Loupe or External viewfinder....

T

tankbullock

Active member
Hi,

I am about to embark on a pretty big documentary project and having used the F3 now for a few months, the only thing I really want to improve is the LCD for focusing.

It's so-so at best and I just wondered if any users could share there experiences with any upgrades they have made to their own rigs.

I'm pretty sure I'll need an actual new viewfinder rather than a loupe type but whatever works best really and is the best bang for buck. Would be able to stretch to £1000 if there was a big improvement available.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
 
Loupes will bend your flip out viewfinder hinge so there is no other choice than a separate EVF. I'm trying to evaluate that question right now.
 
Lenilenapi said:
Loupes will bend your flip out viewfinder hinge so there is no other choice than a separate EVF. I'm trying to evaluate that question right now.
Click to expand...

Way back when I bought the sock-loupe for my Sony PMW-EX1. It's a combination of a hood and a sock with a diopter - and it attached to the EX1 with an elastic band. It also works perfectly on my F3. They only cost $80, and while it is definitely not a replacement for a traditional viewfinder, if you can live with just better magnification of the existing lcd panel, it's a solution.

http://www.sock-loupe.com/ If you buy the one marketed for the Sony PMW-EX1/R, it should work with your F3.
 
Hmm, I still have that darn thing which I replaced with a hoodman but maybe since it is lighter I should try it on my F3.
 
Many thanks for the feedback. Considering the price difference it might well be worth trying a loupe first. Just the fact that it doesn't add another battery/bulk into the mix means its worth a shot. If I go down the viewfinder route, is there a viable option in the £500-1000 price bracket? Looking online, it seems they can cost a hell of a lot more than that! Are the Zacuto type actually better than what I already have?
 
You could use a Hoodman EX kit and an articulating arm to support it. The Hoodman optics suck though. Maybe get a DP4-EVF?
 
I've been shooting documentaries for 30 years so I'll throw my 2 cents in. You need a dedicated VF.

If you're shooting under relatively controlled conditions, say something like a show about a local artist, you could get by with an aftermarket VF mounted on an articulated arm. That setup can be frustrating because you have to constantly adjust the arm to get the VF where you need it. And there's nothing that annoys me more than a VF that's sitting at an angle to the horizon. That's just me. If you plan on adding a shoulder mount, be aware that larger VF's like the DP4 can interfere with matteboxes and hinder your access to follow focus and iris on shorter lenses. There are better mounting options coming to market...check out woodencamera.com. Even aftermarket VF's like the Zacuto have their issues. I have one, and while I like it well enough, I find it irritating when I'm walking with the camera at my side and it brushes against my leg, knocking the flimsy eyecup loose, forcing me to waste time retracing my steps to find and mount the missing pieces. I also don't trust HDMI cables and connectors...they're just not robust enough for the rough and tumble world of doc shooting.

If you do docs at a higher level for broadcast clients like I do, which invaribly involve a lot of travel, yanking the camera out of the bag all day and generally working under the worst conditions imaginable, I would pop for a setup like Abel Cine's new Pro VF kit, which allows you to mount a ENG-style pro VF on your rig. It's hideously expensive if you have to also buy the VF, but if you're a pro with a capital budget and clients that expect only the best equipment, it's an excellent option.

Whichever way you go, for God's sake do not mount an articulating arm directly to the F3 body or handle without a setup like the Berkey top plate, which will distribute the stress of a mounting arm over the entire camera body. The F3 does not require extra ventilation...why risk pulling out chunks of it by overstressing the camera body?

You can easily waste a lot of money trying various setups...I know I have. No one setup works for every situation and every budget. Good luck!
 
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JCummings said:
I've been shooting documentaries for 30 years so I'll throw my 2 cents in. You need a dedicated VF. If you're shooting under relatively controlled conditions, say something like a show about a local artist, you could get by with an aftermarket VF mounted on an articulated arm. That setup can be frustrating because you have to constantly adjust the arm to get the VF where you need it. And there's nothing that annoys me more than a VF that's sitting at an angle to the horizon. That's just me. If you plan on adding a shoulder mount, be aware that larger VF's like the DP4 can interfere with matteboxes and hinder your access to follow focus and iris on shorter lenses. There are better mounting options coming to market...check out woodencamera.com. Even aftermarket VF's like the Zacuto have their issues. I have one, and while I like it well enough, I find it irritating when I'm walking with the camera at my side and it brushes against my leg, knocking the flimsy eyecup loose, forcing me to waste time retracing my steps to find and mount the missing pieces. I also don't trust HDMI cables and connectors...they're just not robust enough for the rough and tumble world of doc shooting. If you do docs at a higher level for broadcast clients like I do, which invaribly involve a lot of travel, yanking the camera out of the bag all day and generally working under the worst conditions imaginable, I would pop for a setup like Abel Cine's new Pro VF kit, which allows you to mount a ENG-style pro VF on your rig. It's hideously expensive if you have to also buy the VF, but if you're a pro with a capital budget and clients that expect only the best equipment, it's an excellent option.Whichever way you go, for God's sake do not mount an articulating arm directly to the F3 body or handle without a setup like the Berkey top plate, which will distribute the stress of a mounting arm over the entire camera body. The F3 does not require extra ventilation...why risk pulling out chunks of it by overstressing the camera body?You can easily waste a lot of money trying various setups...I know I have. No one setup works for every situation and every budget. Good luck!
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Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I normally work in Drama (as a director) and haven't operated camera for a couple of years (apart from B cam) so your shared advice/experience is invaluable.I have just had a look at the abelcine offering and that does look pretty damn good. I will check to see if any dealers stocks this in the UK so I can get a look at one. If it end up costing as much as an EX1r then I may have to go for a Zacuto or Cineroid option and live with it getting on my tits.
 
interesting, i agree with you. i work now with F3 and Zacuto EVF but i am fed of. i have a eye for ables Pro VF kit. which professional viewfinder do you recomend ? is a colored (more expensive) necessary ?
thanks
 
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