EX3 style viewfinder eyepiece for EX1 at DVinfo.net

Michael Belanger · June 24th, 2008, 10:22 PM

Here's a shot of my EX1 with an EX3 style viewfinder eyepiece I made over the weekend:

http://homepage.mac.com/mlbelanger/e...mayhem/ex1.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/mlbelanger/e...r_eyepiece.jpg

It's built from a Cinetactics ls40 screen hoodie and the viewfinder piece from an old M3 camera.

With the screen hoodie and the M3 eyepiece together, all the distances worked out nearly perfectly. You get a magnified view of the entire LCD with some slight distortion at the edges, but it is SO much easier to shoot and focus, especially in bright light.

Note to the guys at Cinetactics... if you come out with these all of a sudden I expect a cut of the action, or at least some free stuff ;-)

Serena Steuart · June 25th, 2008, 12:08 AM

looks good.

Brian Cassar · June 25th, 2008, 12:50 AM

Michael,

I'm curious to know what is the make and model of that shoulder pad that you have under the EX1.

Thanks

Michael Belanger · June 25th, 2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Cassar

Michael,

I'm curious to know what is the make and model of that shoulder pad that you have under the EX1.

Thanks

That's actually another one of my creations, and again, made with parts from the old Sony M3 camera. It works great however with lots of room for wireless receivers, etc in the future.

Jason Bodnar · June 25th, 2008, 09:57 PM

Michael, I very much like the look of your modified EVF...Can you post a link on where to get the screen hoodie..Also any more info you can provide about the old viewfinder you used... I am not familiar with the M3..Could a used one be bought cheap just for the viewfinder...Once others see what you have created and see how clean it looks I am sure you will be asked for full DYI instructions...I will be the first to ask.

Thanks!

Jason

Michael Belanger · June 26th, 2008, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Bodnar

Michael, I very much like the look of your modified EVF...Can you post a link on where to get the screen hoodie..Also any more info you can provide about the old viewfinder you used... I am not familiar with the M3..Could a used one be bought cheap just for the viewfinder...Once others see what you have created and see how clean it looks I am sure you will be asked for full DYI instructions...I will be the first to ask.

Thanks!

Jason

Thanks Jason,

Here's a link to Cinetactics (no connection to me whatsoever):

http://www.cinetactics.com/Detail.bok?no=23

M3s are probably pretty rare right now. Ebay does list one of the viewfinders currently. However, most any eyepiece from any large-format video camera should be roughly the same magnification and field of view, so the M3 one isn't the only choice out there.

Once I clean things up a bit and build a removable eyepiece block I'll publish a how-to online.

And if you like that, you should see the kino compatible fluro lights I make from scratch. I guess I should do a how to on those as well at some point...

Jason Bodnar · June 26th, 2008, 12:30 AM

Thanks Michael...I am ordering one of those hoodies right now..way better than the Petrol I wasted 20.00 on.

Charles Dasher · June 26th, 2008, 10:05 AM

I have a hoodman 400. I am looking for the best options for a eyepiece to combine with this to make the LCD/viewfinder. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Paul Cronin · June 26th, 2008, 10:25 AM

Thanks Michael,

Also just placed an order for the Hood. Now like Charles I am looking for a eyepiece. Any clews on specs?

David Lorente · June 26th, 2008, 10:32 AM

Wow... the DXC-M3 is an almost 25 year old 3-tube camera. The era of the heavy-weight "portable" U-matic VTR's, and LOTS of lights to get to see something on the viewfinder. All of this seems so far right now...

I have to admit that, apart from the tube lag issues, I liked very much the colors that these cameras were capable to render, they always seemed nicer to me than CCD cameras of the time. It took some years for CCDs to catch tubes in that aspect.

As Indiana Jones said: "It should be in a museum!"

Off-topic mode off, the viewfinder you have made is just great, Michael!

Michael Belanger · June 26th, 2008, 01:50 PM

Yes, the M3 is an OLD beast! I keep mine around as a prop if I ever need to have a "TV Crew" on camera. And to steal stuff off of of course.

I did see a recent article on an animation company and they were talking about their motion capture right which consisted of hand-held cameras with gyros attached to them. There was a photo of a guy holding an M3 on his shoulder that looked like it was designed by the people who did the Delorian from Back to the Future, with wires and plates glued on the outside of it.

Pietro Impagliazzo · June 26th, 2008, 02:48 PM

Hey Michael, nice adaptations you got there.

http://www.cinetactics.com/Page.bok?template=c_mb100m
Notice this: lower right corner, in the other products table.
There's a viewfinder adapter, but when you click it, the page doesn't exist.

Is there anything to do with what you posted? Did the guys from Cinetactics get in touch with you?

Paul Cronin · June 26th, 2008, 03:02 PM

Good eye Pietro.

Michael Belanger · June 26th, 2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pietro Impagliazzo

Hey Michael, nice adaptations you got there.

http://www.cinetactics.com/Page.bok?template=c_mb100m
Notice this: lower right corner, in the other products table.
There's a viewfinder adapter, but when you click it, the page doesn't exist.

Is there anything to do with what you posted? Did the guys from Cinetactics get in touch with you?

