Red Rock Micro EVF at DVinfo.net

Frank Grygier · September 28th, 2010, 09:25 AM

This is interesting:

Redrock Micro releases microEVF for DSLRs: Digital Photography Review

Zach Love · September 28th, 2010, 09:48 AM

Very interesting.

I know that the HDMI out while recording isn't full HD, but I doubt you really need full 1920x1080 in a viewfinder. So I'll be interested in hearing reviews from different DSLR users when this comes out.

Seems like a much better tool for video than the standard loupe that has existed until now. Plus, as something that has tiny electronics & stuff built into it, I think it is a good price at $595, compared to competitor things w/o any tiny electronics & stuff that go for almost $400.

Zach Love · September 29th, 2010, 11:47 AM

Wow, that didn't take long for Zacuto to respond...
.
Wonder what their price will be, and if their EVF + Z-Finder will be in the same $$$ range as the Redrock.

Nice that it has HDMI pass through, but for the current stock of DSLRs I don't know how useful it is. Though having it is appealing for use on other cameras with uncompressed feeds through HDMI.

Jean-Philippe Archibald · September 29th, 2010, 11:55 AM

Zacuto says that their EVF will be out in febuary 2009 at 775$ and you have to add the optical viewfinder (if I understand correctly)

Redrock is 595$. No word on availability. The unit is complete on itself.

I think the HDMI loop, the use of the canon batteries and the ability to switch from viewfinder form to LCD screen (albeit small) form are very big plusses on the Zacuto side that might offset the price inconvinient.

Wonder if you can use other optical viewfinder on it, like the LCDVF one.

Toenis Liivamaegi · September 30th, 2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Philippe Archibald

Wonder if you can use other optical viewfinder on it, like the LCDVF one.

Anyone can use any existing LCDVF on the upcoming LCD module manufactured by LCDVF ;)

T

Jean-Philippe Archibald · September 30th, 2010, 07:52 PM

Toenis: Are you really developping such a product? I didn't heard about it. Could you point me to some infos?. I think that the HDMI loop is mandatory on such a product. Zacuto did it well on it. If you are still in the design phase, please consider it!

Zach Love · September 30th, 2010, 11:48 PM

The HDMI loop is only necessary if you want to future proof the product. The HDMI output of every current HDSLR is hardly useful. I'm sure in the future, the HDMI output of the cameras that replace the current HDSLRs will be full stream, and then you can use a Nano Flash, or AJA Ki Pro Mini & record in a really great codec.

Now if I purchase a Canon 60D for $1,100 and want a EVF I have two options:

Pay $1,200 to Zacuto for something that will be useful to me now & in the future too.
Pay $600 to RedRock for something that will be useful to me now & maybe in the future.

That is a BIG price difference & I'm sure many people aren't going to want to spend more on their viewfinder than they did on their camera.

Jean-Philippe Archibald · October 1st, 2010, 07:59 AM

Zach, For my part, I could not care less about nanoflash or other similar devices. The workflow the camera offer to me in post with cineform is more than adequate.

What I REALLY need, is the ability to monitor in camera AND send a feed to my focus puller, and/or director and/or client WHILE shooting, without having to use a hdmi splitter box that requires an external power source. That's why the hdmi loop is such a great feature that itself justify the price of the zacuto unit for me. Of course, if a less expansive solution comes out, I would be really happy.

Zach Love · October 4th, 2010, 10:09 AM

Jean-Philippe Archibald, that is what is called a workflow. And then for you, the Zacuto one will be the good choice. Unless you can run HDMI to the EVF & composite to the client / producer / etc. monitor.

But if the client wants to see it as it is happening, then the extra money is worth is 100%.

Evan Donn · October 4th, 2010, 12:21 PM

RR just added HDMI loop through to the feature list for their EVF, so it looks like that wan't really be a point of differentiation any more - biggest difference now is the ability to use the Zacuto as a small monitor as well as a viewfinder. Of course for roughly the price of the Zacuto you could get both the RR and the new Marshall 5" so I'm not sure how big a selling point that is.

Toenis Liivamaegi · October 7th, 2010, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean-Philippe Archibald

Toenis: Are you really developping such a product? I didn't heard about it. Could you point me to some infos?. I think that the HDMI loop is mandatory on such a product. Zacuto did it well on it. If you are still in the design phase, please consider it!

The HDMI loopthrough was on our list back in March already when everybody cried for HDMI splitter so...
... so hopefully ours will be the best out there at reasonable price. We just won't release the details too soon as I personally want all our competitors to suffer this time, no more open dev like it was in the case of "Classic" LCDVF. Just keep the requests flowing.

By the way, if you ask any camera operator or optics engineer how difficult it is to magnify and view a 0.5" LCOS element when compared to a 3" LCD screen you'll get a pretty much same answer.

