Opinions on zacuto z finder 3x?? at DVinfo.net

Alessandro Garabaghi · January 13th, 2011, 07:45 AM

Would this be the right z finder for the 7d body?

Are there any other brands I should be looking at? I saw a cheaper lookin one at the local photo store but it attached with elastic bands, and didn't seem very nicely built

Greg Fiske · January 13th, 2011, 10:04 AM

Cinevate cyclops is another one, but I know nothing about it.

Loren Simons · January 13th, 2011, 10:50 AM

All of the Z-Finders will fit the 7D and 5D natively. If you wear glasses than the Z-Finder is the guy to get. I personally prefer the 2.5x as I've seen, and have other people have said, that with the 3X it's like you're looking at the pixels on the screen.
As I said earlier, the robust quality of the Z-Finder is very appealing, as well as the fact that is has an adjustable diopter. If you have good vision like I do, than the LCD VF is a possible less expensive option for you. The LCD VF (EVS Online: LCDVF Viewfinder) attaches to your camera via a Magnetic strip that is than attached to your camera with adhesive.
One more benefit of the LCD VF (or more a draw back of the Z-Finder) is that it doesn't change the height of your camera. The Z-Finder now ships with a baseplate, which is great for having a solid view finder on your camera, but the height of your lens is now raise an inch or so of your rails. This can be problematic when attaching your camera to rigs. For example, the Redrock DSLR Baseplate is designed specifically for the Canon DSLRs, and adapts them to industry standard height, i.e. your lens will line up with matte boxes designed for film cameras. You can of course ditch the baseplate for the Z-Finder, and buy the adhesive piece they offer.

Alessandro Garabaghi · January 13th, 2011, 10:56 AM

Wow, thanks for the information.

I don't wear glasses, so maybe the LCD viewfinder might be a better choice.

I have a couple question, maybe you or someone else can help answer them?

1) When you say adhesive strip, is this something that can be cleaned off and removed later, in the event of selling?
2) Is the LCD viewfinder easy to center over the lcd, or do you have to mess around with it to get it on perfectly?
3) How does this viewfinder fit on the 7D lcd? is it a clean install, do you happen to have pictures of one mounted?

Thanks!

Alessandro Garabaghi · January 13th, 2011, 10:57 AM

LCDVF Webshop

That answered most of my questions.

Sue Rapp · January 15th, 2011, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alessandro Garabaghi

Wow, thanks for the information.

I don't wear glasses, so maybe the LCD viewfinder might be a better choice.

I have a couple question, maybe you or someone else can help answer them?

1) When you say adhesive strip, is this something that can be cleaned off and removed later, in the event of selling?
2) Is the LCD viewfinder easy to center over the lcd, or do you have to mess around with it to get it on perfectly?
3) How does this viewfinder fit on the 7D lcd? is it a clean install, do you happen to have pictures of one mounted?

Thanks!

Alessandro,
Loren pretty much summed the Z-Finder Pro up, but missed a couple key features.The Z-Finder Pro has a lifetime warranty and has anti-fog. Viewfinders have the tendency to fog up but the Z-finder Pro does not! If you don't need a diopter, you might want to look at our Z-Finder Jr. The Z-Finder Jr has an adhesive frame that you mount to your cameral the Jr snaps on and off this frame. The frame can be taken off and your camera will be clean but is meant to be semi-permanent. If you take it off, you will need to get an new adhesive. It also has a lifetime warranty like the Z-Finder Pro. It does not have a diopter or anti-fog. I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any questions. sue@zacuto.com

Robert Turchick · January 15th, 2011, 10:04 PM

I like the z- finder but it got a LOT more comfy to use with the eyepiece chamois they sell for $5
I do wear glasses and it really helps.

Loren Simons · January 20th, 2011, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue Rapp

Alessandro,
Loren pretty much summed the Z-Finder Pro up, but missed a couple key features.The Z-Finder Pro has a lifetime warranty and has anti-fog. Viewfinders have the tendency to fog up but the Z-finder Pro does not! If you don't need a diopter, you might want to look at our Z-Finder Jr. The Z-Finder Jr has an adhesive frame that you mount to your cameral the Jr snaps on and off this frame. The frame can be taken off and your camera will be clean but is meant to be semi-permanent. If you take it off, you will need to get an new adhesive. It also has a lifetime warranty like the Z-Finder Pro. It does not have a diopter or anti-fog. I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any questions. sue@zacuto.com

Sorry about that Sue,
Sue is completely right though, all of the Zacuto products have that great lifetime warrantee, including their line of finders. When I'm in a scenario that calls for a viewfinder (I'm usually shooting with a monitor on my Redrock Field Cinema Bundle) I use my LCD VF just because I own one, however I have experienced fogging issues. There are multiple resources for fixing this issue, even like using special wipes. But if you don't want to be fumbling around with cloths you've dipped in vinegar (one of the homemade solutions) on set in a professional environment, than the convenience of having a built in anti-fog filter like the one that comes in the Z-Finder Pro will pay for itself.

