Viewfinder from new PMW 350
 

I wonder if the nice colour LCD viewfinder on the PMW 350 will fit the PDW 3XX cameras? Don't be silly Godfrey..... you know the answer!

No it will not. The connector is totally different. However, the new 350 has two viewfinder connectors and WILL accept the monochrome CRT finders via the alternate connector.

-gb-

To clarify, the PMW-350's secondary VF socket is for DXF type viewfinders only, so the HD VF's such as the HDVF-20A or C35W will not work on the 350. I don't see this as an issue as the colour one on the 350 is really nice. The 350 finder uses a long rectangular connector with lots and lots of pins!

Like you Godfrey, I could predict the answer - not through logic though, just cynicism!
Why is it not compatiable with PDW700 etc.? Because they want you to buy the much more expensive ones that they sell by any chance?
Steve

So is the 350's LCD viewfinder fully removable or is it like the EX3?

Steve, while it may be possible with a lot of engineering to make the 350 finder work on a 700... and boy I wish they would do it... My guess is that a lot of the viewfinder functionality is done in the camera body using processing parts that are in common with the EX1 and EX3 and that's why it needs the large multi pin connector. My guess is the 700 etc doesn't have the electronics to drive this LCD. There have been rumors of a new low cost colour viewfinder for the 700 but I have not heard anything from within Sony. I wish they would come up with a new 700 VF as the PMW-350 VF is better than the C35W IMHO!

Paul, the 350 viewfinder can be completely removed and replaced should you choose with a DXF viewfinder. Why anyone would want to put a SD finder on the 350 to replace the HD colour finder is beyond me, but Sony have made it possible with the secondary DXF viewfinder connector.

Although the PMW-350 can accomodate the DXF-20W B&W viewfinder, the presence of the second viewfinder connector was likely added to plug-in the optional DXF-51 5" monitor for studio configurations.

Thierry.

You bring up a very good point, Thierry! I completely forgot that the 5" studio VF uses that same connector.

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