Color LCD viewfinder

Mike Teutsch · July 29th, 2005, 07:16 PM

The B&W viewfinder is $1,900.00 list and hard to find used. About $1,500.00 to $1,600.00 is the best buy on it new. Many here use a LCD monitor to get a better view. I have a Varizoom on one of mine, and I like it. It has underscan, so you get a better idea of what you are actually shooting. Framing on the color viewfinder is way off.

Just so you know the word is that the FU-500, the color viewfinder, has been discontinued. I would not recommend getting rid of it. You might end up needing it.

Mike

Lisa Williams · August 15th, 2005, 12:34 PM

My viewfinder, a canon fu500, has literally cracked in half. Has anyone else ever had this happen?

Do I need to replace the whole viewfinder or do they sell just the casing. Any ideas?

Mike Teutsch · August 15th, 2005, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa Williams

My viewfinder, a canon fu500, has literally cracked in half. Has anyone else ever had this happen?

Do I need to replace the whole viewfinder or do they sell just the casing. Any ideas?

Had another post the same problem here about two months ago.

You need to call canon right away to see if they have any left, or if they can repair yours. They are being closed out. No supplies at retailers now. B&H says they are discontinued. I paid $369.00 for one at Canon a couple of months ago. Push them, as they may say it is not available anylonger, but they will have some stashed somewhere I believe.

A FU-500 and the stock mic, went for $660.00 last week on ebay.

Mike

Lisa Williams · August 16th, 2005, 10:25 AM

I did find one at focuscamera.com. Ever heard of them? They have one for $319.95. I found some a little cheaper but didn't trust the sites. I may put in my purchase order for this one and see if something better comes along before they cut my check for it.

Thanks so much for your help!

I really love this site!

Chris Hurd · August 16th, 2005, 11:22 AM

Hi Lisa,

Just because a site lists that item, doesn't mean they have it in stock. Be sure to check with our sponsors first (see link in my signature). Try calling EVS, B&H, Zotz Digital and ZGC. Maybe I was seeing things but when I visted Zotz Digital awhile back, I thought I saw an FU500 box on the shelf there.

Mike Teutsch · August 16th, 2005, 02:36 PM

Exactly, call and ask when they can ship. They will probably tell you they are awaiting a shipment, on back order, but don't know when it will arrive and will want you to order and let you know when it will ship later.

As I said before, Everyone wanted to advise me on shipment and B&H told me they were discontinued, and in fact they are no longer listed on their site. Check it out. All they have are FU-1000s.

Call the sponsors quickly, and try to get one. I could not find one and twisted Canons arm for one. In fact it would be great for B&H if they could buy any existng stock and help us out. Problem is, I don't think Canon is selling their existing stock. Call everyone quickly and if there are none, call Canon quickly.

Chris, perhaps you could contact B&H and get us a difinitive answer, so all of those here with an XL1 or XL1s will know where we stand. This could end up being a big problem for us users, after all the XL2 viewfinder will not work on the previous models.

Thanks for your help.

Mike

Griffith J. Griffith · August 30th, 2005, 07:54 AM

You can send it to Canon If it can be repaired they will send you an estimate. When I broke mine it cost about $100.00 inc parts

Mekhael Trepanier · October 27th, 2005, 08:13 PM

hello i realize this is an old thread... but my camera broke in teh same spot
well not at the swivel but on that brace that goes accross and mounts to the camera rite in teh L part of it... when it was broken open i was able to look inside and theres only one wire going through it and with some screws and L plates i put it back together now stronger than it ever was...

Ron Armstrong · October 27th, 2005, 11:21 PM

Hi Norman;
You've probably fixed your viewfinder by now. So here are some tips for those who haven't. First, if the screen still shows an image, you can use rubber bands to hold the viewfinder together long enough to finish your shoot. I've used mine that way for a month after it was broken in Alaska. When you are ready for a permanent fix, dissassemble the viewfinder with a jewelers philips head screwdriver, call Canon Service and order the rectangular part with the four studs that is probably broken. Part # DA1-8351 000, I think. Reassemble the unit, being careful to position the parts correctly. Be sure the electical connections are secure. Cost: $9.95 or less.
Presto, good as new and your on your way!

Dean Orewiler · February 5th, 2006, 12:43 PM

how accurate is this display with the settings of it set on the default or no additional EVF color toward the red or green...I know shooters install their own monitors, but is this a neccessary expense?

Dan Keaton · February 5th, 2006, 02:56 PM

If the situation allows, always use a good broadcast monitor attached to your XL1s.

The viewfinder is not really good enough for critical focusing. Also, it is easy to miss important things, such as a boom pole in the scene, or lens flare.

