Kinefinity EAGLE SDI Electronic Viewfinder Launched

Monitor News

by Jakub HanJuly 23^rd, 2024

Kinefinity EAGLE SDI is a new electronic viewfinder (EVF) that will work with any camera with an SDI output. It features a 0.7″ 1080p OLED screen with low power consumption, a fanless design, and an adjustable diopter. The EAGLE SDI will start shipping in August 2024 for $1,299.

Back in April, during the NAB 2024 show, Kinefinity presented a new 8K camera along with an interesting electronic viewfinder that is compatible with any camera that has an SDI output. Back then, there were not many details available about it, but today, it is being officially announced, so let’s take a quick look at its features and specs.

Kinefinity EAGLE SDI electronic viewfinder

At the heart of the Kinefinity EAGLE SDI is a 0.7″ Micro-OLED 1080p display. Kinefinity claims it supports 10-bit image processing, but the display itself has an 8-bit color depth (16 million colors). For better accessibility, there is a built-in diopter adjustable from -6D to +2D (accommodating 600 degrees of myopia to 200 degrees of hyperopia).

The EAGLE SDI viewfinder supports 3G SDI and HD SDI connections with 1080p or 1080i video signals at framerates between 23.97 and 60fps. Kinefinity claims the EVF offers a noise-free and zero-latency image. There is no proximity sensor to turn the panel on/off, but according to Kinefinity, there is an automatic screen-off function to protect the OLED display.

Assist features, R/S trigger

There are assist features available, such as luma waveform, focus peaking, histogram, false color, and more. Further functions, such as vector scope and SDI metadata, will be available later via a firmware update. The EVF does not support the import of 3D LUTs (most cameras can set the LUT for SDI monitoring separately within the camera menu). Every unit is color-calibrated in production, and further calibration is not necessary, according to Kinefinity.

The viewfinder can’t control the camera menu, but it supports RS triggering (run/stop). It can be triggered via the RS port on the SDI e-viewfinder cord, connected to the Fischer RS port on the camera body. This port can be found, for instance, on ARRI, RED V-RAPTOR XL, Sony VENICE, and Kinefinity cameras. For cameras without an RS port, such as RED KOMODO/V-RAPTOR, recording can be triggered using an additional kit, such as the Tilta RED KOMODO camera cage.

Physical specs and powering

The body of the EVF is quite compact and lightweight – the dimensions are 105x62x58mm (4.1″x2.4″x2.3″), and its weight is 348g (12.2oz). There are five function buttons, a power switch, and a function knob. There is no internal fan, but Kinefinity claims the passive heat dissipation design is enough to prevent overheating.

When it comes to mounting options, the EAGLE SDI EVF offers an ARRI rosette mount and Movcam quick-lock mount. The logo at the front is backlit and serves as a tally light (I suppose this will only work when the R/S triggering has been set up).

According to Kinefinity, the EVF has a low power consumption of 2.5W. For power delivery, the EVF has a 5-pin LEMO connector. There is also a USB Type-C port on the viewfinder, but it does not, unfortunately, support power delivery – only firmware updates.

Price and availability

Kinefinity EAGLE SDI viewfinder is available for pre-order now, and the company claims shipping will start on August 5, 2024. Coming in two colors – black and cyber – the EVF will cost $1,299. The EAGLE SDI kit (adding a dual cable, mounting arm, and an eyecup cushion) can be purchased for $1,399. For pre-orders (until August 4, 2024), Kinefinity offers a 10% discount on the EVF and its accessories. For more information, have a look at their website.

Do you use a third-party EVF with your camera? What do you think about the Kinefinity EAGLE SDI viewfinder? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.