T

Sander Vreuls · October 7th, 2010, 12:33 PM

Seems like a decent solution! I couldn't wait and had allready converted an old DXF-501.. this seems like just the item to replace it with!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0/DSC02060.jpg
Suppose that gives me the chance to update the wiring and add audio while I'm at it..
Can't wait for reviews

September 28th, 2010, 09:25 AM	#1
Frank Grygier Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Austin,TX Posts: 125	Red Rock Micro EVF This is interesting: Redrock Micro releases microEVF for DSLRs: Digital Photography Review

September 28th, 2010, 09:48 AM	#2
Zach Love Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 944	Very interesting. I know that the HDMI out while recording isn't full HD, but I doubt you really need full 1920x1080 in a viewfinder. So I'll be interested in hearing reviews from different DSLR users when this comes out. Seems like a much better tool for video than the standard loupe that has existed until now. Plus, as something that has tiny electronics & stuff built into it, I think it is a good price at $595, compared to competitor things w/o any tiny electronics & stuff that go for almost $400. __________________ Nothing says you're a serious video maker like S-VHS

September 29th, 2010, 11:47 AM	#3
Zach Love Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 944	Wow, that didn't take long for Zacuto to respond... . Wonder what their price will be, and if their EVF + Z-Finder will be in the same $$$ range as the Redrock. Nice that it has HDMI pass through, but for the current stock of DSLRs I don't know how useful it is. Though having it is appealing for use on other cameras with uncompressed feeds through HDMI. __________________ Nothing says you're a serious video maker like S-VHS

September 29th, 2010, 11:55 AM	#4
Jean-Philippe Archibald Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saguenay, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,051	Zacuto says that their EVF will be out in febuary 2009 at 775$ and you have to add the optical viewfinder (if I understand correctly) Redrock is 595$. No word on availability. The unit is complete on itself. I think the HDMI loop, the use of the canon batteries and the ability to switch from viewfinder form to LCD screen (albeit small) form are very big plusses on the Zacuto side that might offset the price inconvinient. Wonder if you can use other optical viewfinder on it, like the LCDVF one. __________________ Jean-Philippe Archibald http://www.jparchibald.com - http://www.vimeo.com/jparchib

September 30th, 2010, 07:52 PM	#6
Jean-Philippe Archibald Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saguenay, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,051	Toenis: Are you really developping such a product? I didn't heard about it. Could you point me to some infos?. I think that the HDMI loop is mandatory on such a product. Zacuto did it well on it. If you are still in the design phase, please consider it! __________________ Jean-Philippe Archibald http://www.jparchibald.com - http://www.vimeo.com/jparchib

September 30th, 2010, 11:48 PM	#7
Zach Love Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 944	The HDMI loop is only necessary if you want to future proof the product. The HDMI output of every current HDSLR is hardly useful. I'm sure in the future, the HDMI output of the cameras that replace the current HDSLRs will be full stream, and then you can use a Nano Flash, or AJA Ki Pro Mini & record in a really great codec. Now if I purchase a Canon 60D for $1,100 and want a EVF I have two options: Pay $1,200 to Zacuto for something that will be useful to me now & in the future too. Pay $600 to RedRock for something that will be useful to me now & maybe in the future. That is a BIG price difference & I'm sure many people aren't going to want to spend more on their viewfinder than they did on their camera. __________________ Nothing says you're a serious video maker like S-VHS

October 1st, 2010, 07:59 AM	#8
Jean-Philippe Archibald Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saguenay, Québec, Canada Posts: 1,051	Zach, For my part, I could not care less about nanoflash or other similar devices. The workflow the camera offer to me in post with cineform is more than adequate. What I REALLY need, is the ability to monitor in camera AND send a feed to my focus puller, and/or director and/or client WHILE shooting, without having to use a hdmi splitter box that requires an external power source. That's why the hdmi loop is such a great feature that itself justify the price of the zacuto unit for me. Of course, if a less expansive solution comes out, I would be really happy. __________________ Jean-Philippe Archibald http://www.jparchibald.com - http://www.vimeo.com/jparchib

October 4th, 2010, 10:09 AM	#9
Zach Love Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 944	Jean-Philippe Archibald, that is what is called a workflow. And then for you, the Zacuto one will be the good choice. Unless you can run HDMI to the EVF & composite to the client / producer / etc. monitor. But if the client wants to see it as it is happening, then the extra money is worth is 100%. __________________ Nothing says you're a serious video maker like S-VHS

October 4th, 2010, 12:21 PM	#10
Evan Donn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 795	RR just added HDMI loop through to the feature list for their EVF, so it looks like that wan't really be a point of differentiation any more - biggest difference now is the ability to use the Zacuto as a small monitor as well as a viewfinder. Of course for roughly the price of the Zacuto you could get both the RR and the new Marshall 5" so I'm not sure how big a selling point that is. __________________ My latest short documentary: "Four Pauls: Bring the Hat Back!"

October 7th, 2010, 12:33 PM	#12
Sander Vreuls Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hilversum, The Netherlands Posts: 184	Seems like a decent solution! I couldn't wait and had allready converted an old DXF-501.. this seems like just the item to replace it with! http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0/DSC02060.jpg Suppose that gives me the chance to update the wiring and add audio while I'm at it.. Can't wait for reviews