There is also a nice Z CAM smartphone app available for IOS (Android still in a beta release), which connects to the camera’s wifi and allows access / display / change all settings as well as providing a full screen image preview with little latency.
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!.
I tried the top handle with a PortKeys BM5 monitor and a SWIT CM-S75F; both are not on the compatibility list but worked just fine. Also, I tried it with my Canon EOS R and did not have any issues.
A quick word about the dummy battery that came with the top handle. There’s nothing revolutionary here, it’s a classic D-Tap to Canon LP-E6 dummy battery, but the cable has the perfect length to power a monitor attached to the monitor mount.
At first, I had a weird feeling as in case of assistance or firmware updates, I guess you are left in the dark with no customer service to contact.
I like that you can still put the TSA lock in its pocket even when your bag is secured. You probably don’t want to catch unnecessary attention by walking around the city with a lock hanging on the outside of your bag.
The top flap features three meshed pockets: two small ones (12.5 x 11cm/4,92 x 4,33in) at the top and a large one at the bottom (23 x 17cm/9 x 6,7in).
The lock buckles have a different design from the “traditional” ones you can find everywhere, which usually break quickly. These Manfrotto lock buckles are smooth, and it looks like you only need to get the center part inside for it to engage. It’s hard to describe, but a picture is worth a thousand words.
From what I saw, it looks like the system is very responsive and not laggy at all. This is good news for all RED Komodo users, who now have another affordable option for wireless camera control via an onboard camera monitor.
This monitor has its limits for sure, but it is an excellent monitor if you want to step up your game and start working with a product that offers professional monitoring tools.
News, reviews, tutorials, how-to’s, you name it – CineD.com is a leading force in the filmmaking tech world and we are forever and always in need of knowledgable team members who also enjoy to write about their passion.
All in all, it is a good monitor, but I didn’t like one detail: it only takes 1080p signals via HDMI, although the Z CAM E2 could provide a 4k signal. Hence, you have no good way to judge focus on the monitor itself for a 4k HDMI signal, as neither punching in (1:1 pixel view) nor the in – built focus peaking of the monitor would display this signal accurately.
We first reported about their Portkeys BM5 monitor in 2019, a 5-inch field monitor with SDI/HDMI input and output ports capable of controlling your camera. The company released an upgraded version, the PortKeys BM5 III WR, that boasts a bigger screen and a couple of new features.
While planning a trip to the Indian jungle to film a short documentary about Pench National Park, my colleagues at cinema5d challenged me to leave my standard gear at home and take the new cinema camera Z CAM E2 instead – would it be up to the task?.
Also, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack if your camera doesn’t have one, or if you want to monitor your audio signal directly from the LH5H, which works fine.
This year we decided to divide the Black friday deals into three posts, which we will publish in the next days before friday November 29:.
Manfrotto put some thick and quite long metal pull straps at the end of the main compartment and gimbal zippers, so it’s easy to open/close the most-used bag’s pockets.
What is unique with the Volta Cinema Top Handle is that it is the first design I saw where you could swap batteries to use it infinitely if you have enough batteries. With very little information available on the Internet and no reviews yet, we reached to the company to see if it holds all its promises.
The battery fit at the back of the monitor is snug. The battery goes in and out smoothly; no issues here. There is a battery lock to keep everything nicely and securely in place.
Finally, the LH5P display is slightly larger at 5.5″ (5.2″ for the LH5H), and it has a new removable Bluetooth antenna at the monitor’s back, whereas the Bluetooth module of the LH5H is built into the monitor.
One of the things I love the most about my PortKeys BM5 is its build quality. The aluminum alloy makes the monitor sturdy and reliable. Moreover, it is packed with professional features that come at an astonishing, affordable price.
I’m currently finishing our review of the PortKeys LH5H that will be released very soon, so keep an eye on CineD if you want to learn more about these affordable on-camera monitors.
I hope that in the next production batches, Volta will solve that with a permanent labeling or engraving technique. We’ll talk about the battery charger’s build quality and monitor mount a bit later in their dedicated sections.
On the left side, there is a standard ARRI Rosette, the USB port, and the On/Off switch. At the bottom, you’ll find two 1/4″ holes for mounting purposes, and the diopter adjustment dial.
The FEELWORLD F7 PRO is now available for purchase on the FEELWORLD website, coming at an affordable price of $239. FEELWORLD is also offering a discount during the first week of the release, when using the promo code FEELWORLD F7 PRO at the time of purchase. Included in the box are a Micro-HDMI Cable, a Sunshade, and a Mini Hot-Shoe Mount.
