Epic with Optical Viewfinder

[Francesco Bonomo]

Maybe it's the Roman heat making my mind imagine things, but I think a while ago I read somewhere on these boards there was an optical viewfinder in development for Epic. Just out of curiosity, is it still planned, very low on the priority list for Red, or was it scrapped?

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

Jim told us long ago that they have an idea about OPF but nobody placed any order.

But now when Alexa getting OPF in Fall they RED should reconsider that sort of "hold on" stage of RED OVF and show us something at IBC.

Anyway I plan to work with two EVF together, RED Bomb and Zacuto EVF simultneously then also with two LCDs, new touchscreen from RED and new TV logic 5.6" (waveform).

Then with that dual/stereo EVF I will get as much info about digital image as I can before start to push the REC button.

 

[Stephen Williams]

Jim told us long ago that they have an idea about OPF but nobody placed any order.
.

I imagine there will be some aftermarket ones, if RED does not deliver.

 

[Francesco Bonomo]

Jim told us long ago that they have an idea about OPF but nobody placed any order.

Thanks for the reply, Sanjin, I guess I remembered correctly but I somehow didn't see the "official" reply from Red. So, in other words, the plan for an optical viewfinder was scrapped for lack of interest from the market. It makes sense from Red's perspective, although I must say that I still have to meet a cinematographer or a camera operator who wouldn't use a digital camera with an ovf (but that's just my experience, perhaps this forum is full of people who couldn't care less about an ovf and are very happy with their evfs).

But now when Alexa getting OPF in Fall they RED should reconsider that sort of "hold on" stage of RED OVF and show us something at IBC.

All I know is that from what I've heard around (on sets and in rental houses here) there's a huge interest for the Alexa studio, and that's precisely because of the ovf (switchable with an evf) and the 4:3 sensor.

I imagine there will be some aftermarket ones, if RED does not deliver.

Maybe so, Stephen, but I guess it would be quite hard (and expensive) R&Ding and then manufacturing such a viewfinder (considering you would have to basically re-design the camera to a certain extent to accomodate the ovf and the rotary disc shutter, amongst other things).

 

[Stephen Williams]

Thanks for the reply, Sanjin, I guess I remembered correctly but I somehow didn't see the "official" reply from Red. So, in other words, the plan for an optical viewfinder was scrapped for lack of interest from the market. It makes sense from Red's perspective, although I must say that I still have to meet a cinematographer or a camera operator who wouldn't use a digital camera with an ovf (but that's just my experience, perhaps this forum is full of people who couldn't care less about an ovf and are very happy with their evfs).


All I know is that from what I've heard around (on sets and in rental houses here) there's a huge interest for the Alexa studio, and that's precisely because of the ovf (switchable with an evf) and the 4:3 sensor.



Maybe so, Stephen, but I guess it would be quite hard (and expensive) R&Ding and then manufacturing such a viewfinder (considering you would have to basically re-design the camera to a certain extent to accomodate the ovf and the rotary disc shutter, amongst other things).

Should be easy enough to put in a beam splitter 1/3 stop loss is hardly an issue!
I had planned to do that with the 5K econamy model, just waiting for the camera which can't be ordered either!
P+S have the answer already, as the lens mount is field switchable should be a doddle.