Z-Finder makes it harder - am I nuts?

J

Jester2138

Well-known member
So I was playing with the Z-Finder on a 7D and was expecting to be totally blown away by how much it helped me find focus.

Actually, I thought it made it harder. The pixels were so huge I could hardly see what I was looking at. The corners were hard to see unless I strained my eye around. All in all I thought the screen was waaay to close to my eyes for comfort.

Am I crazy? With all the raving going on about Z-Finder's I was surprised to find that I found it significantly easier to judge focus without the thing on.

There's always the LCDVF. With the 2x magnifier as opposed to the 3x maybe I'd like that one more.
 
here is a suggestion. do a test of some very critical "rack focusing" using *only* the simple LCD then do the same test using the Zfinder. import the files blow them up to full screen and see which is better.

my guess is the Zfinder will win. if your shooting shallow DOF where focus is in the 1"-6" range for whats really in focus then i will predict that the NON Zfinder clips wont look as good after judging then up close. im not saying that all people should be the same and this is only based on my experiences. i thought i had shots in by looking only at the LCD but after seeing them up close i missed my mark the majority of the time. with the Zfinder i can see when im missing and there are no surprises afterwards.

on another note...yes the image is big with the Zfinder but i believe its still better than the Hoodloupe but...the lesser magnification type of eyepiece still works so maybe that would appeal to you more. i wear glasses and dont have any problem seeing the full image through the Zfinder though..no problem at all but on the Hoodloupe i did have a problem seeing the edges unless i pressed hardly to the eyepiece. not very comfortable to me. also, are you sure that you have the diopter adjusted correctly for your eye?

good luck
david
www.davidprobst.com
 
Jester2138 said:
So I was playing with the Z-Finder on a 7D and was expecting to be totally blown away by how much it helped me find focus.

Actually, I thought it made it harder. The pixels were so huge I could hardly see what I was looking at. The corners were hard to see unless I strained my eye around. All in all I thought the screen was waaay to close to my eyes for comfort.

.
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Thank you so much for posting! This is exactly what I was afraid of. I've asked a couple of times about the pixels on the Zfinder and being able to see nothing but pixels in a couple of forums and people just reply that it's just a sharp image. I've got a 4X loup which I've used for the 5DII LCD and it's rediculous trying to judge anything by it. I had concerns that the 3X on the Zucuto would definitely be better than 4X but still suffer from the same issue. It sounds like the 2X on the LCDVF will be just right. Better than the Hoodman but still less magnification than the Z finder.

Again, thanks !!!!!
 
I just ordered the HLPP3 last night so I'll have to return to this thread and let you know how it is when I get it. I had a Hoodman unit (not a loupe) for my Nikon DSLR that was a piece of junk, so I'm no huge fan of Hoodman, but the thing seems reasonable (looking). I'd have a hard time believing it's much worse than the $400. unit that has to attach with an adhesive (no thanks) or some rubber bands.

I'm guessing Zacuto builds marketing costs into the price of the Z finder so they can pay bloggers to rave about it. It's interesting on this comparison site, there's an ad for the Z finder and the short comparison video makes the Hoodman unit look like a total piece of junk while they devote like 90% of the piece to the Z finder.

If I need the Zacuto unit, I'll get it. But I'm not starting with it.

Oh also, there are a bunch of positive comments for the Hoodman unit on here:

http://www.amazon.com/Hoodman-H-LPP...ts=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

And here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...oodLoupe_Professional_LCD_Screen.html#reviews

.
 
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Chris Santucci said:
I just ordered the HLPP3 last night so I'll have to return to this thread and let you know how it is when I get it. I had a Hoodman unit (not a loupe) for my Nikon DSLR that was a piece of junk, so I'm no huge fan of Hoodman, but the thing seems reasonable (looking). I'd have a hard time believing it's much worse than the $400. unit that has to attach with an adhesive (no thanks) or some rubber bands.

I'm guessing Zacuto builds marketing costs into the price of the Z finder so they can pay bloggers to rave about it. It's interesting on this comparison site, there's an ad for the Z finder and the short comparison video makes the Hoodman unit look like a total piece of junk while they devote like 90% of the piece to the Z finder.

If I need the Zacuto unit, I'll get it. But I'm not starting with it.

