SmallHD 501 vs. Marshall V-LCD56MDV
- Thread starter Joshua_G
- Start date
ectobuilder
Veteran
For monitors, you can tell how they perform in daylight from the specs alone (NIT rating). There are not many things that are very telling on paper, but I find monitor brightness rating to be very accurate on paper.
I own a 501 monitor, and having a rating of 400 NITS means it is horrible out doors. Anything up to complete overcast cloudy weather is fine, but once the sun starts to creep through then forget it.
I've used a whole range of monitors 250 NITS, 300 NITS, 350 NITS, 400 NITS, 450 NITS, 700 NITS, 1500 NITS.
Of the ones listed above, only the 1500 NITS works well in ALL outdoor conditions. The 700 NITS works up until cloudy with a bit of sun poking through. But in direct sunlight you'll need 1500 NITS or above.
I recently ordered the Small HD 702 rated at 1000 NITS and I can't wait to receive mine to give it a test drive. The reason why I am going for the 702 and not the High Bright (1500 NIT) is because I also value weight, footprint and power draw as well.
Using their super heavy and power hungry 1500 NIT monitor made working in the field a nightmare. The 702 is 3x more efficient in power consumption and in weight. 1000 NITS might do the trick.
One thing to note as well is the level of exposure in your frame also dictates how well you can see the image. During Golden Hour with the sun beaming directly toward my eye as I was looking into the monitor, the 700 NIT monitor could only show the lighter exposures, the mid-exposures and shadows were all sillhouetted. But reviewing the footage in post showed that all parts of the frame were perfectly exposed (nothing crushed).
FrameFarmMedia
Veteran
I'd love to hear your feedback on the 702. I've been in the market for a new monitor and was looking at the 502 & 702. The screen size and brightness has me leaning toward the 702 if it's not too power hungry.
ectobuilder
Veteran
I received mine a few days ago but came dead on arrival
. So I am going through the RMA process from the retailer I bought it from. I'll let you know how the 702 performs when my replacement arrives.Weight wise, it does feel more beefier than the 501 (obviously) but way lighter than the SmallHD High Bright (with the Dual NPF battery plate). It is the most compact 7 inch LCD I've seen to date.
Patryk_Rebisz
Veteran
In my opinion SmalHD monitors are WAY overrated. I would go with Marshall any day. (i own SmallHD monitors FYI so you don't think i speak from "he said, she say" experience).
ectobuilder
Veteran
For my uses (I do a ton of run n' gun) I find the SmallHD 501/702 form factors to be much better. I find Marshall monitors to be too clunky.
I have heard that the pre-501 / pre-701 monitors had color issues but with the 501 I haven't run into any color issues. I have yet to try out the 702 but as my replacement model arrives I will test to see!
ectobuilder
Veteran
I just got my replacement 702 and it does power on. However it came with a single dead pixel! Unfortunately SmallHD only warranties 3 or more dead pixels. Their policy doesn't give me great confidence in their products at all.
Although it is a single dead pixel, it is distracting enough that I find myself looking at/for it instead of concentrating on making films.
I'd rather go with an inferior brand than put up with an overpriced defective product.
Based on my back-to-back run-in with two defective 702 units, I cannot recommend the 702 to any filmmaker because it has not proven to be reliable enough for field work.
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emretufekci
Well-known member
I am not too crazy about Small HD products either, I have had too many out of the box problems that had to shipped back or items missing. The picture is good for framing purposes, including under the sun but very poor color/resolution/ease of use. I generally use the small HD stuff for handheld (directors viewfinder) if I have to move around the set but have a 17"+8" Panasonic for accurate images (but are very poor outside for viewing).ectobuilder
Veteran
I live in Vancouver and it has been crazy cloudy and rainy since I got the monitor so I haven't had a chance to try it yet.
But luckily AbelCine is doing another RMA for me, so I'll have to wait until my second replacement comes in.
I've talked to a few people who got the 702 and all of them are having some kind of issue out of the box.
If I were you I'd wait until they iron out the wrinkles. As of now I feel like I am paying A-Stock prices for B-Stock quality.
Ever since the 702 was announced, I've always felt $1499 USD was a little cheap for such incredible specs. Maybe if they raised their prices to $1999 USD then they could afford to go for Tripple-A quality panels?
I need a good monitor for moving around.
How is the SmallHD 702 outdoors in bright sunlight for focusing?
That's alarming. Shipping to and back from my country is too expansive.
Alpha Beta Omega
Veteran
I've had three Marshall monitors and all have worked fine. I've alo had one SmallHD monitor and it was glitchy. Marshall - SmallHD 3-0.
ectobuilder
Veteran
I finally got my second replacement (third copy) of the 702 monitor.
And it finally:
1) Powers On
2) Has ZERO dead pixels.
This means I finally have a unit I can use and start to warm up to. One thing I noticed is that there is a gap between the screen and the actual enclosure (see pic below).
Looks like bad build quality to me. I have a 501 and it doesn't do that, the screen is flush with the actual enclosure. This has me wondering how long the 702 will last before it develops issues.
And it finally:
1) Powers On
2) Has ZERO dead pixels.
This means I finally have a unit I can use and start to warm up to. One thing I noticed is that there is a gap between the screen and the actual enclosure (see pic below).
Looks like bad build quality to me. I have a 501 and it doesn't do that, the screen is flush with the actual enclosure. This has me wondering how long the 702 will last before it develops issues.
ectobuilder
Veteran
We finally had a sunny day and I managed to find some time to take my 702 out for a spin. The 1000 NITS compared to my older 700 NITS definitely made a difference in direct sunlight.
Darker exposed areas were more visible when the sun was directly shining towards my eye. I say "more visible" because you still need to squint your way to see it completely. The lighter exposed areas are super easy to see however. In this instance I can use the rim light on my subject to check focus if my subject is too dark.
Because the 1000 NITS does pack a lot of brightness, even a hint of shade (i.e. from a front facing baseball cap) will do the trick in case the sunlight is too harsh. This is really only needed when you are directly on the axis with sun. Being slightly off-axis however the 702 does very well. I would say it demolishes my older 700 NIT monitor and of course the 501 (400 NITS).
The baseball cap trick doesn't work with the 501 (400 NITS) and was so so for my older 700 NITS monitor.
Is this a direct replacement for the 1500 NITS High Bright? No, if you need all out brightness then still go with the High Bright. But for me it is a good compromise as I do enjoy the lighter weight, lower profile, lower power consumption, lower heat, higher resolution and one handed battery changes.
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