Does Anyone Make a 5-7" Full-HD on-Camera Monitor that Isn't over a grand?

Hey mark the DP6 is 1,300.00. And your eyes can't tell the difference between 1080 and 1280x800 at that size. The cropping is just to zoom in and check critical focusing if for some reason all the other aides don't do it for you. You'd need a much larger monitor to appreciate full 1080p. Just like with TVs at 14 feet away you can't tell the difference between 1080 and 720. It's all relative.
 
Last edited:
Well, After all this back and forth. I have to agree that there is a serious price hike when it comes to smaller items.
I could buy a HD laptop and a card to input an HDMI feed into it for the same price as a similar sized monitor.
Got me thinking about using an iPad or something with an HDMI input "mod".
Anyhow, I looked online for car LCD screens to see if there was anything small, HD, and cheap.... but nothing.
I also have at home this WONDERFUL LG computer monitor which has a slew of connections, including HDMI.
It can be had online for under $150, has good color calibration, and could possible be modded to use a 12v source.

I was thinking of trying it out with my GH2 for studio work actually, just havent gotten the "mini" HDMI adaptor yet.
Anyhow, I think for the price point it an excellent way to go. You could throw this below you (thus drawing less attention from audience members) and even put a privacy shade around it for the light spill.
Mine even has a removable base, which you could adapt to a tripod mount.
Anyhow, here are the links. I use mine beside my iMac screen for photo editing, and it's color calibration is quite adequate beside my iMac calibrated screen.

http://www.amazon.com/LG-W2353VP-23-Inch-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/tech-data/B003LY1Z60/ref=de_a_smtd
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Lapt...JFTS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303863607&sr=8-2

I realize its not "portable", nor is it the best solution. However, it's cheap, effective (1080p), HDMI, tripod mountable, and it can be made appear like a normal part of anyone's 2 man/puller video setup (tripod mounted professional cam)

Dai-Lon
http://www.dailonweiss.com/
http://www.kristinaweiss.com/Magyar/
 
Huy Vu said:
It does show the whole frame. All these new monitors underscan. The Manhattan does it (the newer models anyway) and the DP6 does it.
Click to expand...

Yep. It'll do underscan and you can output what is displayed on the EX's screen for action safe zone. The biggest thing to gain with a pro monitor is that your colors and exposure will be more precise. I don't know if you do a lot of color correcting but external monitors are a must on critical shoots. Otherwise you'll be spending some time correcting the bad colors/exposure.

$400 extra for HD-SDI...good question.

Also basspig you brought up a good point. You're not being paid enough to justify the purchase. So are your clients happy or are you obsessing over little stuff like we all do? At some point you have to draw the line of quality vs. cost of product.
 
Trust me... SmallHD has a small profit margin on those monitors. With little margin they can only survive with good customer service and selling it themselves. Also, updating firmware costs money people. Programers, designers, assembly, delivery, testing.... all costs money. SmallHD is not ripping anyone off. They have a good product and saying this as I have the competing brand TV LOGIC, which I also like.
 
Chad, would you wager serious money that I *can't* tell the difference between 720 and 1080 on a 7" screen? I've been known to notice things that other pro shooters have no idea even existed. They think I'm crazy, but I can spot these things consistently because I know what to look for.

I can't have my guys dealing with pushing buttons to zoom an area for focusing. It ALL has to be on-screen at the same time, large enough and with 1:1 pixel ratio for that kind of money.

Yup, we don't get paid nearly enough, but it beats the alternative.. we're doing productions that should rightfully cost around $40K a piece at the entry level, for a ridiculous $2500 each. Just our audio alone is in the top 0.1% of all audio recordings made worldwide in the past 30 years. Our video is superior to the $2.5 million dollar production done for the Berliner Philharmonica at the Von Karajan Memorial Concert last year. All we're lacking is staff and the sheer number of cameras. Berlin had 12 large broadcast cameras, each costing around $120K a piece, sitting on $40K pedestals and great positions in and around the orchestra. We, on the other hand, have to use ingenious camera techniques and editing approaches to create the illusion of many more cameras than actually used. But the picture is secondary to our legendary audio.

But back to the problem of focusing, we had several really out of focus shots on our March and April concerts by the EX1 operators. One shot went on for 6 minutes like that. I had to intercut other angles to break it up, but it was a critical closeup of a piano keyboard. Maybe I can solve this for $300 with the purchase of two optical converters for the EX1 screens, as the guys have no issues with the VF on our EX3.

As for exposure, we preset that and the lighting is fixed. Colors are spot on. We also chip the cameras with opening lighting cues before the show, which does a remarkable job of making camera to camera color consistent.
 
Hey Bass. Is there somewhere online that I can see this footage. I got half a chubby just reading your description!
 
Hi..have you tried the Ikan vx-9? I have two I am selling on this forum in the classifieds.
 
There is no manufacturer of 1080p panels in the 7"-9" range being made on this planet. It is not possible by physics. The most you will EVER find are panels that are 1200 or 1280 lines. But good luck though and please post any findings on a manufacturer of 1080P 7"-9" panels for less than $1000.
 
After several hours searching, 22 inch is the smallest true 1920X1080 that I have been able to find for the under $1K cost. And that was a TV with HDMI input.
 
daihard said:
...I also have at home this WONDERFUL LG computer monitor which has a slew of connections, including HDMI.
It can be had online for under $150, has good color calibration, and could possible be modded to use a 12v source.

I was thinking of trying it out with my GH2 for studio work actually, just havent gotten the "mini" HDMI adaptor yet.
Anyhow, I think for the price point it an excellent way to go. You could throw this below you (thus drawing less attention from audience members) and even put a privacy shade around it for the light spill.
Mine even has a removable base, which you could adapt to a tripod mount...

http://www.amazon.com/LG-W2353VP-23-Inch-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/tech-data/B003LY1Z60/ref=de_a_smtd
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Lapt...JFTS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303863607&sr=8-2

I realize its not "portable", nor is it the best solution. However, it's cheap, effective (1080p), HDMI, tripod mountable, and it can be made appear like a normal part of anyone's 2 man/puller video setup (tripod mounted professional cam)

Dai-Lon
http://www.dailonweiss.com/
http://www.kristinaweiss.com/Magyar/
Click to expand...

Crafters of Light said:
After several hours searching, 22 inch is the smallest true 1920X1080 that I have been able to find for the under $1K cost. And that was a TV with HDMI input.
Click to expand...


To also add, my LG also has audio out...with volume control from the HDMI feed...
 
I would say that if ikan is on the table, the VH7, the V5600, the VX7e and the VX9 could all be solid choices. All have a 1024x600 panel, which is pretty sharp when you get it out in the field. I tend to shy away from the 800x480 panels, though, as things are nowhere near as sharp.
 
Hope I didn't miss too many postings in the middle. Like the OP, my eyes need extra help. After a lot of research, I purchased the Small DP6 and it is simply great. Easy, easy, easy to obtain good focus. Very well made, responsive company. I wish it had been $600 instead of a $1000 with add-ons, but it really is nice.

Grant
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top