Using a good, properly setup broadcast monitor will help you see things clearly. It is a great tool. Of couse, I realize that this is not always possible.

You can set the camera to display the SMPTE colorbars, and then check the colors yourself. Personally, on my Xl1s, I never had a problem with the color rendition, I just did not use it as the final authority.

Tony Davies-Patrick · February 5th, 2006, 03:03 PM

It may slightly vary with different XL1s bodies, but with with the ones that I have used I found that the XL1s viewfinder set at default (EVF colour marker at central position) shows far more red colour than the final footage on the actual tape, so tend to adjust the viewfinder EVF slightly towards green. If you simply leave the viewfinder EVF control at the central position, and then increase colour (color) gain in the Custom Preset, the viewfinder will tend to show a much warmer image than the actual DV footage (for example, when later shown on a digital TV screen, or made direct into DVD without any colour change in editing, the results tend to be cooler than what was shown through the original XL1s viewfinder).

Juan Alvino · July 31st, 2006, 05:40 PM

Hello, I turned on my camera for the first time in 2 months and noticed
what looks like pixels in the viewfinder. Anyone familiar with this problem,
and can I still use the camera without the pixels showing up on the
recording? I haven't run any tests yet, but thought I'd get some professional
opinions before going further. FYI - I did take the camera to a well known
video/audio company here in Houston but they wanted $90 before even touching the camera.
Appreciate your comments.
J.A.

Owen Dawe · August 1st, 2006, 11:50 PM

You need to establish if the dead pixels are in the viewfinder or the ccd unit in the camera. Connect the camera up to a monitor or tv and see if the dead pixels are visable. If they're not the problem is probably in the viewfinder. You maybe able to live with this and keep shooting. Also it may not be a pixel problem but specks of dust. Use a blower brush and clean off the lens and the glass on the diopter. You can remove the eye glass section and clean both sides of the eye glass. There is a very small lcd unit. Don't touch or scratch it.
The eyepiece lcd konked out on my camera and cost over 400 bucks to fix.

Amani Channel · April 5th, 2007, 12:15 PM

I'm shooting with an XL1 and I have a freelance job that requires I feed video directly out to a DVD recorder as I'm shooting. The problem is the record display. I can't figure out if there's a way to turn off the display counter and video info that's normally in the viewfinder. Is there a way to turn it off?

Thanks

ac

July 29th, 2005, 07:16 PM	#211
Mike Teutsch Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 2,614	The B&W viewfinder is $1,900.00 list and hard to find used. About $1,500.00 to $1,600.00 is the best buy on it new. Many here use a LCD monitor to get a better view. I have a Varizoom on one of mine, and I like it. It has underscan, so you get a better idea of what you are actually shooting. Framing on the color viewfinder is way off. Just so you know the word is that the FU-500, the color viewfinder, has been discontinued. I would not recommend getting rid of it. You might end up needing it. Mike __________________ Chapter one, line one. The BH.

August 15th, 2005, 12:34 PM	#212
Lisa Williams New Boot Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9	Viewfinder Snapped! My viewfinder, a canon fu500, has literally cracked in half. Has anyone else ever had this happen? Do I need to replace the whole viewfinder or do they sell just the casing. Any ideas?

August 16th, 2005, 10:25 AM	#214
Lisa Williams New Boot Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9	Been searching for new one I did find one at focuscamera.com. Ever heard of them? They have one for $319.95. I found some a little cheaper but didn't trust the sites. I may put in my purchase order for this one and see if something better comes along before they cut my check for it. Thanks so much for your help! I really love this site!

August 16th, 2005, 11:22 AM	#215
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Hi Lisa, Just because a site lists that item, doesn't mean they have it in stock. Be sure to check with our sponsors first (see link in my signature). Try calling EVS, B&H, Zotz Digital and ZGC. Maybe I was seeing things but when I visted Zotz Digital awhile back, I thought I saw an FU500 box on the shelf there. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

August 16th, 2005, 02:36 PM	#216
Mike Teutsch Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida Posts: 2,614	Exactly, call and ask when they can ship. They will probably tell you they are awaiting a shipment, on back order, but don't know when it will arrive and will want you to order and let you know when it will ship later. As I said before, Everyone wanted to advise me on shipment and B&H told me they were discontinued, and in fact they are no longer listed on their site. Check it out. All they have are FU-1000s. Call the sponsors quickly, and try to get one. I could not find one and twisted Canons arm for one. In fact it would be great for B&H if they could buy any existng stock and help us out. Problem is, I don't think Canon is selling their existing stock. Call everyone quickly and if there are none, call Canon quickly. Chris, perhaps you could contact B&H and get us a difinitive answer, so all of those here with an XL1 or XL1s will know where we stand. This could end up being a big problem for us users, after all the XL2 viewfinder will not work on the previous models. Thanks for your help. Mike __________________ Chapter one, line one. The BH.

