This guy hated his Sony A7 electronic viewfinder so much that he just cut it off
Oct 13, 2017
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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I have to say, this is probably one of the more extreme camera mods I’ve seen in recent times. Sure, there were some doozies back in the days of film when everything was mechanical. But now? With all the intricacies of digital chips and circuits? Not so much beyond “How to add a microphone jack” hacks. This, though, takes it to the extreme.
One member of the Xitek forum decided he just really didn’t like his Sony A7’s electronic viewfinder. So, he got rid of it. Yup, that’s right, he removed it completely, then made a new top plate for his camera to cover the hole. Essentially, it’s now a sort of full frame version of the A6500.
The user, who goes by the name “Wheat uncle” (at least that’s what Google translated it to), had a goal. To turn the camera on the left into the camera on the right. Decapitating a mirrorless camera might seem a bit extreme, and it is. But if it works for the A6x00 series, why not for full frame?
The first task was to dismantle the camera and remove the electronic viewfinder itself.
Then, cut off the viewfinder cover from the top plate.
With a freshly cut hole in the A7 top plate, a new cover had to be made.
Once attached, the final result looks remarkably clean. If you didn’t know any better, you’d just assume it comes this way from the factory.
As I said, a bit extreme, but if the final result works, why not? The only thing I think that would annoy me, personally, is the loss of the hotshoe. If Google’s translation of the Xitec thread is correct, it is possible to have kept it. It just requires a fair bit more work to do so. If you don’t really use flash, not worth the extra effort.
So, if you’re not a fan of your Sony A7 series viewfinder, now you know you can just take it off. Well, with the use of some elbow grease and a few tools.
Sony did actually patent a full frame mirrorless camera without a viewfinder at one point. So, perhaps this might prompt Sony to finally start producing it.
[via SonyAlpha Rumors]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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27 responses to “This guy hated his Sony A7 electronic viewfinder so much that he just cut it off”
Wow, I don’t even look at cameras without viewfinders. They are essential for me
This. I see a camera without a viewfinder and think – Oh what a waste. It all falls down into water if I have to use it like a mobile phone or a cheap compact.
Oh stop it, these are not optical viewfinders, and most of the digital implements across all camera manufacturers are made out of cheap crap.
Oof, this didn’t age well
?
And promptly removes the hot shoe!
Exactly?? without my flash trigger I would be lost. He should’ve just bought one with an OVF?
But why?
Looks like he also has a hobby as a machinist and enjoys tinkering. There’s a whole YouTube channel dedicated to this type of stuff called AvE, which stands for Arduino Verses Evil.
The one advantage for doing this is making the camera look more like a consumer camera. It’s the reason I enjoy shooting with the GX85 over my 5D when out in public, it draws less attention.
That is true.
I find that a “bigger” camera also can be good in bringing something out in people, in which they would pose “seriously” for portraits.
By the way, I find it more discrete to shoot using and EVF, with the camera pressed to my face, than by holding it with my arms in front of me. I am not sure why, I would find the latter to be slightly obnoxious. So if I want to be discrete I would go for a small body with EVF.
The Sony mirrorless viewfinders are so laggy.
so this is all wonderful, but seems like too much work….and something most of us wouldn’t attempt
I used to think I wouldn’t like using a camera without a viewfinder but recent but an NEX3n for travel and playing with old manual focus lenses and i actually quite like the arrangement
‘Some guy hated his many K$ camera so much that he smashed it into little pieces’…
Senseless.
Think do same after Finland Posti postal service broke my A7 viewfinder..
i sorta knew it’s possible but i dnt see much point in this lol
wanna try with your 6D too? ;)
Not sure on the point of this except showing off machining skills.
I hate composing images using the rear LCD, and most older EVFs are grainy, dark and laggy.
The one on my friends GH5 is tempting me towards mirrorless though as it is so responsive and clear.
I have hope in EVFs, the colors usually look gorgeous and the resolution and responsiveness is improving, I’m pretty sure that a few will eventually look as good as OVFs.
Makes about as much sense to me as cutting off toes to buy narrower shoes.
wow,he got nerve!!!
rcstudio.com.my
omg…love it!
i tought about doing that once, but i tougth the camera will auto-block when dont detect the evf conected to the board
now that i know it works without evf i will do it… i hope the a7rii dont need that useless evf (only old people use it)
thx a lot
pd i was hoping sony made a camera without an evf, or make it optional, but that may never happend now…so lets do it
Call me old if you want, but I had an Olympus camera without EVF, and I added a EVF to it. I like to have an EVF because:
– You can see better especially when the sun is very strong. I can better manually focus.
– I can hold the camera more stable – less shake – against my eye
– It feels more comfortable and looks better, and is more discrete than holding the camera in front of you with your arms and looking at the monitor.
So personally I don’t see why but thankfully you have both options and you can even get a camera without EVF if you prefer – or even cut it out like the guy above.
Aren’t bridge cameras available in that country? Or Sony a5100? Or maybe he could just Not Looking into the EVF? It feels like buying a macbook pro and breaking its screen as you always use it with a big 4K monitor. Maybe he has too much easy money. I would also mention that A9, a7m2 and a7m3 are also avaiable. Wouldn’t you sell your beautiful a7 camera and buy another with a better EVF?
theres just too much stupid to unpack here
think he might not wanted the EVF to begin with if the entire project was for him to chop it off to begin with.
Plus the A7 mark I was inexpensive (even at the time of your post).
“Buying a macbook pro and breaking its screen”? God I hope you never get into an actual debate.
The best thing about this mod, is that the SONY logo is gone.
The viewfinder, personally, I’d rather have it.