I first saw the Gratical Eye at NAB a couple years ago. It was under glass and no real info other than it was a prototype well it’s the real deal now. The Eye was design to be smaller and lighter than it’s larger Gratical HD counterparts but has all the same software features. The Eye is HD-SDI only and does not have a battery. Instead it gets power from a 2-pin Lemo connection. The Eye has a new features called proximity screen saver to save on power it goes to sleep when not in use.
Zacuto will be offering a couple support items too. A new unified Power Video Cable ($160) and a Gripper battery option that clips onto 15mm rods as accessories to the Eye. The Eye will start shipping on April 25th with a list price of $1950
With the size and weight reduced this is going to make balancing a rig much easier. As you know the front of the camera seems to keep getting larger and heavier. With the Eye only coming in at 14 ounces compared to Graticals HD at 1.25 pounds you can shave off a nice chunk of weight. Not having a battery could be a blessing and a curse. If you don’t have a power tap available then you will need to find a way to power the eye. Most SDI out cameras use larger batteries that have power taps so for some people this won’t be an issue. SDI only so you can’t use it for small HDMI cameras.
All in all it looks like a nice small option. The Gratical HD is the best EVF I have used and the Gratical Eye will no doubt deliver.
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