Thanks very much to Kim for sending me an "unfinished" 3D printed
LeViteZer loupe body and parts kit for the Pocket 4K & 6K cameras!
I cleaned-up the printed plastic parts (there were a few rough edges which required a little filing) and followed Kim's instructions to assemble the loupe. The completed loupe works really well!
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Here's an iPhone 6 photo of the inside of the loupe taken through the loupe's eyepiece glass lens, after I painted the interior of the loupe with flat black spray paint:
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Pros:- Less-expensive compared to most external monitors & EVFs.
- The loupe's glass lens provided by Kim produces a sharp view of my Pocket 4K cam's monitor. With the monitor set at 50% brightness I have absolutely no problem seeing the screen, even in bright outdoor sunlight. Critical focussing is a breeze. At 50% brightness (instead of 100%) the cam's battery should last a bit longer, too.
- Compared to using a monitor, a loupe (or EVF) helps steady handheld shots by providing an additional point of contact (your head). IMHO, the view thru a loupe or EVF is more immersive compared to looking at a bare monitor because there are no visible distractions surrounding the screen -- so it's easier to pay attention to small details within the frame. Makes a big difference!
- The loupe is lightweight but seems very sturdy. Compared to an external monitor or EVF, the loupe is lightweight, doesn't require power or cables, and of course can't cause wear & tear on the cam's HDMI port.
- Loupe has a large opening on its bottom side which allows for very easy access to the touchscreen. It's a little weird watching the silhouette of your "giant" finger reaching in to use the touchscreen!
- The built-in flip-up screen-protecting sun cover mechanism works great! The sun cover prevents direct sunlight from being magnified by the loupe's lens and damaging the cam's monitor. The loupe's sun cover mechanism is clever & effective.
- The loupe protects the cam's monitor from bumps, scratches, etc.
- Kim's design includes a bracket to hold an external T5 SSD, but I haven't tested this yet.
Cons:- Unlike an external monitor or EVF, a loupe doesn't articulate. So a loupe may be poorly-suited for low-angle and other awkward shots.
- The loupe adds about 6" to the camera's overall length. IMHO this isn't a major problem considering the loupe's benefits.
- The standard design of Kim's loupe is intended for use with a "bare" Pocket 4K/6K cam. As-is, it doesn't mount to a cage. However -- if you know how -- you can edit the 3D files to modify the loupe to make it fit your cage. Or, you can modify the standard 3D printed plastic itself so it mounts on a cage, as I've done for use with a SmallRig cage:
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Scroll down to see additional build details below ...