cameras with live preview out function

[plingboot]

can people post up the make, model of cameras they know have a live preview out function?

ie: one which can EASILY be plugged into a VTx so shots can be framed from the ground?

been doing this with a hero2, but need better quality images and DON'T want to go down the route of an fpv cam mounted next to the main camera.

 

[jes1111]

http://www.dpreview.com/products/se...ecsCoreParamsBodyType=&paramSpecsLiveView=Yes

 

[Bartman]

can people post up the make, model of cameras they know have a live preview out function?

ie: one which can EASILY be plugged into a VTx so shots can be framed from the ground?

been doing this with a hero2, but need better quality images and DON'T want to go down the route of an fpv cam mounted next to the main camera.

Plingboot

As far as I can tell, the Canon T2i/550D continues to be the best overall balance between ease of use (including live view), quality of photos/video, and overall weight. Plus, there is a large selection of aftermarket lenses available.

Live view involves modifying the included composite video out harness and wiring it to the video Tx. I posted a thread showing the steps somewhere in the AP/AV forum. The included battery lasts a pretty long time and aftermarket replacements are available for about $10 US each from amazon.com.

 

[jforkner]

I have verified that both the Olympus E620 & Nikon V1 have liveview-out functionality (i.e., camera connected to TV via composite video cable, placed in liveview, and image thru lens displayed on TV). I also connected both cameras to a laptop (Win XP) via "EasyCAP" with similar rusults. My suspicion is that other Oly cameras with liveview (both FT & mFT) and the Nikon J1 will work as well.

I do not have FPV hardware to insert into the configuration, but I see no reason the signal would not be transmitted. I wanted to verify the image display before I purchased the FPV equipment.


Jack

 

[Bartman]

Jack,

Did you confirm that the live view is still available when shooting stills and video? someone mentioned a camera recently that didn't provide live view during video shooting.

thanks
bart

 

[jes1111]

Remember that, at least for Nikon and Canon cameras, remote LiveView does not provide a video feed but rather a stream of lo-res JPGs - therefore there is a delay (and a low effective framerate) that would, I'm sure, create difficulties for FPV use.

 

[MombasaFlash]

I entirely empathise. I too do not like the separate framing camera option. Not least because it is such a crappy solution in such a technological age.

Jes1111's easy link shows a pretty exhaustive list of LiveView equipped cameras but, I see that both the Sony NEX and Panasonic GH2 are listed and neither has an A/V composite out, which is what we ideally need. They have HDMI out and the issues with that are pretty well documented around here. The Canon 5D has both HDMI (which drops from 1080 to 480p during record) and composite video out and they are both live during record. The GH2 has HDMI and composite video out but only the HDMI is live during record - according to the manual, but mine does not work with my HDMI converter.

Looking at that list of cameras I fail to understand why upmarket cameras like the NEX and GH2 have very poor video out options and the cheaper cameras invariably have A/V out.

I have those three cameras. The 5D does everything but it is too heavy. The Sony NEX is nice to work with but I am not impressed by the clarity of its video image. The GH2 promises great images but has the monitoring problem.

I am still looking for the ideal solution.

 

[Bowley]

I entirely empathise. I too do not like the separate framing camera option. Not least because it is such a crappy solution in such a technological age.

Jes1111's easy link shows a pretty exhaustive list of LiveView equipped cameras but, I see that both the Sony NEX and Panasonic GH2 are listed and neither has an A/V composite out, which is what we ideally need. They have HDMI out and the issues with that are pretty well documented around here. The Canon 5D has both HDMI (which drops from 1080 to 480p during record) and composite video out and they are both live during record. The GH2 has HDMI and composite video out but only the HDMI is live during record - according to the manual, but mine does not work with my HDMI converter.

Looking at that list of cameras I fail to understand why upmarket cameras like the NEX and GH2 have very poor video out options and the cheaper cameras invariably have A/V out.

I have those three cameras. The 5D does everything but it is too heavy. The Sony NEX is nice to work with but I am not impressed by the clarity of its video image. The GH2 promises great images but has the monitoring problem.

I am still looking for the ideal solution.

As Bart says; 550D/T2i???

 

[jforkner]

Jack,

Did you confirm that the live view is still available when shooting stills and video? someone mentioned a camera recently that didn't provide live view during video shooting.

thanks
bart

Bart,

Of the two cameras I referenced, only the Nikon V1 shoots video; the Olympus E620 does not. When shooting video, the V1 does continue to display liveview. When shooting stills, the liveview screen goes blank during shutter actuation, then returns on both cameras.


Jack