Review - LCDVF

I got to try the zfinder2 today hands on at the hd show in nyc
its amazing compared to the hoodman worlds apart
In my opinion after trying it out worth every penny especially since there is a great warranty
and believe me I'm not being hired by zacuto to say this
I was actually yelled at by steve(zacuto) for trying to imitate one of his rigs
I'm still recovering

I got to try the zfinder2 today hands on at the hd show in nyc
its amazing compared to the hoodman worlds apart
In my opinion after trying it out worth every penny especially since there is a great warranty
and believe me I'm not being hired by zacuto to say this
I was actually yelled at by steve(zacuto) for trying to imitate one of his rigs
I'm still recovering

Ha ha, the wrath of steve(zacuto) lol. He's gotta expect that to happen. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, no?
We need guys like you to help fill the lower budget demographic. (Zacuto are you listening?) probably not. They would sell more imho.

Gotta say I do like some of their stuff but just way too much $$$. I'd love to have some hands on with the gunstock shooter and zfinder v2. Seems very solid, slick pro gear.

Theres only one negative on the Zfinder and thats usually the price. Most are happy with theirs.
We'll have to see LCDVF when it comes out and people can compare the two for comfort/build quality/useability. If the magmount is as successful as anticipated then they have magmount and pricepoint vs the optics/diopters and lifetime warranty on the Zfinder.

So, your sold on the Zfinder? or your still waiting for LCDVF like the rest of us hopefuls.

cheers,
Dave

Im sold on the Z finder and am not really waiting for the LCDVF (although rumor has it that it is on its way to my mailbox soon). I got tired of waiting...

[58mm Rokkor]

I think the Z-Finder is the best selling product Zacuto has. There are alternatives and DIY avenues for much of what they sell. But the Z-Finder looks like a winner. It looks like the best VF system for these cameras that also includes adjustment for individual eyesight.

I am waiting to get my LCDVF and what a "long strange trip its been" as the song goes. I hope it will be a great alternative to the much more expensive Z-Finder. The achilles heel is that there is no diopter adjustment. Only time will tell how many of the 300 "early adopters", AKA, the long suffering faithful, will be impacted by the lack of a means of fine tuning this viewfinder. The numbers could be very few or there could be a lot of for sale posts declaring "great 5D viewfinder for sale for those who have perfect 20-20 vision..."

[yoclay]

I got to try the zfinder2 today hands on at the hd show in nyc
its amazing compared to the hoodman worlds apart
In my opinion after trying it out worth every penny especially since there is a great warranty
and believe me I'm not being hired by zacuto to say this
I was actually yelled at by steve(zacuto) for trying to imitate one of his rigs
I'm still recovering

YOU WERE YELLED AT ?
WHOA, NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO YELL AT YOU.

If he pulled that with me, I would definitely do some yelling back.
"ZACUTO, MAKER OF THE $300 FOAM INSERT"
for instance
(and that doesn't even include the pelican case)

Honestly what planet are they living on?
Is it that price because of it's tremendous design qualitites, or because it's made in America?
Or is it just that price because they are taking the * of every customer out there.

Let's take the Z-Finder for instance. Hoodman owns the patent on that and therefore theoretically every viewfinder out there. Who's copying who in that instance? How about a little court case to resolve that question?

Ahhh, the "Z-American" articulating arm. Gee who came first the "Z-AMERICAN" or the "NOGA-ISRAElI" arm? Looks to me like Zacuto did some copying there...and then called it American, with a Z for Zacuto in front of it.

The list goes on....

Steve and I have butted heads a few times, and I know there is a good guy in there, maybe a touch overzealous and definitely passionate at times, (which is not a bad thing) -

- BUT -

No, no one has the right to yell at you. I would definitely demand an apology if I were you, and I wouldn't let it rest until I got one.

"YOU WERE YELLED AT ?
WHOA, NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO YELL AT YOU."

are you yelling

[yoclay]

YES I AM, I'M YELLING BACK.

(I'm an old warrior at heart anyhow)

The Hoodman is OK, much better than nothing.

The Zacuto is not perfect, but it is pretty good.
It's much better than the Hoodman, so you get what you pay for.

No one really knows what the production version of the LCDVF is like.
I have one on order, but it hasn't been delivered yet, so I can't really comment.
Maybe it will be great.
Maybe the lack of diopter adjustment will be a deal breaker.
I'm not sure about the magnetic mount, not sure about how it might effect memory cards.
However I'm open to it.
If it works and doesn't corrupt my CF cards then I'll embrace it.

Most film or video accessories have pretty small production runs, so are bound to cost more than you really want to pay for them.
Hopefully with an accessory like this, you get your money's worth by keeping it for years.
Swapping it from body to body, even if you upgrade your camera.

I don't mind paying a lot of money for something as long as I'm getting good value.
Cheap doesn't equal value.
If something is cheap, but useless, then it is money wasted.

[58mm Rokkor]

What ever became of Philip Bloom reviewing the LCDVF? I thought it was sent out to him weeks ago?

I know he raves about the Zacuto Z-Finder. But I have had strange thoughts in my head about the very close relationship between Phil and Zacuto. He flies there and does all kind of filming to help promote Zacuto products. Is he getting his plane tickets and other expenses paid by Zacuto? Does he also get paid to create the videos etc? I have no idea. Both Phil and Zacuto are excellent at marketing. I greatly respect and admire Phil's talent, skills and the rock star public awareness he has created around his name. But sometimes having a very close relationship with a major industry products producer can impact one's objectivity when providing reviews and opinions to others.

It would be nice to see a thorough, impartial review with side by side tests of the Hoodman, Z-Finder and the LCDVF...

If you are near a big city, call around to the local dealers that specialize in video and/or photography to see if they have these viewers in stock. Then you can compare them yourself. That's the best type of review - you.

In Los Angeles, I went to a local video retailer, Abel Cine Tech, in beautiful downtown Burbank. I think this store advertises on this website. I found them on the list of retailers at the Zacuto website.

The salesperson was very helpful and patient. He brought a tripod outside into the sunlight for my camera which I had brought and I held both the Hoodman and Zacuto Z-Finder ver. 2 up to the screen. My own comparison helped me to decide to buy the Zacuto.