Zacuto Smart Z-Finder – A Smartphone Viewfinder Now On Kickstarter

Smartphone Filmmaking

by Jeff LochNovember 9^th, 2022

Zacuto recently launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for an interesting new smartphone accessory: the Zacuto Smart Z-Finder. This system allows you to attach a viewfinder to your phone and rig various accessories to it, like a microphone, support handle, or on-camera light. The standard bundle starts at $299, and you have until November 18th to back this project.

When it comes to cinema or mirrorless camera rigging accessories, a couple of names should come to mind, including U.S. manufacturer Zacuto, which has been in business for more than 20 years. Back in the Canon EOS 5D Mark II days, the Zacuto Z-Finder was one of the first accessories most filmmakers purchased. Indeed, this loupe magnifies your screen for cameras without built-in EVF and adds a third point of contact for extra stability when shooting handheld. Nowadays, cinema cameras like the Canon EOS C70 can still rely on that handy mechanical viewfinder.

Over the years, Zacuto developed cages, state-of-the-art electronic viewfinders, and over 500 rigging accessories. The company is now back to one of its historical products, only this time, for the smartphone market – the Zacuto Smart Z-Finder.

Zacuto Smart Z-Finder – the bridge

At the core of the Zacuto Smart Z-Finder, you’ll find a smartphone mounting bracket they call the “bridge.” The bridge clamps to the sides of your smartphone and locks in place via a red knob.

The bridge fits every smartphone with screens between 6.1″ and 6.7″. In short, the Smart Z-Finder is compatible with nearly every phone on the market, including the iPhone 11 – 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy, Sony Xperia phones, etc. According to Zacuto, you can even attach your smartphone with a case on, including the Moment cases that allow you to mount extra lenses and filters in front of your smartphone’s camera.

The bridge features a lot of industry-standard mounting points, including seven 1/4 “-20 mounting screws, three Arca-Swiss mounts, three NATO rails, and three cold shoes.

If you add the optional accessory rail to the bridge, you’ll get more cold shoes, 3/8 “-16, 1/4 “-20, and NATO rails mounts. But the real magic happens once you snap the viewfinder to the bridge.

A viewfinder for smartphones

The viewfinder attaches magnetically to the bridge and magnifies your smartphone screen. This is handy for nailing manual focus but also blocks reflections or sunlight. Furthermore, a viewfinder allows you to compose your shot much more precisely.

As I mentioned, when shooting handheld, the Zacuto Smart Z-Finder will create a third point of contact with your body that helps stabilize your footage. The included removable strap will give you a better grip around the viewfinder.

Zacuto really thought of everything: there is an opening underneath the viewfinder to access your touchscreen. It is also straightforward to pop off the Z-Finder & reattach it.

If you have ever used a Zacuto Z-Finder, you’ll feel at home with the Smart Z-Finder: it features the same adjustable diopter and anti-fog technology they are well-known for.

Zacuto Smart Z-Finder bundles

If you want to go one step further with the Smart Z-Finder, Zacuto offers director’s and cinematographer’s bundles. The director’s bundle includes the accessory rail that goes on top of the bridge and a director’s grip.

The cinematographer’s bundle adds a shoulder stock and “brow” accessory that acts as a matte box’s French flag.

Price and availability

The Zacuto Smart Z-Finder is available for preorder now on Kickstarter for $299. The director’s bundle is $379, while the cinematographer’s bundle is $465. All products should start shipping in February 2023.

The Zacuto Kickstarter campaign is live until November 18th.

At the end of every crowdfunding-related article, we remind you to please be aware of the risks when backing a project on a crowdfunding platform. Please read the platform’s terms of use and remember that there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some projects even don’t get delivered at all.

What do you think about the Smart Z-Finder? Do you think it is a handy add-on accessory for smartphone filmmaking? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!