Doug Bailey · January 21st, 2011, 05:32 PM

I bought a Hoodcrane and love it in every way. It does have a diopter and is well built for reasonable $. I was concerned about size as it looked fairly large in the camera store picture, but after watching their promo video realized that it's about the size of a medium sized hand. However, I have had it fog. I slip it on and off if I'm shooting stills or video and set a MKE400 on top. I don't use the swivel function. I'm truly happy with this setup.

January 13th, 2011, 07:45 AM	#1
Alessandro Garabaghi Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 132	Opinions on zacuto z finder 3x?? Would this be the right z finder for the 7d body? Are there any other brands I should be looking at? I saw a cheaper lookin one at the local photo store but it attached with elastic bands, and didn't seem very nicely built __________________ www.garabaghi.com Canon 7D \| Canon 17 - 40 f4L

January 13th, 2011, 10:50 AM	#3
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	All of the Z-Finders will fit the 7D and 5D natively. If you wear glasses than the Z-Finder is the guy to get. I personally prefer the 2.5x as I've seen, and have other people have said, that with the 3X it's like you're looking at the pixels on the screen. As I said earlier, the robust quality of the Z-Finder is very appealing, as well as the fact that is has an adjustable diopter. If you have good vision like I do, than the LCD VF is a possible less expensive option for you. The LCD VF (EVS Online: LCDVF Viewfinder) attaches to your camera via a Magnetic strip that is than attached to your camera with adhesive. One more benefit of the LCD VF (or more a draw back of the Z-Finder) is that it doesn't change the height of your camera. The Z-Finder now ships with a baseplate, which is great for having a solid view finder on your camera, but the height of your lens is now raise an inch or so of your rails. This can be problematic when attaching your camera to rigs. For example, the Redrock DSLR Baseplate is designed specifically for the Canon DSLRs, and adapts them to industry standard height, i.e. your lens will line up with matte boxes designed for film cameras. You can of course ditch the baseplate for the Z-Finder, and buy the adhesive piece they offer. __________________ Loren Simons

January 13th, 2011, 10:56 AM	#4
Alessandro Garabaghi Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 132	Wow, thanks for the information. I don't wear glasses, so maybe the LCD viewfinder might be a better choice. I have a couple question, maybe you or someone else can help answer them? 1) When you say adhesive strip, is this something that can be cleaned off and removed later, in the event of selling? 2) Is the LCD viewfinder easy to center over the lcd, or do you have to mess around with it to get it on perfectly? 3) How does this viewfinder fit on the 7D lcd? is it a clean install, do you happen to have pictures of one mounted? Thanks! __________________ www.garabaghi.com Canon 7D \| Canon 17 - 40 f4L

January 13th, 2011, 10:57 AM	#5
Alessandro Garabaghi Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Orlando, Fl Posts: 132	LCDVF Webshop That answered most of my questions. __________________ www.garabaghi.com Canon 7D \| Canon 17 - 40 f4L

January 15th, 2011, 10:04 PM	#7
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	I like the z- finder but it got a LOT more comfy to use with the eyepiece chamois they sell for $5 I do wear glasses and it really helps. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

January 13th, 2011, 10:04 AM	#2
Greg Fiske Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Santa Ana, CA Posts: 499	Cinevate cyclops is another one, but I know nothing about it.

January 21st, 2011, 05:32 PM	#9
Doug Bailey Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 164	I bought a Hoodcrane and love it in every way. It does have a diopter and is well built for reasonable $. I was concerned about size as it looked fairly large in the camera store picture, but after watching their promo video realized that it's about the size of a medium sized hand. However, I have had it fog. I slip it on and off if I'm shooting stills or video and set a MKE400 on top. I don't use the swivel function. I'm truly happy with this setup.