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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Budget on-camera monitor

scorsesefan

scorsesefan

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Welcome aboard. Seen many of your posts on DVXuser and your contributions would be welcome here.

I never even heard of a modern wired SDI monitor with latency issues.

I've used a couple of different Portkeys monitors and they worked pretty well though the SDI port on one of them acted weird over time. QC on these low cost monitors can still be an issue and the build quality can vary.
This one seems to be the better monitor in the low end range.

Also might try the RED Control app and using an iPhone or Android as a monitor.
It might sound like an unlikely combo but it works surprisingly well and you have full camera monitoring and control through the app. Also keeps the camera footprint and weight small and light.
NOTE: You can monitor the image fullscreen as well.

Good luck.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the welcome, Brian... I've never encountered latency issues either. I'll give the Portkeys a look and will try the control app...
 
scorsesefan said:
Thanks. I can’t seem to get the app to recognize my Komodo…
Click to expand...
Try this tutorial.
If you still have an issue please post at what point you have an issue in this thread.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
Plenty of issues with the app, your phone, your phone's operating system version, etc., etc.

I have the best luck when turning off my iPhone's cellular data and then connecting to the Komodo's wifi signal and then opening the app. That seems to work 99% of the time for me.
 
Dustin Schmidt said:
Plenty of issues with the app, your phone, your phone's operating system version, etc., etc.
Click to expand...
I guess everyone will have different experiences but I never experienced any compatibility issues across the dozen or so iOS devices and various OS versions I’ve had running RED Control and that included an iPhone as old as Iphone 7.

Admittedly I did have some hiccups for a few months back in 2021 but over the years RC, Komodo, and iPhones have been solid.
This is in both Ad Hoc and Infrastructure modes and tethered (though I do have a KX that may have a buggy USB-C port).


Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
Dustin Schmidt said:
Plenty of issues with the app, your phone, your phone's operating system version, etc., etc.

I have the best luck when turning off my iPhone's cellular data and then connecting to the Komodo's wifi signal and then opening the app. That seems to work 99% of the time for me.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the video link, @Brian Timmons.... Hey, Dustin. Good to see a familiar face here... Turning off cellular data totally worked - thanks!
 
Brian Timmons said:
I guess everyone will have different experiences
Click to expand...
Completely agree Brian. I've known people who had absolutely no issues at all, things connected right away.

And for whatever reason, there are those of us who could not get things to work with our specific cameras, phones, hardware, etc, even when following RED's official instructions to a T.

Digging deep enough into other people's issues, I discovered that turning cellular data off seemed to make things connect right away for me, even when other things didn't work.

Weird, I know. I wonder if there are other connectivity issues at work. Local networks, wifi traffic, etc.
 
Hmm, quite a bit of monitor lag with the app. It’s great to have function control though… I wound up buying a SmallHD 5 used from MPB so I’m hoping it’s OK with the Komodo…
 
scorsesefan said:
Hmm, quite a bit of monitor lag with the app. It’s great to have function control though… I wound up buying a SmallHD 5 used from MPB so I’m hoping it’s OK with the Komodo…
Click to expand...
I have the SmallHD Cine 5 and think it's a pretty good fit with the Komodo. (I also own the Indie 7", and though it's less bright, it works well for my purposes.)
 
M Harvey said:
I have the SmallHD Cine 5 and think it's a pretty good fit with the Komodo. (I also own the Indie 7", and though it's less bright, it works well for my purposes.)
Click to expand...
Since you have both, how do you feel about 5 inch vs 7 inch in size? You don't find the 7'' too big?
 
Janis Huber said:
Since you have both, how do you feel about 5 inch vs 7 inch in size? You don't find the 7'' too big?
Click to expand...
No, I don’t find the 7” too big most of the time. My Komodo is usually on a tripod. And I also usually like my images to be in focus. ;-)

The 5” I originally bought for times when I want a stripped down less conspicuous kit, e.g. I’m filming in a public place or packing into a shoulder bag. I’ve found I enjoy using it for more casual video (filming with family). And I also now use it from time to time when I’m operating but have an AC—it is just a touch more streamlined. But in general, once I have a 150wh battery mounted and a Milvus or rented lens via PL mount, the slightly larger monitor isn’t going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. And even when I have an AC and others at remote monitor, the extra screen space really increases my confidence in the image I’m making.
 
I picked up one of these from Filmtools:

osee-tech.com

G7 Pro 7" 4K Camera Control Field Monitor | Touchscreen External Recorder | Osee

Upgrade your filmmaking setup with the G7 Pro 7-inch 4K on-camera monitor. Features touchscreen camera controls, HDR support, and external recorder compatibility. Perfect for directors and cinematographers needing real-time monitoring and precise color accuracy.
osee-tech.com osee-tech.com

It's been pretty nice so far.
 
