GH2 Sexiest (and practical) GH2 rig with SmallHD DP6 monitor

iHartVideo said:
I've read nothing but good things about that DP6. I was shooting yesterday and once you're at f2.0 or faster focus really becomes an issue. Sure you can zoom in, but it's slow and clunky.

Your posts have pushed me off the fence... so I just put an order in for the DP6. I'm stoked!
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I just have used several other monitors in the past (Marshall, Ikan, and others NOT so good...) and when I got the DP6 I felt right away that monitor is in a different league. This is just my personal experience, but I do feel very strong about this small company making so high end monitors (especially in a market flooded with stuff from China, which may have great specs on paper but a different thing in a real working environment).
The SmallHD DP6 is NOT cheap, but neither is the level of my productions (sorry about my arrogance!), and I think that anyone that takes this business seriously should have adequate tools to better execute their jobs.

That's just my opinion.



Carlo Zanella
www.santafetvshow.com
 
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iHartVideo said:
The Sony is only 800x480
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I saw the link. It looks pretty nice. As I can't tell how the picture quality will be, I don't think is going to be even comparable to the SmallHD DP6. When you see the how sharp 1280x720 is on a 5.6" monitor, you'll be blown away. I have used in the past a 4.8" monitor 800x480, and to me, it was not big enough to pull focus. I would say, 5.6" is the smallest I would ever go (based on my previous experience). My next monitor in fact will be the SmallHD DP1, for jib use (where you may not be as close to the monitor as when you use it on a shouder rig or hot shoe of a camera).

Carlo Zanella
www.santafetvshow.com
 
Wow.... I got my order sorted with SmallHD yesterday afternoon. What arrived this morning? My DP6... and I'm in Canada!

That is awesome... and this monitor is awesome. Beautiful. Amazingly easily to find accurate focus even at f1.4 (my fastest lens).
Don't settle for 800x480, IMO.

Here it is on my GH2.
 
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SmallHD DP6 SDI with EX1

SmallHD DP6 SDI with EX1

iHartVideo said:
Wow.... I got my order sorted with SmallHD yesterday afternoon. What arrived this morning? My DP6!

That is awesome... and this monitor is awesome. Beautiful. Amazingly easily to find accurate focus even at f1.4 (my fastest lens).
Don't settle for 800x480, IMO.

Here it is on my GH2.
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pict2.jpgpict1.jpg
That's another "sexy" GH2! Aren't you glad? I just came back from a 12 hour shoot, with 2 EX1s, a GH13, and my beloved GH2. Not only the SmallHD DP6 made my job A LOT easier (NOT ONE shot out of focus), but it also impressed my client breathing down my neck...
It is not just a "wow" factor, clients really get to see what they are getting right there, while you are shooting: try this little monitor connected to the SDI port of the EX1: simply amazing!...

Glad you're enjoying it!

Carlo Zanella
www.santafetvshow.com
 
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Thanks for posting pics of your rig. I talked to Tim at Indisystems and will be speccing a bulldog for an upcoming purchase. Heck of a bargain.
 
That's quite a nice piece of kit alright. But I see you don't have a counterweight hence the low overall weight? Or do you even need one?
So this is practical to you in terms of shooting for television, yes? I adjust my rigs according to types of jobs... film, event, long vs short shoots, documentary, run 'n gun, low profile...
I'd very much like to challenge your rig with mine in terms of sexiness and practicality, haha.
 
Indeed, the sony is a lot lower res, and I looked into the DP6, but the Sony monitor is only 40 percent of the price and when I got the package deal it came with a battery and charger. I also think that the Sony is a lot smaller and lighter than the DP6 and I like that a lot. I've side by sided the Sony and the EX3 monitor and it's lightyears better. The focus on red and the image zoom options are killer.

I used it a lot for my steadicam stuff. So although the DP6 is a nicer monitor it's also a lot more money and in that realm today I'm going for more bang for my buck. If you picked up the Sony, you wouldn't be disappointed... Pretty sweet monitor and it's become something I use all the time.

I think either way 5" is the best size for on camera monitoring...
 
Justyn said:
Pretty sweet monitor and it's become something I use all the time....
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Have you noticed any issues with the color rendition on the Sony?

When I played with two a while back (a pre-production and then production model) the color caste seemed off, making it difficult to white balance. The pre model was really off, but I also saw it slightly in the production model.
 
I think that it doesn't handle reds too well, but I'm not using the monitor in the sense of it being a calibrated one. I usually peep the viewfinder and also the onboard LCD a bit too, but for the most part it's pretty darn good. It does have some calibration you can do for it and at the price that it's at, it's really awesome.

it also only weighs 8 ounces and with the small battery it's maybe a pound if that. The built in sunshade is also really great and the swivel mount is absolutely top notch. I bought the super faster charger and the faster batteries and you can't find a better deal and value than the sony M series batteries....


So, sure it's got some issues with color, but you know I'd say that 90 percent of the time i shoot with the peaking on and it's just amazing. I use it a lot also with my HMC150 and then it really shines.... Not a bad unit for the cash and the 500 you'll save can be spent on other things...
 
The Sony monitor will easily do the job. I used it with my GH2 on many shoots this summer, and never missed focus on a shot despite the low resolution. The long battery life was another plus as well. You can't trust it for color at all though, but I wouldn't really expect to be able to on any sub $1000 monitor. My only real gripe with it is that I would often hit the flip out sun shade on something and have it go flying and spend a minute putting it back together between takes!

I ended up getting a good deal on a SmallHD DP1x, but man it is a little big when doing hand held...I feel like my face is squished right up against it. And it taxes my articulating arm that's holding it! So it might be worth to hang onto the sony for some jobs. The DP1x is REALLY nice when I'm operating on a tripod though.

Anyone wanna trade their DP6 for a DP1x and cash ?????? Bueller, Bueller?
 
hubgam said:
This rig I "built" (the system is the Bulldog by Indisystem) has dual audio system with a Marantz 661 recorder and G2 Sennheiser wireless.
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hi carlo
how do you syncronize audio and video in pospo? wich worflow do you use?
i'm planing a similar rig (gh2 for video; pmd 661 for audio ) and i'm wondering how to send the signal from the 661 to the gh2...
why? sometimes, i will just use the sound of the gh2 recorded form the 661 (fast worflow, no need of syncing ...) and sometimes i will sync the audio of the 661 (for more elaborated jobs, documentary, etc...)
i 'm looking at sescom cables
regards
pd. yeah, your rig is so sexy :-D
 
What about using that rig for shooting while walking? You suggested that this poses problems. That seems to be one of the main reasons for a shoulder rig to begin with.
 
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