{"id":12889,"date":"2011-03-14T21:30:26","date_gmt":"2011-03-14T21:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/philipbloom.net\/?p=12889"},"modified":"2011-03-16T03:14:21","modified_gmt":"2011-03-16T03:14:21","slug":"cineroid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/philipbloom.net\/blog\/cineroid\/","title":{"rendered":"Cineroid EVF Review…The first EVF out of the block…"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A quick word about ethics: I am a Zacuto and Redrock affiliate which help support my site but it is essential that I look at competing products otherwise I feel my voice will be compromised. SO I will be reviewing competing products by companies other than my affiliates so my readers get the best info possible. Hell, Eric Kessler even wants me to review other sliders!!<\/p>\n

The LCD screen on the Canon DSLR is not ideal for shooting. No peaking, no exposure assist, only the T3i and 60D have articulating screens. I have been using my Zacuto Z-Finder since Version 1 back in May 2009 and love it but the problem is it sits on the screen and can’t be moved like a viewfinder. The solution is an electronic viewfinder. Redrock Micro and Zacuto are hard at work bringing theirs to market. Zacuto will have theirs out before NAB, Redrock I don’t know.<\/p>\n

This one is the first out of block, made by Cineroid in Seoul, Korea.<\/a> It’s basically a very sharp high quality 800×480 LCD panel with a loupe on it. You connect to the HDMI port of the camera (that crappy mini HDMI one) via the supplied mini HDMI to mini HDMI lead. This goes into the EVF and gives the panel a signal out of the camera.It auto-detects the resolution which goes into so it deals with the 480p record signal of most of the Canons pretty well, it does not scale the image up but as the resolution is not that much bigger than the signal it works fine.\u00a0Obviously the 1DmkIV and 7D have the best signals as they are the only cameras to maintain an HD signal whilst recording. Stick this on a noga arm or ball mount of Zacuto Z-American arm and you can angle the screen to wherever you are shooting! This makes a HUGE difference with the crappy DSLR ergonomics!<\/p>\n

The cool thing is the features it adds to it as well. Peaking and Zebra as well as pixel to pixel punch in for accurate focus WHILST recording, but this only works on the 7D and 1dmkiv as the input resolution is much higher as I just mentioned. It can’t punch into a resolution that is lower than the panel’s native resolution…<\/p>\n

When you hit record with the 5DmkII and it drops down to 480p it takes the Cineroid under a second to ressync to standard definition. Nice and quick!<\/p>\n

The peaking is fantastic and helps to focus really easily. Not a huge fan of the Zebra. It helps but it’s does not function in the same way I am used to Zebras working on my traditional viewfinders but I am sure I will get used to it…<\/p>\n

The one I have is the one you must get, the HDMI loop through. This way you can send an HDMI signal to another monitor. The cheaper version does not have loop through. Get the loop through! ESSENTIAL!!<\/p>\n

There are loads of other features including image flipping, underscan, b&w, 4: 3 markers…<\/p>\n

It’s a super piece of kit, I have no idea how it compares to the upcoming competition as they are not out yet, I have seen the Zacuto panel and it’s superb and you will use your existing Z-Finder with it. The Zacuto promise to offer lots of features that compete with this and promise some better ones too…but until it’s out we won’t know and for now the Cineroid is simply the best one out there.<\/p>\n

Build quality is pretty good…a bit plasticky. It’s powered by Sony NPF batteries rather than Canons ones, it comes with a charger. Lasts about 3 hours on one small battery. Not bad!! The Zacuto one will be powered by Canon 5D batteries, more practical if you are a 5D\/7D\/60D shooter…<\/p>\n

Negatives…I HATE mini HDMI, I so wish they had no put those connections on the EVF, so so fragile. The Zacuto one does have full size HDMI but even those suck to be honest as they are not locking, HDMI is a domestic connection not pro, but still better than mini ones. MUCH better.<\/p>\n

I don’t like the Cineroid loup that much, def prefer the Zacuto one. It fogs up and doesn’t feel as good the Z one. But it’s still good, \u00a0better than some out there just not as good as the king loup! The Z-Finder Pro is simply a fantastic piece of kit…<\/p>\n

Retail price is around $800<\/a> but they are bloody hard to get hold of. Sold out in most places. Oh and this works a treat on the AF101 as well which has a very sucky EVF built into it compared to this.<\/p>\n

Well done Cineroid, lovely product. Let’s see how the big boys react and how they compare. It’s going to make my DSLR shooting a lot easier…<\/p>\n

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