Tilt screen for D800

[clive_murray_white]

<p>More than a few times over the last couple of weeks I've wished that my D800 had a fully articulated screen or waist level finder so I went looking at the options and got completely lost. Plug in monitors, eye piece monitors, connecting to my smart phone and even angle finders all vied for some attention. </p>

<p>Many of these devices seem to be aimed at video work, something that I never do. All I need is a small(ish) auxiliary screen that is pretty much the same quality and resolution as the fixed screen on the camera and effectively captures the live view function.</p>

<p>Every time I look at the possibility of using my HTC One phone as a handy occasional monitor my search gets lost in issues to do with controlling the camera via the phone's touch screen and downloading controller apps. Does anybody know which adapter cables I'd need, where you plug them in to the camera and which app is best?</p>

<p>The more I looked at all this the more a simple good quality analogue angle finder seemed like a reasonable option, any opinions?</p>

[User_4754088]

<p>I use Nikon's right angle finder on my D4 and D700, so I think it will fit your D800. I like it, works really well. Not the same as looking at a big LCD screen, but I never look at the LCD screen when shooting.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Nikon's expensive DR-5 will fit the D800, and there are cheaper 3rd party RA finders available. My experience with RA finders is that the viewfinder image looks exceedingly small through most of them. I'd certainly want to try one out in person before buying Clive.</p>

<p>Maybe using the camera's composite video or HDMI output to a small handheld monitor might work. I don't think that a smartphone can be used as a wired monitor/controller. Neither the camera nor smartphone USB sockets are configured as masters, they're only slave devices that need a USB controller to "push" data into them. All the smartphone controller apps I know of are meant for wireless use. The D800 would need a WiFi card or other adapter to be wireless enabled.</p>

[scott_murphy5]

<p>Tim is right, it will. The D800 has the same size viewfinder threads as the D700 and D4. I use my DR-5 all the time with my D700. They are expensive new but can be found used on Fleabay for a reasonable sum.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>You need a remote application and an OTG usb cable to your camera and your phone must have support for OTG in software.</p>

<p>Check if your phone is supported<br /> http://blog.htc.com/usb-otg/<br /> Software for Nikon and others:<br /> http://dslrdashboard.info/live_view/</p>

<p>Cable can you buy anywhere. It's an OTG cable you want.<br /><a href="https://duckduckgo.com/?q=otg+cable&ia=products">https://duckduckgo.com/?q=otg+cable&ia=products</a></p>

<p>----</p>

<p>External battery driven monitor also works but are more $$$.<br /> Go here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/<br /> Search for HDMI monitor</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>Thanks for all the quick replies, time to do some homework, re: DR-5 how would it be with manual focus 45 PC-E?, I currently use live view on Manual mode.</p>

[scott_murphy5]

<p>Clive, the DR-5 has both a 1x and 2x setting. I use the 1x for viewing and the 2x for critical focusing. I use it about 75% of the time when I shoot stuff with a bellows. It was essential with this image, as the depth of field was probably 1mm at most. Magnification was about 3x on the sensor.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>Clearly Scott manual focusing with DR-5 is fine, what's a reasonable price on that auction site? I can't remember ever seeing one come on Australian EB. A few DR-4s but you need adapters for them on a D800 and they're very rare.</p>

<p>I'm beginning to think that I should pay the very few dollars for a OTG cable and get also get a DR-5 if I find one at a reasonable price, that looks like covering all the bases. Cheap angle finders?</p>

 

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Pete, thanks for the heads-up on OTG cables. I didn't know that such things existed, and apparently my Huawei smartphone supports OTG, so I've got an OTG cable on order from Amazon. Plus I've downloaded DSLRdashboard. If it works it'll be the best £2 I've ever spent!</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

[pete_s.]

<p>You're welcome Joe. Hope you get it working with your devices.</p>

<p>The OTG cable also allows you to connect mouse, keyboard, flash drive etc to your Android phone or tablet so you can use it for other things too.</p>

[dan_beauvais]

<p>CamRanger.com - wirelessly use an Android or iOS device as an LCD replacement and as a very capable controller.</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>If anyone finds the ideal way of attaching a phone to the camera it maybe helpful to post it here.</p>

[keith_b1]

<p>The only issue I have with the DR-5(which I've had since about 2009 with the D3's I had at the time) is that it is fiddly and time consuming to both attach and de-attach it. So much so, I almost never use it. It doesn't just quickly snap on.</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>I am sad to announce that despite our best efforts we've been unable to connect my HTC One phone to the D800. We tried it with both DSLRdashboard and Helicon. Although most of the online literature says that HTC is OK for this we started to find many people who came to the same conclusion. HTC with OTG cable does work for some other applications. Short of hacking the phone there is nothing we can do. </p>

<p>So its back to the drawing board for me!</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>The simple answer is D750.</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>You are not wrong Shun but D750 would also have to rate as the most expensive option</p>

[clive_murray_white]

<p>Now before I go to the RA finder - I'm looking at Monitors and again there is a bewildering number of choices of product from many manufacturers, nearly all the info concentrated of using these monitors for video, whilst I'm more interested in using mine for tilt shift still photography. If anybody has any recommendations I'd love to hear them.</p>

<p>Criteria: 5" - 7", works on D800, quality of image as good as D800, reasonably easy to use, hood included, sensible battery options.</p>