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. 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.
If you’re a regular CineD reader, you’ve heard us talk and write about Portkeys – a Chinese company specialized in creating monitors and viewfinders. Indeed, we’ve reported numerous times about their products that feature an incredible price/feature ratio, including their latest Portkeys BM5 III WR that can control the RED Komodo or the Portkeys LH5P that I reviewed earlier this year. Bottom: one 1/4-20″ mounting point with exhaust vents.
You’ll find a cold-shoe mount at the bottom of the monitor mount with a 1/4 “-20 threaded hole. The hex key is used to adjust the tension/friction of the tilt axis. The monitor mount is decently made; it’s mainly made out of aluminum.
The PortKeys HS7T has a plate for attaching a wireless video transmission system. Source: PortKeys. Fast forward 10 years and I have the new cinema camera Z CAM E2 from the Chinese manufacturer Z CAM in my hands. A micro four thirds camera capable of shooting 4k DCI using a LOG profile (Z-LOG2) recording ProRes HQ 10bit 4:2:2 internally up to 60fps (4k H265 up to 120fps, 160fps in 1:2.4 mode). Wow!.
CVP Buy link: Panasonic LUMIX GH5 Camera Body with 12-60mm f/2.8-4 Lens Was: €1,616.67 Now: €1,319.83 (Savings: €296.84, Free accessories, Free 25mm f/1.7 lens, and Free 3-year warranty). possibility of taking you to major trade shows like NAB in Las Vegas, IBC in Amsterdam, … if we are really happy with your work and if you work well under time pressure (we always take some selected team members to shows around the world).
The Chinese camera manufacturer Z CAM has made quite an impression on us when we reviewed their flagship model Z CAM E2. Now we have the much more affordable sister cam Z Cam E2C cinema camera in our hands – has it inherited some of the strong features? Read on …. 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.
A lot has been written about the FUJIFILM X-T3, and a lot of it here, on cinema5D. We’ve reviewed the camera (twice), and crowned it our best mirrorless camera of the year 2018. Currently, there is a nice discount on this camera in both B&H (including free accessories – memory card and bag) and CVP. Full-frame 12MP sensor, UHD in up to 120P, Full HD in up to 240p, all modes available in 10-bit 4:2:2 internally, no overheating, (almost) no crop, flip-out screen, full-size HDMI… This camera seems to tick a lot of boxes.
The screen has a viewing angle of 180°, a contrast ratio of 1200:1, and a peak brightness of 500 nits. This level of brightness is a little disappointing since it’s way too low to make the monitor usable under bright sunlight. Moreover, it only represents a 50-nits increase over the original F7. you have time to write between 2 and 25 articles per month (Lengths can vary.).
On most on-camera monitors (the ones that are not OLED), if you crank up the brightness to its maximum setting, the display tends to lift the image’s black parts. The PortKeys LH5P retails for $399.00/€449.00, and it is available now. Compared to other options in the market, I’ve been really impressed, and it’s a solid daylight-viewable on-camera monitors for under $400 if you don’t need SDI input/output ports.
Contrast, chroma, sharpness, tint. As you can see, the P6 is fully packed with all the essential tools. The only drawback of PortKeys’ monitors is the user interface, which is not the most intuitive near beautiful out there, but it gets the job done.
The charger uses a standard micro USB PCB, and it can be charged with a plethora of devices, including wall plugs and power banks. To maximize the charging speed, it requires a minimum of 2.1A 5V connection. It is powered via a single Sony NP-F style battery, and you can use the power output of the BM5 to feed your camera via a dummy battery. Also, you can power it with an external battery by using the Lemo port on the monitor.
The Portkeys PT5 has a glossy and quite reflective screen, so the included sun hood is a must if you plan on shooting outside (more on that later.). A laptop pocket at the back can easily fit a 16-inch MacBook Pro or an iPad, for example.
Hence, as always you have to choose the camera wisely that you need for your particular application, and given the other features of the Z CAM (multi-cam recording & syncing, wifi, etc…) it may be the perfect choice for you!. FUJIFILM X-T4 Bundle – €112.82 Savings.
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 Portkeys PT5 LH5P features a 5″ WLED display with a FullHD 1080p / 1920 x 1080 resolution. The display is a touchscreen and the only way to navigate inside the menus.
The biggest improvement over the old plastic version is, of course, build quality. In fact, the new PortKeys HS7T Metal Edition features an all-aluminum alloy, which makes the monitor stronger and more durable. Furthermore, this metal construction also helps with heat dissipation. As Jarred said, RED shipped the first batch of pre-stormtrooper Komodos in custom colors to few lucky customers. The first color seems orange to me, but RED calls it “Grossman Gold”. Every batch of these pre-release cameras that get shipped out will have a different color. It seems like the next one will be yellow.
