FX3/FX30: Sony remote control

Peter C.

Peter C.

Veteran
I recently got an FX30. One planned use is theater wide shot. I've been playing around with ways to monitor and control the camera.
  • The first option is use Sony Camera Control app. This works only downside it uses my phone and while I have an iPhone Max it's still a little small to judge focus, plus it ties up your phone.
  • The other option is pair it with a field monitor and only use the phone to display and control the camera settings.
  • The final option. I saw that PORTKEYS LH7P 7" monitor has built in wifi allowing the same control function. Oddly enough it just went on sale from $349 to $209. It has a few downsides: 1. slow startup, 2. doesn't auto connect. 3. menus are complicated. 4. loud fan (for theater this isn't an issue) 5. power hungry and hot. Despite all those cons it combines a large monitor and controls.
You may ask why not use the camera controls? Its not easy to reach over to a secondary camera in the dark to find the controls on the camera also if you have data overlay off so it fills the monitor you don't know what iso aperture the camera is set to. I have a nice Sigma 24-70 lens but it has no aperture ring so you can't quickly reach over and give it a twist.
 
I agree with you about not wanting to use my phone for camera control. So, what about getting a cheap phone (without a phone plan) or a cheap tablet that is dedicated just for controlling the camera with the Sony control app?

On a similar note, I have an old iPad that I use as a teleprompter and an old iPhone that I use as the remote control. The two work great together and my big 15" prompter system is gathering dust now. Best of all, the new system was basically free because of repurposing old devices that were never going to get used for anything else anyway.
 
I wasn't sure you were asking for suggestions Peter...
But agree with Doug. I use an old iPad mini with the Sony Control app for my A7sIII for certain shoots. Also have an iPad Pro for teleprompter use that can be used with Sony cams too.
 
I was trying to talk myself out of buying a flawed monitor that had built in Sony control for a really cheap price. I ended up not pulling the trigger. Currently I'm running 3 cameras (2 wides) to have a backup to the FX30 until I feel comfortable with it. At some point you run out of real estate to be able to see the stage with all those monitors and devices clamped in front of me.
 
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