HM700 v/f on HD201 at DVinfo.net

George Kilroy · April 26th, 2010, 03:58 AM

Does anyone know if the viewfinder used on the HM700 would work on a HD201.
Having used the far superior new v/f I find the one on the 201 to be awful to work with. I am coming from using 1 1/2 inch b/w crt v/f. on previous cameras

Ron Fabienke · June 23rd, 2010, 09:44 PM

I have my HD200 at JVC Cypress in CA getting the tape mechanism adjusted and asked the technician that question. Unfortunately he said it they could not be swapped.

Eric Deyerler · June 30th, 2010, 04:22 PM

It don't works!

Tim Dashwood · July 2nd, 2010, 04:09 PM

Sorry. The HM700 series VF is completely digital and has a different connector than the HD100/200 series.

George Kilroy · July 7th, 2010, 11:47 AM

Thanks to all for your replies
That's a shame as the 700's viewfinder is so much better. I bought the 200 as a support/back-up camera but find working with it's vf/monitor a real pain. Neither the viewfinder nor monitor show very accurate colour or exposure. I have to rely/hope that the camera's 'brain' is getting it right. For the most part it does but I really like to have some assurance at the shooting stage; the 700 does that with a very good image on both that show pretty well the same colouring and exposure as I'll see on my NLE system and final viewing image.

Ben Lynn · July 21st, 2010, 07:52 PM

You really worded that well George. I shoot with a HD-100 and a HM-700 and it's a big adjustment going from one to the next. I feel like you do when I shoot with the 100; that you have to cross your fingers a lot. Forget about setting a color on that camera. I basically spent a lot of time when I first got the camera testing and getting the coloration where I wanted it. Then I just had to trust that the camera was doing what it needed. In my case the settings don't change once I get them set and I can leave them from one shoot to the next. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for people who've had to adjust their color settings for each location. And for the exposure, I had to live and die with the zebra bars.

The 700 is like you described and much better at showing the actual exposure and coloration. That's been nice when lighting conditions change and I need to make an educated guess on the exposure levels.

Have you thought about a small monitor to mount on the 200's hot shoe and use for monitoring? I'm not sure what type of shooting you do so it might not be practical. They're making some field usable, lightweight HD monitors now for $1000 so it's actually becoming and option.

April 26th, 2010, 03:58 AM	#1
George Kilroy Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 699	HM700 v/f on HD201 Does anyone know if the viewfinder used on the HM700 would work on a HD201. Having used the far superior new v/f I find the one on the 201 to be awful to work with. I am coming from using 1 1/2 inch b/w crt v/f. on previous cameras

July 2nd, 2010, 04:09 PM	#4
Tim Dashwood Wrangler Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 3,637	Sorry. The HM700 series VF is completely digital and has a different connector than the HD100/200 series. __________________ Tim Dashwood

June 23rd, 2010, 09:44 PM	#2
Ron Fabienke Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 184	I have my HD200 at JVC Cypress in CA getting the tape mechanism adjusted and asked the technician that question. Unfortunately he said it they could not be swapped.

June 30th, 2010, 04:22 PM	#3
Eric Deyerler Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Schwabach (Germany - Bavaria) Posts: 199	It don't works!

July 7th, 2010, 11:47 AM	#5
George Kilroy Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 699	Thanks to all for your replies That's a shame as the 700's viewfinder is so much better. I bought the 200 as a support/back-up camera but find working with it's vf/monitor a real pain. Neither the viewfinder nor monitor show very accurate colour or exposure. I have to rely/hope that the camera's 'brain' is getting it right. For the most part it does but I really like to have some assurance at the shooting stage; the 700 does that with a very good image on both that show pretty well the same colouring and exposure as I'll see on my NLE system and final viewing image.

July 21st, 2010, 07:52 PM	#6
Ben Lynn Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 636	You really worded that well George. I shoot with a HD-100 and a HM-700 and it's a big adjustment going from one to the next. I feel like you do when I shoot with the 100; that you have to cross your fingers a lot. Forget about setting a color on that camera. I basically spent a lot of time when I first got the camera testing and getting the coloration where I wanted it. Then I just had to trust that the camera was doing what it needed. In my case the settings don't change once I get them set and I can leave them from one shoot to the next. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for people who've had to adjust their color settings for each location. And for the exposure, I had to live and die with the zebra bars. The 700 is like you described and much better at showing the actual exposure and coloration. That's been nice when lighting conditions change and I need to make an educated guess on the exposure levels. Have you thought about a small monitor to mount on the 200's hot shoe and use for monitoring? I'm not sure what type of shooting you do so it might not be practical. They're making some field usable, lightweight HD monitors now for $1000 so it's actually becoming and option.