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Vufine+ – Useful Monitor Goggles for Your Camera?
Vufine+ is a small, wearable HDMI LCOS display that you can mount on your glasses, allowing you to monitor your picture without the need to add a large screen to your rig.
Vufine+ is a tiny wearable LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicone) display which uses its proprietary Docking Station+ mount to attach it to a pair of regular glasses. It is adjustable so that you can position the screen exactly where you want it: below, above or in your line of sight. The company claims that the product’s 960×540 screen offers an experience equivalent to looking at a 4” monitor, providing a “bright, crisp virtual display”.
Vufine+ features a micro USB connector for charging the internal battery, which will give you around 90 minutes of use, and also works while charging if you plug it into a battery pack. Its micro HDMI input is compatible with any device capable of outputting 720p, and you can use the included micro to regular HDMI or any HDMI wireless transmitter system, greatly increasing its usability for remote use.
The viewing experience, almost reminiscent of augmented reality, allows users to keep an eye on their environment while still being able to monitor the image just by looking away for an instant. This could be particularly useful for drone operators wanting to keep line of sight with their aircraft, but still be able to frame their picture without the need to look down at their controller. Similarly, Vufine+ could help gimbal operators navigate their environment much more safely by maintaining situational awareness, as well as reduce the overall weight of the rig by not needing to mount an additional monitor.
In theory, the concept could even work as an EVF on a shoulder rig for small cameras, as it would solve all sorts of camera-positioning issues. Before you try it, though, be aware that the small screen is probably just too small for critical focus, and the lack of an eye cup would likely make it unusable in bright scenarios. Also, constant use of such a tiny display so close to the eye may cause fatigue for some.
As you can see in the video above for their now-completed Kickstarter campaign, Vufine+ is a consumer-oriented product that offers some particular uses for camera operators. But, who knows? Maybe one day we will see a dedicated filmmaking variant of the Vufine+ display… Perhaps a combination headset-monitor, with audio monitoring, integrated wireless receiver, and focus/exposure tools. Wouldn’t that be neat?
Vufine+ retails for $199 and includes all necessary cables, the mount and even a pair of non-prescription glasses to mount the device on. There are also a variety of optional mounts available for other configurations.
Do you think wearable technology will eventually make it into our industry? Let us know in the comments below!
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