One of the most difficult things about shooting with a DSLR is trying to achieve critical focus in bright daylight. The LCD screens on the back of the camera are notorious for washing out and becoming useless under the glare of the sun.
To combat this problem, pro shooters and amateurs alike, have turned to accessory LCD viewfinders. One of the first, and arguably still the best, is the
Zacuto Z Finder. The Z Finder brought critical focus to thousands of shooters. The only downside to the Z Finder, is it's high sticker price, which is typical of Zacuto's professional level products. If you can afford a Z Finder, I highly recommend it.
For those of us with smaller wallets, there is the
LCDVF, which is a cheaper alternative to the higher end Z Finder. The LCDVF design has become extremely popular and has been knocked off by countless companies.
Carry Speed is one of those companies, but with a big difference. Their version, known as the
V Finder, features a couple of improvements. It has a larger eyepiece the cups the eye and keeps out any external light. More importantly, their LCD frame is thicker and heavier than the competitors, and features notched grooves that provide a much stronger connection.
Carry Speed V Finder Specs:
4:3 or 3:2 Aspect Ratio
2.5 X Magnification
2 Metal Frames
Neck Strap
Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
Pros: Notched Frame, Large Eyepiece, Less Expensive.
Cons: No Diopter, No Anti-Fog.
List Price: $59.99
Recently I spent six hours filming during one of the rainiest days in Los Angeles's history. The cast and crew were awesome and did an amazing job. Here is a little secret, if you want to film without a permit, do it during a torrential downpour. The police will most likely leave you alone since the don't want to get out of their car:)