August 30th, 2005, 07:54 AM	#217
Griffith J. Griffith New Boot Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 8	broken finder You can send it to Canon If it can be repaired they will send you an estimate. When I broke mine it cost about $100.00 inc parts

October 27th, 2005, 08:13 PM	#218
Mekhael Trepanier Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 144	repair ideas hello i realize this is an old thread... but my camera broke in teh same spot well not at the swivel but on that brace that goes accross and mounts to the camera rite in teh L part of it... when it was broken open i was able to look inside and theres only one wire going through it and with some screws and L plates i put it back together now stronger than it ever was...

October 27th, 2005, 11:21 PM	#219
Ron Armstrong Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kent, Washington, USA Posts: 113	Hi Norman; You've probably fixed your viewfinder by now. So here are some tips for those who haven't. First, if the screen still shows an image, you can use rubber bands to hold the viewfinder together long enough to finish your shoot. I've used mine that way for a month after it was broken in Alaska. When you are ready for a permanent fix, dissassemble the viewfinder with a jewelers philips head screwdriver, call Canon Service and order the rectangular part with the four studs that is probably broken. Part # DA1-8351 000, I think. Reassemble the unit, being careful to position the parts correctly. Be sure the electical connections are secure. Cost: $9.95 or less. Presto, good as new and your on your way!

February 5th, 2006, 12:43 PM	#220
Dean Orewiler Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 186	XL1S color viewfinder display how accurate is this display with the settings of it set on the default or no additional EVF color toward the red or green...I know shooters install their own monitors, but is this a neccessary expense?

February 5th, 2006, 02:56 PM	#221
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	If the situation allows, always use a good broadcast monitor attached to your XL1s. The viewfinder is not really good enough for critical focusing. Also, it is easy to miss important things, such as a boom pole in the scene, or lens flare. Using a good, properly setup broadcast monitor will help you see things clearly. It is a great tool. Of couse, I realize that this is not always possible. You can set the camera to display the SMPTE colorbars, and then check the colors yourself. Personally, on my Xl1s, I never had a problem with the color rendition, I just did not use it as the final authority. __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia

February 5th, 2006, 03:03 PM	#222
Tony Davies-Patrick Trustee Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worldwide Posts: 1,589	It may slightly vary with different XL1s bodies, but with with the ones that I have used I found that the XL1s viewfinder set at default (EVF colour marker at central position) shows far more red colour than the final footage on the actual tape, so tend to adjust the viewfinder EVF slightly towards green. If you simply leave the viewfinder EVF control at the central position, and then increase colour (color) gain in the Custom Preset, the viewfinder will tend to show a much warmer image than the actual DV footage (for example, when later shown on a digital TV screen, or made direct into DVD without any colour change in editing, the results tend to be cooler than what was shown through the original XL1s viewfinder). __________________ www.WILDCARP.com www.NIKON.me.uk

July 31st, 2006, 05:40 PM	#223
Juan Alvino Tourist Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1	viewfinder on Canon XL1 Hello, I turned on my camera for the first time in 2 months and noticed what looks like pixels in the viewfinder. Anyone familiar with this problem, and can I still use the camera without the pixels showing up on the recording? I haven't run any tests yet, but thought I'd get some professional opinions before going further. FYI - I did take the camera to a well known video/audio company here in Houston but they wanted $90 before even touching the camera. Appreciate your comments. J.A.

August 1st, 2006, 11:50 PM	#224
Owen Dawe Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Lake Tarawera, Rotorua, New Zealand Posts: 244	You need to establish if the dead pixels are in the viewfinder or the ccd unit in the camera. Connect the camera up to a monitor or tv and see if the dead pixels are visable. If they're not the problem is probably in the viewfinder. You maybe able to live with this and keep shooting. Also it may not be a pixel problem but specks of dust. Use a blower brush and clean off the lens and the glass on the diopter. You can remove the eye glass section and clean both sides of the eye glass. There is a very small lcd unit. Don't touch or scratch it. The eyepiece lcd konked out on my camera and cost over 400 bucks to fix. __________________ Owen

April 5th, 2007, 12:15 PM	#225
Amani Channel New Boot Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 7	Question about viewfinder display I'm shooting with an XL1 and I have a freelance job that requires I feed video directly out to a DVD recorder as I'm shooting. The problem is the record display. I can't figure out if there's a way to turn off the display counter and video info that's normally in the viewfinder. Is there a way to turn it off? Thanks ac