Anyone used "Mark II Artist's Viewfinder" with a tech camera??

[Transposure]

As a new tech cam user, I have been looking into the various ways to frame and focus. My intent is solely interior architecture and I am using a Cambo Wide RS + Credo 60 back.

I came across this App the other day and thought it might be well suited to use with a tech cam. You can input the lens and the digital back and it provides the field of view.



Mark II Artist's Viewfinder

Since I am new to the tech cam world, I wanted to know if anyone knows this app and if they have used it with a tech cam. Is it worthwhile? Any other suggestions to speed up framing and accuracy?

On a related note, I thought I would share this with others...
I have an iPhone 6 and I bought and use a cool little gadget in my car. It is a rubber-faced magnetic mount. Here is a pic...



So, I thought, why not leverage the system for the tech cam? Well, I found this product...



So, I am thinking if this "Artist Viewfinder Mark II" App works, I can stick the phone there and voila!

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[Jamgolf]

I have the Artist's Viewfinder app on my phone and use it to check compositions and decide on a lens.
However, I do not use it with the phone attached to the tech-cam.
For composing I just rely on the digital back's screen.

I also think the Artemis Director's Viewfinder is a better tool, because it allows entry of any focal length of choice for easy and accurate comparison of fields of view between different focal lengths.

 

[Pelorus]

I also have the Artist's Viewfinder app and I use it just as Jamgolf does - to check composition and decide on lens/location. I don't use it to frame and I don't mount it on the camera. I like it a lot and I also use it as a visual diary, taking pictures with the frame lines in place and sometimes printing them lo res and putting notes on them.

 

[Wayne Fox]

I also think the Artemis Director's Viewfinder is a better tool, because it allows entry of any focal length of choice for easy and accurate comparison of fields of view between different focal lengths.

Artists viewfinder allows custom focal lengths to be created as well. You can specific actual lenses, or focal lengths, and you can add a focal length if one isn’t available.

Additionally if you zoom the display, the upper corner displays the equivalent focal length of the current field of view. I always use this tool to decide which lens to put on my tech camera when setting up for a shot.

 

[Jamgolf]

Artists viewfinder allows custom focal lengths to be created as well. You can specific actual lenses, or focal lengths, and you can add a focal length if one isn’t available.

Thanks Wayne, I did not know that.

 

[Transposure]

So, what would be the consensus between the two Apps?
My main goal is to use one of them to initially frame an interior architecture shot. I would then take a distance measure to a 1/3-in point and set focus. Take a test shot and check on a tethered Macbook Air running C1.

 

[Jamgolf]

Ken, since both apps do the same thing you can pick either app. Most users here have Artist's Viewfinder - so that is probably a better option plus it is cheaper.
However, I am curious why you are not thinking about using your Credo 60's screen for composition? I think apps like Artist's Viewfinder are useful before camera is even setup to evaluate possible compositions or to see which focal length might offer the best framing. But once that decision has been made, live view is what you want to fine tune the frame.

 

[Transposure]

Ken, since both apps do the same thing you can pick either app. Most users here have Artist's Viewfinder - so that is probably a better option plus it is cheaper.
However, I am curious why you are not thinking about using your Credo 60's screen for composition? I think apps like Artist's Viewfinder are useful before camera is even setup to evaluate possible compositions or to see which focal length might offer the best framing. But once that decision has been made, live view is what you want to fine tune the frame.

Gotcha, and thanks.
As for using the screen for composition, I just always wrote off live view on the CCD back. I should probably try it ,huh? Lol

 

[DougDolde]

Biggest issue with these is that if your lens is really wide you need a wide angle lens for the iPhone as well.

Consequently I chalk both up as a reject for my uses. But I don't use a tech cam.

 

[JeRuFo]

Biggest issue with these is that if your lens is really wide you need a wide angle lens for the iPhone as well.

Consequently I chalk both up as a reject for my uses. But I don't use a tech cam.

Those wide angle converters are tiny. If you happen to have your phone with you anyway usually, this is by far the most compact and versatile option.

Although I always use a cheap optical viewfinder to walk around with and pick the exact spot and height to put my tripod, an app like this is great for keeping a log of places I've scouted and plan to revisit when the conditions are right though. My only gripe is that I love 'bad' weather and the beauty of a simple metal viewfinder is that I can hold it in my hand and not care about the weather conditions and I don't have to use a screen to operate it. Another bonus is that I don't have to hold my arms out and look at a screen, which can be uncomfortable with a big pack or when looking into the light.

 

[algrove]

Those wide angle converters are tiny. If you happen to have your phone with you anyway usually, this is by far the most compact and versatile option.

