That didn't take long. It was only a matter of time before companies began releasing loupes compatible with the new LCD screens of the 5D Mark III and the D800. Since the Mark III screen is slightly bigger, the old LCDVF for the 5D Mark II will not work correctly. Kinotehnik, who makes the LCDVF, is also planning on releasing a loupe for the other new DSLRs, including the D4 and the D800.
Even though the introduction of small monitor EVF solutions has alleviated the situation somewhat, it's still more accurate and less cumbersome to just use the back LCD for shooting and focus. Here's a quote from Kinotehnik from Dan Chung's DSLR News Shooter:
LCDVF 3C will follow the same design principle as the rest of the LCDVF family, where the subtle metal frame is attached to the camera body, enabling clipping the eyepiece on and off with the help of magnets....In addition, LCDVF 3C will boast one significant improvement – the revised eyepiece design will now accept optional diopter correction lenses. Any standard diopter correction lens with 37mm threads can be used, while the physical design and main measurements of the eyepiece remain the same with the rest of the range.
The diopter addition will be welcome for many people who wear glasses but prefer to take them off when looking into the viewfinder. I know plenty of people that actually keep the glasses on, but I'm sure it will be appreciated nonetheless. Many more LCD viewfinders will be released for all of the new cameras over the next few months, but it seems fitting that one of the cheaper and widely used is the first out of the gate.
Having used the LCDVF on the 5D Mark II, it's a phenomenal product for the price and the design. Granted, you must adhere the metal frame to the body so that the viewfinder will attach, but I actually prefer this design because it allows me to keep the camera basic and simple whenever I need it to be. It is great for event shooting where you need to be handheld and can't always keep your eye pressed up against the viewfinder. One would simply wear the viewfinder around their neck, and they would just simply detach it with a flick to be able to look at the LCD away from their face. I'm usual partial to simple designs, and this is one of them. Truthfully, performance could actually be worse and I'd probably still be happy with using the LCDVF, because it's simplicity never gets in the way. The only nagging bit is the ease with which you can remove the viewfinder, as it can be knocked off pretty easily. That's why it makes sense to wear it around your neck while shooting.
Expect quite a few more of these to pop up at NAB. The LCDVF for the 5D Mark III is being sold at Kinotehnik's website and other retailers starting in May and will run you $125. Check out the larger photo below.
Link. Kinotehnik - Website
[via DSLR News Shooter]
