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Best Daylight Viewable Komodo Monitor Option

Ketch Rossi

Ketch Rossi

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Hey fellow Redusers,
I am starting to gather and prep to test some Daylight Viewable Monitors for a Multi/Komodo set up.
Wondering if some of you can share thoughts on personal experience.

I am considering both the 5" & 7" options, but preferably stay as compact as possible.

•SmallHD (Not sure I'll really use their Red Camera Control Protocol)
•TVlogic ( Positive spect is that they offer a BP series plate)
•Atomos (Won't make use of their Recorder but it might be a good option)
•Portkeys (thanks Steve for the suggestion 5" 2200 Nit it's great)
•Feelworld (thanks Dana for the suggestion which led me to the new 6" 2600 nits)

Are currently those I am looking to test Indoors/Outdoors.

My ideal set up would be to place the Monitor on Top/Rear of the Komodo with some kinda of Swing Arm to allow the Monitor to be Tilted/Angled for Top/Strait/Bottom Viewing Angles.

I would most likely use it most with 3-Stud Mini Battery on Komodo and power it via D-Tap so not to have additional bulk of an on board battery and allowing to keep it closer to the camera itself.
 
Obviously, SmallHD is always great but also expensive. I just used the Feelworld FW279S on a shoot for the Komodo and loved it for several reasons:
+ 7" High Bright for outdoors
+ SDI in/out (HDMI also)
+ Lightweight
+ Only $340 on Amazon

All points were equally import to me. Brightness, of course, for being outdoors. The monitor is plastic which makes it lightweight which is perfect for the Komodo as we use it as a handheld C cam and want to keep the weight down. As soon as you get into SmallHD, you will end up with a metal chassis (which normally is very ideal for the ruggedness) which means adding 2 pounds or so to the Komodo. Being that it is only $340, if we break it because it's not metal, then no big deal. But it's really going to take a fall or crash to break it.

Haven't used TV logic.

Tried the Atomos Shogun 7" for it's monitoring capabilities also but it did not play well with Komodo. It always had some kind of LUT or something going on with the picture even though we were feeding it a native signal from Komodo. Made sure no Atomos LUT was applied and also did a factory reset and firmware update. Atomos said the monitor was not compatible with Komodo. I explained that we were just using it as a monitor and not for it's recording capabilities. They said to return it. Which is weird because I also have the original Atomos Shogun from 5 years ago and the picture was fine (pretty much matched the Komodo built-in display) and we also used the Sumo 19 with it and had no problems.
 
Dana Neibert said:
Obviously, SmallHD is always great but also expensive. I just used the Feelworld FW279S on a shoot for the Komodo and loved it for several reasons:
+ 7" High Bright for outdoors
+ SDI in/out (HDMI also)
+ Lightweight
+ Only $340 on Amazon

All points were equally import to me. Brightness, of course, for being outdoors. The monitor is plastic which makes it lightweight which is perfect for the Komodo as we use it as a handheld C cam and want to keep the weight down. As soon as you get into SmallHD, you will end up with a metal chassis (which normally is very ideal for the ruggedness) which means adding 2 pounds or so to the Komodo. Being that it is only $340, if we break it because it's not metal, then no big deal. But it's really going to take a fall or crash to break it.

Haven't used TV logic.

Tried the Atomos Shogun 7" for it's monitoring capabilities also but it did not play well with Komodo. It always had some kind of LUT or something going on with the picture even though we were feeding it a native signal from Komodo. Made sure no Atomos LUT was applied and also did a factory reset and firmware update. Atomos said the monitor was not compatible with Komodo. I explained that we were just using it as a monitor and not for it's recording capabilities. They said to return it. Which is weird because I also have the original Atomos Shogun from 5 years ago and the picture was fine (pretty much matched the Komodo built-in display) and we also used the Sumo 19 with it and had no problems.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Dana,
Much appreciated.
 