Although I always use a cheap optical viewfinder to walk around with and pick the exact spot and height to put my tripod, an app like this is great for keeping a log of places I've scouted and plan to revisit when the conditions are right though. My only gripe is that I love 'bad' weather and the beauty of a simple metal viewfinder is that I can hold it in my hand and not care about the weather conditions and I don't have to use a screen to operate it. Another bonus is that I don't have to hold my arms out and look at a screen, which can be uncomfortable with a big pack or when looking into the light.

Which cheap optical VF do you prefer? I have been considering one myself.

 

[JeRuFo]

Which cheap optical VF do you prefer? I have been considering one myself.

I still shoot mainly film, so I use a 4x5 zoom viewfinder from http://www.bh-camera.com/viewfinder.php I just keep it in my pocket or hand all the time, so I can quickly place the large elements in a frame. It's virtually indestructable, though cheaply made. The name is a bit misleading, it doesn't zoom, it just blocks out the front element with moving frame edges.
It is not very accurate, but close enough to determine from where I can shoot with a certain lens. I use the same one for 4x5, 8x10 and with a digital back. I only shoot 2 lenses on digital and the FOV corresponds very closely to my LF lenses (only the height is obviously slightly different). Completely accurate is not useful to me anyway, since I use movements on most shots. There are viewfinders that can do that, but I'd rather get my camera out when I get that enthused about a composition and do the fine-tuning on the groundglass, I see the small details better upside down.

 

[Nutcracker]

As a new tech cam user, I have been looking into the various ways to frame and focus. My intent is solely interior architecture and I am using a Cambo Wide RS + Credo 60 back.

I came across this App the other day and thought it might be well suited to use with a tech cam. You can input the lens and the digital back and it provides the field of view.

View attachment 123285View attachment 123286

Mark II Artist's Viewfinder

Since I am new to the tech cam world, I wanted to know if anyone knows this app and if they have used it with a tech cam. Is it worthwhile? Any other suggestions to speed up framing and accuracy?

On a related note, I thought I would share this with others...
I have an iPhone 6 and I bought and use a cool little gadget in my car. It is a rubber-faced magnetic mount. Here is a pic...

View attachment 123283

So, I thought, why not leverage the system for the tech cam? Well, I found this product...

View attachment 123284

So, I am thinking if this "Artist Viewfinder Mark II" App works, I can stick the phone there and voila!

Thoughts? Comments?

Artists viewfinder is really nice for choosing lens and composition. Alpa have small wide angle Schneider lens and phone cover that works well and is very portable, either freehand or fixed to Tech camera. Highly recommended, phone and cover always in pocket, and lens attachment

 

[stephengilbert]

I feel like I'm the only one using the app mounted on my camera. I find it great for framing on a tripod mounted tech cam.

It's loaded in a retired iPhone that's only used for photography. (Kept up to date via WIFI.)

 

[algrove]

If it's an app (like TPE) like so many others when I am in the "wild" I cannot get a signal. So does this make it useless in the field where cell towers are far and few between?

 

[dchew]

No it works without a connection. All your lens configurations are stored on your device.

You do have the option to take a photo through the app, so if you did that the gps tagging obviously wouldn't work.

Dave

 

[Arjuna]

I don't know about this app/apps, but an iPhone's GPS works without a cell signal. I have a GPS app for mine: I download maps into my phone, and use it when hiking. Some of the places that I go have no cell coverage. It shows my location without any trouble, and I usually have the phone on airplane mode, to save the battery.

 

[etrump]

I have used this app and the previous generation for years and find it indispensable for my work.

As mentioned, you can have custom configured lens focal lengths and wide angle lens configured in the software as well as custom configurations you do yourself.

With a small Moment wide angle which fits over the lens, even with my iphone case of choice, I can cover all of my focal lengths as well as all of my usual formats by defining custom sensors. I have configurations for 2x3 3x4 4x5 16x9 and 6x17 in both cropped and stitched modes.

It also has a special alpa mode that allows you to simulate shifting the back both vertically and horizontally. Don't have an alpa just configure your tech cam as an alpha and label it what you want.

While it works fine mounted to the camera, I use it extensively for scouting work. I can leave all the gear at home and quickly plan my shots without lugging all the gear. I find I try so many more compositions, formats and camera placements than I did before using the viewfinder since it is so easy to move the iphone around. When I get exactly the shots I want, I place my iphone with planned photo displayed then zero in on the shot with my camera.

Saves enough time not grabbing the wrong lens to make it worth the price.

 

[algrove]

Based on post #1 I did not see the 100MP DB listed. Did I miss something?

 

[stephengilbert]

The images show examples of the VF screens after selection of the equipment you've chosen and saved.

I don't recall whether the 100 is listed, but all the VF needs to work is the dimensions of the sensor, not the megapixels.