Oh also, there are a bunch of positive comments for the Hoodman unit on here:

http://www.amazon.com/Hoodman-H-LPP...ts=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

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actually Zacuto doesnt need to pay people to rave about the Zfinder. people that have it use it and appreciate it will speak highly of it becuase it *is* good and thats what people do on these forums and the internet.

its fine to not want to buy the Zfinder and i dont really care but you obviously have used *none* of the above mentioned items so your comments are *only* impressions from what you have seen and read on the web and cant seem to see past the $400 price tag.

i probably wont ever buy another Zacuto product since i think most of their rigging it a bit high for my tastes but the Zfinder is another story. the vast majority of people that have used the various loupes tend to agree that the Zfinder is the best bet right now. i happen to agree and i did use the Hoodloupe for months before i stepped up to the Zfinder.

price? $400? you get what you pay for. the hoodloupe is worth its price tag IMO and works pretty good. the Zfinder is worth its price also and is better than the Hoodloupe. the extra $300 may not be worth it for some but for me that wants the best...well worth paying for.

also..the adhesive you are whining about is not a problem in the least. your making assumptions that you have no real hands on experience with. there is *NO* stickiness left on your camera in the least and yes...i have taken it off and put it back on to see for myself.

buy what you want and be happy.

for others though i would suggest that you seek out peoples opinions on the net (google search) that have actually used the eyepiece loupes being discussed if you want the real story.

david
www.davidprobst.com
 
I've used them all, the Z-finder is good and solid, but it sounds like you would prefer the LCDVF. It's good as well as does not overexaggerate the pixels. It's worth the relatively inexpensive price. The hoodloupe is garbage next to these two finders.

Personally I think the most important tool of all doesn't need a viewfinder. The pixel-assist is terrific.
 
yoclay said:
I've used them all, the Z-finder is good and solid, but it sounds like you would prefer the LCDVF. It's good as well as does not overexaggerate the pixels. It's worth the relatively inexpensive price. The hoodloupe is garbage next to these two finders.

Personally I think the most important tool of all doesn't need a viewfinder. The pixel-assist is terrific.
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except that the pixel-assist is worth nothing if the scene is changing and subject moving that you need to stay focused on.

its very faithful and handy for initial focus though.
david
www.davidprobst.com
 
david_p said:
actually Zacuto doesnt need to pay people to rave about the Zfinder. http://www.davidprobst.com
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And yet they do.

For 400 bucks, that's the best they could come up with to attach the thing? Adhesive, and rubber bands (that they charge for)? And I'm "whining?" I think we all know by now that adhesives, velcro, and rubber bands are short term solutions and I'd say it's pretty weak from a design standpoint.

It looks great, I admit, but there's just no way possible I'm going to wrap rubber bands around my camera to hold a 400 dollar piece of gear on there.Not happening.

And let me ask you this: In terms of value, design, craftsmanship, and cost, how does the Z finder compare to the Redrock Micro mattebox? That's stuff I think about when I decide whether I want to support a company that designs and manufactures this kind of gear, so no they're not my first option either.

And, I know very well "the real story" of how the interweb works and I take full advantage of it for research purposes. And when I see a veritable movement of epic proportions spring up around one tiny piece of gear made out of plastic with every single video tech blogger doing backflips over it, sorry, I get a little leery (even though I'll admit it may very well be warranted).

.
 
Cost aside, I have one and like it. From what I've read, those that have it, like it and if you believe the reviews, it's currently the best option out there. If better options come out it will be interesting if Zacuto drops their price.
 
ronscuba said:
Cost aside, I have one and like it. From what I've read, those that have it, like it and if you believe the reviews, it's currently the best option out there. If better options come out it will be interesting if Zacuto drops their price.
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Well, they already have (it's coming) the Z finder junior without the diopter adjustment which will sell for $200 which I'm sure is a response to the LCDVF.
 
Chris Santucci said:
And yet they do.

For 400 bucks, that's the best they could come up with to attach the thing? Adhesive, and rubber bands (that they charge for)? And I'm "whining?" I think we all know by now that adhesives, velcro, and rubber bands are short term solutions and I'd say it's pretty weak from a design standpoint.

It looks great, I admit, but there's just no way possible I'm going to wrap rubber bands around my camera to hold a 400 dollar piece of gear on there.Not happening.

And let me ask you this: In terms of value, design, craftsmanship, and cost, how does the Z finder compare to the Redrock Micro mattebox? That's stuff I think about when I decide whether I want to support a company that designs and manufactures this kind of gear, so no they're not my first option either.

And, I know very well "the real story" of how the interweb works and I take full advantage of it for research purposes. And when I see a veritable movement of epic proportions spring up around one tiny piece of gear made out of plastic with every single video tech blogger doing backflips over it, sorry, I get a little leery (even though I'll admit it may very well be warranted).

.
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my opinions of the Hoodman and Zfinder are based actually user experience.

you have adverse feelings about the way the Zfinder mounts? ok, to each his own and were all entitled to our opinions. but in your case you cant say from 1st hand experience. what i dont get is that you cleanly dismiss all the options but you have tried none of them but still are solidly conclusive against.

i would agree that to determine that rubberbands looks stupid you dont really need to have one in your hand to determine that but in the case of the adhesive...i was a little skeptical but chilled once i saw that it did work nicely.

the adhesive bracket from Zacuto does actually work and i can say from first hand experience...but i dont expect you to take my word for it. i personlly think the rubber band idea is the worst. initially thats what i did with the Hoodloupe until the below example.

