External monitor recommendation

[Ron Hunter]

I am developing a "rig" for my new gimbal stabilizer and I would like to purchase a battery-powered field monitor to connect to my GH4. I'm just a hobbyist and I don't need features like focus peaking, zebras, or scopes. $300 is a hard limit but lower is preferred.

Any recommendations? I read an article that suggested using a tablet as a field monitor, but I can't find a tablet with HDMI input.

[_Paz_]

I'm still thrilled with my Lilliput 7" Field monitor.

I have finally gotten it set up pretty well by copying Sidd's concept with different materials. I'm using a GoPro type (not brand) chest strap with a Gorrilla Pod adapter to a small ball head. That was top heavy so I added some strips of black fabric tape around and sewn onto the edges of the sun screen, with large hooks and eyes that attach to the vertical chest straps. Easy to get on and off and stable now. I'll take and post a pic later.

I just went to Amazon and searched and came up with a large selection of Lilliputs under your limit.

I use Peaking ALL THE TIME. YMMV. I have recently learned that I've developed cataracts. That explains a lot.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_ ... ld+monitor

[Ron Hunter]

Thanks Patrice, this helps a lot. Just so you know I would get a monitor with focus peaking but my camera provides it, so hopefully I can save a little money. Do you use a screen hood with yours?

[_Paz_]

Yes, I use the sun shield all the time and I also wear a hat with a wide brim. My field monitor is every bit as impossible to see in brilliant sunlight as my camcorder's screen.

Not all of the info from the camera comes through on my field monitor. Give me a couple of days and I'll check to see what does and does not. That may vary from one camera to another. I have two I can check things on.

The icon that let me know the camera was actually filming did not come through on the monitor I use in my studio except for a brief moment when I first began filming. More than once I've gone through a whole section thinking I was filming when I was not. Now I make certain to check for the little red icon on the camera screen over my head pretty often.

I recently raised my field monitor's zebras from the factory setting of 50% to about 75% so it would match the volume of zebras I was seeing on my Pany's monitor when I was looking at the field monitor. If the camera's zebras had been coming through there wouldn't have been a need for me to have the field monitor's zebras turned on.

Of course it would be possible to jump back and forth looking at both screens if your eyesight works for that. I'm still practicing with this 'new' (for me in the field) camera. It is a little large for my hands. I have a hard time reaching the zoom/focus ring and when I want the zoom button I often hit the 'take a snapshot' button instead. I'm perching my new glasses on the tip of my nose so I can see more than 3 feet in front of me when I look through them and looking over the top of the glasses to see the monitor... all the while trying to keep things balanced on the monopod with feet. I'm trying to lighten the load I have to carry and my video tripod is awfully heavy.

[sidd finch]

I really like my Lilliput monitor it works pretty well.

But could you just use the wifi app and use your smart phone as a monitor?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK0u46sTwig[/youtube]

Sidd

[Ron Hunter]

Sidd I am actually thinking about doing just that. Thanks for the video link. The GH4 app does a really good job so a smartphone as monitor makes sense.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[_Paz_]

If you can use your smart phone that does make sense!

I've done some testing. Apparently the camera itself determines how much info comes through on my field monitor. I connected both cameras to two monitors, one is my studio monitor, a 19 or 20 inch LG and the other is my Lilliput.

JVC:

My JVC does not have peaking. It does have zebras at two percentages, one for regular items, the other for flesh tones. The zebras at both percentages show on both monitors.

PANY:

My Pany does not have peaking in autofocus but does have what it calls "Focus Assist", which works exactly like peaking. It does not show up on either monitor.

Pany has Zebras. The zebras do not show up on either monitor.

Pany has guide lines. They do not show on either monitor.

My Lilliput field monitor has Peaking for focus and Zebras. When these features are turned on they work with both cameras.