Director’s viewfinder app for iphone and amazing Hitchcock storyboard app

iphone Reviews

476x238bloombannerV1

zfinderADforBLOOMV3



There really are some amazing apps coming out for the iphone. I am using it so much these days (not as a phone) but as a crazy gadget. Got my polaroid app, tilt shift app (yes most of them are based around the camera).

Now for film-makers, budding DPs or anyone with a fascination with cinematography this app is an absolute must have! it’s a director’s viewfinder and it’s called Artemis.

For the 5dmkII and 7D select digital still cameras. For me this was the winning part!!

photo-18

photo-20

photo-19

Currently these are the formats that it covers:

Standard and Super 16mm
Super 16mm Anamorphic
Standard and Super 35mm
35mm Anamorphic
65mm
35mm Digital (D-21, RED, F35, Genesis)
3/4″ Digital (F23, Viper)
1/2″ Digital
1/3″ Digital

and 5dmKII and 7D.

So what does this director’s viewfinder app do? In it’s simplest terms it uses the iphones camera to show you what each lenses shot would be for each different focal length from where you are standing. You can then even take a photo of it using that “lens” and import it into the superb storyboard application by Cinemek called Hitchcock, more of this below.  It’s been out for about 3 weeks but very buggy. They have just released V2 and it’s awesome. It’s $30. A steal at that price. Especially if you are learning about how different focal lengths work and what you will get with each one.

The one issue it currently has is it cannot display anything wide than 35mm full frame equivalent as that is as wide as the iphone lens goes. I understand a hardware add on to give the iphone a wider lens to open up the app to the whole range of lenses is in the works.

I cannot recommend this enough. Now please Chemical Wedding. Update it for the GH1 please and put it more lenses for the DSLRs!

Buy it here:
Artemis Director's Viewfinder USA STORE

Artemis Director's Viewfinder UK STORE

Oh and it only works on OS 3.1

917457_4917457_2917457917457_3

Cinemek’s Hitchcock is another Genius bit of software. It’s a mobile animated storyboarding for the iphone and it works superbly. Check out these demos below…

Buy from the iphone store below:
HitchcockUSA
HitchcockUK

Cinemek Hitchcock Demo from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Hitchcock in action! from cinemek / Hitchcock on Vimeo.

This is a real-time demonstration of how Hitchcock works.
Get it here http://www.itunes.com/apps/hitchcock

Hitchcock Mobile Storyboard Composer from cinemek / Hitchcock on Vimeo.

Hitchcock is the first of our suite of iphone apps. it is currently available in the iTunes app store. http://www.itunes.com/apps/hitchcock In case you are curious, this is how it works.

35 comments

  2. Is it worth getting an iPhone just for the apps? I’ve been thinking about the Touch but I want the camera so I can use Hitchcock from Cinemek. Rumor was touch was coming out with camera at last big Mac announcement but it didn’t happen. Apparently problems in production. Getting tired of waiting.

  6. Maybe I’m to bitchy but €24 for an app like that is a bit to much.
    Were most prices on iphone apps are low other apps are to high priced and I don’t get why. €4,- would have been more like it I think.

    There are a lot of apps out there so I’m letting this one go because of the price. My itunes bill is getting bigger and bigger and I don’t even wanna talk how much money on apps will be spent when the Itablet comes out! 😛
    Its a nice app so I’m not saying its bad just that the price is to high in my opinion 🙂

    Anyway thnx for the tip Philip much appreciated.

    1. Hi Eric

      You are spoilt by the price of some of those iphone apps! Do you have any idea how much a real Director’s Viewfinder costs. This is a brilliant app and worth every penny!

      P

  7. Do you think the directors viewfinder app would be something you would use on regular basis and it would speed your workflow on set? For some reason I have a little reservations on this… If it had DOF simulator that would be a big deal 🙂

      1. No it couldnt do DOF of course, thats why it’d be a biggie 🙂 but yeah, I cant really justify this one since I only use 4 lenses and it’s pretty easy to choose between those without and app. If you’re constantly changing cameras and have more then 5-6 lenses maybe then I can see the point.

  11. would be so great if “hitchcock” would work as a desktop-app as well.
    i find it much more intuitive and helpful and faster than all the other storyboard software i found out there…
    does anybody know, if it is planned to bring hitchcock to the desktop?

  12. I’m switching from Blackberry to iphone just for these amazing gadgets.

    Does anyone know if these apps are compatible with a 16gb 3G iphone, or do I need a 3GS?

  13. Great iphone apps.

    You might want to check out REMOTE DSLR from ON software. Lets you take full remote control of your canon camera and sends a live preview or proxy of photos back to your iphone.

    Also functions as an intervalometer!

    Regards,
    Tim Barrett

  16. Really useful post and bit of gear. I’m on a reccy this weekend and couldn’t find my directors viewfinder in time so I’ve downloaded this app.
    And after just a quick play I can tell it’s going to be very useful to me this weekend as I won’t have a DoP with me.

    Philip, if you read this, I wondered what setting would best suit the Sony F3 and the 35, 50 & 85mm kit lenses that come with it?

    Of the settings in the Artemis program, I saw these and wondered if they were close:
    35mm Digital (D-21, RED, F35, Genesis)
    2/3 ” Digital (F23, Viper)

    Cheers and thanks for a great informative post once again!
    ADC

  17. Ah, it’s ok – I have found the answer here, via your post about focal length and filed of view:

    http://www.abelcine.com/fov/

    The site has been updated and interestingly you can compare the field of view with the 7D and Panny 101. The F3 is pretty much the same as the 7D and the AF101 doesn’t lose as much as I thought.
    Brilliant chart. Thanks for the post Philip!

  22. I uses a 7D and am a serious photo hobbyist.
    Think I can use your Directors Viewfinder to help me better.
    I uses now a iPhone 4S and having that inside the iPhone wuld be nice and handy !!

    Is the directors viewfinder compatible with mine iPhone 4S ??

    Payment :
    Yu accept PayPal ?
    If YES , your Paypal adress ?

    Thanks a lot

    Paul Yahya
    Jalan Cipinang Jaya 4 , Block C 8, Jakarta 13410 , Indonesia

Leave a Reply