Sony preps OLED viewfinder

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 15th April 2008
Comments (5) Stumble
The HDVF-EL100 viewfinder marks Sony's first professional-level product to use OLED technology.

The HDVF-EL100 viewfinder marks Sony's first professional-level product to use OLED technology.

If you're still waiting for organic LED displays, or OLEDs, to make their appearance outside teeny-tiny MP3 player screens you'll be interested in Sony's new viewfinder aimed at pro-level HD video cameras.

The rather ungainly monikered HDVF-EL100 is an 11” unit designed to make taking high-definition footage easer and more comfortable than using a traditional CRT or LCD viewfinder. Rob Willox, director of Sony's Content Creation Group, describes the OLED technology as allowing the operator of the camera to “accurately see contrast and colour levels when framing a shot” due to an improved colour gamut over traditional liquid-crystal screens.

The main reason for moving to OLED from LCD is, of course, the contrast ratio. Whereas a traditional liquid-crystal display often has poor black level reproduction due to the permanent backlight, Sony's OLED viewfinder is capable of a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Try finding an LCD capable of that.

Sadly, the resolution leaves a little bit to be desired at a measly 960x540. Okay, it's a small screen – but if you're capturing 1080p high-definition content then it'd be nice to see exactly what's being recorded. Even so, it's a good start to hopefully move studio types away from their beloved old Trinitron CRT displays – displays which are ill-suited for high-definition content anyway.

While the HDVF-EL100 is a niche product for a professional market – with “suggested list prices to be announced”, naturally – it's clear that OLED is starting to scale into larger and larger commercial products. Perhaps a big-screen OLED TV isn't too far away?

Are you hoping that OLED will deliver us all from horribly grey black levels, or is that why we developed plasma displays? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote Krikkit 15th April 2008, 11:58
Exciting stuff, that contrast ratio is definately something to write home about. Wonder how much it is. I suppose because I've asked I can't afford it. :p

Why are high-end CRT's not suitable for HD content?
Quote johnmustrule 15th April 2008, 21:33
High end CRT's are suitable for HD content but they're expensive and bulky, plus the high end ones are very expensive. OLED displays are compact, less expensive, and offer similar video quality plus they can be mounted on the camera.
Quote LordPyrinc 15th April 2008, 23:00
New technology is always expensive at first. Whether or not this tech eventually becomes cheaper, or dies out leading to better things, innovation is always a good sign.
Quote A5H 16th April 2008, 01:03
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmustrule
High end CRT's are suitable for HD content but they're expensive and bulky, plus the high end ones are very expensive. OLED displays are compact, less expensive, and offer similar video quality plus they can be mounted on the camera.

Can high end CRT's get any where near the contrast ratios of OLEDS?
I always assumed the main drawback of a CRT was the contrast on it. I imagine an OLED is more efficient too? So longer battery life etc?
Quote docodine 16th April 2008, 06:19
Seeing as the current Sony XEL-1 11" OLED TV is around $2500, I'm pretty sure that this won't be far off. A store close by us has one on display, and it's pretty amazing. Go and look at one.
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