907X ergonomics and experience with OVF and grip

[ramarren]

I received my control grip and OVF yesterday.

I find it works reasonably well. I've been testing it on the default setup. What I find is that I usually press the AF/MF button and turn AF off, then the AF-D button sets the focus. I then frame and release the shutter. Pressing the joy stick allows zooming at different levels for precision manual focusing on the LCD, and the control wheels then allow scrolling around the image same as with an X1D, as does using the joystick. This is just fine for me. The control wheels in capture mode work much the same as the control dial and shift control dial on the 907x body works. This is fine for me too.

I do wish the grip had a more ergonomic shape. To my fingers, it's just a little bit of a blocky thing to hang onto, rather different from the beautifully ergonomic grip on the X1D. Since I haven't tried the customizations yet, I have no opinions there yet. What I will be looking to see is if one of the buttons can be customized to bring up the ISO setting or Drive mode: I find those adjustments on the LCD when using the grip are a little awkward because I would normally use my right hand for them, and with the grip my right hand is already occupied. (I guess if I set AutoISO I wouldn't really need ISO setting, and I don't change drive mode that often in a hurry anyway, so maybe it's fine as is... )

The viewfinder does exactly what I expected. It's obviously useful mostly for the wider lenses and for more casual framing use. I like that the frame lines are somewhat dim and transparent .. they just shimmer a little as I look at the scene and don't get in the way. The center cross is a little big but again it doesn't really occlude the view, and it lets me target the AF focus system easily.

All in all, a worthwhile pair of accessories to have for hand-held shooting with the wider lenses. My PD neck strap works nicely with them fitted, and the provided tripod mount on the bottom of the grip's attachment bracket allows me to fit the PD camera plate there too without it getting in the way of much, since it is thin and unobtrusive. It turns the 907x into a more convenient eye level camera for hand-held shooting, which should prove nice for street and casual photos of friends and families, etc. If I pop the viewfinder off the bracket, the camera with the grip and bracket attached still fits in my Billingham L2 bag with no problems, rotated so the grip is up.

More when I get some more shots in with the setup..

G

[paratom]

looks pretty cool. I wonder one thing, wouldnt it make sense to have the grip a little closer to the camera?

[braver]

Expecting mine next week...  I guess you need a gap to stick your fingers in?

[spb-ch]

Very good  braver "you need a gap to stick your fingers in" 

[JCM-Photos]

Is there a pouch to store the OVF when not mounted on the camera ?

[spb-ch]

I would hope so, everything else I have from Hasselblad comes with some form of a bag or pouch.

I have another question about the OVF, which if I understand it correctly slots into a cold-shoe. What is to stop one fitting a 2AA-battery powered flash-trigger into the cold shoe and connecting it with provided cable to the 'Flash Out' socket?

[SrMi]

Is there a pouch to store the OVF when not mounted on the camera ?

No pouch included. I store the OVF and the holder in the small box that came with the OVF.

[ramarren]

I would hope so, everything else I have from Hasselblad comes with some form ofa bag or pouch.

I have another question about the OVF, which if I understand it correctly slots into a cold-shoe. What is to stop one fitting a 2AA-battery powered flash-trigger into the cold shoe and connecting it with provided cable to the 'Flash Out' socket?

That works well.

[JCM-Photos]

I have just ordered the OVF it should be delivered in 5 days according Hasselblad.

I will rather use a hot shoe adapter with sync cable and not mount the hot shoe flash trigger with a PC cable directly on the OVF holder, according to Hasselblad recommandations.

I guess to be sure that no electric volatage from the trigger is applied to the camera housing.

[ramarren]

I have just ordered the OVF it should be delivered in 5 days according Hasselblad.

I will rather use a hot shoe adapter with sync cable and not mount the hot shoe flash trigger with a PC cable directly on the OVF holder, according to Hasselblad recommandations.

I guess to be sure that no electric volatage from the trigger is applied to the camera housing.

??
If you have an RF flash trigger with a hot shoe connection, you need a hot-shoe to PC cable adapter to connect it to sync with the 907x, and that will itself isolate the flash from the OVF mount or camera body.

I wouldn't mount a hot shoe flash or hot shoe trigger directly on the OVF mount. The latching mechanism in it would short the flash or trigger, creating a permanent closed circuit, since it presses up from the bottom into a recess in the OVF itself. That's why Hasselblad says not to fit a flash on there. Many such flash units or triggers do not block the flash shoe terminal when you fit a PC sync cable.

The electrical flow will always take the shortest path, so the effect of fitting a hotshoe device on the OVF mount will simply be to close the circuit in the device. That can damage some devices, but it won't touch the camera.