EVF, EPL and Geared Head

[John Brawley]

Hello.

Im shooting RED on a film coming up soon and prefer to use a geared head. The RED EVF doesn't seem to have any easy provision for this and maybe it doesn't need to have the traditional EPL mount anyways.

A geared head normally has the operator operating more from behind the camera rather than from the side, and it looks to me, even with the EVF mounted on the rails all the way to the rear, that it still won't be long enough.

Plus is there even anyway to pivot the EVF in it's mount in shot ?

My next thought would be to mount the EVF off the camera and make it work that way. Is there a limitation on how long the cable can be to get the VF off camera ?

I may have missed something because I still haven't actually SEEN an evf....

Anyone else have any thoughts ?

jb

[Brook Willard]

Element Technica EVF mount + Element Technica eyepiece extension is what you want. The extension interfaces with standard Arri eyepiece levelers.

[John Brawley]

Element Technica EVF mount + Element Technica eyepiece extension is what you want. The extension interfaces with standard Arri eyepiece levelers.

Thanks for the response. I see the mount may be the answer looking at their website, but I could find the eyepiece extension. Is that shipping ?

jb

[eltech]

The EVF mount just started shipping yesterday. The extension should be done in the next couple of weeks.

Stay tuned to the website for updates.

[John Brawley]

The EVF mount just started shipping yesterday. The extension should be done in the next couple of weeks.

Stay tuned to the website for updates.

Thanks again. Have you got a spec as far as how long the extension is ? Is it an optical extension like the optex / Chrosziel types ? Will there be a selection of sizes ?
thanks..

jb

[astro]

This might be more what your after.

http://store.simvideo.com/

[tj williams]

HI Eltech....
1. Does your viewfinder mount follow with the std arri rod?
2. Does it pivot freely on th rod to keep level in a big gear tilt?
3. Will the extension allow positioning far enough to the rear?
4. When it is unsupported in the front can your eye tilt it by holding it tightly against your eye when tilting?

[Alexis Vanier]

This might not be optimal and good looking... but why mount it. Or why mount it to the camera? It's on a wire...

Eyepiece extension sounds best tough. Looking forward to see that.

[John Brawley]

This might not be optimal and good looking... but why mount it. Or why mount it to the camera? It's on a wire...



Which is what I was thinking. you still have to have it close though because your hands have to be able to reach the wheels.

Can anyone say if there's a limit to how long the evf cable is ?

jb

[Alexis Vanier]

Which is what I was thinking. you still have to have it close though because your hands have to be able to reach the wheels.

Can anyone say if there's a limit to how long the evf cable is ?

jb

Oh, sorry. I had actually missed that bit. The cable bundled with the EVF is 2ft, but I guess like the LCD you can get a longer one. My thought was to mount it directly to the tripod. I have a cardellini, maffer, gobo arm and noga arm rig in mind... but there's probably something more elegant out there.

Otherwise I thought you could mount it to your head... like night vision goggles. You'll need a strong neck and a long cable though. :sarcasm:

(no really, it's not entirely stupid...)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3f/24-Hour_Operations%2C_Baghdad%2C_18_October_2007.jpg/638px-24-Hour_Operations%2C_Baghdad%2C_18_October_2007.jpg

[Brook Willard]

HI Eltech....
1. Does your viewfinder mount follow with the std arri rod?
2. Does it pivot freely on th rod to keep level in a big gear tilt?
3. Will the extension allow positioning far enough to the rear?
4. When it is unsupported in the front can your eye tilt it by holding it tightly against your eye when tilting?

Yes on all counts.

[Charles Papert]

The notion of mounting eyepieces to the head (whether fluid or geared) is something I've been kicking around for a long time with non-film cameras. Even the best traditional levelers are somewhat useless when the eyepiece needs to be positioned significantly above or below horizontal. It's pretty easy to imagine how much better this would be with a telescoping post that fastens to the side of the head in use (probably at the same attachment point as the leveler) but a lot harder to figure out how to make it rigid enough.

I've been playing around with using onboard monitors to frame on HD jobs rather than the eyepiece, mostly because HD viewfinders have been pretty disappointing to date and there are certain advantages to retaining your peripheral vision. However one loses that intangible connection that a darkened eyepiece provides. At the time when HD viewfinders can provide an image as engaging as those on modern film cameras, it will be something of a breakthrough (I have not yet seen the RED EVF in a functional setting). Still though, it's nice to not have to "plug the hole" resulting in wrestling one's body into a pretzel as can be the case with the optical path viewfinders...

[John Brawley]

I've been playing around with using onboard monitors to frame on HD jobs rather than the eyepiece, mostly because HD viewfinders have been pretty disappointing to date and there are certain advantages to retaining your peripheral vision. However one loses that intangible connection that a darkened eyepiece provides. At the time when HD viewfinders can provide an image as engaging as those on modern film cameras, it will be something of a breakthrough (I have not yet seen the RED EVF in a functional setting). Still though, it's nice to not have to "plug the hole" resulting in wrestling one's body into a pretzel as can be the case with the optical path viewfinders...

Great post CHarles.

I too prefer the closeness and enveloping nature of a viewfinder rather that an LCD. I think it makes for better operating. And yes it's a pain in the ass that no electronic viewfinders are able to have any kind of safety shootoff so that you can see stuff before it actually gets into the frame !!!! or time the move so you can switch a single just as someone comes in close. but that's a separate issue...

I think the viewfinder still needs to be attached to the head in someway as opposed to the helmet or whatever because you still need that tactile connection to the head. You need to be at *one* with the what the camera is doing. I often operate with both eyes open and that takes care of the peripheral stuff mostly. So attached to tripod head or camera. That way it pans or pivots when the camera does. And elevates or de-els on a dolly. And you can feel it.

Seem like you just need a super long magic arm that bolts to the back or hangs off the rails and holds the vf in a way that allows it to pivot using only the force of your clamped eyeball...

jb

[dalemccready]

I'm with Charles, I've been kicking the idea around for a while to attach the EVF to the pan/tilt head where the leveller connection is also.
There's no reason to attach to the camera for long pipe style operating and thus could be a significant improvement for the operator as the EVF will be able to pan but not have to tip with the camera tilt.

[Brook Willard]

And yes it's a pain in the ass that no electronic viewfinders are able to have any kind of safety shootoff so that you can see stuff before it actually gets into the frame !!!! or time the move so you can switch a single just as someone comes in close. but that's a separate issue...

The RED EVF allows for this...

[eltech]

We are pretty close to showing an extension. Initially it will be an extension that is compatible with the leveller from Arriflex since they are well built and easy to find. It probably won't take long before the number of RED EVFs exceeds the available Arri levellers so we will introduce our own (affordable) Arri compatible leveller.

We have an Arri leveller in house and our extension is almost done. Anyone on this list have an Arri geared head they would like to bring by for testing?

[John Brawley]

We have an Arri leveller in house and our extension is almost done. Anyone on this list have an Arri geared head they would like to bring by for testing?


Would love to.....

im just a bit to far away......

looking forward to it...

jb