CHEAPEST/BEST External LCD Monitor

J

Jean Dantes

Well-known member
Hey guys, I've been looking around for a cheap, yet good, external LCD monitor, but haven't had much luck yet. The "SmallHD DP1" seems like a really good deal, but is still out of my price range:

http://www.smallhd.com/store/

I don't know if I can justify spending $1000 on an external LCD. Does anyone know if there is anything decent for around $250?

Thanks in advance to any replies :)
 
"Decent" vs "best" are two separate things.

I have the DP1 and, IMO, it was worth every penny.

One of members is selling one in the market place right now for $700.00
 
Try these guys, if you search thru the forums you will find some good info.

You won't find any decent hi-rez capable monitor for 250... you might want to pony up couple of hundreds
 
Thanks for the replies guys!

Awesome find mhood! That is precisely the sort of price/performance I'm after.

How could we go about mounting this thing to a shoulder-rig I wonder?
 
Any number of ways. It has a standard 1/4 20 female on the base. A hotshoe mount would sure work. I fashioned a DIY plate on my Gini rig and I use a 1/4 20 bolts with wingnuts for mounting both the LCD and a LED light. You could always go Hollyweird and use a $600 arm too. LOL!
 
K, here are some quick shots of my DIY plate. Velcro strips for holding Lectrosonics receivers, etc. and 1/4 20 carriage bolts with wing nuts for holding most everything else. If I didn't have the Edirol HR09 on the hotshoe mount, the LCD or LED could go there just fine. The last shot is with a flash to clearly show you everything that's there...you can't see the actual shoulder pad on the Gini Rig but this is the shoulder mount configuration. You also can't clearly see it but there is a D|Focus FF mounted on the left side. And that is a "Y" cable coming out of the headphone feed on the Edirol...one side goes to my ear buds and the other side feeds the 7D mic input. I edit on Windoze so no PluralEyes for me...matching waveforms really helps me with manual sync. ;-) And if it all gets too heavy, I have a quick release on both the Gini Rig and the 7D so I can pop the camera off of all the stuff or take all the stuff with me on my shoulder.

First person who laughs and tells me I need to drop $2000 on a "real" shoulder mount setup is an official twit and just doesn't get it. :-)
 

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That is a really cool rig man!!!!!!!!!!

The rig I am invisioning for my 7D is most likely gonna be this:

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.472981/it.A/id.923/.f

+ this

http://lcdvf.bigcartel.com/

+ this

http://www.dfocussystem.com/dfocus.html

I hope I can get the monitor + battery you suggested onto this rig somehow...

I'll most likely have a Zoom H4N on my hotshoe like you have done with the Edirol HR09.

I'll be using Windows too. Are you using a clapper-board to know where to line up and sync your audio?
 
Jean Dantes said:
Are you using a clapper-board to know where to line up and sync your audio?
Click to expand...

I shoot corporate executives and (believe it or not) they really enjoy slating a take. I get everything set and rolling and tell them to "slate it"...they give the title and take and clap their hands...some of them even w8 on me to say "action". :smile:

I'm gonna get the LCDVF just as soon as he makes it available again but in an office setting, I'll probably stick with the Lilliput LCD. I also have a small ball head on a handle with little tripod legs that can hold the Lilliput for client approvals of takes. They really like doing that...
 
Haha, that's cool man. I guess being a corporate executive isn't the most fun job in the world...they probably love feeling like actors for a day! lol

I think I'm gonna get the LCDVF too, and get the Lilliput for on-set playback to make sure that I got the shot. I guess the Lilliput would be heaps good for low-shots too.

Let us know how you go with that battery too!

P.S. Anyone know how much slates go for these days? (not the electronic ones)
 
Just got the battery (forgot to check the mail yesterday). It's big and heavy but the velcro adhesive strips seem to hold it okay to the back of the Lilliput. It came with enough of a charge to power up the LCD and I *think* it's charging now (there are no instructions...charger and battery only). I read that it takes 10 hours to fully charge and that it will power the Lilliput for 8-9 hours. I've got a shoot Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll be able to check it out.
 
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