Viewfinder image quality

[Stokestack]

For anyone who was at NAB: What did you think of the viewfinder's image quality? Obviously it was a pretty limited environment in the booth, but I'm interested in any observations.

[Daniel Reichenbach]

For anyone who was at NAB: What did you think of the viewfinder's image quality? Obviously it was a pretty limited environment in the booth, but I'm interested in any observations.

Never saw such a quality before on an EVF.

[Brook Willard]

Simply put... 720p.

[Zakaree Sandberg]

viewfinder = impressive:)

[Jim Arthurs]

The viewfinder is simply perfect. The best electric finder I've ever looked through.

Save those pennys for the EVF.

[dalen johnson]

Simply put... 720p.

I take that as a 'good' thing? Sorry not familiar with EVFs really...

The most experience I have is shooting with a canon xl1 - and realizing that what you see is not what you get.

I came away after framing my interview the way I wanted to find out there was ton of extra space on my edit monitor - I suppose it only showed action/title safe in the viewfinder...didnt need that as the material was for the web...

So, beyond that, not to familar with all this.
I saw mention of OVF, but seeing that there is LCD and EVF for now for red, I want to understand it better.

- If I frame it in camera will I see exactly the same dimension on the computer screen...can I truly frame? (doesnt seem so if its 720p if I shoot at 4k) but I would like to learn more about this stuff...as well as how it compares to other evfs out there.

Is OVF primarily only for film cameras (not to get to much off topic)

peace

Dalen

[Jim Arthurs]

The Canon viewfinder is like squinting through a pin-hole compared to the RED EVF.

To answer your question, the full sensor image is scaled down to 720p for presentation in the finder. Depending on your recording and sensor size, you'll actually see area BEYOND what is recorded, like you do with film cameras.

I'm assuming the framelines will be precise and an accurate guide to what is recorded.

Graeme's "magic focus" tech was NOT revealed at the show.

[S. Um]

I take it that you guys are overwhelmingly recommending the EVF over the LCD. I'm a little reluctant to use an EVF because my left eye is dominant, and when I use the EVF, I would lose the peripheral vision from my right eye (because the view is blocked by the EVF+camera). Any suggestions.

[dalen johnson]

I'm assuming the framelines will be precise and an accurate guide to what is recorded.

Graeme's "magic focus" tech was NOT revealed at the show.

well if they have frame lines, thats cool...wish the canon had it...but I 'cut my teeth' on that camera...learned from trial and error. :)

[Craig Bowman]

I take it that you guys are overwhelmingly recommending the EVF over the LCD. I'm a little reluctant to use an EVF because my left eye is dominant, and when I use the EVF, I would lose the peripheral vision from my right eye (because the view is blocked by the EVF+camera). Any suggestions.

It's moveable, not permanently attached like other cameras. Use a red arm to move it where you need it.

[dalen johnson]

I take it that you guys are overwhelmingly recommending the EVF over the LCD. I'm a little reluctant to use an EVF because my left eye is dominant, and when I use the EVF, I would lose the peripheral vision from my right eye (because the view is blocked by the EVF+camera). Any suggestions.

Im kind of like you on this...I would prefer to see the tv screen/lcd with both eyes. - i think they like the evf because of the colors? what do I konw about this...but that seemed to be it really.

If I had an lcd on top that could be viewed from wide angles with crop lines to show me what is actually being shot...I would dig it vs. sticking my eye in the cup...though I might do both if I had the money to spend.

I mostly watched the t.v. screens, etc. (i was producer) and didnt work the cameras (the sonys, panasonic, etc.)

But, obvioulsy I would like a camera for my own puroposes... :)


Peace

Dalen

[ericyoung]

Someone said the LCD didn't have wide viewing angles - can anyone elaborate? Is it useable for framing when not viewing it straight on - either from the side or above and below? Do the values "invert" beyond a certain angle?

[Robert Jackson]

Im kind of like you on this...I would prefer to see the tv screen/lcd with both eyes. - i think they like the evf because of the colors?