CVP offers free LUMIX 25mm f/1.7 lens (!) and free 3-year Panasonic LUMIX warranty. CVP also offers G9 in a set with the LUMIX 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens for an incredible price.
In short, you got it, the PortKeys LH5P’s UI is a big step up from the previous archaic one, but I feel like it still needs some refinement and improvements to get it “right.” PortKeys could change this kind of thing via a firmware update, so I have no doubt they’ll put in the extra work to make it a great, easy to use, and pleasing UI.
Because it oversamples its 20.1 MP full-frame sensor, it offers better image quality, but at the cost of some overheating issues. Take a look at our Canon R6 review to know more. This set includes an extra Canon LP-E6NH battery and Canon 24-105mm f/4L RF-Mount lens.
But, as usual at CineD, we review every product equally and point out the things that can be improved. I have no doubts that the products and accessories will continue to get better over time.
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.
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.
The EOS R is the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Canon. It features the new RF lens mount, and 30.3MP CMOS sensor along with a DIGIC 8 image processor. It tops at UHD 4K30 for video recording and the sensor also facilitates Canon’s great Dual Pixel AF system – probably the best autofocus system for video right now. The camera can shoot in Canon Log gamma for higher dynamic range and it can output 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 over HDMI.
Finally, when grading the footage of the Z Cam E2C in DaVinci Resolve using the official Z CAM LUT’s from their webpage (I used the zlog2_LC709A_64_noGain_normal LUT) I noticed very yellowish skin tones – see the image below.
In October 2021, Manfrotto introduced a new PRO Light camera bags lineup for photographers and filmmakers. So I was very eager to try the Manfrotto PRO Flexloader L backpack for various reasons. First, it is one of the biggest carry-on camera-specific luggage on the market. Also, it’s Manfrotto’s second generation of PRO Light backpacks. So did the company improve what was already an excellent lineup of products? Let’s find out!.
You can navigate inside the menu via the touchscreen or the buttons at the top of the Black Mini. At first glance, the user interface looks a bit outdated, but in the end, it is straightforward to navigate inside and find what you’re looking for.
It has been more than two weeks since our last RED Komodo Update article. I have to say things are getting much faster around Komodo now since the first customers got their cameras and there are first hands-on tests with sample footage emerging. The best places to follow the latest news about Komodo right now are Jarred’s Instagram account, Komodo Section on REDuser, and RED Komodo Facebook group.
PortKeys recently released a Metal Edition of their HS7T monitor. This upgraded version features a 7-inch 1920×1080 display with a peak brightness of 1200 nits, an all-aluminum construction, a new peaking algorithm, and a plate on the back to host a wireless video transmission system. The monitor is now available for $399.
Once you’re inside a page, the parameters at the bottom of the screen will change. Then, all you have to do is click the setting you want to change and do your thing.
The batteries are wrapped in a plastic housing that also feels secure and robust. Each battery has a “Volta 36” marking, which looks cool to me.
The Portkeys PT5 is available now for $169/€150. Very few other monitors will offer you this many features at this price point, and I can only think of the FeelWorld F5 and Desview S5 to maybe compete with it.
The Portkeys PT5 is a 5″ monitor with one HDMI input and one HDMI output port. Having HDMI loop-through is pretty impressive on a monitor at that price level. Both in and out ports support resolutions up to 4K DCI at 24p, 4K UHD at up to 30p, FullHD at up to 60p.
The display has a resolution of 1920 x 1080. It is a touchscreen with a maximum brightness of 2200nits and a contrast ratio of 1000:1.
The R5 is the other one of Canon’s two newly introduced mirrorless cameras. With its 45 MP full-frame sensor, it offers 8K30p RAW internal video recording as well as 4K60p in 10-bit – both with no crop and with AF.
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.
The camera supports recording in ProRes 422 HQ/Normal/LT as well as H.265 and H.264 codecs. It records directly onto CFast cards and also includes time-lapse modes.
Finally, of course, it’ll also be perfect for content creators on Twitch or other platforms that are doing video games live streams and don’t want/need all the bells and whistles from much higher-end on-camera monitors.
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).
On the exterior side, there are various buttons/controls to control your camera or adjust your settings. These controls include one customizable three-band switch, one focus wheel, one rec switch, and one nine-way joystick.
offered an exclusive limited-time discount when purchasing via Amazon and using an exclusive Y2DWYGBM promotional code. This review is my unbiased opinion as VideoGear did not modify, influence, or give input about the article before its publication.
But there’s even more for BMPCC 4K/6K users: The LH5P has a built-in Bluetooth module, which means you can connect your camera and monitor without the need for a cable. I loaned the monitor to a friend that has one, and it worked perfectly with his BMPCC 6K camera.