This portion of the review will highlight some changes to Part I due to the arrival of the production version of the LCDVF. I will quickly re-address the Build Quality, Aesthetics and Mounting Systems.
Production version of LCDVF mounted to Canon 5D MkII
Build Quality
Both products have proven to be solid enough to withstand any day-to-day abuse that a viewfinder might see. The Zacuto still appears to have a heartier build of the two. The fit and finish of each is of equal standards, which is to say that they both demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship. Winner: Draw
Aesthetics
This area hasn’t changed from the pre-production model to the production model of the LCDVF. For my taste, I prefer the sleekness of the LCDVF over the boxy, industrial look of the Z-Finder V2. Winner: LCDVF
Mounting System
I was very pleased to see the use of magnets in the LCDVF system. Although the original copy I tested had somewhat weak magnets, the production version has a much more robust magnetic mount that equals the grip of the Z-Finder. The Z-Finder uses a simple plastic mount and adhesive tape to secure it to your LCD. Now, the LCDVF has adopted a similar system with a metal frame and adhesive mount. However, the metal frame of the LCDVF system has a thinner profile than the Z-Finder. After mounting the LCDVF it is hardly noticeable compared to the higher ridges of the Zacuto product. The new magnetic system along with the thin profile metal frame have given the LCDVF system a huge advantage. Winner: LCDVF
What you read above was a re-assessment of the Build Quality, Aesthetics and Mounting System. Now I’ll continue to Part II, the portion everyone has been waiting for… How do they work?
Optics
Both the Z-Finder and the LCDVF use high quality optics. I could not see any difference in either system. Both systems offered bright, clear, crisp resolution. For some reason the Z-Finder tended to fog up faster that the LCDVF, but Zacuto counters this with the availability of anti-fog tissues which work remarkably well. One very important distinction between these two is that the Z-Finder has a diopter built into their system. I’m guess that this adds quite considerably to its hefty price. If you have perfect vision or wear contacts then the lack of a diopter in the LCDVF shouldn’t be an issue. I wear glasses to correct my myopia (nearsightedness) and use the LCDVF without contacts or glasses without any problems. I image if you suffer from hyperopia (farsightedness) you may have issues using the LCDVF with the unaided eye.
One interesting difference between the two is the way you view the screen. The optical portion of the Z-Finder is much closer to the camera’s LCD than the LCDVF’s. This has two effects. First, the image is more magnified; which is the main purpose of buying a LCD viewing aide in the first place. Second, with the enlarged image you loose sight of the corners of your screen. This is hard to describe, so please refer to the photos. The LCDVF’s optics are placed further back, giving you a less magnified view, but retaining full view of the LCD. There are pros and cons for each approach. Winner: Draw
This is the view as seen through the Z-Finder V2. The missing corners are slightly exagerated due to the placement of the camera taking the photograph, but gives you an idea of what the missing corners will look like.
View as seen through the LCDVF. All corners of the LCD are visible.
Comfort
Each system uses a soft rubber eyecup to block ambient light. The Z-Finder’s eyecup is noticeably larger than the LCDVF eyecup. In use, each one was equally comfortable. Things change quite a bit with the inclusion of a microfiber eye cushion. Tonis, the creator of the LCDVF, includes a microfiber eye cushion with each LCDVF. Once the eye cushion is added the comfort level is raised dramatically in favor of the LCDVF. Winner: LCDVF
LCDVF with included eye cushion.
Cost and Warranty
At the time of this review the Zacuto Z-Finder V2 is selling for $395 and the LCDVF is on sale for $159 (normally $179). The LCDVF comes with a two year warranty. Although there is a great difference in price, it should be noted that the Z-Finder V2 does come with a lifetime warranty.
Conclusion
Trying to achieve focus by looking at 1,000,000 tiny dots on a 3” LCD monitor from 18” away is nearly impossible for me. Several people learned to adapt the Hoodman Hoodloop to the rear of their V-DSLRs with various mounting methods. It wasn’t long before companies jumped in with specifically designed LCD view finders to aid the videographer achieve critical focus. I’ll conclude this review by saying both systems presented here are head and shoulders above the results you’ll get by trying to focus without an optical aide.
To make things worse, with a V-DSLR we have the luxury of taking advantage of Canon and Nikon’s availability of fast primes that give you an extremely shallow depth of field. Working with such a shallow DOF means that focus is even more critical.
Some type of a viewing system is critical for using a video DSLR. For me I’m going to be keeping the LCDVF. Both products are remarkably good in aiding you shoot video, but in the end money has to be a consideration and at $159, the LCDVF offers everything the Z-Finder does, with the exception of a diopter, for 60% less.
GNAR Rating: (Zacuto Z-Finder V2) 4-Stars
GNAR Rating: (LCDVF) 4-Stars
Overall Winner: LCDVF
