FAQ Please help me decide which EVF to go with for my B-cam rig

moldcad

moldcad

Veteran
Hi Guys;

Here comes another question related to my never-ending rig investment: was hoping to re-use my EVF Z-Finder Pro with my B-camera rig (GH5 mainly, sometimes A7Rii + Shogun Inferno), but unfortunately - when recording GH5's 4K@50p on the Shogun - I cannot monitor via my EVF because it doesn't support 1080@50p (the only doen-conversion option with the Inferno when recording 4K/UHD@50p)... I tried to get rid of an EVF, but the Inferno is just to heavy to be put at the very front of the shoulder rig....

So I'm after an EVF which does support 50p - but simply have not enough money for things like the Gratical etc. My choices are (from the lowest price up):

- ikan EVF35
- Cineroid EVF4RVW
- SmallHD 501 with Sidefinder

Please help me decide by Monday (for some reason, it's a deadline for my 0%-interest financing option)! TIA

Piotr

PS. If anyone is interested in buying my Zacuto, it's like new (never used it really) and with original factory package - just PM me :)
 
Anybody at all? Please help me avoid making a mistake - my deadline is short, and I just can't afford mistakes given how much I've spend on gear recently, haha :)

Piotr
 
I haven't used the Ikan but have the SmallHD and Cineroid. Out of these two I'd definitely suggest the Cineroid. It does it's job and is relatively small. Unlike the SmallHD which has a very short battery life and is quite big especially with the sidefinder which is not that great at all.
 
Actually, on the rig I need an EVF for, there's no problem with power - I have a 140Wh brick battery at the back, which currently only powers the GH5 through Dolgin Engineering's converter (yes it's my rig on that photo:)). And I could as well use SDI-out from my Inferno - so the only problem is price :( But you might be right - it's probably better to save and buy the Gratical Eye. Or buy the cheapest option for now - the iKan for just $350 (plus the usual extras like duty and VAT - but still cheap). What do you think?

Piotr
 
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Thanks guys - you probably helped me make a good decision: I'm definitely going to save for the EYE; it will be essential with my GH5 rig and might be handy with my FS7, as well. The only open question is whether to spend on the iKan for the time being - so if anyone has experience with that one, please share! I've read that the little monitor is actually quite good, but the quality of the loupe leaves a lot to be desired - I *think* it might be made better by replacing the plastic lens with a good glass. TIA

Piotr

PS. Oh - and for those who may be wondering why I'm not even mentioning the A7Rii: after quite many tests during the last couple of months, I decided the Sony is mainly going to be my stills camera (thereby beginning my new love affair with photography:)). The 8bit video footage (even recorded on the Shogun, with 4:2:2 and proper bitrate) just doesn't make it when I try to grade it in HDR and match the FS7; from the GH5 on the other hand I'm getting really beautiful video, on par with my main camera... Also, full frame sensor is far more useful in photography - for video, and with Speed Booster on the GH5, I am much more comfortable with S35mm on both FS7 and GH5... (of course all this will not preclude taking some short "beauty" video with the A7Rii from time to time, when I come across something I just couldn't afford missing, while only having the A7Rii on me - but no dedicated rigging that wonderful little bastard!!!). And to think that to conclude all this, I had to buy both DSLRs... But I'm far from regretting :)
 
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If you habe a zero interest financing option - why do you need to save up for a future purchase of the EYE?
Just get it now :)
(Seriously: Buying "in between" gear always is a letdown. You really want the better product and every time you reach one of the shortcoming of the lower-cost item,
you wish you had just gone for the real deal... The step up from the 501 to the EYE in terms of price is not that huge if you earn money with your gear...)
 
Once again I need your help, guys :)

If I went for the Gratical Eye, I'd like to be able to use it not just on my GH5 rig, but also with my FS7. Please advise on the mounting options - to the SmallRig GH5 cage, I could mount directly with their EVF rosette mount. Am I right that I could also attach that mount to Smallrig NATO rail - which in turn could go straight onto the FS7 15mm rod like in the picture (below) of someone's rig I found in this forum? Will this be an optimum way, or would you advise something else (yeah I'm aware of Zacuto's own Axis Mini + FS7 Rod Lock, but they're expensive). TIA

Piotr
 

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You can also use a Smallrig EVF bracket. I have re-purposed one as a flag holder - far less hassle than a matte box, if you're not using filters and just need to flag off veiling flare:

20170629_183253.jpg20170629_183229.jpg
 
Interesting, Ben, thanks - but you din't answer my question: are the Smallrig rosette mount and NATO rail enough to attach Gratical Eye to the FS7 in a good, ergonomic fashion?

Piotr

PS. If I'm after using the http://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-arri-style-rosette-evf-mount-1583.html is because it would make a perfect solution with Smallrig GH5 minimalist cage on my B-cam rig, so it would be used more efficiently (whenever I'm not using both FS7 and GH5 simultaneously). To avoid questions like "why don't your try it yourself" - the picture below is not of my stuff; I'm only about to order it :)
 

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I'm bumping this, as I really need your advise Friends. In her response to my inquiry illustrated with the same picture of the NATO rail with OEM FS7 monitor affixed via Smallrig NATO clamp I posted above, Paris of Smallrig.com stated
:

"After check the item SmallRig ARRI Style Rosette EVF Mount 1583 and the item SmallRig Safety NATO Rail with 15mm Rod Clamp 1856 on the camera Sony FS7, we are sorry to tell you that it is unavailable to built like n the picture show."

