FS7: Replacement EVF and/or Recorder

For monitoring, there are basically two proper options (as far as I can tell). And by 'proper options' I mean EVF/Monitor that you'd most likely hold on to for your next 4-5 cameras (so a proper, sensible investment).

Those are the Zacuto Gratical Eye (which fixes all of the functionality issues you've experienced with every other EVF you've ever used - including the pricey ones from Arri, Red and Sony). And (from the looks of it) the upcoming SmallHD 503, which gives you a 5" 1080p monitor with 2200 nit brightness (so it's an on-board monitor you can actually view outdoors in the sunlight).

Both of these options would give you all of the monitoring features you could want. I'd say either (or better-yet, both) would make any camera easier to operate.
 
LennyLevy said:
Gene,
I'm very interested in what you said about the Zacuto Loupe for the FS7 - mainly that you're getting a bigger sharper picture and that its physically shorter. I've never had any trouble with my Sony Loupe falling off though I've heard people complain often. Do they put it on upside down or what- maybe I'm just lucky.

Anyway I have a few questions.
1- Is it bigger only because you have stronger diopters? I already replaced my stock diopter with a +4 52mm diopter available anywhere cheap and that helped but it wasn't an overwhelming change and only cost me $10.

2- On B&H someone complains that the magnification is too great so he has to peer around to see the whole frame. Do you experience this?

3- Another complaint was that it wasn't easy to pass the camera to another person because they couldn't adjust the diopter easily.
I found that confusing . Doesn't it have a normal ring to adjust the focus to your eye after you've chosen your diopter strength?

4- Along the lines of question #3. I could never get a sharp image form the Zacuto viewfinder on a 5D. Don't know why. Maybe I was too picky and the resolution just sucked on the back of the 5D anyway. Or it had something to do with the diopter system. I wear progressive lens glasses and wondered if for some reason there was a misfit - maybe the diopter was too big ? At NAB they tried everything to make it work and it never felt right, so I'm wondering if this is the same optical system.

I guess I can always try it from B&H and send it back if it doesn't work. $400 is a lot for a loupe but if it significantly improves focus then I'm in.

Thanks,

Lenny
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Hi Lenny. The Zacuto Z-Finder is a huge rip-off, but for me at least it's much better than the loupe. Fortunately, I am not far sighted so I have no need for diopters but yes, the diopter system is pretty terrible on Zacuto.

I got the Z-Finder before the flip up bracket came out, when it just attached via stick on frame and the magnification did have a slight tunnel feel. However, after adding the bracket it pushed the Z-Finder back a bit so no more tunnel vision.

I don't think the Z-Finder is any sharper than the stock loupe. My suggestion was to just crank up the Peaking (the default is weak at 50) to 100 and it really helps to find focus.

The main reason why I like it is because it's much shorter than the stock loupe so the camera feels way better on the shoulder and it takes up quite a bit less room in my very full bag.

But yeah, it's a total rip-off.
 
morgan_moore said:
I think the stock Evf is flawed because the cable is too short to find a position where the camrra is balanced on the shoulder.

I have a 502 which I love/hate. It has a deep home made hood and I also modded it to take 12v in.

The electronics are awesome luts rgb wfm - how does anyone choose thier wb setting without the ability to evaluate rgb via Wfm or histo?

The elcronics are so good they give you a functioning fs7 - repairing most of the flaws in the camera like no luts in hfr

The thing is a bit weak and I bust te Sdi in - lucky I can now use the hdmi - a good vote for any system having a double cabling system.
So well worth considering.

I'd still prefer a true Evf for some jobs where I can really use the physical connection to the face to add stability and completely exclude sun/reflections

I'd also check the zacuto "golf ball" and the transvideo starlight

For a cheap Evf what about the one from the bm ursa?

--
I would always keep the stock monotor with the camera - ive known two operators manage to disable thier other monitors and having left the stock monitor at home I had to talk them throu the menu blind to get thier picture back!
"Down down click down down click"
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True story. bad idea to not have it with you. In a Similar story an operator I knew had the alphatron on his fs7, he was in a helicopter flight (20min) and the VF died, in the short short timeframe up there he had nothing to do, no way to fix it, ended up shooting on his iPhone 6 and still getting some footage, saving the potential huge fail.

gene_can_sing said:
Hi Lenny. The Zacuto Z-Finder is a huge rip-off, but for me at least it's much better than the loupe. Fortunately, I am not far sighted so I have no need for diopters but yes, the diopter system is pretty terrible on Zacuto.

I got the Z-Finder before the flip up bracket came out, when it just attached via stick on frame and the magnification did have a slight tunnel feel. However, after adding the bracket it pushed the Z-Finder back a bit so no more tunnel vision.

I don't think the Z-Finder is any sharper than the stock loupe. My suggestion was to just crank up the Peaking (the default is weak at 50) to 100 and it really helps to find focus.

