Adapting a digibeta viewfinder for Canon 5D Mkii

Northdevontv

New member
Hi all,

First post here so please be kind ;) I'm a TV cameraman with knocking on for 20 years experience shooting for British Broadcasters predominantly for News & Current Affairs. I've recently taken the plunge and bought a 5D and am in the process of building a shoulder rig. I'm lucky that I've got most of the bits I need but I'm now trying to achieve the seemingly impossible!

I have a spare digibeta viewfinder and want to use it for shooting with the 5D. It's a BVF-V20WCE and takes 9.3v dc. Anyone tried anything like this? I can't find a diagram of the pins on the connector anywhere so any help would be much appreciated. I reckon a viewfinder like this has to be far better than a loupe or monitor for focussing.

Again, any help would be appreciated.

Cheers.

Chris.
 

Thanks for that. I read that thread with interest, however the viewfinder I'm intending to use is the more modern (and I fear more complicated) model from a Digi/SX camcorder. I don't even know if it's useable as the video feed into it could well be component rather than composite. It's certainly 16:9 native rather than 4:3. The connector is also 20 pin and not 8. I might just have to have a bit of a play and see if I can get it working!
 
I'm going to use the composite feed from the AV out jack on the 5D as to go HDMI would require conversion to analogue. I just need the pin configuration for the viewfinder.
 
there is a very nice rig from kinomatik, which comes with a breakoutbox. Perfekt for using viewfinders.
http://www.kinomatik.com/
http://www.kinomatik.com/produkte/mt_pr/Manual_MOVIEtube_PR_V05_2009_english.pdf

..."Video Breakout-Box
to feed professional electronic viewfinders and monitors features: 12V -15V Power in (Fischer 2-pin), Video in (composite chinch) Viewfinder out (for Sony and Panasonic viewfinders). 12V Arri compatible auxiliary power out (Fischer 11-pin). Video out (1BNC, 2 Fischer 4-pin with 12V power for monitoring etc.). Red illuminated on/off switch."...
 
I'm working on a similar setup. I've got a BVF-10, which has the same 20-pin connector. My plan is to utilize the body from a Sony BVW-400A.


Here's the pinout I gleaned from a Sony service manual:

6145951219_77f6f0ef68_o.png
 
I'm working on a similar setup. I've got a BVF-10, which has the same 20-pin connector. My plan is to utilize the body from a Sony BVW-400A.


Here's the pinout I gleaned from a Sony service manual:

6145951219_77f6f0ef68_o.png

What about audio? The viewfinder I have is from the BVP-7 and carries the mic connection through the 20 pin.
 
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