PortKeys is mostly known for making affordable products that offer filmmakers an excellent price/features ratio. The PortKeys LH5H came out in July 2020, and its successor, the LH5P, was released in January 2021. This monitor is one of the company’s entry-level products. However, the least we can say is that this HDMI-only monitor is no different from its bigger brother when it comes to features, at an aggressive price-point.
To adjust the monitor mount’s tension, you can tighten/loosen the two screws on the side that holds the monitor bracket in place, but you always need an Allen key for that. A ratcheting screw/lever could’ve been a better way to do it.
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.
In addition to that, we are also looking for a writer who is particularly interested in “smartphone filmmaking” as we are planning to greatly extend our coverage in that area. Both news about new smartphone cameras and apps as well as reviews of these cameras are important for us.
CVP offers free LUMIX 25mm f/1.7 lens (!), free 3-year Panasonic LUMIX warranty, and free accessories with a GH5 purchase.
You can adjust the scale/position/settings of each tool via the touchscreen. However, you have to press the monitoring tool you want to change for a second and slide it to the side. I have to admit that this manoeuver is sometimes tricky, and it takes some time to get used to.
Unfortunately, we had no cage available for the Z CAM, but the camera has various ¼” mounting points on top, bottom and on the sides. In conjunction with the Z CAM E2 I used an early prototype of the Portkeys BM5 monitor mounted with a magic arm, see the image below (the released version is black, the prototype had an anodized green surface finish).
Video Plugins are available for only $89 (Was $179). FilmConvert Nitrate Bundle is available for only $129 (Was $249). Sale runs from Monday November 25 until Cyber Monday, December 2.
This new OEYE-3G EVF is entirely made of aluminum and is pretty small, at just 180x 69.7 x 72.4 mm for a total weight of 400 grams.
You can immediately feel that it’s a well-made product out of the box. The materials look dense, the stitchings of the bag are perfect, the sewing thread is thick.
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.
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.
Another great addition is on the backside of the monitor. In fact, the new design includes a plate on the back of the screen to comfortably host a wireless video transmission system.
You got it; I love when I’m working with and not against an on-camera monitor. A third-party monitor should feel like a natural addition to your rig and not an add-on that you don’t want to bring/mount on your camera.
The $399 price tag of the PortKeys BM5 is outstanding for a monitor with that much functionalities. The field monitor will be available end of April. We will add B&H buy links when it become available.
The first batch of both accessories got sold out relatively quickly, the next batch should be shipping by the end of June.
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I found the Volta Top Handle’s build quality itself to be really decent. All the parts are made out of 7075 aluminum, and it feels solid. The Volta Cinema logo is kind of “engraved” on one side.
Also, dynamic range is limited to 10 stops and hindered furthermore by the fact, that the noise floor is cut off – hence, you cannot dig into the shadows to get that organic, flatter look – shadows are simply black with no information.
The number of software features included is impressive. Unlike the Gratical X for example, all software features are included for free, and the PortKeys OEYE-3G EVF firmware can be upgraded through the USB port. These features include:.
Portkeys recently released an updated version of its famous BM5 monitor that can control your camera: the Portkeys BM5 III WR. This new model features a bigger 5.5″ display with a maximum brightness of 2200nits. It has a built-in Bluetooth module to control your camera, and an implemented wireless camera control for the RED Komodo. Let’s take a closer look at it!.
As I already mentioned, the screen is hard to see if you’re shooting outdoor. But, on a cloudy day, it can get the job done with the included sun hood.
However, according to Volta Cinema, they “uses the legacy D-tap port which usually has a 14V output but in the case of our top handle, the output is only 7.2V.”.
In late March we first announced that PortKeys, based in China, was taking the leap into the EVF world with their new OEYE-3G. cinema5D caught up with PortKeys team at NAB 2019 for an inside look into the new 0.7″ 1080P OLED display Electronic Viewfinder. All the details are below including pricing and availability.
Untouched (left) vs. tweaked (right) colors when applying the official Z-Log2 LUT to the Z Cam E2C footage. Skintones are yellowish, tweaks are needed (screenshot from Resolve).
The currently retails at Amazon for $89 with by using this discount code at checkout: Y2DWYGBM. The special offer ends on October 5th,2021, at 23:59 PDT.
I was also pleased to find a printed user manual (finally!) with everything you need to know to get started and navigate through the menus.
