grams (10oz)

I too have the Marshall and have yet to find an acceptable configuration for shoulder mounting it given the weight. I've got the red rocks shoulder mount and have used the Marshal up front on the right but the weight together with it throwing off the centre of balance is less than ideal.

I'm really considering grabbing one of these...though they aren't cheap.

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Chris Beeger

Any thoughts ?

For both handheld and tripod, I'm using an Ikan V5600 5.6" -- it's very light (0.7lbs/0.3kg) and the image quality (1024x600) is good enough to frame & focus. No false colors and it's certainly not build as well as the SmallHD.

-- peer

[Chris Beeger]

They both look good but my idea was something akin of a merger of zacuto type finder with with build-in lcd and a base with shoe receptor that could tilt so we could see clearly outside at any angle. This could be mounted on hot shoe of the camera or anywhere on a side just like the video finders or that red bomb finder. I guess I may be asking too much unless IKAN, SmallHD or the other guys are listening.

B&H carries lcd glasses, has anyone tried them and are they any good? I also come across this gizmo http://www.traumflieger.de/desktop/v...eo_phottix.php I don't understand German but it looks interesting.

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Chris Beeger

I also come across this gizmo http://www.traumflieger.de/desktop/v...eo_phottix.php I don't understand German but it looks interesting.

Well, my German classes as a kid didn't do much good -- I spaced out within short. It looks cool, but as far as I can tell, that thingee works only on the viewfinder, i.e., not in live view. No soup for you!

-- peer

[Bill Sepaniak]

Contact OptiTek.

Optitek Broadcast Quality Monitors and Film and Television equipment

Supposedly he had a prototype of an electronic viewfinder for HDSLR's that he was showing at Cine Gear.

[Dan Brockett]

Keep an eye on the Zacuto guys too, Steve Weiss intimated in an interview that they may be coming out with a more sophisticated VF system for the DSLRs. It won't be cheap but it will be unique and high quality if the past is any indication.

Dan

[Charles Papert]

SmallHD is on the case...

[Dan Chung]

Charles, I was hoping you would chime in here. I was going to suggest that the Hoodloupe solution you were showing on your monitor at NAB might be a good work around for the moment if you get a Small HD, Ikan V5600 or Marshall 5.6 inch.

Dan

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Dan Chung

Charles, I was hoping you would chime in here. I was going to suggest that the Hoodloupe solution you were showing on your monitor at NAB might be a good work around for the moment if you get a Small HD, Ikan V5600 or Marshall 5.6 inch.

So what exactly is this..? Pray tell.

-- peer

[Jonathan Morrow]

Originally Posted by Peer Landa

Well, my German classes as a kid didn't do much good -- I spaced out within short. It looks cool, but as far as I can tell, that thingee works only on the viewfinder, i.e., not in live view. No soup for you!

-- peer

Surely the end of the Hoodman or the Z Finder is akin to a viewfinder, so a viewfinder extension could theoretically be attached to it?

Cheers, Jon

[Charles Papert]

Sorry guys, I didn't see the followups on this thread.

So yeah, I was showing a homemade viewfinder hood at NAB. Think something like the viewfinder on the EX3--it's a small LCD with a flip-up hood with diopter. I had a 7" Marshall and Houdloupe and built sides for it out of coroplast, screwed the Hoodloupe into the resulting tapered box and it works fine. It's just bulky but that's due to the 7" monitor. These 5" ones will work well for this sort of approach.

[Peer Landa]

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

So yeah, I was showing a homemade viewfinder hood at NAB. Think something like the viewfinder on the EX3--it's a small LCD with a flip-up hood with diopter.

Any pictures?

-- peer