ABSTRACT
The 1.5-in monochrome viewfinder is the first and often the only method of checking picture quality for the camera/recorder cameraman. The small black and white image has to be used to check framing, focusing, exposure, contrast and lighting. The indicating lamps around the viewfinder provide warning of video recording, sound level, filter position, tape length remaining, battery condition. It is essential, as the viewfinder is the main guide to what is being recorded, to ensure that it is correctly set up. This means aligning the brightness and contrast of the viewfinder tube. Neither control directly affects the camera output signal. Indirectly, however, if the brightness control is incorrectly set, manual adjustment of exposure based on the viewfinder picture can lead to under- or over-exposed pictures. The action of the brightness and contrast controls therefore needs to be clearly understood (see page 213).