I thought with the Wifi to your iPhone and the LCD display I wouldn’t want a monitor, but I’ve now ordered the limited edition Small HD Stormtrooper OLED as I have one for my Ranger (not white) and found it to be good, albeit a bit heavy, especially if you want to put a battery on it. I have the Vaxis wireless transmitter with V-Mount, and use a shark fin with D-Tap to run the monitor -very back heavy!

The OLED is very bright, and I really like having a camera control onscreen without having to interface with my phone or go to the LCD screen...initially a nice gimmick, and one can use in a tight spot, but when you’re a professional and every second of messing around counts I find it’s best to just make it as familiar and easy as possible.
 
Jeremy Torrie said:
I thought with the Wifi to your iPhone and the LCD display I wouldn’t want a monitor, but I’ve now ordered the limited edition Small HD Stormtrooper OLED as I have one for my Ranger (not white) and found it to be good, albeit a bit heavy, especially if you want to put a battery on it. I have the Vaxis wireless transmitter with V-Mount, and use a shark fin with D-Tap to run the monitor -very back heavy!

The OLED is very bright, and I really like having a camera control onscreen without having to interface with my phone or go to the LCD screen...initially a nice gimmick, and one can use in a tight spot, but when you’re a professional and every second of messing around counts I find it’s best to just make it as familiar and easy as possible.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your thoughts Jeremy,
I do like SmallHD for many reasons, but as I look for a Daylight viewable Monitor without bulky cumbersome hoods, in a compact form to match the Komodo footprint, I believe it will be best I stay with a 5" Monitor which puts a limited choice on what's available Brightness wise.
 
I'm also on the hunt for a relatively cheap monitor that maximizes the screen area but does not have a large physical size. Will use it both normally and on my RS2, so it really needs to be lightweight, which is the most important thing I'm after.

A 7" monitor that is still small and lightweight would be the best option. Something I can put on a Red Arm in order to be able to view from any angle of the camera.
 
Christoffer Glans said:
I'm also on the hunt for a relatively cheap monitor that maximizes the screen area but does not have a large physical size. Will use it both normally and on my RS2, so it really needs to be lightweight, which is the most important thing I'm after.

A 7" monitor that is still small and lightweight would be the best option. Something I can put on a Red Arm in order to be able to view from any angle of the camera.
Click to expand...

After checking various models out, based on weight and size,
But most importantly brightness for Daylight Viewing, I ended up getting the "Feelworld" new 6" with 2600 nits, which I think it's the perfect compromise.
 
Ketch Rossi said:
After checking various models out, based on weight and size,
But most importantly brightness for Daylight Viewing, I ended up getting the "Feelworld" new 6" with 2600 nits, which I think it's the perfect compromise.
Click to expand...

You mean this one? FEELWORLD LUT6S 6 INCH

Exactly the one I had my eye for as well :) I'm just curious as to how it can be so damn cheap compared to the others like SmallHD? Sure, I guess it's not as accurate and calibrated, but I rarely find that super important on-set if it's not like, a pack shot or something, but it's always gonna be adjusted in post anyway so the important part is to be able to view the contrast curve so nothing clips.

You happy with yours? How's weight and stuff, accuracy?
 
Christoffer Glans said:
You mean this one? FEELWORLD LUT6S 6 INCH

Exactly the one I had my eye for as well :) I'm just curious as to how it can be so damn cheap compared to the others like SmallHD? Sure, I guess it's not as accurate and calibrated, but I rarely find that super important on-set if it's not like, a pack shot or something, but it's always gonna be adjusted in post anyway so the important part is to be able to view the contrast curve so nothing clips.

You happy with yours? How's weight and stuff, accuracy?
Click to expand...

Yes that's the one!

Yeah I was reluctant to test, but SmallHD is crazy backordered, and I decided to give it a try because meets the perfect size for Komodo, the 5" for me it's too small, and the 7" too big any ways.

