poor man's viewfinder..."cheap"workaround

[Peter Osinski]

I would really like to be able to shoot with a viewfinder but the bomb evf is out of my price range as well as the older evf.

I was looking at the smallhd lcd screen which is great for the price but it will surely be too big for run and gun work.

Then I saw this

http://store.zacuto.com/Z-Finder.html

it works on the d90 which has a 3" LCD screen so I am sure that it will work fine on the 2.8" from red.

at 400 dollars it combines with the 2.8" lcd for a 1300 dollar viewfinder.

What do you all think?

 

[bernd katzmarczyk]

sounds interesting but needs a field run and gun test. if it's working it could be an optional tool for all who can't afford the bomb evf.

 

[Kevin Olsen]

Sounds like a great idea, but I have to wonder, are the EVFs higher in resolution than the 2.8" lcd?

...but I like the idea of switching between the two viewing methods with just this little piece.

KO

 

[Felix K.]

A little problem might be that the 2,8" monitor from red is a touch-screen that you might want to use to control your camera. So you would have to remove the zacuto thingy all the time (if the remote can't be used for whatever the touchscreen does).

 

[Tim Sutherland]

I figure that Zacuto, Hoodman, etc. will probably offer versions for the scarlet size of LCD. It seems like a good compromise for people trying to keep the initial cost of the kit down. You might miss some functions from the touch screen, but I bet you'll be able to control the camera pretty well from the Redmote.

 

[Mitch Gross]

The Z-Finder uses a small plastic frame that glues around the outside face of the monitor, and then the Z-Finder itself pops on and off the screen with ease. I can imagine that they will make it work well with the RED 2.8" screen as soon as it is available.

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

It would be cool if it had a little flip hinge as well. Then you could just flip it up if you need to adjust something.

 

[Petr Dvorak]

I would rather spend my money on bigger LCD

 

[David Rasberry]

It would be cool if it had a little flip hinge as well. Then you could just flip it up if you need to adjust something.

I lke this approach too. Eyepiece frame that mounts securely to the LCD with a flip up eyepiece. Common and very useful combination on ENG camera viewfinders with up to 3.5" screens.

 

[Mitch Gross]

Works pretty well on other cameras.

 

[JD Holloway]

http://www.optitek.org/viewfinder_red_one.php

best of both worlds...if thats what you want.

 

[Michael Booth]

The Z-Finder works amazingly well with the 5D, it's pretty much essential for that camera.