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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

720P viewfinder

S

Steve Phillipps

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I know the viefinders in HD cameras are not upto much - but at least you can get them! So is it possible to grab an EVF from a Varicam or HPX500 or something, whip off the plug and re-wire it to plug into the RED EVF socket? Must be possible, surely, as there is a power feed and video coming from the Panny to the EVF just as there is with the RED.
Any electrical types got any info on this?
Steve
 
None of the EVF's on panasonic or sony cameras have a native resolution of 720. They are much smaller. I don't know how they work, but my guess is that the signal coming out of those cameras is down sampled to fit the evf. Since the signal coming out of the Red is 720, then you would need an evf capable of displaying that signal to even have a remote chance of getting that to work, and a true 720 evf is hard to come by. I may be way off base here, so someone more knowledgeable then I am, please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
I had this exact thought while walking my dog yesterday. The varicam viewfinder is 720, the hdx900 hpx etc are 1080. It's sort of a pisser that you can't swap viewfinders from a varicam to an HDX900.

Any way, it should be doable and particularly usefull for those of us who already have varicams. Maybe Mitch Gross could chime in here?

Peace,

Nick
 
I am not sure, They use the goofy VF plug on the camera.

The H model Varicam boasts-

Color signal now goes to the viewfinder port, which means that the Model H is compatible with color viewfinders like the new AccuScene HD720S.

Didn't the acuscene take an HD component signal in? Hmmmm.....

Nick
 
Please let the answer be yes, the Accuscene's got a good rep. They make the RED one now don't they?
Also I'm going to Scotland in May and could detour via the factory!
Steve
 
Evf

Evf

I know the viefinders in HD cameras are not upto much - but at least you can get them! So is it possible to grab an EVF from a Varicam or HPX500 or something, whip off the plug and re-wire it to plug into the RED EVF socket?
Click to expand...

Its not possible, most EVF's are not HD and are driven with analog feeds, the RED-ONE is a custom HD digital viewfinder.
 
EVF's

EVF's

the Phantom HD has HD SDI and works with a modified Sony viewfinder.
Click to expand...

Well, there may indeed be an exception, if you get a chance to try that, let us know if it works....
 
Wait until you see the Red EVF. It is Sweeeeet!

I'm sure most of you are familiar with how difficult it is to check critical focus on a very wide lens because of the extreme depth of field. Looking at a Zeiss 12mm through the EVF, my focus chart literally snapped into focus. That is a s-h-a-r-p viewing system. Dare I say it - it may be better than the Arri 435.

I know it sucks to wait, but you will not be disappointed in the EVF.
 
Waiting for the EVF is OK, I've heard good things about it, but in the interim people are looking for alternatives.
Mitch Gross knows about the Sony C35 on the Phantom, I think he helped adapt it. Would presumably need a different plug again for the RED.
Steve
Just thought, Mitch did say that the C35 will only take 1080 input, so that won't work! But maybe there is a 720 out there somewhere???
 
Sony announced their HDVF-200 HD viewfinder on NAB this year. Its MSRP is $3000 USD, but I haven't been able to find any information on resolution, but it can hardly be less than 720p considering they're calling it HD.
 
The RED EVF does rock pretty hard, but this does seem like a possible solution.

If there is an EVF on the market that takes HD-SDI or HDMI [DVI, essentially] input - even if it's just coupled inside of a custom connector - one could easily make a short cable that would adapt from that particular EVF's plug to HD-SDI or HDMI [depending on the EVF] and power [which could be drawn from the D-tap or power outputs on the camera].

It'd be black and white, plastic and awkward... but for those that are used to ENG/EFP viewfinders, it might be a treat.
 
wow if you can snap focus on a 12mm lens I am really REALLY looking forward to that evf :)
 
Brook Willard said:
The RED EVF does rock pretty hard, but this does seem like a possible solution.

If there is an EVF on the market that takes HD-SDI or HDMI [DVI, essentially] input - even if it's just coupled inside of a custom connector - one could easily make a short cable that would adapt from that particular EVF's plug to HD-SDI or HDMI [depending on the EVF] and power [which could be drawn from the D-tap or power outputs on the camera].

It'd be black and white, plastic and awkward... but for those that are used to ENG/EFP viewfinders, it might be a treat.
Click to expand...

The Thomson Infinity's EVF is connected via HDMI:

2" HD viewfinder Model No. DMC 1100
Display HD B/W CRT
Resolution >600 TV lines (center)

Somewhat of an extreme solution...
 
Hey guys, I'm happy to give you all the skinny on viewfinders.

With very few exceptions, all viewfinders take a component video signal. It's actually sometimes a modified component signal with an embedded carrier to light up the indicators in the eyepiece like Tally, record, etc. The Sony C35 color finder is no exception. It works on the Phantom because that camera has two outputs: an HD-SDI output in the back for monitoring and an HD-component output on the side for the viewfinder.

Panasonic is finally coming out with a color finder but I don't know when it will ship. And I can't recall if it will accept 720p or not.

You can't go to AccuScene anymore -- David sold the company and reworked it into the Red viewfinder supplier. The reason the camera outputs the digital signal Stuart mentioned is because about halfthe guts of the AccuScene system were placed within the camera, allowing for the viewfinder to take up less space and the LCD to be incredibly simple and lightweight (all the drivers located in the camera). Clever design, really.

I don't believe that Thomson has a color finder but it is possible that you could adapt the Infinity finder if it will accept 720p. I don't really know that system too well since we had to wait so long for it! Isn't it 1080 only?

There also is the Silicon Imaging OLED color viewfinder, which I believe is SVGA or something like that. 800x600 and you'd need a small converter between it and the camera, but you should be able to make it work and I believe they are available today.

It's actually not tough to get an HD-component signal for the viewfinder using the camera's HD-SDI output. There's an AJA box that does it and it's small enough to mount onto the camera and power it from there. Then you could use a 720p viewfinder like the one on the Varicam. But as mentioned before, you'll have to forget about the Red's viewfinder port -- that will only work with the Red finder or LCD. Hey, this is a way you can use a finder and leave the LCD for an AC!

Forget the questions of "how much resolution does the viewfinder actually have" and ask the proper question of "what kind of signal will the viewfinder accept." In practice most viewfinders are not quite full res. as the fine pitch would be invisible on the tiny picture tube inside the eyepiece. I can't think of another finder that would be appropriate other than the Varicam one. All models of HPX viewfinders are not made to accept 720p signals.
 
Speaking of EVFs, this is great, but I find that there's crazy flicker in it. How can I reduce this (no, not under fluro lighting or anything, even just outdoors in natural daylight).
 
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