i did the rubberband thing with the hoodman until DP Norman Bonney turned me on to this...
http://www.normanbonney.com/hoodloupe.html
this was the best of all options for me while i used the Hoodloupe. not sure i want to cut into my Zfinder yet though but i want too. probably would void my warranty.

i think for video purposes the adhesive bracket is brilliant. with that said i dont like having it on there and in the way for shooting photography, so i guess we cant have it all.

by the way even with the simple velcro that i used to hold the Hoodloupe didnt leave any residue once taken off.

now, if im correct i think you are asking me to compare a Zfinder to a RR mattebox...? i dont think i get the question especially if i take it literal. if you meant to say how does Zacuto compare to RR? if that was supposed to be the question then i have some feelings but no tangibles since i have never seen in the flesh or either systems in action....

i suspect that Zacuto is premium quality and of course at a major premium price. from the bundles of post and comparisons i have read i gather the RR is very near in quality to Zacuto for a more reasonable (but still not cheap) price.

i **think** i would be happy with an EYESPY rig from RR someday but im just not that hungry for that kind of rig yet and i like what im using for now. i wish i could try these systems for real. id have to drive 5 hours to get my hands on one of the brands at least. someday i will probably have to do that.

one observation i have noticed is that i have...NEVER...EVER...heard/read even one comment from a person saying that they didnt think that their Zacuto rig was anything but top notch. all seem to accept that they basically paid for top notch quality. paid dearly but still happy it seems. whether i or you like that...it does speak volumes for the company IMO.

i have seen many that say they think the RR rigs are near 90% of the quality of the Zacuto. people tend to feel that the Zacuto will survive a lifetime and are happy. some mix parts between the 2 systems. my *impression* is that i would be happy with a RR eyespy rig when ready to buy. wish i could touch them though

there is right now only one product from Zacuto that i have interest in and thats the Zfinder. i would have paid a lot more if i would had to. for other items i dont expect i will go the Zacuto route though. i will probably have to make the best guess with RR.

what amazes me is all of the general outrage that someone should have to pay $400 for a simple little nothing eyepiece?...??? IMO that mere $400 is really the KEY element to allow all other things to fall in place with the shooting experience. compared to my 4 pro DSLR's, bundles of canon L glass and nikon glass plus my investment in my EX1 and HMC150 plus acs...blah blah...etc....a ***$400 purchase*** isnt even on my radar for the benefit it brings to the shooting experience. i think people need to put it in perspective a bit before the typical knee jerk reactions that many seem to have.

if you think im harping on you then i will say right now that im sorry and is not my intent... but rather to consider opening up your mind a little for your own benefit. i hope your happy with the Hoodloupe but i think you will have spent near a $100 and find that it will fall short and then what...start over with another eyepiece? i think that if your vision is good then the LCDVF looks very good as a quality but cheaper alternative. i need the diopter so its a no go for me and i already bought the Zfinder a long time ago. i think the 2X on the LCDVF will be good. would i like it better than the 3x on the Zfinder? i dont know because i would have to look thru both to really judge. my gut feeling is that both would be a bit of a wash as far as 2x vs 3x. i am happy now with what i have and just go and shoot with no fear of being able to grab focus.

again, not trying to be combative but rather just offer some first hand experience. hope the Hoodloupe works out for you!

david
www.davidprobst.com
 
No, it's all good, David. I want something that works just like anyone else, but as someone who does some design and fabrication, and someone who (like most of us on here) is trying to do more with less, I tend to regard the Z people much differently than companies like Redrock Micro, Shoot 35, Coollights, etc.

I mention the Redrock Mattebox because that's an example of a crucial piece of gear that was engineered well that's affordable. Regular folks can afford it and I'm pretty sure from an R&D, manufacturing, and materials standpoint the Z finder pales compared to the RRM mattebox and yet it's close to the same cost.

If the hoodman proves to not be sufficient enough for my needs, I'll probably get one of these and put it on this.

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Hey Chris,
i grew up in Buffalo. Live in Paris now. Nice to see that Buffalo's got a budding indie/film community. Very encouraging.


PS> sorry to have briefly hijacked the thread
 
Chris Santucci said:
No, it's all good, David. I want something that works just like anyone else, but as someone who does some design and fabrication, and someone who (like most of us on here) is trying to do more with less, I tend to consider the Z people much differently than companies like Redrock Micro, Shoot 35, Coollights, etc.
Click to expand...

why don't you do a DIY version to your fave specs then? There are a bunch out there.
Just a thought...
 
Jester2138 said:
Am I crazy? With all the raving going on about Z-Finder's I was surprised to find that I found it significantly easier to judge focus without the thing on.
Click to expand...

You might be crazy but your not alone :)

I just got one and posted a review - I had the same initial thoughts about it.

http://www.pauljoy.com/gear/zacuto-z-finder-v2/

Be interested to know if you think the view simulation matches what you see?
 
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Love my Zfinder so much I just bought a 2nd used one from someone who was so obviously disenfranchised with it as some of the posters here.
 
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