The main reason why I like it is because it's much shorter than the stock loupe so the camera feels way better on the shoulder and it takes up quite a bit less room in my very full bag.

But yeah, it's a total rip-off.
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Interesting, I find the peaking is too much! I've changed the "iris" custom button 2 on the side of the cam to a magnification button for the 4x push in, and when I do that i absolutely have to turn peaking off to actually check focus. When I'm not "punched in" with that button, the peaking is great but I leave it as low as the dial lets me (the dial on the side of the OEM VF), I find it a bit overzealous with what it tells you is actually in focus. PITA, but still helpful nonetheless.


Two years of shooting with the OEM VF setup and it's been great, I love having an external monitor as well though, typically it has been my 7.7inch AC7 OLED hanging off the side of my camera with a tension arm, but I recently bought a cage and wireless system for that to be a directors monitor. I think a gratical eye or 502 small HD are in my future. I need a monitor that can work with my a7s on ronin as well. so the 502 seems more appealing at the moment..... we'll see when tax returns come in what I decide :p
 
digitalinnovations said:
Out of curiosity, which wireless system did you go with?
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I bought a PROAIM directors monitor cage from amazon, (knock off wooden camera cage, seems identical, half the price and includes a free v mount plate)

and the Nyrius Aries Pro, It was 250 and I figured I'd roll the dice on it. It's been really good for the "producers right there, or right over there" but the range leaves a bit to be desired. I am thinking of returning it for the 400 dollar nyrius system, which i mistakenly thought I was buying. I had a fellow shooter using the nyrius for a while (the more expensive one, that i didn't buy) and it always worked great. It's HDMI only, but has been good so far on the two shoots I've used it on. It's powered by USB, and My v mount's have a USB port, so I hook it up to the camera with a male to female HDMI extender and then a simple USB cable plugged into the battery. Same on the monitor cage, plug the USB right into the battery, power the small HD off of D tap on the v mount plate the cage came with.

https://www.amazon.com/PROAIM-Direc...F8&qid=1489852287&sr=8-1&keywords=proaim+cage

https://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-Wirel...rd_wg=vymDj&psc=1&refRID=EYRR46MTPNYMDDNJ9AHM

and what I'm thinking of returning it for

https://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-Wirel...8&qid=1489852352&sr=1-4&keywords=NYRIUS+aries


-Wes
 
digitalinnovations said:
As is the case with most of the gear we end up buying :)
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I'm used to being ripped off, but at $400 (I paid $475 when it came out) it's above and beyond the standard rip off. The nice thing is it keeps the camera small, no extra battery, no extra charger, no extra SDI which is a big plus.

The big problem with the SmallHD 502 / 702 is the joystick system. It's terrible. My 702 it's like typing on an iPhone, constantly hitting the wrong thing and there's several steps for everything which combined with the very fiddly joystick is a pain.
 
digitalinnovations said:
Thank you so much for that, Wes. Please let me know your experience with either (or both) of those systems.
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Not to derail the thread - sorry!

The pro aim cage is great, at first I was displeased with it because anything tension related always needs the weight pushing towards tightening, or you'll end up with loose screws and a cage that falls apart in a directors hands.

I mounted it inverse on one side so that when holding it, or when using the provided strap, it's always staying rock solid. It's great because its so customizable and universal in that regard.

Nyrius Aries pro, small HD AC7 oled, pro aim monitor cage by WestonHelmsley, on Flickr

Nyrius Aries pro, small HD AC7 oled, pro aim monitor cage by WestonHelmsley, on Flickr

mounted monitor upside down so that the unit can be placed on a table or the ground easily with no compromise to the power cable or SDI connection if that is being utilized. The menu is able to be flipped as well as the image, just puts the power button and quick buttons on the bottom of the monitor - no sweat.

The wireless system has probably a 30-40ft range with line of sight. The 250 dollar nyrius I have now. I'm used to working with teradek systems which are insanely great, other rooms, walls, whatever, they just work. and they reconnect quite easily. This sometimes takes a few seconds to reconnect, but as long as you stay near by, it's been pretty good so far.

I want to keep testing it on shoots, but I fear my 30 day window to return it is approaching soon. I have shoots monday and teusday next week that I'll see how go with it, and then make my decision.




back on track to the thread at hand.... if one DOES elect to keep using the OEM VF/Loupe, this redRock Micro piece has been yuuuugely beneficial to the dual 15mm rod setup it uses.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/673064-REG/Redrock_Micro_4_25_0001.html

Originally purchased to mount the remote focus piece from red rock for my gimbal setup ( i ended up using velcro to attach it to my ronin M) I don't use the 15mm spud portion with the 1/4 20 screw.... but having independent control over each axis on the viewfinder is SO much more ideal than the sony original piece with only one tension handle for both axises (axes? idk).

seen here:
rig2 by WestonHelmsley, on Flickr
 
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morgan_moore said:
I'd also check the zacuto "golf ball" and the transvideo starlight

For a cheap Evf what about the one from the bm ursa?
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Wooden Camera sells an adapter kit for the Ursa EVF that allows it to work on numerous cameras, but the Sonys only output a interlaced signal, & the EVF only accepts progressive. There are workarounds, but a Zacuto EYE is less expensive than a Ursa EVF with Wooden Camera modification kit, & has more features.