I can only hope I inspired them, but it's probably just coincidence. I haven't heard from them.

It would be cool to see a commercial product out there. I really didn't think it would take this long for companies to jump on it, considering how excited everyone seemed when the EX3 previewed.

By the way, actually using an eyepiece on the LCD is amazing. Excellent focusing and feels very natural, assuming you have a shoulder rest of some sort.

Serena Steuart · June 27th, 2008, 12:45 AM

Those wanting to make their own hood and eyepiece you may have missed earlier threads on this subject. You can make the eyepiece using lenses from those cheap generic reading glasses (from the $1 shop). Two lenses together from the 3.5 diopter glasses gives you 7 diopter, which is quite appropriate; no need to go buying an old camera for the eyepiece. You can use the eyecup from your EVF, since you're unlikely to want to use that device again.

June 24th, 2008, 10:22 PM	#1
Michael Belanger New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 11	EX3 style viewfinder eyepiece for EX1 Here's a shot of my EX1 with an EX3 style viewfinder eyepiece I made over the weekend: http://homepage.mac.com/mlbelanger/e...mayhem/ex1.jpg http://homepage.mac.com/mlbelanger/e...r_eyepiece.jpg It's built from a Cinetactics ls40 screen hoodie and the viewfinder piece from an old M3 camera. With the screen hoodie and the M3 eyepiece together, all the distances worked out nearly perfectly. You get a magnified view of the entire LCD with some slight distortion at the edges, but it is SO much easier to shoot and focus, especially in bright light. Note to the guys at Cinetactics... if you come out with these all of a sudden I expect a cut of the action, or at least some free stuff ;-)

June 26th, 2008, 10:25 AM	#9
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Thanks Michael, Also just placed an order for the Hood. Now like Charles I am looking for a eyepiece. Any clews on specs? __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

June 26th, 2008, 10:32 AM	#10
David Lorente Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cuenca (Spain) Posts: 92	Wow... the DXC-M3 is an almost 25 year old 3-tube camera. The era of the heavy-weight "portable" U-matic VTR's, and LOTS of lights to get to see something on the viewfinder. All of this seems so far right now... I have to admit that, apart from the tube lag issues, I liked very much the colors that these cameras were capable to render, they always seemed nicer to me than CCD cameras of the time. It took some years for CCDs to catch tubes in that aspect. As Indiana Jones said: "It should be in a museum!" Off-topic mode off, the viewfinder you have made is just great, Michael! __________________ Wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Radio operates exactly the same way, but there is no cat.

June 26th, 2008, 02:48 PM	#12
Pietro Impagliazzo Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rio de Janeiro, BR Posts: 170	Hey Michael, nice adaptations you got there. http://www.cinetactics.com/Page.bok?template=c_mb100m Notice this: lower right corner, in the other products table. There's a viewfinder adapter, but when you click it, the page doesn't exist. Is there anything to do with what you posted? Did the guys from Cinetactics get in touch with you? __________________ Pietro Impagliazzo flickr.com/photos/impagliazzo

June 26th, 2008, 03:02 PM	#13
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Good eye Pietro. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

June 25th, 2008, 12:08 AM	#2
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	looks good.

June 25th, 2008, 12:50 AM	#3
Brian Cassar Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Malta Posts: 306	Michael, I'm curious to know what is the make and model of that shoulder pad that you have under the EX1. Thanks

June 25th, 2008, 09:57 PM	#5
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	Michael, I very much like the look of your modified EVF...Can you post a link on where to get the screen hoodie..Also any more info you can provide about the old viewfinder you used... I am not familiar with the M3..Could a used one be bought cheap just for the viewfinder...Once others see what you have created and see how clean it looks I am sure you will be asked for full DYI instructions...I will be the first to ask. Thanks! Jason

June 26th, 2008, 12:30 AM	#7
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	Thanks Michael...I am ordering one of those hoodies right now..way better than the Petrol I wasted 20.00 on.

June 26th, 2008, 10:05 AM	#8
Charles Dasher Regular Crew Join Date: May 2006 Location: Juno Beach FL Posts: 169	I have a hoodman 400. I am looking for the best options for a eyepiece to combine with this to make the LCD/viewfinder. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks

June 26th, 2008, 01:50 PM	#11
Michael Belanger New Boot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 11	Yes, the M3 is an OLD beast! I keep mine around as a prop if I ever need to have a "TV Crew" on camera. And to steal stuff off of of course. I did see a recent article on an animation company and they were talking about their motion capture right which consisted of hand-held cameras with gyros attached to them. There was a photo of a guy holding an M3 on his shoulder that looked like it was designed by the people who did the Delorian from Back to the Future, with wires and plates glued on the outside of it.

June 27th, 2008, 12:45 AM	#15
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	Those wanting to make their own hood and eyepiece you may have missed earlier threads on this subject. You can make the eyepiece using lenses from those cheap generic reading glasses (from the $1 shop). Two lenses together from the 3.5 diopter glasses gives you 7 diopter, which is quite appropriate; no need to go buying an old camera for the eyepiece. You can use the eyecup from your EVF, since you're unlikely to want to use that device again.