AccuScene VF1280S Mk II User manual

©2005 AccuScene Corporation Ltd. August 2005
VF1280S Mk II
High Resolution Colour Viewfinder System
USER MANUAL
AccuScene Corporation Limited
Unit 4
Dunferm line Business Centre
Izatt Avenue
DUNFERMLINE KY11 3BZ
Scotland
U.K.

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CONTENTS
1INTRODUCTION 5
2OPERATING GUIDELINES 5
3QUICK SETUP, REC 709 OPERATION 6
4VIEWFINDER SPECIFICATION 7
5VIEWFINDER CONTROLS 8
5.1 Viewfinder Image Controls 8
5.1.1 On-Screen Menu 8
5.1.2 User-defined setups 8
5.1.3 Peaking 9
5.1.4 Contrast 9
5.1.5 Bright 10
5.1.6 Magnify 10
5.1.7 A – B User Setup 11
5.1.8 Display Aspect (Sony only) 11
5.1.9 Zebra (Sony only) 11
5.1.10 Tally 12
5.2 Eyepiece Controls 12
5.2.1 Focus Adjustment 12
5.2.2 Demist heater 12
6ON-SCREEN MENU 13
6.1 Main Menu 13
6.2 User Setup Menu 14
6.3 LED Setup Menu 15
6.4 VF! IND Menu 16
6.4.1 Matrix [Normal] state 16
6.4.2 Gamma [Normal] state 17
6.5 Matrix Menu 17
6.6 Gamma Menu 19
6.7 Diagnostics Menu 20
6.7.1 Test Signals 20
6.7.2 Analogue Ys’ Pb’, Pr’: Video Input Offset Adjustment21
6.7.3 Factory Reset 23
6.8 Configuration Menu 23

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6.8.1 Y Monitor Mode – Exposure Meter 23
6.8.2 Mono Mode 27
6.8.3 Progressive and Interlaced Modes 28
6.8.4 Image Inversion (Rotate) 28
7ON-SCREEN INDICATORS 29
8SOFTWARE UPGRADE 31
9HANDLING AND STORAGE 31
10 ADJUSTMENTS AND REPAIRS 32
11 SUPPORT AND WARRANTY 32
11.1 Support 32
11.2 Warranty 32
12 DISCLAIMER 33
13 APPENDIX 34
13.1 Controlling colour using the Colour Matrix 34
ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 1 Viewfinder and eyepiece controls 8
Figure 2 User Setup Recall – On-Screen Display 9
Figure 3 Brightness and contrast controls 10
Figure 4 On-Screen Menu (Main Menu) 13
Figure 5 User Setup Menu 14
Figure 6 Confirmation Box - No 14
Figure 7 Confirmation Box - Yes 15
Figure 8 LED Setup Menu 15
Figure 9 “VF!” IND Menu 16
Figure 10 Matrix Menu 17
Figure 11 Gamma Menu 19
Figure 12 Diagnostics Menu 20
Figure 13 SMTE HD Colour Bars 22
Figure 14 Configuration Menu 23
Figure 15 Exposure Meter Colours 25

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Figure 16 Video image (a) Colour Mode, (b) Y Monitor Mode 26
Figure 17 On-Screen Indicators 29
Figure 18 CIE Colour Chart 36
Figure 19 Colour Matrix 36
TABLES
Table 1 On-Screen Indicators 30

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1 INTRODUCTION
The AccuScene VF1280S Viewfinder System is designed for
use with Sony 700-series and 900-series High Definition digital
video cameras. With a suitable converter this Viewfinder may
also be used with other cameras. Certain camera control
interface functions are compatible only with Sony cameras.
Please refer to AccuScene for further information.
AccuScene recommends users to read and understand this
entire manual before attempting to use the Viewfinder.
In this manual, critical information or an important warning
is preceded by and must be followed.
In this manual, comment preceded by LVnot critical and
is included for information or clarification only.
2 OPERATING GUIDELINES
The VF1280S Mk II Viewfinder is designed only to be used as
described in this manual. Do not use for any other purpose.
•Protect the Viewfinder from dust, rain, spray and direct
sunlight
•Do not immerse in water
•Do not lift or move the Viewfinder by its cable: this does
not support its weight
•Do not lift or move the camera by way of the Viewfinder.
Only use the carrying handle on the camera or other
facilities provided for the purpose
•Use only at ambient temperature between 0C (32°F) and
+40C (104°F) and protect the viewfinder from direct
sunlight, rain and snow
•Before each use allow the Viewfinder to stabilise within the
operating environment

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3 QUICK SETUP, REC 709 OPERATION
•Mount the Viewfinder on the camera using brackets suitable to
carry its weight
•Connect the Viewfinder cable to the camera Viewfinder socket
•Power up the camera
•Check that a video image appears in the Viewfinder – typically in
less than 10 seconds – with an on-screen display showing
‘AccuScene VF1280S’
•Press the MENU control knob to continue – the on-screen
display disappears
•Press MENU switch down to show the Main Menu
•Adjust eyepiece to sharpen focus (Section 5.2.1)
•Press MENU switch up or down to cancel Main Menu
Either start shooting or get a coffee. Continue critical
adjustments after the camera and the Viewfinder have
stabilised in their operating environment
•Allow both the camera and the Viewfinder to stabilise – typically
in about 20 minutes to half an hour
•Stop down the camera lens to exclude light
•Perform auto-black calibration on the camera
•Either set the camera to show colour bars or leave the lens
stopped down
•Enter the Matrix Menu (Section 6.5) to ensure that default (or
your special) colour space is selected
•Enter the Viewfinder Gamma Menu (Section 6.6) to ensure that
Rec709 Gamma is selected
•Enter the Viewfinder Diagnostics Menu (Section 6.7) to perform
adjustment of Y, Pb and Pr Analogue Video Input offsets
Y offset adjustment is essential for correct operation of the
exposure meter
•Adjust Peaking (Section 5.1.3) to 0 to see a natural image or to
approximately 8 to check camera focus / back focus
•Adjust Contrast (Section 5.1.4) to suit ambient lighting
(Nominal setting -1.0 indoors, less at night, more in sun)
•Check Brightness (Section 5.1.5) is set to 0 (default)
Put the coffee aside and start shooting seriously

