Hoodman HoodLoupe VS Zacuto Z-Finder

david_p said:
yes you can get a 50mm lens for roughly the same price as the Zfinder.

consider this though...wouldnt you want the best possible ***TOOL***to help you get the best results from it?

david
www.davidprobst.com
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Look at it this way, your 50mm doesn't worth anything if your shot is out of focus or it is a pia to get it in focus, right now it is the only one for me cuz it has diopter adjustment and good quality, and ease of use, we need capitalism to work, more competition and price will drop, but since they are the only one that will work for me, I had to suck it up and paid their price, out of focus shot will put me out of business quick, but I think it depend on what kind of work you do, if you are doing run and gun event type then I think it is a must, if not then probably not have to spend this much for one.
 
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Please yall, if you haven't used the products in dispute quit barking in on this debate with some measure of authority...

If you can only afford the Hoodman- then it is a GOOD product that you'll be happy with and will use often. It is priced accordingly.

If you can afford the Z-finder- then it is a GREAT product that you'll not only be happy with, but one which you'll find essential. It is also priced accordingly.

I own a Microdolly and the retail is a little over $3000. But there are people out there who think a dolly should be made of pvc and cost $100. I can say with absolute certainty that after using the Microdolly you see why it costs $3000 and how very little else can come close to the quality and ENGINEERING you get with something like it.

I think we are also talking about pros vs students/hobbiests here. When I was in college I wouldn't have been able to afford most of the products that I buy now on a regular basis, but I make my living from shooting. Construction workers who make their living from their trade buy DEWALT TOOLS because they are the best. Now I don't buy Dewalt because I don't need the best. Its' not that they are too expensive, its just that I don't need that level of quality for home maintenance repairs- which is a hobby for me, not how I earn my bread and butter. Affordability is based on perspective: those of us who have shot on cameras that cost $30,000 with lenses that run $2000 on tripods that run $6000 under lights that run $15,000 think that a $1700 Canon 7D is more than affordable... and so is the Z-finder.

Purchase what you need and can afford.

**On a side note, I emailed Steve and he said the Z-FINDER DOES WORK ON THE 7D.**

Zacuto engineers some amazing stuff. If you think you can design, produce, market, and sell a better, more affordable product, then by all means do so. Give me a call and I'll buy it.

As for me? I'm a Producer, not an inventor, and I shoot video for a living- so I bought the Z-finder.

Ash
www.iniosante.com
 
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xbourque said:
Well, if your point is that well made quality gear is worth a premium, yes I agree. Especially for stuff that you will keep no matter which camera you use.

If your point is that 183$ for a ball joint (half the price of the audio recorder it's meant to hold!) is "reasonable", then... I guess we agree on principle, but not on the numbers.


-X
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Well... then you may be using a different level of audio recorder.

If your audio solution costs $183 you are in a completely different price point. You should NOT expect to get or be looking at pro gear. Zacuto is pro gear for the "pro-sumer" and pro markets. A pro two channel "mixer", not even really a mixer just two channel preamp box, with no recording capabilities costs $650. A pro mixer and recorder with only two channels costs more than a 7D.

You can't expect to get pro-sumer gear for cheap, if you do it is a plus. Thank them! Companies like Red Rock fill in a new bracket, just under Zacuto. And Red Rock is no slouch either.

You get what you pay for. Hopefully you buy exactly what you need.

The "problem" here is that a lot of people don't realize that there is a WIDE gamut of users here. For one what's most important may be to have the ability to get "good enough" most the time. For others the need is to get "best possible" all the time. And every point in between, even beyond both ends. There may be 50mm lenses you can get for the price of the mount, but there are also 50mm lenses that cost as much as a 7D. Some that cost close to a Red One body's cost. Some consider $5,000 RPP primes the steal of the century. Others shoot on a flip and laugh at everyone else knowing that their stuff is better. (if very well may be, content is king)

I like the references to basic economic laws, because they are perfectly right. Prices are set by supply and demand, period. Anything more above that is a pov on the subject.
 
USLatin said:
If your audio solution costs $183 you are in a completely different price point.
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I said that the Zacuto ball joint cost *half* the price of the recorder it's meant to be holding: i.e. a 350$ Zoom H4N... the exact recorder pictured on the product shot on the Zacuto website. Actually, the H4N is listed under "Related Products" on the product page.

-X
 
xbourque said:
I said that the Zacuto ball joint cost *half* the price of the recorder it's meant to be holding: i.e. a 350$ Zoom H4N... the exact recorder pictured on the product shot on the Zacuto website. Actually, the H4N is listed under "Related Products" on the product page.

-X
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Not to add fuel to the fire - but the Zoom H4N actually retails for just under $300 now.

There are plenty of Zacuto products that make sense to me - the Zfinder being one of them, I've used it and it's well worth the price.
The DSLR handheld rigs are also incredible.

But as far as that ball joint goes... I have to agree it seems terribly overpriced.
But - as someone else pointed out, if that's what the market will bear, so be it.
It's a very very niche market, and Zacuto doesn't have much direct competition on the high end.
 
