Varizoom VZ-TFT 7” 16:9

Ben Winter · June 1st, 2006, 09:17 PM

Depends on what you mean by accurate. If you mean 2^14 white bits then probably not :). Like any monitor, especially in that price range, it's going to have it's own color wheel. You'll have to adjust and calibrate. I doubt you're going to get an image that any colorist would be happy with though. Varizoom monitors don't have very good resolution or color reproduction, and the price reflects that.

Bill Hamell · June 2nd, 2006, 06:18 AM

In my case color is not an issue; I just want a larger view finder so I can see what I am doing. I could even do with the smaller less expensive 5.6” screen with squashed 16:9.
I will however go with the 7” 16:9 model.
For color and focus I have a Sony monitor that I travel with.

Thank you for all the helpful comments and options.
Bill

Daniel R Green · June 2nd, 2006, 10:29 AM

I know what you mean about being able to see what your shooting. I bought 2 of the varizoom monitors for my XL-2s and i love them. I'm not so horribly concerned with color as to hual around a crt monitor, so these are wokring out prefect for what i need them for. Just being able to see what I'm filming. I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy. Its nice to get outside of the eyepiece when using my xl-2s now.
I have a shoot tomorrow of a live music event and it will be my first using these monitors. I will let ya know how i think they worked out in acutally use.
____________________________
cameraBOX studios
2 cannon XL-2s
iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

Bill Hamell · June 2nd, 2006, 11:26 AM

Daniel,

Good luck with your shoot.
I sometimes do theatrical shows and coffee houses, I put my monitor next to the tripod for reference and I had borrowed a 5.6” Varizoom monitor to try. I was shooting 4:3 so it worked fine. Now I am shooting mostly 16:9 so the 7” monitor was the one I was interested in.

Which did you buy?
Let us know how the shoot went.

Bill

Daniel R Green · June 2nd, 2006, 01:36 PM

Orginally ordered the 5.6". I always do 16:9 and crop in post to 4:3 so going wiht the 7" for me was a no brainer. Plus, its a few more inches to view.
Also....just for cool-look factor...bigger is better right? haha.
____________________________
cameraBOX studios
2 cannon XL-2s
iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

Dale Guthormsen · June 2nd, 2006, 11:52 PM

Bill,

I am curious about your color monitor that you haul around with you!!!

I know lcds do not give the best color renditions. but the lcd is great for framing, is it good for focusing too??

for actual color I would like to know about your sony.

Dan, why do you shoot wide and then crop???

Bill Hamell · June 3rd, 2006, 12:31 AM

Dale,

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a URL worth? :-)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

This is the monitor I "lug" around as for focusing I think it is better with the larger LCD but better still with the CRT.

Bill

Jaadgy Akanni · June 4th, 2006, 10:12 AM

To Whom it may concern: The only monitor out there worth buying is the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' unless you only want a monitor for framing. The Varizoom will never give you reliable focus reference. There it is, I said it!

Paul Dhadialla · June 7th, 2006, 05:00 PM

Agree with Jaagdy.

Strictly talking about portable monitors here in that under 7" class

Unless budget is a constraint - the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' (16:9) is top notch value. Just picked up one this week. About $1350 USD

I honestly don't know if a CRT in "that size range" would be a better option - they are quite heavy.
I have a few 9 inch Sony's (a few years old) and I still like feel the is HDA better. Color is very accurate
I do like CRT's - actually for my main studio display that i show to customers i use a Sony 30 inch HDTV CRT - that thing is amazing (I didn't like the lcd's in that size). I don't know if it was the scalers or what in those - the picture just not right - comes out a bit crusty - blacks/contrast were pretty soft and mushy.

For simple framing and general color - any 16:9 LCD portable should be ok.
The Marshall 480x240's should be a decent choice - I have a 70P too.
Not in the same class as the HDA resolution wise -though but still pretty good color wise.

I saw a Varizoom 7" 16:9 at a local shop today and i'm not impressed.
I own a 4:3 Varizoom LCD too and the picture is terrible coming from my z1u. From my dvcam 4:3 output its reasonable. I have had to repair that monitor twice because the AV plug (mini) came loose (internal soldering) right in the middle of a shoot.

The Marshalls are built like a tank - the Varizooms are not meant to take too much abuse.

Again - as some people have pointed out - sometime you just need something for framing - larger viewfinder - in that case anything should do.
If budget is an issue - I'd try the Xenarc at a minimum - with the 800x480 screen for good focus.

Cheers
Paul

Chris Owen · June 17th, 2006, 09:24 AM

Just curious ... how is the built in viewfinder on the XL2 for gauging color? I don't have my camera yet but I have been looking at small lcd monitors as I don't think I will like having my face pressed into the viewfinder all the time. I plan to shoot mostly nature (landscape where I live is full of cool lakes all along the Alabama River), maybe a few "fun" music videos for friends' bands and such.

