EVF or OVF? Why not both?

Kozlok · 07-07-2021, 08:24 AM - **1 Like**

You can have the thing you are asking for, today, right now. Just use this:

Wheatfield · 07-07-2021, 09:00 AM

Originally posted by Wasp

I have this crazy idea, inspired by the interchangeable prism on my LX. I only have the FA1 that came with it but have always thought it was cool.

So here is my plan. Make a DSLR with a normal but removable prism OVF. Also make an EVF with the same form factor that can be swapped in. Sell kits with one or the other, or both.

When the camera body detects the EVF, it locks up the mirror and goes into live view mode. You can choose between the rear screen and EVF as per usual with a MILC. Best of both worlds, yippee!

What can go wrong? Modern DSLRs pack a lot of electronics into the prism, including the light meter. In an LX that lives at the bottom of the mirror box. That space is used by the AF gear in a DSLR. Might be doable, but the light meter would be duplicated in the EVF and OVF, driving up costs.

Another flaw is the number of contacts needed. It could be a great many, making the connection complicated and fragile. Perhaps some sort of near fields comms between viewfinder and body could keep this in check, but this is uncharted territory. R&D could be a big effort.

I am releasing this as a royalty free idea. No guarantee, but since is free it is great value for money.

What say you?

You will sell as many of them as Koenigsegg sells cars, and it will probably be just as expensive.

LeeRunge · 07-07-2021, 07:04 PM

Originally posted by fs999

Yeah but it's not TTL...

The EVF side is. Doesn’t much matter for the OVF in 35mm eq. On the x100s the overlay will show the capture area. For the xpro you probably need to use the EVF for a telephoto but I haven't had experience with them.

Rangefinder has its limitations but so does having to have a mirror box.

A lot of mirrorless advantage is the larger lens mounts with the glass much closer to the sensor. Plus adapters that can take a bunch of different lens mounts.

If living with the mirror box then some sort of flip up or sliding EVF that goes in front of the OVF in the viewfinder would work. But you would need to have the live view speed of a mirrorless like the D780 vs the slow as heck live view on a D750 to take advantage.

One of those hoods would be fine if you don’t mind the bulk if the live view isn’t contrast detect and slow.

At any rate it’ll probably end up being expensive and have a niche market.

The X100 line is a fun set of cameras to use. The latest finally being weather sealed.

Wasp · 07-08-2021, 01:41 AM

Originally posted by Michail_P

But are you that big a fan of EVF?

I just love the EVF on my Samsung NX1 bodies, as it makes manual focus with my old school lenses a breeze.

Wearing glasses? Two words about MF on a DSLR with the likes of 50/1.2, 85/1.4 or 200/2.5 - forget it!

That said, I will always have a place in my heart for mirrors. Been using them since the mid eighties.

---------- Post added 2021-07-08 at 11:37 ----------

Originally posted by KiloHotelphoto

Maybe it would be easier and more affordable just to make an EVF that connects to the hot shoe and put the body into mirror up position.

I've seen the Fuji GFX100 has that accessory, it's kind of big and works for slow tripod shooting but I'm sure you could make a smaller one that would be not too hard to get used to.

An EVF that sits on the hotshoe? Great idea, I like it a lot.

Sounds entirely doable - vloggers already do this. A little EVF makes more sense for stills shooters than this contraption.

Wasp · 07-08-2021, 02:42 AM - **1 Like**

Sure enough, someone beat us to it. A little clunky maybe but seems to be entirely what is needed to scratch the itch. Should work with any recent Pentax but IDK.

UrbanFox.TV Blog: World's first HD DSLR EVF ships

---------- Post added 2021-07-08 at 11:49 ----------

Originally posted by Kozlok

You can have the thing you are asking for, today, right now. Just use this:

Sorry but that is just way too ugly, geeky, dorky and nerdy. I do not want to be seen in public rocking one of those.

Jonathan Mac · 07-08-2021, 03:40 AM

I'd say it's a great idea and could 100% work at a technical level but it'll never happen. The cost would be prohibitive plus the people who want mirrorless wouldn't want the added size and weight of a DSLR mirror box. The people who want a DSLR wouldn't want the IQ impact of the focusing pixels needed to get really good AF when in mirrorless mode.

**i_trax** · 07-08-2021, 04:02 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Wasp

Sure enough, someone beat us to it. A little clunky maybe but seems to be entirely what is needed to scratch the itch. Should work with any recent Pentax but IDK.

UrbanFox.TV Blog: World's first HD DSLR EVF ships

---------- Post added 2021-07-08 at 11:49 ----------

Sorry but that is just way too ugly, geeky, dorky and nerdy. I do not want to be seen in public rocking one of those.

Definitely not ugly , dorky , geeky or nerdy it is just very cute

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

stevebrot · 07-11-2021, 03:01 PM

Originally posted by i_trax

Definitely not ugly , dorky , geeky or nerdy it is just very cute

It took me a few seconds to digest what I was looking at there, but it is a solution to a use case.

Steve

KiloHotelphoto · 07-11-2021, 04:19 PM - **1 Like**

This is the Fuji GFX100 attachment for the hot shoe. It is able to tilt up so if you have it mounted on a tripod low you can angle it up to look down through it.

angerdan · 07-13-2021, 11:43 AM

Originally posted by Wasp

Should work with any recent Pentax but IDK.
UrbanFox.TV Blog: World's first HD DSLR EVF ships

This is the current product catalog:
http://www.cineroid.com/upload/2019/04/2019%20cineroid%20catalog_web.pdf#page=13

LeeRunge · 03-18-2024, 10:49 AM

it's a bit funny that the number one selling camera right now is a EVF/OVF hybrid looking back through the comments on this thread.

