Best "secondary" on-camera monitor?

[Nate Clapp]

and yes, lots more choices in monitors now. I'm mildly interested in the 7" Small HD models but have not really examined them yet. but they are big and light both good things.

 

[Bob Gundu]

Yes same screen but really different software and boards behind them. Today you can find these same 5.6" screens available through ebay on very cheap monitors. You'll find that the new higher end monitors have moved to 7" now.

they might have had the same screen, but the boards inside are very different. I can confirm that they do NOT look the same. I liked the SmallHD image better, but I liked the engineering displays of the TV logic better. The SmallHD just looked "snappier" if it had just been for me I might have bought it instead. But again, no HDMI to SDI conversion and no Waveform display. RED One MX has same sensor as Epic X but while they look similar, I don't think they look the same. Boards matter.

 

[Kyle Wright]

I'm a fan of the focus assist on the SmallHD AC7 OLED. I think SmallHD has the best focus assist on the market and is a much better camera assistant confidence monitor. The extra resolution and screen real estate of the AC7 OLED makes it far superior to the TVLogic, as far as focus pulling is concerned. The Odyssey 7 supposedly uses the same OLED panel as the SmallHD AC7, but on the preproduction Odyssey 7 I played with a few months back, I wasn't a fan of their implementation of focus assist. The AC7 is lightweight, but at times feels a bit too light and a gives the impression of being cheap (SmallHD made a great video demonstrating how tough the monitor is, despite the overly-light feel). Odyssey 7 feels very solid. I also think the AC7 is lacking on features, as the lower priced Odyssey 7 can record proxies, has waveform/histogram, and more I/O options (among other things). Despite all this, at the end of the day, I'd get the AC7 OLED, as I feel the main purpose of a second monitor is to help the AC do his job, and the AC7 just gets that done better.

AC7 OLED vs Odyssey 7*

Screen quality
tie

Build quality
Odyssey 7

Focus Assist
AC7

Features
Odyssey 7

Price
Odyssey 7

*based on impressions from preproduction Odyssey 7

 

[Nick Morrison]

I'm a fan of the focus assist on the SmallHD AC7 OLED. I think SmallHD has the best focus assist on the market and is a much better camera assistant confidence monitor. The extra resolution and screen real estate of the AC7 OLED makes it far superior to the TVLogic, as far as focus pulling is concerned. The Odyssey 7 supposedly uses the same OLED panel as the SmallHD AC7, but on the preproduction Odyssey 7 I played with a few months back, I wasn't a fan of their implementation of focus assist. The AC7 is lightweight, but at times feels a bit too light and a gives the impression of being cheap (SmallHD made a great video demonstrating how tough the monitor is, despite the overly-light feel). Odyssey 7 feels very solid. I also think the AC7 is lacking on features, as the lower priced Odyssey 7 can record proxies, has waveform/histogram, and more I/O options (among other things). Despite all this, at the end of the day, I'd get the AC7 OLED, as I feel the main purpose of a second monitor is to help the AC do his job, and the AC7 just gets that done better.

AC7 OLED vs Odyssey 7*

Screen quality
tie

Build quality
Odyssey 7

Focus Assist
AC7

Features
Odyssey 7

Price
Odyssey 7

*based on impressions from preproduction Odyssey 7

How about the Small HD AC7? (non-OLED)

http://www.smallhd.com/products/ac7/buy.html

Presumably, has the same AC friendly features (and SDI input) of the OLED version, but for almost $500 less. Considering not everyone is sold on OLED yet, seems very tempting as well.

 

[Paul Rondeau]

I have the AC7 SDI non-OLED, and it's great for an AC monitor. Big, sharp, good tools, two function buttons (the TVLogic only has one). It really crushes the shadows though so it's mainly just good for focus and framing.

 

[Tom Greenberg]

A lot of good info here, but I'm still conflicted about which of these products to purchase. I'm intrigued by the flashy new technology of some (Samurai Blade, AC7, DP7, Odyssey), and somewhat reassured by the vocal support for the local favorite (TV Logic). I hate to make a mistake...it's a lot of cash to spend on the wrong thing.

 

[Nick Morrison]

A lot of good info here, but I'm still conflicted about which of these products to purchase. I'm intrigued by the flashy new technology of some (Samurai Blade, AC7, DP7, Odyssey), and somewhat reassured by the vocal support for the local favorite (TV Logic). I hate to make a mistake...it's a lot of cash to spend on the wrong thing.

Agreed. I'm probably going to get the AC7 and/or Blade.

The Blade is so tempting becuase it's sort of an all-in-one solution...for extra monitor AND proxies, at an affordable price.