Marshall monitor or Small hd?

Small HD. Get the dp6 but if you work professionally, get the SDI model for better compatibility.
 
I love the new Marshalls that adjust aspect ratio automatically. Awesome for the 5D's "record squish". I'll have to look up the model #, can't remember off the top of my head.

The image is crazy accurate.
 
Buyer beware of the Marshall LCD50, it is one of the cheapest pieces of gear I have seen in a while. The camera mount is a joke, it broke before I even took it out of the box. The general feel of the monitor is not reassuring at all. The shop i got mine from said a few users had been returning them because the battery terminal was loosing contact with power, causing the screen to flicker.

The functionalities available on the monitor are good ideas, but some of them are not quite useful in practice, such as the screen zoom to actual pixel to pixel match, but the delay between modes is unbearably long. Screen goes blue for 2 seconds or so, and then refreshes to the image, but when shooting live/doc/doc style, that is a life-time. The "focus-Assist" edge finder thinks everything is in focus.

I bought two of these monitors, and on the 3rd day, one of the monitors lost color from the HDMI input.

Goes through batteries just a tad too quick, though not objectionable. About 2hrs+ of ON time with 4 rechargeable AA's. Just dislike fumbling with 4 AA's rather than swapping one nice battery. It does have the 5v input option. Maybe they should have gone with a tray system.

One of the sunshade boxes did not come with the velcro strips to attach the shade to the monitor. It is possible that the monitor is sold separately from the shade, and the shop may have given me a deal, but the missing velcro adhesive strip just shows how inconsistent quality may be with Marshall.
(If I were to have my way, I would prefer smaller, or no, logos on the sunshade. The big bold type of "Marshall" in white all over the shade is annoying and ugly. They reflect a lot of light. I will probably cover them with gaff tape, but haven't yet because of the psychological weight factor, and the sun shade is already bulky and amateur looking. But this a preference objection, not a functionality issue.)

not impressed. not impressed.
 
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In my opinion, absolutely NOT SmallHD.

I want a monitor to show me what the camera is "seeing" and recording with reasonable on-set accuracy. I have discovered through use and in conversations with SmallHD themselves that my new DP6 CANNOT do this. They say that it has a warm, yellow hue that cannot be calibrated out.


 
What about the higher end Marshall monitors vs DP6? (higher end = similar priced to DP6) I've been reading lots of topis / posts on here, one of which has slightly scared me about choosing the DP6 (a certain feature can't be installed via firmware, but a board upgrade - forgot what the feature was). Also the apparent warmer image on screen. For something that's going to cost me 1k, it better be worth it.

SmallHD have a sale on Monday with 10% off everything, but I'm wondering if it's better to go with something like a Marshall V-LCD70XHB-HDIPT ?
http://www.lcdracks.com/monitors/model/V-LCD70XHB-HDIPT.php
 
From my experience, I've found that you need to spend at least a grand to get a usable small monitor. I personally can't stand the Small HD monitors for multiple reasons like no 7" unit, buttons positioned in multiple places, jacks on the bottom.

I've owned 2 Marshall 7" units for a year now and they not only make a very accurate image, but they are set up the way a monitor should be with jacks on the back, knobs and switches on the front, and at 7" - a perfect size for onboard use.
 
Buyer beware of the Marshall LCD50, it is one of the cheapest pieces of gear I have seen in a while.

Oddly enough, I've been very happy with mine - would have gotten a SmallHD but I got the little Marshall when Small was having stock problems.

Cons for me on the Marshall - the 4xAA vs. one standard video battery - and the power switch is easy to turn on when you pack it up. Other than that, the panel is high-quality and accurate, and the size and weight are really nice. I even use it at my NLE with a Matrox setup to double check color. I've used the hell out of it with zero trouble.

Not a perfect piece of gear, but the price dropped recently - on a tight budget it's a huge step up from the cheap stuff. But I'll eventually upgrade to a 7" with a "real" battery setup; I'll likely keep this for using on a stabilizer with a DSLR though.
 
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