07-08-2021, 02:42 AM - 1 Like	#35
Wasp Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Pretoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,661 Original Poster	Sure enough, someone beat us to it. A little clunky maybe but seems to be entirely what is needed to scratch the itch. Should work with any recent Pentax but IDK. UrbanFox.TV Blog: World's first HD DSLR EVF ships ---------- Post added 2021-07-08 at 11:49 ---------- Originally posted by Kozlok You can have the thing you are asking for, today, right now. Just use this: Sorry but that is just way too ugly, geeky, dorky and nerdy. I do not want to be seen in public rocking one of those. Last edited by Wasp; 07-08-2021 at 02:51 AM.

07-11-2021, 04:19 PM - 1 Like	#39
KiloHotelphoto Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Glen Mills, PA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,030	This is the Fuji GFX100 attachment for the hot shoe. It is able to tilt up so if you have it mounted on a tripod low you can angle it up to look down through it. Attached Images

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07-07-2021, 08:24 AM - 1 Like	#31
Kozlok Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Albuquerque Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,148	You can have the thing you are asking for, today, right now. Just use this:

07-07-2021, 09:00 AM	#32
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by Wasp I have this crazy idea, inspired by the interchangeable prism on my LX. I only have the FA1 that came with it but have always thought it was cool. So here is my plan. Make a DSLR with a normal but removable prism OVF. Also make an EVF with the same form factor that can be swapped in. Sell kits with one or the other, or both. When the camera body detects the EVF, it locks up the mirror and goes into live view mode. You can choose between the rear screen and EVF as per usual with a MILC. Best of both worlds, yippee! What can go wrong? Modern DSLRs pack a lot of electronics into the prism, including the light meter. In an LX that lives at the bottom of the mirror box. That space is used by the AF gear in a DSLR. Might be doable, but the light meter would be duplicated in the EVF and OVF, driving up costs. Another flaw is the number of contacts needed. It could be a great many, making the connection complicated and fragile. Perhaps some sort of near fields comms between viewfinder and body could keep this in check, but this is uncharted territory. R&D could be a big effort. I am releasing this as a royalty free idea. No guarantee, but since is free it is great value for money. What say you? You will sell as many of them as Koenigsegg sells cars, and it will probably be just as expensive.

07-07-2021, 07:04 PM	#33
LeeRunge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 995	Originally posted by fs999 Yeah but it's not TTL... The EVF side is. Doesn’t much matter for the OVF in 35mm eq. On the x100s the overlay will show the capture area. For the xpro you probably need to use the EVF for a telephoto but I haven't had experience with them. Rangefinder has its limitations but so does having to have a mirror box. A lot of mirrorless advantage is the larger lens mounts with the glass much closer to the sensor. Plus adapters that can take a bunch of different lens mounts. If living with the mirror box then some sort of flip up or sliding EVF that goes in front of the OVF in the viewfinder would work. But you would need to have the live view speed of a mirrorless like the D780 vs the slow as heck live view on a D750 to take advantage. One of those hoods would be fine if you don’t mind the bulk if the live view isn’t contrast detect and slow. At any rate it’ll probably end up being expensive and have a niche market. The X100 line is a fun set of cameras to use. The latest finally being weather sealed.

07-08-2021, 01:41 AM	#34
Wasp Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Pretoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,661 Original Poster	Originally posted by Michail_P But are you that big a fan of EVF? I just love the EVF on my Samsung NX1 bodies, as it makes manual focus with my old school lenses a breeze. Wearing glasses? Two words about MF on a DSLR with the likes of 50/1.2, 85/1.4 or 200/2.5 - forget it! That said, I will always have a place in my heart for mirrors. Been using them since the mid eighties. ---------- Post added 2021-07-08 at 11:37 ---------- Originally posted by KiloHotelphoto Maybe it would be easier and more affordable just to make an EVF that connects to the hot shoe and put the body into mirror up position. I've seen the Fuji GFX100 has that accessory, it's kind of big and works for slow tripod shooting but I'm sure you could make a smaller one that would be not too hard to get used to. An EVF that sits on the hotshoe? Great idea, I like it a lot. Sounds entirely doable - vloggers already do this. A little EVF makes more sense for stills shooters than this contraption.

07-08-2021, 03:40 AM	#36
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,902	I'd say it's a great idea and could 100% work at a technical level but it'll never happen. The cost would be prohibitive plus the people who want mirrorless wouldn't want the added size and weight of a DSLR mirror box. The people who want a DSLR wouldn't want the IQ impact of the focusing pixels needed to get really good AF when in mirrorless mode.

07-11-2021, 03:01 PM	#38
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by i_trax Definitely not ugly , dorky , geeky or nerdy it is just very cute It took me a few seconds to digest what I was looking at there, but it is a solution to a use case. Steve

07-13-2021, 11:43 AM	#40
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,642	Originally posted by Wasp Should work with any recent Pentax but IDK. UrbanFox.TV Blog: World's first HD DSLR EVF ships This is the current product catalog: http://www.cineroid.com/upload/2019/04/2019%20cineroid%20catalog_web.pdf#page=13

03-18-2024, 10:49 AM	#41
LeeRunge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 995	it's a bit funny that the number one selling camera right now is a EVF/OVF hybrid looking back through the comments on this thread.