She never explained why, so I need your thoughts even more now as somehow I suspect she isn't right - but perhaps it's me who is wrong? Please advise;

Piotr
Click to expand...
 
moldcad said:
I'm bumping this, as I really need your advise Friends. In her response to my inquiry illustrated with the same picture of the NATO rail with OEM FS7 monitor affixed via Smallrig NATO clamp I posted above, Paris of Smallrig.com stated
:

"After check the item SmallRig ARRI Style Rosette EVF Mount 1583 and the item SmallRig Safety NATO Rail with 15mm Rod Clamp 1856 on the camera Sony FS7, we are sorry to tell you that it is unavailable to built like n the picture show."

She never explained why, so I need your thoughts even more now as somehow I suspect she isn't right - but perhaps it's me who is wrong? Please advise;

Piotr
Click to expand...

This is nonsense. Why would that be not possible? The part 1856 fits 15mm rod on FS7, and the Arri rosette on part 1583 fits rosette on Gratical Eye. Nato clamp on part 1583 fits nato rail on 1856. That's it. There's maybe one competent person working at SmallRig, rest of them are clueless, and I mean completely.
Click to expand...
 
I'm returning to this oldish thread of mine as I bit the bullet and purchased the Gratical Eye :) It's just arrived, and I'm trying to configure my rig for the best use of my new EVF...

Before I'll even incorporate the Gratical into my GH5 rig, I'm trying to learn how to properly use it on my FS7. And I have a number of questions:

1. Which SDI out (SDI1 or SDI2) should be used for an external EVF? Here are some pros & cons, with my own thoughts so far:

a. I connected mine to SDI2 and turned MLUT off for everything except the FS7's own Viewfinder (which I still have connected, with the LCD monitor affixed at the rear-top of the camera). This way - when in Cine EI mode, with S-log2/3 - I'm sending unaltered S-log image to both SDI1/internal recording AND to my Gratical Eye... Also - since MLUT can only be turned on/off for SDI2 and HDMI simultaneously - if I want to record on Shogun Inferno, I have "clean" (no MLUT) HDMI signal.

b. Alister Chapman says one should be setting MLUTed source for FS7's own WFM. The only way this could be done is turning MLUT on for SDI2, and connecting external EVF to SDI1; this way it could also be fed it with S-log2/3 - alas, HDMI would also be MLUTed so an external recorder could only be fed from RAW SDI output of the XDCA.

So which SDI would be the best output for an external EVF like my Gratical?

2. I'm monitoring the picture in the Gratical Eye using its own, preset MLUT for the FS7 S-log2/3; this way:

- having configured its WFM to pre-LUT, and knowing all overlays (e.g. False Color) also act on the pre-LUT signal, my monitoring is is consistent

Is this the right method?

Please advise;

Piotr
 
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I use the Gratical with the FS7. i Use SDI1 when working mostly off a tripod with a monitor showing the camera data and SDI 2 when shooting Handheld toggling Display on and off. You do not want to have character display from the camera continuously on it will cause burn in.

I simply shoot in Cine EI at 2000 setting the Gratical to pre LUT and exposing 90% white at 70 on the Gratical Waveform.



moldcad said:
I'm returning to this oldish thread of mine as I bit the bullet and purchased the Gratical Eye :) It's just arrived, and I'm trying to configure my rig for the best use of my new EVF...

Before I'll even incorporate the Gratical into my GH5 rig, I'm trying to learn how to properly use it on my FS7. And I have a number of questions:

1. Which SDI out (SDI1 or SDI2) should be used for an external EVF? Here are some pros & cons, with my own thoughts so far:

a. I connected mine to SDI2 and turned MLUT off for everything except the FS7's own Viewfinder (which I still have connected, with the LCD monitor affixed at the rear-top of the camera). This way - when in Cine EI mode, with S-log2/3 - I'm sending unaltered S-log image to both SDI1/internal recording AND to my Gratical Eye... Also - since MLUT can only be turned on/off for SDI2 and HDMI simultaneously - if I want to record on Shogun Inferno, I have "clean" (no MLUT) HDMI signal.

b. Alister Chapman says one should be setting MLUTed source for FS7's own WFM. The only way this could be done is turning MLUT on for SDI2, and connecting external EVF to SDI1; this way it could also be fed it with S-log2/3 - alas, HDMI would also be MLUTed so an external recorder could only be fed from RAW SDI output of the XDCA.

So which SDI would be the best output for an external EVF like my Gratical?

2. I'm monitoring the picture in the Gratical Eye using its own, preset MLUT for the FS7 S-log2/3; this way:

- having configured its WFM to pre-LUT, and knowing all overlays (e.g. False Color) also act on the pre-LUT signal, my monitoring is is consistent

Is this the right method?

Please advise;

Piotr
Click to expand...
 
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