While the BM5 features every tool you need nowadays, this is not what caught my attention. What’s impressive is the “camera remote” port and the remote camera functionalities.
All in all, I’ve not been overly impressed by this monitor as I’m used to much higher-end monitoring options. However, every time I had complaints about the Black Mini, I always came back thinking, “well, it’s $89, so it has some caveats, but it’s usable.”.
Cine 7 monitor + Bolt 4K Monitor Module 750 TX connected to the camera with ARRI license installed (If you are using 2 Cine 7 monitors you can have the license installed on either one.).
I love the fact that it allows high frame rates, ProRes recording, and many more things. Z CAM is definitely a company to watch out for – also, I am curious to see their new APS-C and full frame cameras (S6, F6, and F8) that are scheduled to arrive later this year.
These theoretical tests don’t have much sense to me as you usually don’t always shoot at full brightness for this amount of time without switching off the monitor, but it gives you a rough idea. In “normal” real-life shooting conditions, I found the battery life to be pretty good.
Also, there is a USB Type-A port on the right side of the monitor that you can use to power the PT5 via a power bank (5V/2A). If you power your monitor with a Sony NP-F or Canon LP-E6 battery, this USB port doubles as a 5V/1A power output that could easily charge your smartphone at the same time.
I think that this smart move from Atomos will allow the E2 to become even more popular amongst independent filmmakers looking for a lightweight camera package capable of shooting high-quality images.
PortKeys has just released a new electronic viewfinder for DSLR/Mirrorless camera shooters with only one HDMI input that can take a 4K video signal: the PortKeys LEYE. This very compact EVF fills a hole in the market with an affordable price tag of $399. Let’s take a closer look at it!.
According to Manfrotto, these “SAS-TEC” structural reinforcements feature exclusive viscoelastic memory foam for multi-impact endurance. Unfortunately, I did not open the bag with a knife to verify, but the bottom bumpers did well during my testing.
At the back of the monitor, there is a Sony NPF-style battery slot to power the monitor. As I mentioned, you can use the USB port to feed the monitor from a V-Mount/AB external battery as well as a battery bank.
The first batch of both accessories got sold out relatively quickly, the next batch should be shipping by the end of June.
In short, the PortKeys LH5P has plenty of input/output power ports, which is nice, as some much more expensive options out there don’t offer that much.
To know more, check our Lab Test as well as Nino’s C300 Mark III review. This bundle will additionally get you a Canon 24-70MM F2.8L II USM EF-Mount lens and SanDisk CFexpress Extreme Pro 512GB memory card.
The FEELWORLD F7 PRO offers several input and output power options. The monitor can be powered using either a Sony NP-F battery or via a 12V DC power input. Moreover, a 5V USB-C port offers an extra power supply option, while an 8V DC output can provide power to your camera.
As you can see, the PortKeys LH5P represents a good value for money compared to other monitors in the same price range, but it will be up to you to decide if it ticks all the boxes for your needs.
The LEYE SDI will retail for $549/€500. It is already listed on our partners’ websites B&H and CVP, so it should be available very soon!.
This HDMI-only display features a brightness of 1700 nits, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 that can take 4K signals, basically all the monitoring tools you need, and the cherry on the cake: the LH5H can even power cameras that use Sony NPF-style batteries. Let’s take a closer look at this on-camera monitor on a budget!.
As you can tell, there are a million ways to position the dividers and reconfigure the Flexloader L to fit your gear and needs. It’s a very versatile bag that can carry a lot of gear while still being carry-on sized so you can bring it with you on a plane.
RED Komodo is the new Super 35 6K cinema camera that features a very small form factor. RED shipped out the first batch of custom-colored pre-release cameras in Grossman Gold color. The first hands-on tests and sample footage from Komodo users as well as first accessories are appearing.
I’d say that from 0 to 25% brightness, black levels are okay, but you’ll have to consider gamma shifts if you go higher than that, which you’ll do if you go outside.
MZed Pro annual membership is available for just $199 (normally $299, save $100). Members get access to MZed library of 29 current courses plus new courses added regularly. The ourses can be downloaded using their new iOS app.
The clever location of the Z CAM E2 battery allows the use of standard Sony NPF batteries with various capacities (and protects the HDMI port at the same time). For my trip I took a few 5200mA (NP F750) ones with me – good news is that power consumption was surprisingly low hence battery life was no issue at all.
The has a glossy and quite reflective screen and is not very bright, so if you plan on using the monitor outside, the included sun hood will come in handy.
Last but not least, the bag comes with a 5-year warranty. You’ll need to register and activate your warranty on Manfrotto’s website. The company’s customer service is incredible, and you can trust their warranty.
CVP Buy link: Panasonic Lumix G9 Camera Body with 12-60mm f/2.8-4 Lens Was: €1,381.43 Now: €1,118.24 (Savings: €263.19, Free accessories, Free 25mm f/1.7 lens, and Free 3-year warranty).
There is a little built-in screen on top of the camera but no “proper” display. You need to add your monitor via the HDMI/SDI ports.