Outdoors in bright sunlight it's pretty hard to use an LCD screen unless you hang some kind of shade on it and even then your eyes have to be able to see into that shade and pick out detail. A viewfinder provides an isolated viewing environment where you can critically examine the image. And this viewfinder is exceptional. It's pretty surprising when you first put your eye up to it. The screen is so big. And so detailed. And so easy to use. I did some quick focusing on the one I tried and found it much easier than I would have expected. I'll be interested to see how the focus assist works, but I was plenty impressed by what I've seen already.

[Shawn Bannon]

I take it that you guys are overwhelmingly recommending the EVF over the LCD. I'm a little reluctant to use an EVF because my left eye is dominant, and when I use the EVF, I would lose the peripheral vision from my right eye (because the view is blocked by the EVF+camera). Any suggestions.

hey just mount the eyepiece on the opposite side of the camera, thats what I do with the arricams, when I need to.

[shaftbond]

Someone said the LCD didn't have wide viewing angles - can anyone elaborate? Is it useable for framing when not viewing it straight on - either from the side or above and below? Do the values "invert" beyond a certain angle?

yeah, it did invert. i don't know the exact angle, but i was standing next to jarred on the live shot and it was inverted at maybe 45-50%. It looked good straight on and there was some play in viewing angle where it still looked good, but i'm planning on going with the EVF over the LCD. As with all LCDs, it would be hard to see in direct sunlight.

[Adrian T.]

As with all LCDs, it would be hard to see in direct sunlight.

I haven't found the posts but Jim mentioned several times that the viewfinder is perfectly viewable in sunlight. Maybe that's why they had to cut back on the viewing angle range.

[Stokestack]

I'm a little reluctant to use an EVF because my left eye is dominant, and when I use the EVF, I would lose the peripheral vision from my right eye (because the view is blocked by the EVF+camera).

I was worried about the positioning of the viewfinder for the left eye too, but mainly about whether it'd be far enough away from the camera body. It was. I have to admit I don't remember how intrusive its support was, in terms of seeing past it with your right eye.

The reason I started this thread is that I haven't used any high-quality EVF before, and I have to admit I thought this one looked a little washed out. I even thought maybe the adjacent track lighting was introducing a bunch of flare, but the matte box ruled that out. But I don't have anything to compare it to, so thanks for the info. Now I guess I have to go over to cinematography.net to read the unmitigated attacks...

[Paul Hazlett]

you will have to be carefull using this viewfinder, which can switch from
color to B&W.

If you are using it in color you may start staring at the gorgeous image and
forgot your actually shooting!!

[Phil Becque]

I'm not an expert in EVF's either but it looked very good to me. The one I looked at had the yellow rectangle frame guide visible and outside that was the 'look around area'. There were other partial frame markers visible as well but I'm not sure what the idea of those was?

In terms of a purchasing choice I'm definately getting one.

Best regards, Phil

[Scott Anderson]

Graeme's "Magic Focus Assist" Actually WAS shown at the show, albeit as a demo still image. You had to know to ask to see it.

Basically the idea is this: Each vertical row is summed, checked for contrast / edge detected / run through the secret algorithm etc., and then displayed underneath the image as a graph, in a narrow horizontal column underneath the image area.

The end result is that you have something that looks like a Histogram, except for focus. seeing it as a still was one thing, but I could easily see that in motion, it would be trivially easy to hone your focus in on exactly what you wanted.

[Alex Boothby]

I still hope they offer a 2X, 3X, 4X zoom-in function for focus assist like the HVX. You can call it amateurish, but I still like it.

Even if it's a digital zoom or blowup with big blocky pixels, it will still help blindies like me.

[Jim Arthurs]

Graeme's "Magic Focus Assist" Actually WAS shown at the show, albeit as a demo still image. You had to know to ask to see it.

Interesting.

I asked Graeme point blank on Monday morning if it could be demo'ed. He said no. He said it wasn't ready for public presentation. I said that there's something going on over at one of the camera stations, (I'd overheard someone mention "posterization" behind the camera)he said that wasn't it.

I'm a pretty polite and genial fellow, I don't think I tweaked him the wrong way or anything... guess we'll have to wait for his final word on this. Perhaps that histogram thingy is only part of the focus assist system?