While the comments about the Marshall made me think twice, I also thought that for that price ($1300-$1500) you could get a new laptop and DVRack software (adding the features of DVRack with hard disk recording). The problem here (laptop/DVRack) is that it is more gear to lug around and setup if you are constantly on the move.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hamell

Henry,

Once again thank you, it will be the Varizoom 7” for me! :-)

Bill

I am very curious to know your true thoughts on this after you get a chance to use it a bit.

Seems I may need to re-plan my budget if the onboard viewfinder doesn't reproduce accurate color and focus and the Varizoom is really that bad.

Henry Cho · June 17th, 2006, 01:09 PM

the xl2's stock viewfinder is the camera's weak point IMHO. colors are on the dull, washed-out side, and it's tough to use where critical focus is required. the b&w crt viewfinder is far sharper, and has a knob to control peak (for focus assistance). once you have the fu1000 on the camera, you will probably never want to take it off again. of course, you lose color.

i think the cheap portable lcd monitor like the varizoom is getting a little bid of a bad rep in this thread. it's an inexpensive, useful tool for what it is -- for framing your shots and general color, and it can be had for around 350 bucks. i haven't seen the hd marshall and can't speak to that, but if accurate colors and critical focus in the field are absolutely essential to you, i can't imagaine any lcd would be better than a small portable crt monitor, like an 8" sony or jvc, a portabrace case, and some batteries to provide power.

Lucinda Luvaas · June 19th, 2006, 10:59 PM

Daniel,

What is a "velcro soft hood?" and where do you get one?

"I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy."

Carlos E. Martinez · June 21st, 2006, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucinda Luvaas

What is a "velcro soft hood?" and where do you get one?

"I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy."

Use the words sun hood and you might get some answers in B&H's site.

Velcro soft hood is a generic name to describe a sun hood which you put over your camera LCD screen after you open it. I got mine when I bought my PDX10 camera, and it works fine. It's also a great help, both indoors and outdoors.

Nevus Lotesto · June 22nd, 2006, 02:05 PM

I noticed people talking about this monitor on the site just as I'm about to sell mine. We used it for the last two days of shooting a feature film (would have used it for the entire thing but it was shipped to us late). Therefore, it is essentially in brand new condition, having been used for a total of about 5 hours.

Please see the link below for product specs, etc.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

The monitor worked quite well. Our company is about to switch equipment, however, and won't need it any longer. Please feel free to contact me with a reasonable offer. I can send photos to any person with a serious inquiry.

Thanks.

Amos Kim · June 27th, 2006, 04:10 PM

Can the varizoom vz-tft7 7" flip the image upside down for 35mm adapters?

June 1st, 2006, 09:17 PM	#31
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	Depends on what you mean by accurate. If you mean 2^14 white bits then probably not :). Like any monitor, especially in that price range, it's going to have it's own color wheel. You'll have to adjust and calibrate. I doubt you're going to get an image that any colorist would be happy with though. Varizoom monitors don't have very good resolution or color reproduction, and the price reflects that. __________________ BenWinter.com

June 2nd, 2006, 06:18 AM	#32
Bill Hamell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mystic Ct. Posts: 477	In my case color is not an issue; I just want a larger view finder so I can see what I am doing. I could even do with the smaller less expensive 5.6” screen with squashed 16:9. I will however go with the 7” 16:9 model. For color and focus I have a Sony monitor that I travel with. Thank you for all the helpful comments and options. Bill __________________ Cinematographers Bring Shadow To Light

June 2nd, 2006, 11:26 AM	#34
Bill Hamell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mystic Ct. Posts: 477	Daniel, Good luck with your shoot. I sometimes do theatrical shows and coffee houses, I put my monitor next to the tripod for reference and I had borrowed a 5.6” Varizoom monitor to try. I was shooting 4:3 so it worked fine. Now I am shooting mostly 16:9 so the 7” monitor was the one I was interested in. Which did you buy? Let us know how the shoot went. Bill __________________ Cinematographers Bring Shadow To Light

June 2nd, 2006, 11:52 PM	#36
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	bill, dan ? Bill, I am curious about your color monitor that you haul around with you!!! I know lcds do not give the best color renditions. but the lcd is great for framing, is it good for focusing too?? for actual color I would like to know about your sony. Dan, why do you shoot wide and then crop??? __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

June 3rd, 2006, 12:31 AM	#37
Bill Hamell Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mystic Ct. Posts: 477	Dale, If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a URL worth? :-) http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search This is the monitor I "lug" around as for focusing I think it is better with the larger LCD but better still with the CRT. Bill __________________ Cinematographers Bring Shadow To Light

