Zigview S2 Digital Angle Finder for DSLRs
By Thomas Ricker 
posted September 11th 2006 9:04AM
posted September 11th 2006 9:04AM
Zigview just made it a bit easier for you digital SLR owners to frame your shots with their new and improved Zigview S2 Digital Angle Finder. Like last year's offering, the S2 attaches to your DSLR's viewfinder to display a live video feed on that large, 2.5-inch "high-resolution" LCD. Thing is, this screen can be detaced from the main unit allowing you to view the subject and fire the shutter from any angle up to 10-meters away (via extension cable). That screen also includes a TV-out, 9 area TTL motion sensor, and interval timer for all sorts of clandestine possibilities. Available in October for £250/$466.
It would be great if the camera manufacturers made an attachment like this for their dslr cameras, so the attachment is a little more solid and seems more meant for the specific model you use. It would be great for the people who want to occasionally use this kind of feature: i.e., taking pictures of low level subjects (kids) or over crowds (news events). It would also be great since you'd be able to take it off and use it as a traditional dslr.
Hopefully either camera manufacturers or 3rd party vendors make this attachment better.
Holy crap, $466? They are awful proud of that thing, aren't they?
They should start making cameras with articulated LCD screens!
I know, I know...
Yes, I know that too...
pixelbrat is dead on... $466 is way too high for this sort of gadget. the olympus E-500 with 2 lenses was about $900 earlier this year -- $466 is more than 1/2 the cost of the camera. if you're only interested in being able to "see" thru the viewfinder without actually looking thru the viewfinder, buy an olympus E-330 -- its a dslr with an lcd viewer....
if you're buying this thing to engage in doing research for what will be a script on next season's "law & order: SVU", well, you can afford it...
Camera designers could build in a removable viewfinder that communicates with the camera using BlueTooth.
Not a new idea: My parents old tv had a pop-out remote. It was a regular remote, but you could slide it sideways into the tv, and then it would act as a regular tv control panel.
Apperently Bluetooth already has a profile ready-made for this kind of application...
"Remote Camera
Allows the initiator to remotely use a digital camera. For example, a user could place a camera on a tripod for a group photo, use their phone handset to check that everyone is in frame, and activate the shutter with the user in the photo."
Their example used a cellphone but the same could be used in a bluetooth enabled LCD (which is kind of what a cellphone is anyway =p).
- Tony R.
Stupid idea. I'd never have a use for anything like this and I don't know anyone who would. Bluetooth or something, sure, nice, if it comes built into the camera. This add on piece, no thanks.
By the way, you need an "h" in your word detached here: "this screen can be detaced from the main unit allowing you to view"...
This would be perfect for underwater housings and since the housings are well over 1k starting for a slr people would have no problem dropping another 500 for a screen which you really need underwater. I would.
This is available in the US at www.climaxdigital.com/zigview/zigview_s2.html
Expensive, yes. Worth it? Oh yeah.
There are many applications including studio/product photography, object VR photography, studio macro photography, 3D imaging and stop motion animation, to name a few...
I just purchased the ZigView S2 and love it. I often have to shot low or above the heads of others to get the best shot. I also have some vision problems and this is a God send. Of course I hope the vendor eventually designs a Bluetooth version. This is an excellent product.