I used the Zacuto flip-up loupe for a long time, & much prefer it to the OEM, but love the EYE.
 
Bern Caughey said:
Wooden Camera sells an adapter kit for the Ursa EVF that allows it to work on numerous cameras, but the Sonys only output a interlaced signal, & the EVF only accepts progressive. There are workarounds, but a Zacuto EYE is less expensive than a Ursa EVF with Wooden Camera modification kit, & has more features.

I used the Zacuto flip-up loupe for a long time, & much prefer it to the OEM, but love the EYE.
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My hesitation with the EYE, beyond its $2000 price tag, is that it has no means of flipping open so as to view the screen from afar. So if you want to perform a shot where you hold the camera low or high, away from your face, you are screwed unless you are also using an external monitor. This was always my issue with that one VF for the F5, the one that had no means of flipping open or away as did the lower price loupe for the F5.
 
JPNola said:
My hesitation with the EYE, beyond its $2000 price tag, is that it has no means of flipping open so as to view the screen from afar. So if you want to perform a shot where you hold the camera low or high, away from your face, you are screwed unless you are also using an external monitor. This was always my issue with that one VF for the F5, the one that had no means of flipping open or away as did the lower price loupe for the F5.
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But you still have the same stock EVF which you can have mounted on the camera at all times and since the "eye" is not using EVF's port, there's no conflict. Even better because no flipping is required.
 
broughtonfilm said:
But you still have the same stock EVF which you can have mounted on the camera at all times and since the "eye" is not using EVF's port, there's no conflict. Even better because no flipping is required.
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That's what I do I have it mounted on the camera as an allporpose monitor, works great and will save my ass one day if the evf craps out on me.
 
So am I getting this right? Some of you guys buy a replacement EVF but still mount the existing EVF on the camera as an additional monitor?
Hmm... interesting . I have an alfatron that I never use anymore and could consider playing with that as an idea.
I usually use the existing EVF and supplement with my Odyssey on the camera but it is a bit unwieldy.
 
LennyLevy said:
So am I getting this right? Some of you guys buy a replacement EVF but still mount the existing EVF on the camera as an additional monitor?
Hmm... interesting . I have an alfatron that I never use anymore and could consider playing with that as an idea.
I usually use the existing EVF and supplement with my Odyssey on the camera but it is a bit unwieldy.
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Don't forget that you have to display menus on something. While you can have SDI or HDMI display menus, since now HDMI or (in case of the "eye") SDI is taken by the replacement EVF, it creates even more limitations. Not to mention that if you accidentally turn off the menus output and don't have the stock EVF with you, you are in trouble.
 
Some good tips. Regarding the Zacuto viewfinder, it is such a bloody gouging that I simply can't buy it. I already have the attachable VF from an old Blackmagic Pocket, but the small metal attachment to hold it to the FS7's LCD is still $340. What, TF, is it made out of? Lighter than air carbon fiber composite? Even by Zacuto's sometimes ridiculous pricing, that's still $200 too much. Out of principle, I simply couldn't do it (and I've wasted plenty of money on accessories).
 
Haha, this place never ceases to crack me up :grin:

There has literally never been an EVF that offers the performance and features of the Gratical Eye for anywhere near as low a price-point. It's straight up never existed.

Yet still, people find a way to complain! Love it!
 
The gratical is one of the Best Buy's I ever made. First of all it's a real viewfinder not an LCD screen with a loupe it is super sharp has peaking zebras luts false colors doest strain has precise focusing and is extremely fog resistant. For 2k it's a bargain. And if you workhandheld eye in the viewfinder it's worth its weight in gold.
 
Grug said:
Haha, this place never ceases to crack me up :grin:

There has literally never been an EVF that offers the performance and features of the Gratical Eye for anywhere near as low a price-point. It's straight up never existed.

Yet still, people find a way to complain! Love it!
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I got the vibe people were complaining about this one

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,92051677442,&Q=&A=details

How are you guys attaching the Gratical EYE with axis mini? I see icarusfilm has ditched the OEM handle, but I'd like to keep that (mainly just for the potential of hooking up a mic to the hot shoe) - curious about who has mounted the axis mini and EYE to the OEM handle.

edit: found it - https://store.zacuto.com/fs7-rod-lock/
 
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