What is most amusing about it is that I know a lot of people who own nice cameras, like the RED One, that go for Zacuto gear because of how cheap it is compared with a lot of the Hollywood mainstays...
 
xbourque said:
I said that the Zacuto ball joint cost *half* the price of the recorder it's meant to be holding: i.e. a 350$ Zoom H4N... the exact recorder pictured on the product shot on the Zacuto website. Actually, the H4N is listed under "Related Products" on the product page.

-X
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Well, same thing, $300 sound on a $1,700 camera with a $300 50mm or whatever it costs. And there are private owners of that payed over $100k for their 2/3" digital cameras on this forum, tons of people that own Reds, S35 film cameras, etc. You see my point right? I am not trying to talk about anyone in particular, just trying to bring additional perspective to the conversation.

:thumbup:

sblfilms said:
What is most amusing about it is that I know a lot of people who own nice cameras, like the RED One, that go for Zacuto gear because of how cheap it is compared with a lot of the Hollywood mainstays...
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Exactly. Everything is relative.

As far as I can tell, Zacuto is probably a company that may be targeting two segments. Great products at a not-so-ludicrous price to someone with a nice prosumer kit. And, very affordable solutions that get the job done right, for a fraction of the cost, for people with several tenths of thousands invested into more of a high end package. Bottom line, Zacuto has freaking awesome stuff if you can afford it but some times it is best to buy something else.
 
_Probably the only thing I'm going to consider from Zacuto. The strap thing on the hoodman looks like it would really piss me off. If the Z works then I'm down for what it offers and I'll buy all the other stuff from other vendors. I'm thinking of getting the Red Rock Captain Stubbing... that just looks and sounds badass... that's my rig.
 
I would probably get some Red Rock stuff too, but for a while I am going HH only! :(

I would get other things from Zacuto though. Like their Z-Arms.
 
I second David's rants

the MKII just wasn't complete until the z-finder was snapped in place....well it's not complete without 24p but now it's useable.
 
iniosante said:
I think we are also talking about pros vs students/hobbiests here. When I was in college I wouldn't have been able to afford most of the products that I buy now on a regular basis, but I make my living from shooting. Construction workers who make their living from their trade buy DEWALT TOOLS because they are the best. Now I don't buy Dewalt because I don't need the best. Its' not that they are too expensive, its just that I don't need that level of quality for home maintenance repairs- which is a hobby for me, not how I earn my bread and butter. Affordability is based on perspective: those of us who have shot on cameras that cost $30,000 with lenses that run $2000 on tripods that run $6000 under lights that run $15,000 think that a $1700 Canon 7D is more than affordable... and so is the Z-finder.
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I think this is where so many pricing arguments come from. For many of the pro's here, $400 is pocket change (relatively speaking) so buying a z-finder is a no brainer. However, to many students/enthusiasts $400 for a loupe is outrageous. Different points of view, both valid.

I can't afford a z-finder, though I'd love to have one. So I'll have to settle for something less. Too bad hoodman doesn't do a higher-end loupe for around $200. I'd be all over that.
 
mhood said:
What about this Cavision? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/637658-REG/Cavision_MHE52_RCM_LCD_Viewfinder_Set_for.html
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didnt even know that it existed. good to know there is another option.

the only thing that worries me on the Cavision is the 6x magnification. wow!

the 3x on the Zfinder is already seriously "big". with this you might really be looking at pixels more than the image.

i would love to see one in action though. price is nice and with a solid mounting solution.

i hope someone can chime in here with some feedback.

david
www.davidprobst.com

{{{EDIT}}} does anyone know why the LCDVF didnt include an adjustable dioptor. isnt that a big omission. i wear glasses and i would think a massive amount of people dont have the perfect vision necessary for this loupe. this one is hard to figure.
 
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That cavision does look very interesting. Would really like to see someone pick it up and give it a go :) Not me, of course.. lol
 
mhood said:
And check out this Cavision follow focus...it can be used in tandom for follow zoom too. OK, I'm done with the fanboy nonsense but I would sure like to hear from someone who has used this Cavision system...it's much more affordable for we unwashed masses.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/626615-REG/Cavision_RFD15BC_RFD15BC_Basic_Mini_Single.html
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nice find, the only issue with that is the gear arm isn't adjustable. May have a hard time getting the contact point between the lens and the gear.
 
mhood said:
And check out this Cavision follow focus...it can be used in tandom for follow zoom too. OK, I'm done with the fanboy nonsense but I would sure like to hear from someone who has used this Cavision system...it's much more affordable for we unwashed masses.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/626615-REG/Cavision_RFD15BC_RFD15BC_Basic_Mini_Single.html
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now that does look "very well made" and that price is awfully easy to take. can i assume since they say they are accepting orders that is is brand new and nobody has one yet?

david
www.davidprobst.com
 
I first picked up cavision at work last week to get a feeling and it's really pro gear. The nuts and bolt are against dented round washers that connects together on the set position. So there is no sliding around the fixations. I was concernt to get the good height from the view finder to the head because it's not high on the shoulder. But you can actually customize the position of the shoulder pad really easily.

I bumped into this other product from cavision:

DSLR Dual Handgrip Viewfinder Package


DSLR Single Handgrip Viewfinder Package


But this one is the way to go :
RS5DM2SET-S DSLR Shoulder Mount Package


We use them on Panasonic P2 without the viewfinder. But I don't know how good is the viewfinder.
 
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