- Where do you buy a directors viewfinder?
- Posted by Jim L. on September 2nd, 2003
That little lens that hangs around Spielbergs neck,, the one that directors
look through before filming, so they can frame the shot....are there cheap
ones for us poor blokes? Who sells one in the Toronto area?
- Posted by BillKirch on September 3rd, 2003
###############
buy on ewhen you get a job directing. BG
- Posted by Mike Kujbida on September 3rd, 2003
"Jim L." <jiml@spam.com> wrote in message
news:Qv85b.7702$Kj.621498@news20.bellglobal.com...
Cheap? Not that I'm aware of. Alan Gordon makes the ones that turn up in a
Google search.
The Mini Pro Jr. at http://www.alangordon.com/minipro.html ($285 USD) and
the Mark V
http://www.alangordon.com/mark.html ($699 USD).
The only place in the Toronto area selling these models (that I know of) is
CinequipWhite and you'll have to ask them the price. Contact info at
http://www.cinequipwhite.com/contact.htm
Cavision (in Vancouver) is another Canadian company selling their own
brand. Once again, you'll have to contact them for pricing.
Product info page is http://www.cavision.com/Finder/FinderPage.htm
Check the specs before you buy as most of them are suitable for 1/2" CCDs or
larger. HTH.
Mike
- Posted by Chris Hurd on September 5th, 2003
Howdy from Texas,
See also http://www.kishoptics.com/viewfinder-set.html
Chris Hurd
San Marcos, TX
- Posted by Laurence Payne on September 5th, 2003
Cheaper to buy a budget camera and use the viewfinder :-)
- Posted by Martin Heffels on September 5th, 2003
On Fri, 05 Sep 2003 14:18:18 +0100, Laurence Payne
<l@laurenceDELETEpayne.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
Yeah, but can you swap the lenses on your budget-cam? 
-m-
--
filmmaker/DP/editor,
Sydney, Australia
"Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground."
SpamPal keeps my mailbox spamfree (http://www.spampal.org)
- Posted by Mattie on September 6th, 2003
On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 18:07:33 -0400, "Jim L." <jiml@spam.com> wrote:
I've used all of them... The Mark V is the most versatile but horrilby
overpriced. The Kish mini viewfinder is useful but still expensive at
~$300. Cavision in BC made the earliest (and cheapest at $200) mini
viewfinders that I saw but you had to use interchangeable masks to
change aspect ratios and I think it was only 8:1. I believe they've
redesigned their viewfinders since then. If you really think you need
a director's finder, I'd recommend one of the mini 11:1 viewfinders
with an aspect ratio adustment ring . Just be aware that, at the long
focal lengths, the image in the viewfinder is fairly small. B&H Photo
in NY carries most of them (however, I noticed today that many are out
of stock) but I'd look for a used one if I were you....
Honestly, though, director's viewfinders aren't that useful in this
day of videotap and hq zoom lenses. Most of the directors I've worked
with don't use one. The experienced guys will pretty much know what a
100mm prime at 20 feet will give them. And the less experienced
directors rely on their DP to help them pick lenses and set the shots
up. I have had directors bring their own digital camera or camcorder
with them on location scouts and then they can show me what they had
in mind. That can be helpful... and maybe even cheaper than the $700
you'll drop on a Mark V. (Keep in mind that if you're doing lots of
effects shots or need to let a Production Designer know specifics
about your shots for set design or forced perspective, a director's
finder might be very useful).
Mattie