Portkeys announced this new 7" monitor for $450 that looks pretty nice.
www.cined.com

Portkeys LS7P On-Camera Monitor Announced – 7-inch Display, Wireless Control, One-to-Many System | CineD

Portkeys introduces the 7-inch on-camera LS7P monitor with a 1000-nit, 10-bit display and a one-to-many control system.
www.cined.com www.cined.com

I also finished experimenting with using Android smart phones with USB-C and RED Control instead of iPhones and I have to admit
the Androids kind of work better mainly due to them not requiring a hotspot (meaning no carrier plan needed) to connect via USB and Android's ability to get easily dumbed down from a smart phone to what is now essentially a device to exclusively run RED Control.

You know RED Control as an app is good when you buy devices just to run it.

I bought 2 Androids for 2 Komodos (and to some extent a Komodo X), for about $300 altogether and they both have 6.7" P-OLED displays and 1200 nits.
One single USB-C cable for power, connectivity, and video.

On Komodo (with Komodo link) this runs pretty perfect.
Komodo X seems to have a quirk where the connection drops on the first boot or so and connects fine afterwards.
Not sure if it's firmware or USB-C port on the KX.

I like keeping Komodo and KX as small and light as I can and this config does that nicely.

Whatever the preference there are options.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
Last edited:
Brian Timmons said:
Portkeys announced this new 7" monitor for $450 that looks pretty nice.
www.cined.com

Portkeys LS7P On-Camera Monitor Announced – 7-inch Display, Wireless Control, One-to-Many System | CineD

Portkeys introduces the 7-inch on-camera LS7P monitor with a 1000-nit, 10-bit display and a one-to-many control system.
www.cined.com www.cined.com

I also finished experimenting with using Android smart phones with USB-C and RED Control instead of iPhones and I have to admit
the Androids kind of work better mainly due to them not requiring a hotspot (meaning no carrier plan needed) to connect via USB and Android's ability to get easily dumbed down from a smart phone to what is now essentially a device to exclusively run RED Control.

You know RED Control as an app is good when you buy devices just to run it.

I bought 2 Androids for 2 Komodos (and to some extent a Komodo X), for about $300 altogether and they both have 6.7" P-OLED displays and 1200 nits.
One single USB-C cable for power, connectivity, and video.

On Komodo (with Komodo link) this runs pretty perfect.
Komodo X seems to have a quirk where the connection drops on the first boot or so and connects fine afterwards.
Not sure if it's firmware or USB-C port on the KX.

I like keeping Komodo and KX as small and light as I can and this config does that nicely.

Whatever the preference there are options.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
Click to expand...
What make/model androids did you buy that are 6.7" P-OLED displays and 1200 nits? Is 1200 nits bright enough to use outdoors? Thanks.
 
hello Marshall,

I got a couple of Motorola Stylus 5G 2024 Androids.

www.tomsguide.com

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) review: The stylus isn't the star

A bright display and long battery life highlight this sub-$400 budget phone
www.tomsguide.com www.tomsguide.com

The display is measured at slightly more than 1200 which can work outdoor but there are still some situations that you might want to have a sunshade for the phone and display for both viewing and to keep the phone cool as the android will dim if it gets too hot.

This sun hood works Ok though the USB C can get blocked by it if you are trying to hard wire to the camera.


I bought them used for roughly $150 each.

The 2025 version supposedly peaks at 3000 but I have not tested it.

www.pcmag.com

Motorola Moto G Stylus (2025): The Most Affordable Phone With a Stylus

The 2025 Moto G Stylus offers noticeable improvements over the previous model and its stylus supports several AI-assisted features, but so-so cameras and unimpressive software support hold it back.
www.pcmag.com www.pcmag.com

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
Brian Timmons said:
hello Marshall,

I got a couple of Motorola Stylus 5G 2024 Androids.

www.tomsguide.com

Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) review: The stylus isn't the star

A bright display and long battery life highlight this sub-$400 budget phone
www.tomsguide.com www.tomsguide.com

The display is measured at slightly more than 1200 which can work outdoor but there are still some situations that you might want to have a sunshade for the phone and display for both viewing and to keep the phone cool as the android will dim if it gets too hot.

This sun hood works Ok though the USB C can get blocked by it if you are trying to hard wire to the camera.


I bought them used for roughly $150 each.

The 2025 version supposedly peaks at 3000 but I have not tested it.

www.pcmag.com

Motorola Moto G Stylus (2025): The Most Affordable Phone With a Stylus

The 2025 Moto G Stylus offers noticeable improvements over the previous model and its stylus supports several AI-assisted features, but so-so cameras and unimpressive software support hold it back.
www.pcmag.com www.pcmag.com

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
Click to expand...
Thank you very much - I ordered one of those and hopefully it'll work well enough.
Appreciate it.
 
marshall baker said:
Thank you very much - I ordered one of those and hopefully it'll work well enough.
Appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Glad I could help.
I do want to make sure it’s clear that
you do need Komodo Link attached to the top pins on the Komodo to connect via USB C.

While Komodo X does have a USB C port built into the camera body, Komodo OG requires the Komodo link adapter for USB C
connectivity.

Brian Timmons
BRITIM/MEDIA
 
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