C100: Anyone using SmallHD Ac7 with c100?

Rayden

Rayden

Well-known member
I often find myself using the viewfinder to determine the actual color or contrast when shooting. I have adjusted my LCD and EVF to be about the same, and have done several test, and it appears to me that the EVF is closer to the actual picture.
I am really considering getting a SmallHD monitor and wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this?
 
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The C100 LCD is blue and dark. The AC7 goes too far the other direction and shows the picture too warm. It's a nice monitor, but not exactly color accurate out of the box.
 
Nate Haustein said:
The C100 LCD is blue and dark. The AC7 goes too far the other direction and shows the picture too warm. It's a nice monitor, but not exactly color accurate out of the box.
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Thanks. Are you referring to the OLED or the LCD version??
 
LCD. Same is true of my SmallHD DP4. Warm colors. It's really the one thing that bothers me about them, but for the price, design, weight resolution and customer support, I'll live.
 
I have the AC7 OLED and I've had the SmallHD DP4. The DP4 was artificially warm. I don't notice it on the AC7, but the AC7 is more adjustable. It definitely does not that the blue tint that the C100 has. The AC7 can screw you up in other ways, though. The increased contrast and saturation of the OLED can fool you into thinking you are getting better footage than is actually being recorded on the C100. When you get into the editing room, it can look quite a bit more drab. You definitely want to calibrate the monitor to taste. BTW, I love the AC7.
 
male_man said:
Why not use the Ikan or better yet, Marshall monitors?
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I like the price point of the Ikans, but I don't like the build and power options for the Marshall. Seems the SmallHD fits more of my style in look, build, and accessories. I have been reading in other places that the OLED can be a bit misleading.

What would be the best way to calibrate the monitor to the c100? Graycards?
 
+1 to Nate - he nailed it in every way.

I have the AC7 - bought it because it was an offer I couldn't refuse. Very happy with it, but it's not a Grade 1 Monitor.

When working with Directors, they get my AC7. It's enough to make Directors relax and enjoy what you're shooting. I know how bad the LCD panel is of the C100 and can sort of work around it. I find the AC7 a bit, erm, green. I should spend some time with it, but in some respects, I'm leaning towards seeing if I can get the Samurai Blade doing what I need for day to day stuff.

The one single sticking point I have with the AC7 is that you can't power it off NP-F970s (and the range of Sony batteries that FS100/Z7 shooters tend to accumilate). The official SmallHD solution is a little too 'DIY' for my liking, just sell me an NP-F plate not a shopping list and a suggestion of why we use a Dremmel. Canon batts for the AC7, Canon batts for the C100, and... Sony batts for the Pix 220 or Ninja?

If you can hold out until your budget can stretch to the DP-7 Pro, man - that's a monitor I wish I owned. The HDMI-HD-SDI stuff is worth it, makes you pack the gear (and add it as a line item), maybe use a HyperDeck Shuttle instead of looking at a Q7 or something? Just thinking aloud...
 
I can't speak specifically about the AC7, but I have it's big brother the DP7-PRO OLED and it is an awesome monitor. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you can afford it, get it. You won't regret it. Out of all of my Panasonic, Sony and other smallHD, HD monitors, this one is my favorite and sees the MOST use. Those guy are only a few hours up the road from me and as others have said, the customer service is second to none. They like to hear from their customers to make the products better, which is very refreshing today, especially because it's not just lip service, they take it to heart. They've already added at least one of my early suggestions in a firmware update(I'm sure I wasn't the only one that wanted it).

Bottom line: Good company, good people, good products.
 
I have the DP6 and have used the AC7 numerous times. Both are nice monitors, if you are running wireless video to the monitor than the AC7 is great. It's way too big to mount on a camera though.

Unfortunately Small HD seems to be headed exclusively towards the larger sized monitors. The DP4 is useless on the C100 as it's not HD and the DP6 is discontinued. Not sure why they don't release an upgraded version of a DP6-sized monitor.
 
traviswears said:
I have the DP6 and have used the AC7 numerous times. Both are nice monitors, if you are running wireless video to the monitor than the AC7 is great. It's way too big to mount on a camera though.

Unfortunately Small HD seems to be headed exclusively towards the larger sized monitors. The DP4 is useless on the C100 as it's not HD and the DP6 is discontinued. Not sure why they don't release an upgraded version of a DP6-sized monitor.
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I mount my DP7 on my VariCam and my C300 with no problems whatsoever… A Noga Arm and some Cine-Locks and it mounts on any of my cameras. It's very lightweight.
 
The AC7 is a great monitor. Not having the budget for the DP7 I opted for the AC7 LCD, I could ask for nothing better. The color is great, and the peaking features has been a real life saver, if you are doing critical work where focus and color need to be spot on all the time, especially if you can't look at the screen 100% of the time, a monitor is a must and this one is a great choice. Two pictures included below of it in use, the 2nd one has the false color peaking enabled so that's why it looks a little funky.

ac7-1.jpg

ac7-2.jpg
 
Run&Gun said:
I mount my DP7 on my VariCam and my C300 with no problems whatsoever… A Noga Arm and some Cine-Locks and it mounts on any of my cameras. It's very lightweight.
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A Varicam is considerably larger than a C100. I know it WILL mount on any of those cameras, my personal experience is that it's too large to be a convenient on-board solution. I don't care for camera setups with bulky attachments. Part of the reason I love shooting on the C100 is the image quality you can get without having to attach a lot of additional kit.

Like I said, if you're running wireless from the camera or setting it up for interviews, it's a great solution.
 
Sorry to slightly derail this discussion but Airwolf, what solution do you use for making the mic holder smaller? I need to do something for my NTG-3 and AT4053b
 
I often have my AC7 OLED attached to my C100. I actually think it is the perfect size for judging focus, framing, and filter effects I might be using. I wouldn't want it any smaller. I also can't image any other 7.7" monitor would be lighter. I had the DP4 and it adds almost nothing to the C100 when not being used with the viewfinder, so I sold it. If I go handheld, the AC7 comes off since it is bulky.
 
Hey Joe, I used small strips of adhesive backed foam and wrapped it inside there. It's not the best solution, but it holds my NTG3. I'm not sure where you could buy it, the kind I used I got from the auto dealership where I used to work, they use it to fix rattles and squeaks on the interiors of cars. You could probably find something similar at an auto body supply store.
 
traviswears said:
A Varicam is considerably larger than a C100. I know it WILL mount on any of those cameras, my personal experience is that it's too large to be a convenient on-board solution. I don't care for camera setups with bulky attachments. Part of the reason I love shooting on the C100 is the image quality you can get without having to attach a lot of additional kit.

Like I said, if you're running wireless from the camera or setting it up for interviews, it's a great solution.
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I also said that I mount it on my C300, as well. I guess to each his own, when it comes to what you consider a 'convenient on-board' solution' or size. If you're running around shooting handheld/run&gun style by yourself, I completely agree with you, it will be in the way. If you're shooting on sticks, sit-downs or anything more controlled and set-up, then it's fine. It's probably one of, if not, the lightest/thinnest monitors in it's size/class.
 
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