June 2nd, 2006, 10:29 AM	#33
Daniel R Green New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 14	I know what you mean about being able to see what your shooting. I bought 2 of the varizoom monitors for my XL-2s and i love them. I'm not so horribly concerned with color as to hual around a crt monitor, so these are wokring out prefect for what i need them for. Just being able to see what I'm filming. I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy. Its nice to get outside of the eyepiece when using my xl-2s now. I have a shoot tomorrow of a live music event and it will be my first using these monitors. I will let ya know how i think they worked out in acutally use. ____________________________ cameraBOX studios 2 cannon XL-2s iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

June 2nd, 2006, 01:36 PM	#35
Daniel R Green New Boot Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 14	Orginally ordered the 5.6". I always do 16:9 and crop in post to 4:3 so going wiht the 7" for me was a no brainer. Plus, its a few more inches to view. Also....just for cool-look factor...bigger is better right? haha. ____________________________ cameraBOX studios 2 cannon XL-2s iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

June 4th, 2006, 10:12 AM	#38
Jaadgy Akanni Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: new york city Posts: 346	The Monitor To Whom it may concern: The only monitor out there worth buying is the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' unless you only want a monitor for framing. The Varizoom will never give you reliable focus reference. There it is, I said it! __________________ I will be KING!

June 7th, 2006, 05:00 PM	#39
Paul Dhadialla Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 143	Agree with Jaagdy. Strictly talking about portable monitors here in that under 7" class Unless budget is a constraint - the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' (16:9) is top notch value. Just picked up one this week. About $1350 USD I honestly don't know if a CRT in "that size range" would be a better option - they are quite heavy. I have a few 9 inch Sony's (a few years old) and I still like feel the is HDA better. Color is very accurate I do like CRT's - actually for my main studio display that i show to customers i use a Sony 30 inch HDTV CRT - that thing is amazing (I didn't like the lcd's in that size). I don't know if it was the scalers or what in those - the picture just not right - comes out a bit crusty - blacks/contrast were pretty soft and mushy. For simple framing and general color - any 16:9 LCD portable should be ok. The Marshall 480x240's should be a decent choice - I have a 70P too. Not in the same class as the HDA resolution wise -though but still pretty good color wise. I saw a Varizoom 7" 16:9 at a local shop today and i'm not impressed. I own a 4:3 Varizoom LCD too and the picture is terrible coming from my z1u. From my dvcam 4:3 output its reasonable. I have had to repair that monitor twice because the AV plug (mini) came loose (internal soldering) right in the middle of a shoot. The Marshalls are built like a tank - the Varizooms are not meant to take too much abuse. Again - as some people have pointed out - sometime you just need something for framing - larger viewfinder - in that case anything should do. If budget is an issue - I'd try the Xenarc at a minimum - with the 800x480 screen for good focus. Cheers Paul

June 17th, 2006, 01:09 PM	#41
Henry Cho Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 516	the xl2's stock viewfinder is the camera's weak point IMHO. colors are on the dull, washed-out side, and it's tough to use where critical focus is required. the b&w crt viewfinder is far sharper, and has a knob to control peak (for focus assistance). once you have the fu1000 on the camera, you will probably never want to take it off again. of course, you lose color. i think the cheap portable lcd monitor like the varizoom is getting a little bid of a bad rep in this thread. it's an inexpensive, useful tool for what it is -- for framing your shots and general color, and it can be had for around 350 bucks. i haven't seen the hd marshall and can't speak to that, but if accurate colors and critical focus in the field are absolutely essential to you, i can't imagaine any lcd would be better than a small portable crt monitor, like an 8" sony or jvc, a portabrace case, and some batteries to provide power. Last edited by Henry Cho; June 17th, 2006 at 06:06 PM.

June 19th, 2006, 10:59 PM	#42
Lucinda Luvaas Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 233	Daniel, What is a "velcro soft hood?" and where do you get one? "I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy."

June 22nd, 2006, 02:05 PM	#44
Nevus Lotesto Tourist Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2	Varizoom VZ-TFT7U 7 inch Monitor for Sale I noticed people talking about this monitor on the site just as I'm about to sell mine. We used it for the last two days of shooting a feature film (would have used it for the entire thing but it was shipped to us late). Therefore, it is essentially in brand new condition, having been used for a total of about 5 hours. Please see the link below for product specs, etc. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation The monitor worked quite well. Our company is about to switch equipment, however, and won't need it any longer. Please feel free to contact me with a reasonable offer. I can send photos to any person with a serious inquiry. Thanks.

June 27th, 2006, 04:10 PM	#45
Amos Kim Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 335	Can the varizoom vz-tft7 7" flip the image upside down for 35mm adapters?