I simply can't focus my AF100 with it's build in FA. Need on camera monitor advice.

[LightMast]

My discount price on the TV Logic is the same as the list price for a Small HD. Being that it has more features and a name known to higher end clients, TV Logic is a no brainer for us. Obviously, if Small HD comes out with a good discount, that makes it very enticing. Variable markers are a must, scopes are nice when used with other cameras, embedded TC and audio meters are convenient. Both brands offer a panel that has fantastic resolution, perfect for shallow DOF cameras. My positive experiences with TV Logic since 2008 make it a safe bet for us.

Which one can show timecode without OSD fromt he camera on? Do they both have waveform?

 

[Dino]

Which one can show timecode without OSD fromt he camera on? Do they both have waveform?

Only TV Logic has waveform, vector, false color, emebedded TC and audio with small display of TC and meters at top of raster. No need for OSD being turned on at camera.

 

[Chris Lawes]

Yes. You can set it to 1:1 pixel mapping in the menu, but there's not an easy way to get it to normal view. You'd have to go into the menu and switch the mode again. That's as far as I could tell. But then there's the zoom function which lets you zoom in 10% increments up to 80%, so you can zoom in more than just 1:1 that way.

Wow that's very useful, basically gives a similar functionality to the "Center Zoom" Focus Assist feature of the HCM150.
Now I am wondering, which method will give me the most zoomed in image on my monitor?

-Using a 480x800 resolution screen in 1:1 pixel mode?
-Using the TV Logic Monitor zoomed in to 80%?
-Using the HMC150's "Center Zoom" focus assist? (just for reference to see how close these external monitors get us to the HMC150 feature): "the central part of the screen will be enlarged by a factor of 4 in the horizontal direction and 6 in the vertical direction"

Maybe Barry could help weigh in on the HMC150 factor of 4 and 6 equivalent to a % zoom.

Being able to go to 80% is a big advantage over the SmallHD monitor. I wonder if there is any firmware update possible for the monitor to zoom in more then 80%?

 

[Mike@AF]

Well 80% zoom would be a 256x160 area of the frame so I assume that would be your most zoomed out of them all. Keep in mind that zooming that far the image will appear soft because the monitor is scaling that 256x160 area to 1280x800, so you probably don't want or need to zoom that far normally for focus.

 

[Chris Lawes]

Good point Mike. What do you think is the maximum you would zoom in for focus? Also, do you think that the TVLogic screen scaling a 800x480 zoomed in frame vs a native Marshall 800x480 in 1:1 mode would be the same in terms of sharpness?

 

[Mike@AF]

Good point Mike. What do you think is the maximum you would zoom in for focus? Also, do you think that the TVLogic screen scaling a 800x480 zoomed in frame vs a native Marshall 800x480 in 1:1 mode would be the same in terms of sharpness?

I feel like 60% might be the max I'd go, so not much different than 480, but it really depends on the situation. I haven't used a Marshall monitor much, so I can't comment on that, but perhaps someone else who has used both can.