2005Brackets/Widgets forum
Building a video tap for HD camcorder eyepieces using small CCD cameras
21 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Cheap CCD mini cameras struggle with close focus in the 1-3 inch range needed for eyepiece tapping.
- CCD cameras with C-mount lenses and electronic shutters are available in various sizes and can achieve very close focus when needed.
- A monochrome camera positioned at an eyepiece can work for monitoring HD video, though rolling black bars may appear when shooting at 30i, 30p, or 24p frame rates.
- Using a small CCD camera as an eyepiece tap requires removing the viewfinder lens and focusing the camera lens on the LCD screen and indicator lights.
- Field coverage and focus alignment between the camera lens and the eyepiece optics are critical technical challenges.
- The rolling scan artifacts from interlaced and progressive frame rates can interfere with video tap image quality.
- Cameras with Hirose and BNC connectors are better suited for professional monitoring applications.
- Close focus capability on CCD cameras may require slightly unscrewing the C-mount lens to achieve the required depth of field.
Depends on
- The discussion focuses on older HD camera models from the mid-2000s like the Varicam and F900.
- One contributor mentions availability issues specific to London at the time of writing.
- Rolling bar artifacts are noted but not fully resolved as a technical problem.
- Overall exposure evenness and focus uniformity are mentioned as tricky but no detailed solutions are provided.
- Price and availability of suitable components appear limited and variable by region.