Looking for affordable field monitor

J

Joshua_G

Well-known member
It's a bit heavy, but I'm really digging my new MustHD 7" monitor on my GH4 rig. http://www.musthd.com/products/7-in...input-output-focus-assist-false-color-77.html

It's around the same price as one's you mentioned, ($345) but it's got decent resolution (1280x800), locking HDMI input/output ports, and more battery options available. I paid an additional $20 for the LP-E6 plate so I could use my old Panasonic batteries that powered my HVX200.

I went cheapo because I've pre-ordered Atomos Shogun and plan to make the MustHD a wireless client monitor when it arrives.
 
And check around for a used Marshall VLCD-50. You can get different battery plates for it. Really nice screen without the viewing angle nightmares some cheaper panels have. Seen 'em go as low as $250.
 
The LCD50 takes 4 AA batteries and has add-on plates for DSLR & other batteries (even takes panasonic 130/160 batteries). The plates screw on via the mounting thread. It's kind of cool, if your battery dies you can switch over to the AA's. The LCD51 lacks the internal batteries and has screw-on plates for popular batteries - but the plates are "part of the monitor" when screwed on, not the sort of tacked-on idea of the 50 plates. Other than that, I believe they're the same thing, just battery setups differ. I'd probably prefer the 51 over the 50.

The Marshall has false color, peaking, flip, aspect ratios, markers, programmable function buttons and 1 to 1 (which is great for setting up focus). And blue-only. Decent little screen but new, it's overpriced compared to other stuff out there. I've tried some cheaper stuff but viewing angles were so bad you couldn't judge exposure (like, what angle is this correct?!?) I think there's some Marshalls on eBay for like $120 this week. Marshall did make some very low-end monitors that are super-cheap, but not programmable, weird-ass mounts, etc. The VLCD's are decent pro monitors though.

If you can find a really nice panel with HDMI loop through, that's really handy when you need more monitors, clients, effect work, etc. I shoot a lot of "Muppets" type kid's programming and every puppeteer needs a screen, we end up with a chain of HDMI splitters...
 
Hi Michael,
Thank you very much for your comprehensive reply.
At this point I don't need HDMI loop through, since I need only a camera monitor.
I just looked at my Galaxy S5 screen, which is 5.1", it's tiny (for me, 70 y.o., with not-perfect eye sight).
Before actually working with a camera monitor, it seems to me that a 7" one will suite me better.
However the weight of the monitor is also a consideration for me, for hand held (shoulder rig) shoots, given my age and occasional back pains.
Thus, out of the 7" monitors, the Aputure V-Screen VS-3 is of the lowest weight.
Does anyone have hands-on comparison between the Aputure V-Screen VS-3 and the Marshall V-LCD50/51?
 
Joshua... The MustHD is lighter, has more pixels/resolution, comes with removable plastic sunshade that folds down and protects your screen, and has a greater viewing angle than the Apurture. It's also cheaper.

It has a bunch of functions like focus peaking, exposure mode, false color, etc.... but doesn't have a histogram or audio VU meters like the Apurture. However if you decide to upgrade, the GH4 has a built-in histogram and VU meters and those show up in the monitor just fine.

What I do wish for is a better build quality. The MustHD is plastic. I wish it were somehow made of metal. But I take care of my stuff so no worries.

Good luck on your search! I hope I'm still shooting in my 70's!
 
Hi Panther,
Thank you.
The Canon T3i/600D with either Magic Lantern or Tragic Lantern has also histogram and audio VU meters. However it's better to have all info on one screen.
The Aputure V-Screen VS-3 weighs 368g while the MustHD weighs 766g, which is more than double. Also Aputure claim their monitors are pre-calibrated.
I'm not sure if the added resolution of the MustHD is meaningful in filed shooting.
Does anyone have an opinion about it (1,280x800 vs. 1,024x600)?
 
Joshua_G said:
it's tiny (for me, 70 y.o., with not-perfect eye sight)
Click to expand...

I keep those cheap reader glasses in all my camera cases for working with monitors. Really handy for focus. Basically like having a big magnifying glass over the screen. Slide 'em down my nose or shirt pocket when I'm using an EVF, doing directorial stuff, etc. But I'm hooked on them.
 
Hi Michael,
Thank you.
I wear eye glasses all the time. Using a magnifying glass while shooting hand held (shoulder rig), or when the camera is on tripod and people are moving around, isn't practical. For focus I rely on focus peeking. Anyhow 7" looks to me much better than 5".
 
When I do use a monitor, which aint often, I use an Aputure VS-3. It's a pretty good budget monitor and gets the job done.
 
I recently bought a Lilliput 5D-IIH as I was on a very tight budget and got it for $180 best offer Ebay brand new. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles like focus peeking but it has a zoom and 1024 x 600 resolution which work as well for me. There is another 5.6" 1280 x 800 unit HD56 that nice things have been said about in the $260 range and if my budget wasn't so tight I would have bought that one.
 
The Lilliput 5D has a version with peeking and hdmi out for $50 more I believe. The HD56 has peeking and high resolution really helps.
 
NP batteries for MustHD 7" monitor

NP batteries for MustHD 7" monitor

I just ordered the MustHD 7" monitor with NP-F battery plate, and wonder what battery life is like with this. Those NP-F970 batteries are quite heavy. I'm wondering how long a NP-F770 would last. Do any of the functions increase battery drain?
 
I just bought a NewayCK700sdix 7"monitor. It cost me $650.00 + shippingand is the same monitor that Ikan the rebranders sell for $1200.00 it has wave form, vector peaking etc comes with your choice of two battery plates and can be set up for optional V lock or AB for $25,SDI in and out as well as HDMI in and out, I set it up and it is EXCELLENT. It is a 1280x800 3G SDI IPS unit and they make HDMI only models for less. Oh yeh you also get a case and sunshade too. So for the money it is hard to beat and miles ahead of the Lilliputs and the others I tested including MustHD etc.

I have had several people ask for details and where I bought it. Here is a link to the web site:
http://www.newayhd.com/pro_10_338.html

I did an ebay search and ended up buying it from this guy greg_tay67 who has an excellent 100% feedback rating and ships ONLY via DHL. I bought the monitor and had it in less than a week. The ebay item number is:
321372162435
Greg is a member of dvxuser though has not posted in some time.
 
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