The PortKeys Universal Handle is in a pre-order stage at the moment for $299.00 until February 22. After that period, the price will be $399.00, and orders will begin to ship in March 2020. You can pre-order it on PortKeys’ website.
I’m glad to see that Portkeys listened, and you can now store the PT5 with all its accessories inside the case as well – good job!.
The display has a resolution 1920 x 1080 resolution, with a maximum brightness of 500 nits. It is also a touchscreen display to navigate inside the menu. However, this brightness will fall slightly short in bright daylight shooting conditions, so I would not call it a daylight viewable monitor.
Most of the time, you can’t use a probe or spectrophotometer to adjust your on-camera monitor. It means that you’ll have a hard time trying to calibrate it correctly by hand with only a few built-in picture adjustment tools at your disposal in the menu system. In short, on-camera monitors must be as good as possible out of the box with minimal color adjustments needed by the end-user.
Given the value of 36 ms, I was wondering how it can do 29.98fps at 4K – I measured the rolling shutter at 29.98fps and got a result of 31.3 ms interestingly. So obviously the readout speed changes with the different modes.
Once you switch the power button on, the monitor takes around ten seconds until it is operational, which is acceptable.
The is a 5″ on-camera monitor / live streaming device with decent features: a 400nits touchscreen display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, one 4K HDMI 2.0 input port, and plenty of monitoring tools all in a very compact package. When I heard about its super low price at $89 (a special CineD price), I had to give it a try to see how it performs. Here are my findings of the most affordable monitor we ever reviewed on CineD!.
One of the only things that could be improved on the BM5 II that I have is the overall UI, which feels a bit outdated. The new PortKeys LH5H features a new UI that looks much better and more intuitive. On the left and right sides of the monitor, you’ll find various customizable shortcuts to your favorite monitoring tools. The display itself is tactile, so you can activate/disable functions quickly without having to go inside the menu.
The new monitor has a 7-inch touchscreen IPS display with a maximum resolution of 1920×1200. The 16:10 aspect ratio provides some extra vertical space for monitoring tools.
The display uses WLED backlight technology, and the panel itself has a contrast ratio of 1000:1. It is worth mentioning that the PT5 has a 10-bit (8+2 FRC) display, so not “true” 10-bit, even if very few monitors are real 10-bit.
Have you worked with the Z CAM E2? What are your experiences with this camera? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Z CAM E2 follows the “brick” look – like the RED ecosystem – and you will need some accessories to make it work properly. Some third-party manufacturers have started to implement it in their development, like PortKeys with their BM5 that can control the camera.
The Manfrotto PRO Light Flexloader L is available now for $329.99/€227.35. It can seem like a fairly high price tag, but the price/feature ratio is incredible and you’ll probably have a hard time finding a more affordable solution that offers you better build quality, versatility, and reliability.
The E2 already received a firmware update version 0.95 that you can download here. The Atomos Ninja V will receive a firmware update later in June 2020. Both of these firmware updates are free.
However, Volta Cinema is a small team with only Tudor and his friend Oskar Woinski doing everything with love and passion. In that sense, you can’t judge and compare the product from a startup like a product from the big players of the filmmaking industry.
The PT5 has a claimed maximum brightness of 500nit, which is not daylight-viewable like monitors with a brightness under 1500nit. It does not mean that you can’t use it outside with the included sun hood, but you’ll have a hard time in direct sunlight. The glossy display doesn’t help with that, but we’ll talk more about that later.
A good monitor is nothing without great monitoring tools. These tools allow you to judge your exposure, focus, white balance, and so on. This is useful to make creative decisions and adjust your camera settings.
The battery charger has a micro-USB port, and I was a bit surprised that no charging cable was included. I reached to the company that told me:.
PortKeys was kind enough to send us this new LH5P model with very similar features: in short, it is the same display but 0.3″ bigger, it is made out of aluminum instead of plastic, and it has an antenna for wireless control. We updated this review accordingly and took some time to test every feature again. Enjoy!.
Once your monitor is in place, you can tilt it forward and backwards, but within limits. Above are the maximum positions you can reach. Volta Cinema told me that the mounting screw hits the monitor mount and limits its orientation so that your monitor doesn’t fall on your lens or camera rig.
Also, the PortKeys Bluetooth Module adds support for Sony a7II/a7III/a7RIV/a9 cameras, and Tilta Nucleus-N/M follow focuses. Unfortunately, you will have to plug a cable from the monitor to your camera/follow focus to have access to these functions.
In this discounted set, along with the camera, you get SanDisk 32GB extreme PRO UHS-II SDHC memory card, Watson 2000mAh battery pack, Watson compact AC/DC charger for NP-FZ100 battery, and Ruggard Journey 24 DSLR shoulder bag.
Let’s be clear, this new Portkeys BM5 III WR is not a massive upgrade over its predecessor, and most of the main features are the same, including:.
The waveform plot of our Xyla 21 stepchart shows about 11 stops (see figure 1). Using IMATEST to calculate the dynamic range I got a result of 10.8 stops at ISO 500, Z-LOG2 using ProRes HQ 4k DCI 23.98fps (at a signal to noise ratio of 2, 11.9 stops for SNR = 1, see figure 2).
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