GH3 EVF or LOUPE?

J

J.F.R.

Carbonite Member
I am going to buy one and wanted to know what are some of the benefits on 1 vs the other. First and foremost I know expensive EVF's offer many functions simply not available for loupes, but some cheap china made EVF's are pretty bare bones. So what are your thoughts on a Loupe for GH3 or an EVF


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I am hoping to check out that low cost EVF at the local Vistek Pro Video show on June 18th. I am curious to see what kind of image it produces.

My Marshall 7 inch V-LCD70MD monitor arrived this afternoon, and it's everything I hoped it would be. The image looks like a 7 inch version of the GH3 LCD ( bright, saturated, sharp ). Finally I can easily tell what's in focus and what's not, even without using color peaking or 1:1 pixel mode, what's in focus is just so obvious now.

It's also nice to run audio through the monitor's HDMI connection so I can plug a pair of headphones in to the monitor instead of my GH3 while shooting, and I can review playback on the 7 inch screen. I tried connecting my GH2 camera to it and there's no audio during recording, but playback is the same as the GH3.
 
I use Alphatron & Zacuto EVFs, and recently picked up a pair of Varavon's "Loupe(s) for the GH3" (as pictured above).

The Varavon loupe is great if you don't need to plug headphones directly into the GH3, but problematic if you do. For eye-level work it's fine, but if you want to tilt the loupe up the LCD will hit the headphone's plug.

When recording Dual-System Sound, & B-Roll, I prefer the simplicity of the loupe. No dealing with extra batteries (plus chargers), EVF mounts, or wonky mini-HDMI port(s) & their cables. When using the loupe I keep the setup compact & simple. Typically I'll use it barebones, occasionally adding a VideoMic Pro &/or PocketRig with lightweight handles. Everything fits in a shoulder bag & as a friend would say it's for when you want to "Let your hair down & run thru the fields".

The EVFs I usually reserve for larger cameras with SDI, or full-size HDMI ports. The mini-HDMI port is not so bad if you have a cage, or baseplate, with a HDMI support/latch, but my Zacuto version is quite a bit heavier than my usual GH3 setup.
 
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JFR, that Varavon ex supporter model that is made to rotate with the LCD only fits the GH2. The GH3 LCD is slightly bigger and does not fit inside the loupe housing . I have both the GH2 and GH3 and have tried it.
 
malibudutchie said:
JFR, that Varavon ex supporter model that is made to rotate with the LCD only fits the GH2. The GH3 LCD is slightly bigger and does not fit inside the loupe housing . I have both the GH2 and GH3 and have tried it.
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Actually the 1rst pic shows the new dedicated GH3 model.
Even if it doesn't appears yet on Varavon website, I think you can already order it from another site.
 
You can use the touch screen - just flip the loupe up. Also good to hear they have made a GH3 model, anyone know where you can buy it?
 
Ha yeah I know Ben, amazing where a click will take you. Anyway, bought a varavon today for $175 from Vitaly, so thx for the tip. I already have the Gh2 ex supporter model which articulates with the screen and I gotta say for ease of use and functionality in daylight or anytime they are very good. No batteries, flip out screen and a good fit, so I'm going the GH3 as well. I have toyed with the idea of a DP4, but by the time you mount it, add a battery and a hoodman, they are a bit cumbersome and cost a lot more.
 
Wouldn't an external LCD monitor like the Swivi (I know it isn't compatible w/GH3) make more sense than a loupe? I've read that the GH3's screen keeps changing brightness and that there is no way to disable this function. What good is it if your picture is perfectly focused if the image isn't exposed properly? An external monitor would offer consistent brightness which could be manually adjusted according to the shooting conditions, and offers focus peaking as well. I'm only asking, as I'm about to pick up a GH3 and have been looking at all the options. A Zacuto is just plain exorbitant, at around half the cost of the GH3 body...
 
jonpais said:
Wouldn't an external LCD monitor like the Swivi (I know it isn't compatible w/GH3) make more sense than a loupe? I've read that the GH3's screen keeps changing brightness and that there is no way to disable this function. What good is it if your picture is perfectly focused if the image isn't exposed properly? An external monitor would offer consistent brightness which could be manually adjusted according to the shooting conditions, and offers focus peaking as well. I'm only asking, as I'm about to pick up a GH3 and have been looking at all the options. A Zacuto is just plain exorbitant, at around half the cost of the GH3 body...
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GH3 screen DOES NOT change brightness, if it does it's because you have the option set like that. There is a default you MUSt choose so that will not happen.....

Now back to my original question, of course a monitor is better, but that does me no good when I'm shooting on a shoulder rig for me to see as the camera operator. The director/Dp will have his monitor and myself would be using either a loupe or EVF. Same thing goes when I'm not operating the camera, I will be looking at the monitor and the operator will be using a loupe or EVF.
 
J.F.R. said:
GH3 screen DOES NOT change brightness, if it does it's because you have the option set like that. There is a default you MUSt choose so that will not happen.....

Now back to my original question, of course a monitor is better, but that does me no good when I'm shooting on a shoulder rig for me to see as the camera operator. The director/Dp will have his monitor and myself would be using either a loupe or EVF. Same thing goes when I'm not operating the camera, I will be looking at the monitor and the operator will be using a loupe or EVF.
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thanks, JFR. I thought I'd read that in these forums. In fact, in Panasonic's literature, they say the LCD has 7 brightness levels, but when I consulted the GH3 user manual online, I couldn't find anything definitive on how to adjust them, or even how the auto brightness feature functions. If what you say is so, and I assume it must be, then the Varavon would probably be my loupe of choice, since they are reasonably priced and available in many countries near Vietnam, though the GH3 compatible version may take a while to arrive here, not sure...
 
I had the Hoodman Cinema Pro Kit with my Canon's but gave it to my son when I sold all the Canon gear off. I did have a spare Hoodman loupe I carried in the camera bag and after reading jimagine's thread here:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?299606-Good-News-on-GH3-VF&highlight=gh3+loupe+solution

I dragged it out, ordered the Hoodmag (3x) magnifying eyepiece from B&H ($39.95), and gave it a try. The Manfrotto 501PL does exactly what he says and that makes a really lightweight workable combo. I'm one of those who has minor eyeglass prescription problems with the GH3 EVF but have found a couple of workarounds but the Hooman Loupe 3.0 with the Hoodmag 3x magnifying eyepiece attached held in place with the Manfrotto 501PL is a pleasure to work with. Good bright focusable image!

And the little cloth and velcro "camcorder jacket" they used to sell to hold the Hoodloupe on a fold out LCD works just as well with the GH3 LCD folded out.

Edit: Now they call it the "Camcorder Strap", link here: http://www.hoodmanusa.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HCAM4
 
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