According to Manfrotto, the fabrics are water repellant. Also, there is a built-in fold-out rain protector located at the front of the bag. I did not stress-test the water resistance, but I never had issues with Manfrotto products in rainy conditions in the past, so this one should be no different.
First of all, the two Allen screws are not imperial, which is arguably more often used in the filmmaking world; they are metric-standard. Next, the screws were so tight I thought I would break them before even using the monitor mount. I had to put the round piece in a vice to unscrew these two screws finally. That’s not cool, but everything is in place, so let’s install it on the top handle!.
One thing to be aware of is the fact, that for ProRes no in-camera playback option is available (firmware version 0.86 at the time of shooting). I hope this changes with a future firmware.
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!.
The HDMI cable is relatively thick, and while I prefer slim cables, VIDEOGEAR at least provides you with a way to connect the monitor to a camera.
For BMPCC 4K/6K users, you can even control your camera wirelessly. You don’t need the additional BT1 Bluetooth module with the LH5H, as it is built-in inside the monitor. It means that you can control your BMPCC 4K/6K wirelessly out of the box!.
Material Possession ltd, the company behind Volta Cinema, is a relatively new film industry player. The British company is run by Tudor Chirila, which first launched a non-successful crowdfunding campaign for the version of its Top Handle back in November 2019.
The PortKeys LEYE features a 2.4″ LCD screen with an effective resolution of 1440 x 900. The display is 8-bit – which is enough for framing your shots -and has a maximum brightness of 300nit with a 1100:1 contrast ratio.
Portkeys is a Chinese company that released a full lineup of affordable on-camera monitors and viewfinders with an impressive price/feature ratio in a couple of years only. If you’ve never heard of them before, you can take a look at my in-depth review of the Portkeys LH5P here.
The monitor has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and the panel itself is 10-bit (8+2 FRC), so not “true” 10-bit. An 8+2 FRC panel is less expensive for manufacturers to produce, as it’s based on a “software trick” to simulate 10-bit on an 8-bit panel. I’m simplifying things here, but keep in mind that even some of the most expensive monitors from SmallHD or Atomos (except NEON) use the same technique.
Last but not least, Portkeys implemented wireless camera controls for the RED Komodo. This means that, compared to the SmallHD Focus Pro, for example, you don’t need an extra cable to communicate between the Komodo and the monitor.
This PortKeys BM5WR professional-grade monitor is the gold standard for outdoor shoots, with an insanely bright 2200-nit screen and a 1000:1 contrast rating. Those specs ensure flawless colors, and it comes equipped with a multitude of monitoring tools used for setting exposure.
The fact that the Black Mini is a lightweight on-camera monitor makes it a lovely experience if you’re operating handheld or on a tripod/gimbal. It doesn’t add too much weight nor bulk to your setup, which is nice.
The reason there is a hole is to allow the user to easily remove the battery without having to tilt the camera, on top of the inherent advantage of heat dissipation which comes with an open design.
The only thing that prevents it from slipping out of the handle is the battery cap (if it ever moves.) Update: Volta Cinema told us that the monitor mount comes with a small m3 screw in the box, that is used to secure it tightly to the handle, as the monitor mount is not meant to move around in any way.
If you ever been in the market for a 3rd-party electronic viewfinder, you probably know that there is not a lot of options out there.
SDI, HDMI and USB inputs are all available on the OEYE-3G as well as both SDI and HDMI outputs. You can send 4K DCI signals at 24 frames per second through the HDMI or 4K UHD at 24/25/30 fps, but the SDI input port is only able to accept 1080P signals at up to 60 fps. The HDMI and SDI ports allow for cross conversion as well.
I think monitors like the Atomos Shinobi that retails for a $299 price tag ($100 cheaper), or even the AndyCine A6 Plus V2 do make a better comparison starting point. I worked on a table to compare all three models which you can find below.
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.
This red power button is next to the Function button – they’re the same size/feeling to easily mix them up. Building up muscle memory will be difficult and you’ll probably turn off your monitor multiple times trying to find that function button.
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.
On top of the LH5H, you’ll find four customizable function keys, a power switch, and four buttons to access and navigate inside the menu. At the bottom of the monitor, there is one camera control mini-USB port (more on that later) and a 5-pin motor camera control port that doubles up as a DC 7-24V power output port.
PortKeys listened, and a new generation is now available with a power switch. If you have the previous version, you can contact PortKeys directly and they will provide you (for free) with everything you need to update your handle. If you want to learn more about the PortKeys KeyGrip, you can read our in-depth article here.
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