Looking for affordable field monitor

Hey Brian - that monitor got a lot of interest when someone discovered their pre-import web pages a while back; not many people jumped in at the time (as I recall), $600+ and shipping, for an unknown brand, all of that.

Please post a review after a few weeks - having SDI and HDMI makes a lot of sense if you're working vs. making the occasional zombie flick. When I was HDMI only, I really resisted a lot of rentals that only had SDI out (BMC, etc). The fact that this thing can also eliminate converters and splitters is a big deal.

Curious though - with an SDI feed, will it convert and output via the HDMI as well? Or is the output based on the input?
 
Michael
i will post complete review in the coming weeks. It is the same monitor sold by Ikan for significantly more but not branded Ikan. My first impression is the build quality is excellent, all alloy and a nice case and sunshade. Will run tests for SDI etc soon.
B
 
BrianMurphy said:
Michael
i will post complete review in the coming weeks. It is the same monitor sold by Ikan for significantly more but not branded Ikan. My first impression is the build quality is excellent, all alloy and a nice case and sunshade. Will run tests for SDI etc soon.
B
Click to expand...

Thanks, that would be great. A monitor that could, say, take an SDI in and output via HDMI at the same time would be great for people that have some $$ invested in HDMI. I mounted a 30" samsung to a roller stand for clients, but it's HDMI, trying not to buy a standalone converter for SDI gigs! But smaller clients who have 1-guy budgets are always impressed that they get their own screen...
 
BrianMurphy said:
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.
Click to expand...

Is this the highest resolution field monitor available? Also, I'm looking for a field monitor that has a zoom feature for manual focus assist. Any recommendations fellas?
 
This is not the highest res field monitor. A number of companies have 1920x1080 7" monitors for field use. Pricing though is not cheap. Besides a zoom feature a focus assist feature is also a good idea. Convergent Design a odyssey 7 and Sony's oled 7" EVF/monitor are great options.

If you want cheap then these are not for you. If you want excellent off axis, HD resolution and strong focus tools then they are excellent options to review.
 
HD Gear Guru said:
This is not the highest res field monitor. A number of companies have 1920x1080 7" monitors for field use. Pricing though is not cheap. Besides a zoom feature a focus assist feature is also a good idea. Convergent Design a odyssey 7 and Sony's oled 7" EVF/monitor are great options.

If you want cheap then these are not for you. If you want excellent off axis, HD resolution and strong focus tools then they are excellent options to review.
Click to expand...
What are the differences, aside resolution, between those 2 and cheaper ones, say Lilliput 663/O/P?
 
To clarify, the odyssey 7 is a 1280x800 monitor. My idea of affordable is not likely the same as others. Both the Sony I was thinking of and Convergent are OLED technology. This gives them incredible contrast ratio. 663 is 800:1, Odyssey 7 is 3400:1. Other Odyssey 7 features include focus assist with 3 different styles to choose from. pre loaded LUT option, zebras for those who use them, it can serve as a recorder if desired. If using as recorder it has auto trigger sensor ability.

Sony monitor that came to mind was the DVFL700 viewfinder /monitor and in this case would be a high cost item and lacks some of the tools available in other manufacturers products.

One other monitor to consider is the TVLogic 5.5" TFT LCD monitor. It is true 1920x1080. It has a variety of similar features to the Odyssey and offers cross conversion from SDI to HDMI / HDMI to SDI.

That said the monitoring features available to benefit a shooter using the Odyssey 7 are much more in depth and put a more versatile tool into your hands. What camera you are using? Do you want ability to record now or in the future? Do you like having a device that is receiving firmware updates with feature adds or updates?

In the end, all feature / options included in a monitor are not all going to be created "equal". Focus assist / exposure tools etc, will likely be different between manufacturers. Some monitors might get you "close" and be considered good enough even great by some peoples standards. Some will be dead on and not compromise. High end accuracy will cost $. Close enough accuracy will cost also, just in different ways or at different times in the production / post process. This is a general statement and not directed at any particular manufacturer, and to be sure the differences are getting narrower.
 
Thanks HD Gear Guru.
I'm retired without savings, I have Canon 600D, I may use it to shoot a no-budget documentary.
 
Superset

I had a chance to see Shogun on Friday it's ok. Caddy system for media not my idea of ideal. As a dealer for both Atomos and Convergent, each has a place. Depends on what you application is. Be happy to discuss / debate features of each in person if you are in the Western Hemisphere.
 
If you're needing a monitor for strictly focusing and framing, I've read about a 7 inch Haier HLT71 for around 50 bucks. I don't think this has many features, plus the propriety battery sells for about half of the monitor's price so power may become an issue. Personally, I would rather spend more for false color and other features, just my personal opinion.
 
Hey fellas - Still looking to buy the right field monitor... does any of them have a zoom feature while the attached device is recording?
 
Most pro monitors have a "1 to 1" feature, where the actual pixels are shown (vs. downscaling). So you get a full-sized, pixel-for-pixel image of one section of the screen. If you're looking at cheaper stuff, look for "1:1" or "pixel to pixel" as one of the features that can be assigned to a button.

For fast-moving stuff, I'll often use the camera screen for framing, and a 1:1 monitor with peaking turned on to watch focus. It's a good combo. Doesn't effect recording in any case I'm aware of (unless your monitor is a recorder-monitor, IE a Ninja, etc). If you're recording to the camera's card, the monitor is just playing the HDMI or SDI feed from the camera - monitor settings don't affect recording.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top