Is the Zacuto EVF too small to use as a monitor?

G

Gene Sung

Veteran
I'm spec-ing out an FS700 package right now.

The Zacuto EVF seems like a great EVF, but it seems like at 3.3 inches, is it too small be used as a general viewing monitor and / or might be hard to use without the Loupe?

Has this been your guy's experience?

The alternative is the Small HD DP4 which at 4.25 inches (1 inch wider) seems more suitable as a small monitor. Or is 4.25 inches still too small? Seems like an extra 1 inch would make a big differences over the Zacuto for general viewing purposes.

I'm trying to avoid getting too many things and having too much to carry such as an additional EFV and also another monitor. Just want to keep the kit small and portable, so hoping to combine the EVF and monitor into 1 item.
 
Last edited:
Zacudo evf vs small hd seems a little like apples and oranges to me. The whole point of the zacuto is to get your eye on the loupe (i.e. shoulder mount mostly) Useing it as a monitor seems like a waste of cash....Just use the stock sony vcd.
If you go with a second monitor......well...I have 2 Marshall lcd 50 hdmi monitors and to be honest, they're great monitors but next time I buy, I'll be going with something in the 7 inch range.

If you're gonna hang a second monitor off the rails or top handle or where ever, the difference in keeping the kit small and portable isn't going to change much with a 4.25 inch or 5.0 inch or even a 7 inch monitor. (still gonna be hanging out there...)

(ps, I don't own a zacuto)
 
gene_can_sing said:
it seems like at 3.3 inches, is it too small be used as a general viewing monitor and / or might be hard to use without the Loupe?
Click to expand...

Firstly, it's a 'view finder' first and foremost, rather than a monitor. Not sure if I trust its colour balance, and even its resolution.

I do my fair share of conferences where the camera will be above head height and the LCD is next to useless. In these circumstances, yes: I do use the Zacuto EVF as a sort of monitor because focus isn't so much of an issue with a fairly controlled environment - I just want to have the speaker framed nicely. In this situation, it's the same size as the FS100's flip up screen and a little bit smaller than, say, an EX1 flip out LCD but I'm not straining my neck looking at it. I could get a 5" or 7" monitor but then it's yet more kit and 'another mouth to feed' in terms of power. If only the EVF took NP-Fs.

I've played with a 5" SmallHD used on a Half-Inch-Rails shoulder rig, and it's quite an 'experience' - I prefer my Zacuto EVF.

The other alternative was the Pix220 with the new firmware to allow its basic monitor to do things like 1:1 zoom for critical focus, zebras, peaking and so on. That screen is a little larger, but the whole unit is MUCH bigger. Fine for a Producer's Preview, great for watching rushes on, but if your shoot style needs a monitor, you're going to need a monitor, either a cheapie to show what the camera's pointed at, or something that will tell you useful stuff like colour, waveform monitor and so on (with an appropriate price hike).

No free lunches, it seems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top