EVF for Leica-S

[ynp]

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I have being shooting the olympus om-d e-m1 with the external EVF in the hotshoe accessory port. It allowed painless waist level shooting when the EVF clipped in the hot show port.

 

I wonder how final is the design of the CMOS Leica --S and if it is still possible to make an EVF port in the hot show. The waist level shooting is almost impossible with the S, it lacks the articulated display.

 

I saw the new S in a video cage, with the external display for video. Is there a way to mount an outside display on the S-CMOS for live view without the recorder unit? I do not want to use the S for video ( too expensive) but I would like to have some more viewing flexibility.

I had to buy a pair of knee pads as a Leica-S accessory. :-)

 

Thanks.

[peterv]

Though I don't know if an articulated EVF is going to help with waist level shooting, IMO you ask absolutely valid questions. Perhaps an external display (smart phone, tablet, laptop) for live view/video over WiFi will give you what you need, and I think the new S will make this possible.

 

I brought up the EVF question too, right after PK '14 . You can read the thread here:

 

http://www.reddotforum.com/forums/topic/who-plans-on-using-4k-video/

 

Back then, I wrote:

Looking at the picture of the video camera rig I can’t understand why they’d have designed it like this; looking through the optical viewfinder makes no sense since the mirror has to be up for video-shooting. Why not make the flash-shoe take an EVF so that is an option for more ergonomic handling in video-mode?

 

https://leicainnederland.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/img_3259.jpg

 

Anyway, I guess this video rig was not meant to be used in the way it was photographed, the guy looking through the OVF.

 

Still, an EVF on top of the camera would help avoid having to look at the LCD on the back ...

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[dfarkas]

I have being shooting the olympus om-d e-m1 with the external EVF in the hotshoe accessory port. It allowed painless waist level shooting when the EVF clipped in the hot show port.

 

I wonder how final is the design of the CMOS Leica --S and if it is still possible to make an EVF port in the hot show. The waist level shooting is almost impossible with the S, it lacks the articulated display.

 

I saw the new S in a video cage, with the external display for video. Is there a way to mount an outside display on the S-CMOS for live view without the recorder unit? I do not want to use the S for video ( too expensive) but I would like to have some more viewing flexibility.

I had to buy a pair of knee pads as a Leica-S accessory. :-)

 

Thanks.

 

Not sure if you saw my in-depth report on the Leica S 007 from Photokina, but I did discus some possible options:

 

http://www.reddotforum.com/content/2014/09/photokina-2014-day-2-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-leica-s-typ-007/

 

Basically, you could use your phone or iPad to get a high res live view image streamed from the camera over Wi-Fi at 60 fps. You'd be able to zoom in to 100% on any part of the image and fully control the camera from the app, including focus. I imagine this will be an even more flexible way of working the camera than with an EVFin the hotshoe, or an articulating LCD which would compromise ruggedness and weather sealing.

[ynp]

David,

 

Thank you for the reference to your blog. I saw your report and reread it again. Very useful!

 

Please excuse my stupid questions.

 

I still feel confused.

If I want to shoot a short video, between still shots, do I need to look at the back display?

What I will see in the optical viewfinder while I shoot video?

[dfarkas]

David,

 

Thank you for the reference to your blog. I saw your report and reread it again. Very useful!

 

Please excuse my stupid questions.

 

I still feel confused.

If I want to shoot a short video, between still shots, do I need to look at the back display?

What I will see in the optical viewfinder while I shoot video?

 

Yes, you would need to use the rear LCD display as the mirror would be up. The optical viewfinder would be blocked and therefore black. This is the same way that other DLSRs shoot video (Canon 5D, Nikon D800, etc.).

 

As was already stated above, you could also use an external display like the Atomos fed from the camera's HDMI port or stream the live view to an iPad over Wi-Fi.

[ynp]

Thanks, David.

I will look into the external display option when the 007 is available.

[Karaminder]

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If you really wanted an EVF you can buy something like a Zacuto Gratical and get the feed from the HDMI out of the camera into the Gratical. Just like any other DSLR that shoots video.

 

Gratical HD- Micro-OLED EVF

 

Now I know it won't be a small compact solution and it would require one to build a, "rig," much like we see with the picture above.

 

The other solution for wanting to do run & gun with the new Leica S would be something like this:

 

Z-Finder Pro 3x | Optical Viewfinder | Zacuto USA

 

That would just fit over the back LCD and magnify it so you can shoot more accurately.

 

Also, keep in mind that the Typ 007 only uses the Super35 size of the center of the sensor to record 4K. It does use the whole of the sensor and then downscales for HD.

 

Source: RedShark News - Leica's S Type 007: the first 4K medium format camera, but who is it for?

[peterv]

Thanks for the link on the Gratical EVF, it's really nice with useful features, but rather large. I think an EVF/Visoflex on top of the camera would be much more elegant, less heavy, and closer to the camera, which would help with balancing and keeping the rig small.

 

EVF/Visoflex would need to be better IQ than the current one, or at least the connection in the hot shoe would have to be ready for future, better quality EVF's.

 

In a perfect world, the EVF would have a hot shoe on top, then you'd have an option for quick review of flash photos without having to chimp/take your eye off the viewfinder.

[ynp]

Thanks for the link on the Gratical EVF, it's really nice with useful features, but rather large. I think an EVF/Visoflex on top of the camera would be much more elegant, less heavy, and closer to the camera, which would help with balancing and keeping the rig small.

 

EVF/Visoflex would need to be better IQ than the current one, or at least the connection in the hot shoe would have to be ready for future, better quality EVF's.

 

In a perfect world, the EVF would have a hot shoe on top, then you'd have an option for quick review of flash photos without having to chimp/take your eye off the viewfinder.

 

-+1

 

I hope that the design have not been finalized yet and a EVF port will be possible to install.

[ynp]

If you really wanted an EVF you can buy something like a Zacuto Gratical and get the feed from the HDMI out of the camera into the Gratical. Just like any other DSLR that shoots video.....

 

Also, keep in mind that the Typ 007 only uses the Super35 size of the center of the sensor to record 4K. It does use the whole of the sensor and then downscales for HD.

 

Source: RedShark News - Leica's S Type 007: the first 4K medium format camera, but who is it for?

 

Thank you for the useful information and links. If we decide to use the Leica S for video, I will look into the options. For now, we are happy to use the Sony camcorder and my Sony a7S and rent the RedOne with the Bomb EVF.

 

Yes, I am aware that Leica S will crop the file for video. Who knows why....

 

I was confused because the pictures above show a man looking into the optical viewfinder while obviously doing something related to video, with the rigged camera.

 

Thanks again.