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4 VIEWFINDER SPECIFICATION
Video input interface HD 1080 or 720, analogue Ys Pb Pr
Nominal white level 700mV (100 IRE)
Maximum Ys input 760mV (108 IRE)
Video input format Accepts SMPTE 274M formats:
1920 x 1080/60/I
1920 x 1080/59.94/I
1920 x 1080/50/I
1920 x 1080/30/PsF
1920 x 1080/29.97/PsF
1920 x 1080/25/PsF
1920 x 1080/24/PsF
1920 x 1080/23.98/PsF
Native input video 1280 x 720/60/P
Colour conversion SMPTE Rec. 709
Display resolution 1280(h) x 848 (v) total active pixels
16:9 aspect video 1280(h) x 720 (v) active pixels
Contrast ratio 200:1 typical
Viewfinder Latency <50mSec (‘Action’ mode, 23.98/PsF)
Exposure Meter Custom function, using pseudo-colours
Weight 2kg (4.5lb) nominal
Dimensions 295(l) x 90(h) x 91(d) mm
Input Voltage 9.5(min) 12V (nom) 17 (max) Vdc
Power <10W at nominal input voltage
Environment Min air temperature 0C (32°F)
Max air temperature +40C (104°F)
Shade unit from direct sunlight
Protect unit from rain or snow
The Viewfinder continues to operate outside the specified
temperature range, but may show an on-screen
Temperature warning. Performance outside the specified
temperature range may be degraded.
Continued operation with a Temperature warning
invalidates Warranty.

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5 VIEWFINDER CONTROLS
Figure 1 Viewfinder and eyepiece controls
5.1 Viewfinder Image Controls
See Figure 1. A pop-up slider indicates the current setting
when Peaking, Contrast or Brightness is adjusted, unless the
On Screen Menu is active, in which case the current setting for
each is shown in the On-Screen Menu (Section 6.1).
5.1.1 On-Screen Menu
The On-Screen Menu shows selectable Viewfinder options
and settings (Section 6.1) using the MENU control and switch.
The Viewfinder on-screen menu does not provide access to
the camera on-screen menu system, which may be accessed
using the camera controls.
5.1.2 User-defined setups
User-defined setups can be loaded from non-volatile memory
by rotating the Menu control knob, when no other on-screen
menu is currently displayed (Section 6). An on-screen display
appears (Figure 2) allowing the user to select one of the five
stored setups: A, B, C, D or E. Once the desired setup has
Viewfinder Image Controls
Eyepiece
Focus
(Rotate)
Demist
Heater
(12Vdc)

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been selected, push the Menu control to load that setup. Exit
the on-screen display by rotating the Menu control to select
‘Top’ and push it to complete the process.
Figure 2 User Setup Recall – On-Screen Display
Loading a User Setup permanently overrides the current
Viewfinder options and settings.
5.1.3 Peaking
Rotate the PEAKING control to highlight fine detail within the
video image (‘peaking’), to assist focus adjustment.
5.1.4 Contrast
Rotate the CONTRAST control to increase or decrease the
intensity of the video image to suit ambient light conditions
(Figure 3). Intensity steps are approximately one-tenth stop.
The Contrast range is deliberately wide to allow operation in
direct sunlight. At maximum intensity (Contrast = +1.0) the
video image is excessively bright for indoors use.
Excessive image intensity may lead to eye fatigue and
temporary loss of colour sensitivity.
Prolonged exposure to excessive image intensity may be
harmful. AccuScene Corporation Ltd. accepts no liability
for damage or loss resulting from inappropriate use.

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5.1.5 Bright
Rotate the BRIGHT control to increase or decrease the
brightness of darker areas of the video image, to verify black
level or assess detail within shadow (Figure 3).
Figure 3 Brightness and contrast controls
5.1.6 Magnify
Normally the Viewfinder scales an input video image of
1920(h) by 1080(v) pixels to suit the native 1280(h) by 720(v)
resolution of its display (Section 4). 720/60/P input video
images are displayed at native resolution. In Magnify mode,
the Viewfinder shows the central 1280(h) by 720(v) pixels
within the input video image at 1:1 pixel resolution for 1080 (v)
images, corresponding to a magnification factor of 2.25 times
the active video image. Correspondingly for 720/60/P images
a central area is magnified by a factor of 2. This may, for
instance, assist critical assessment of the central part of the
input video image.
•Push the switch down to MOMENT to enable Magnify
mode momentarily while the switch is held down
•Push the switch up to ON to enable Magnify mode
0 Input
linear grayscale
Output
Max contrast (100%),
Min Brightness (0%)
Decreasing
contrast
Increasing
brightness
100%
100%
0 Input
Linear
grayscale
Output
Linear
grayscale
Max contrast (+1.0),
Min Brightness (0%)
Decreasing
contrast
Increasing
brightness
Max
Max