LCD | EVF Resolution

[Michael Olsen]

I've heard bandied about that the camera features "HD" LCD and EVF.

HD to me means 1280x720, at least. And last I checked those sort of EVFs are rather pricey ($2000+).

Which makes me ask - does anyone (Barry? Joe? Philip?) know the actual spec on these screens?

[Barry_Green]

No, we don't know the specs. I think they said "1.2m" and "1.4m" pixels, but I don't know if that means actual discrete RGB pixels, or collected "dots".

What I do know is it blows the viewfinder on my HMC150 and HMC40 into the weeds. I think it's LCoS, which is the same technology as used in the HPX370's highly praised viewfinder. To me it looks very similar to the GH1's viewfinder, which -- if you read some reviews, you'll see that it's been hailed as nothing short of a revelation as far as electronic viewfinders go. The GH1's is 800x600, which is a 4x3 ratio, so I doubt it's the same as the AF100's.

My bet is that the AF100 is using the same viewfinder LCoS panel as in the HPX370. And that's a really good thing. The HPX370's viewfinder is exquisite. The HPX370's manual lists it as having "1.226 million dots", and that hits right about where I was told the AF100's would be.

Seriously, the viewfinder in the AF100 is brilliant. It's really, really good, and leagues better than my other video cameras.

[Steve Kahn]

That's really good to hear after Bloom bashed it. Any idea why he could have exaclty the opposite opinion?

It does b&w as well? No? I prefer that for focus especially against a colored focus assist - if that's the way it can work.

[f64manray]

That's really good to hear after Bloom bashed it. Any idea why he could have exaclty the opposite opinion?

It does b&w as well? No? I prefer that for focus especially against a colored focus assist - if that's the way it can work.

His cam was only 75% complete with the old prototype VF.

[Barry_Green]

That's really good to hear after Bloom bashed it. Any idea why he could have exaclty the opposite opinion?
Yes, because the prior version had the wrong viewfinder on it. They told me that specifically, that the viewfinder on that version was not what was going to be on the real camera.

Therefore, he shouldn't have said anything about the viewfinder at all, because it's completely irrelevant to what the AF100 buyer will experience.

Which is, again, why people just can't go getting hung up on every word any particular person may say. It's possible that Philip didn't even know that was a substitute VF on there. The 75% camera was the first barely-functional unit, hand-made, and they put on a viewfinder that they found nearby, which was maybe the VF off of an HMC150 for all I know.

I am pretty sure the AF100's VF is the same LCoS panel as found on the HPX300/HPX370. And in Philip Bloom's review of the HPX300, he called the viewfinder "superb."


It does b&w as well? No? I prefer that for focus especially against a colored focus assist - if that's the way it can work.
Yes, it does B&W as well. And it's completely pixel-less; it uses the new LCoS technology so you see a smooth, high-resolution image with no overlayed pixel grid like on LCD viewfinders. It's very sharp and very nice.

[DeanCSmith]

Regarding the EVF on the HPX-370... critical focus is incredibly difficult.
Working daily ENG with this camera is a challenge; achieving a proper back-focus in the field is nearly impossible, virtually a gamble.
Why did Panasonic hard-wire this viewfinder into the camera? (and without an option to upgrade?)

The actual LCD within the viewfinder is smaller than a dime...
26778
it's like a toy EVF disguised in a pro camera shell.
26779
Panasonic really needs to address this, or at least provide an alternative?

[Jesse Brauning]

Is the EVF on the AF100 the same size? I bet you could rig some kind diopter to magnify it?

[Barry_Green]

The EVF on the AF100 is magnified to the point where it looks the same size as a normal 2/3" broadcast camera's EVF. It looks like it's about 2" wide. There is a magnifying diopter over it, and if someone like Zacuto wanted to make a mega-magnifier for it I'm sure they would find plenty of folks (who are used to the zfinder) lapping it up.

Of course, there already is a much-bigger panel on there, the LCD is 3" or so, and you could always use a ZFinder on it if you wanted a super-extreme mega-magnified viewing experience.

[TimurCivan]

To make the viewfinder interchangeable would add a lot of cost to the camera. And they do have an alternative. The BTLH80 monitor.




Regarding the EVF on the HPX-370... critical focus is incredibly difficult.
I'm having a hard time everyday working with this camera; achieving a proper back-focus in the field is nearly impossible, virtually a gamble.
And please tell me why did Panasonic hard-wire this viewfinder into the camera? (and without an option to upgrade?)
The actual LCD within the viewfinder is smaller than a dime...
26778
it's like a toy EVF disguised in a pro camera shell.
26779
Panasonic really needs to address this, or at least provide an alternative?

[Alvise Tedesco]

My bet is that the AF100 is using the same viewfinder LCoS panel as in the HPX370. And that's a really good thing. The HPX370's viewfinder is exquisite.


And in Philip Bloom's review of the HPX300, he called the viewfinder "superb."


Regarding the EVF on the HPX-370... critical focus is incredibly difficult.
I'm having a hard time everyday working with this camera; achieving a proper back-focus in the field is nearly impossible, virtually a gamble.


Never used a 370. Why such a divergent opinion?

[groveChuck]

Haven't used a 370, but the 300 EVF is fine.

But then, why is a question on the 370 EVF, and backfocus, in a thread on the AF100 EVF? Just curious.

[mcgeedigital]

The evf was fine.

But I never referred to it as the flip-out LCOS LCD was ridiculously sharp.

[Squirrel]

The AF101 is a great camera and I have been fortunate enough to have extensively used a production model AF101 (UK version). The flip-out LCD is excellent, however the only significant gripe with the camera is the viewfinder. Whilst it is better than an EOS-5D viewfinder even with a Zacuto Z-Finder 3, it is simply not up to the job of determining critical focus and the lack of any form of expanded focus compounds the issue. For me I would insist on a 3rd party viewfinder such as the Cineroid EVF-4 or a Zacuto Z-Finder EVF (when available).

[Barry_Green]

The built-in EVF is probably as sharp as the Zacuto. Will the Zacuto offer expanded 1:1 focus? If so, that would make it a definite consideration.

[Squirrel]

The Cineroid definitely does and I believe the Zacuto EVF will also offer expanded focus.

[DeanCSmith]

Never used a 370. Why such a divergent opinion?

I've been shooting with professional broadcast cameras since 1995... This viewfinder does not come close to any type of Pro EVF. I've been utilizing the 370 everyday for three months now and beleve me when I say that Panasonic can do this thing better... And it would not be a drastic increase in price. The Eyepiece is detachable, it's just not swappable right now. I'd much rather have a Zacuto EVF but the 370 has no HDMI out.

[robertrogoz]

Vewfinder on HPX170 is much worst then on old JVC GY-DV5000.