In all honesty I don't care about color accuracy on a Camera Monitor, and I'll be controlling all Komodo cameras wirelessly so don't need to control it via the Monitor, and when I am on the camera I'll always give preference to the Komodo Monitor for Camera settings, so it keeps the viewing monitor finger prints free ;)

I'll be testing next week and if it works out as I hope, I'll buy one for each of the Komodo cams.
 
I've bought the Fotga C50S, 5 Inch, 2000nit for $270. All plastic, very bright. It has a sunshade hood that closes to protect the screen.

I power it with this cable (FOTGA 12V D-Tap 2 Pin Male Connector to DC 5.52.5mm).
So I don't need any extra batts, just one D-Tap.
The bezel is from a TV set from the 80s, but it's pretty cheap and very, very light.

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I picked up and have been happy with for a number of months the OSEE 7" 3000 nit. https://www.osee-dig.com/g7.html It has been plenty bright to use durring the day without a sun hood. It seems a little pricier than others that are 7" but it comes with everything. Case, hood, attachment arm d-tap power cable, AC cable, v-mount battery plate and more. It is not touch screen but I like that. Don't like finger prints all over it.
 
Lars Wikstrom said:
I picked up and have been happy with for a number of months the OSEE 7" 3000 nit. https://www.osee-dig.com/g7.html It has been plenty bright to use durring the day without a sun hood. It seems a little pricier than others that are 7" but it comes with everything. Case, hood, attachment arm d-tap power cable, AC cable, v-mount battery plate and more. It is not touch screen but I like that. Don't like finger prints all over it.
Click to expand...

Actually that was my second choice after the out of stock SmallHD.

But kinda of on the too big edge of, for the Komodo set up i wanted, so I hope the FeelWorld 6" 2600nits works out, if not that would be one I'll roll off to next for testing.
 
Ketch Rossi said:
so I hope the FeelWorld 6" 2600nits works out, if not that would be one I'll roll off to next for testing.
Click to expand...

Please check-in and review what you think about it. I have my finger on the purchase button for that as well, so would be good to know how it performs, works with SDI 12G cables, and also if the HDMI can loop an image out when the input is SDI (then I wouldn't need the Blackmagic adapter for using the Raveneye on the RS2).
 
Christoffer Glans said:
Please check-in and review what you think about it. I have my finger on the purchase button for that as well, so would be good to know how it performs, works with SDI 12G cables, and also if the HDMI can loop an image out when the input is SDI (then I wouldn't need the Blackmagic adapter for using the Raveneye on the RS2).
Click to expand...

Will do.
 
I also consider my monitors for their menus.


  • Tvlogics don't have many features, but they have the best image and color accuracy. It's just the most pleasing camera monitors to look at.
  • SmallHD menus are good, but the picture is often softish and colors are not the same between models.
  • Portkeys menus are good, and the image is good.
  • Atomos menus are terrible, and the panels are meh.
  • Feelworld have terrible menus also, the worst. It reminds me of Liliput legacy monitors.


So,
You can't go wrong with a SmallHD or TVlogic.
If money is a concern (which I doubt), the Feelworld is the best bang for bucks, but only if they have upped their game with casing and menus since last year.

But the Portkeys is the best of them all. I bought one.

Not a case of fanboyism for Portkeys,
I have TVlogic 056, 058, F5A and I work with F7h on a daily basis. I've had also a DP1x, DP6, SmallHD 503 and 702.
I have also a Feelworld FW279S which I've put it in a cage, hardmounted the SDI to avoid any damages with it as it's fragile.

The portkeys have one thing I love. It's the will to offer new features.

I just discovered the Nucleus focus pulling option, and having touch focus on non-red monitor and manual lenses is awesome.
The minute they release the BM5-III WR I will upgrade my BM5-II to have full Komodo control.
The menus could be a bit simpler, but as they offer tons of features, it crowded.

Just wait a bit for the BM5-III WR release.
 
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