The currently retails at Amazon for $89 with the following Y2DWYGBM code. This special offer ends on October 5th,2021, at 23:59 PDT. You got it; both monitors are very similar, so what’s new? One of the biggest caveats of the LH5H is its full-plastic construction. The PortKeys LH5P is built with aluminum alloy, which makes it more resistant to field life. Also, it looks slightly thinner than its predecessor, but the LH5P is heavier at 250g vs. 170g for the LH5H.
That’s quite a hefty amount of weight to carry all day long, but you can quickly move around the city (and stairs!) with only one bag. Who is this monitor for? I think it can be a fantastic addition to your kit if you don’t need a daylight-viewable monitor nor the built quality of a product you can rent. For owner-operators that are shooting inside most of the time, or people that are making live streams, you can’t go wrong with the Portkeys PT5.
CVP Buy link: DJI Osmo Action Was: €319.18 Now: €241.56 (Savings: €77.61). The PortKeys LH5P comes in a small box. When you open it, you’ll find a Pelican-style hard case.
The FEELWORLD F7 PRO can host a wireless video transmission system on the back. Source: FEELWORLD. 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).
Filmmaking for Photographers with Philip Bloom is available for $149 (normally $199, save $50). Buy link: Canon EOS R5 Bundle Was: €5.321,89 Now: €5.091,22 (Savings: €230,68).
you’re still getting based on the reach of your “old” articles if you continue to write regularly for the site, it’s all very transparent – loyalty is welcome and awarded. The team at PortKeys is moving fast, and two weeks after the announcement of their latest P6 monitor, they just released a new product. However, this time they are not back with a display, but with a camera handle. This handle is a new kind of product for PortKeys, but it features the same leitmotiv as their monitors: affordable, innovative, and high-quality.
Monitor manufacturer FEELWORLD has just released a new affordable 7-inch monitor, featuring a Sony NP-F style battery plate on the back to host and power a wireless video transmission system. Built on the legacy of the original F7 monitor, the FEELWORLD F7 PRO is now available for $239. For sound, I took a Sennheiser MKE 440 with me, using the 3.5mm audio input on the Z CAM E2 – mounted to the side, which was not ideal. Also, the recorded sound quality via the 3.5mm input leaves a lot to be desired. I hope Z CAM can improve on the audio part in the future.
Inside the handle, you’ll find a 0.9-inch OLED display, a built-in LANC splitter (compatible with their BM5 monitor), a remote port, and a motor port to attach to your camera/accessories. The handle is powered via two 18650 batteries located at the bottom, and the display shows you the battery level. To install it, you have to open the battery compartment and slide the monitor mount in place. Then, close the battery cap, and that’s pretty much it. The fit of the monitor mount on the handle is very snug, and there are no ways to lock it in place.
According to Portkeys, the PT5 only draws 6W of power. To give you a rough idea, as these results can vary a lot depending on the age/state of your battery pack, I did a quick test with a fresh Canon LP-E6N battery pack (14Wh). Portkeys BM5 III WR Monitor Announced – RED Komodo Control.
Disclaimer: As usual, let me first say that I am not a Portkeys Ambassador. Like every other article on CineD, Portkeys, or any other brand, did not pay us to write this article. However, the company sent us the product to review for free. This review is my unbiased opinion as Portkeys did not modify, influence, or give input about the article before its publication. If you’re new to PortKeys, this company is specialized in affordable HDMI and SDI camera monitoring solutions. Recently, we talked about their LEYE viewfinder, the fully-featured SDI/HDMI BM5 monitor, and the affordable PortKeys P6. The company has just released a new 5.5″ HDMI-only monitor, the PortKeys LH5P. This product name may sound familiar to you, as it is the big brother of the PortKeys LH5H that was released last year.
Attaching an external monitor gives a closer approximation of how each shot will translate to the big screen, and as an added bonus, other people on set can watch the footage take shape. 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.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Camera Body with Accessories Kit – $600 Discount. B&H Buy link: Sony a6500 Camera Body with Free Accessories Kit Was: $1,198.00 Now: $998.00 (Savings: $200.00).
More then two years after its initial announcement, Panasonic GH5 still remains among the most popular Micro four thirds cameras for filmmakers. Its current price makes it even more affordable. Additionaly, B&H offers it with free memory card, spare battery, and camera bag. On the right side of the Portkeys PT5, you’ll find an On/Off switch, a 5V USB Type-A port, and a 7-24V power input port. So you can power the PT5 in a lot of different ways.
You can activate multiple monitoring tools simultaneously to help you, but you can’t decide where they’ll be on the screen. For example, the waveform and histogram will always be on the bottom right of the screen. B&H offers additional free accessories (SanDisk 32GB Extreme PRO SDHC UHS-I memory card, Corel PaintShop Pro 2020 ultimate license, and Ruggard Journey 24 DSLR shoulder bag).
CVP Buy link: Sony a7S II Camera Body Was: €1,948.55 Now: €1,753.59 (Savings: €194.96 – CashBack). CVP: Z CAM E2 4K Camera Body – Free PortKeys BM5 Monitor.
As I mostly shoot as a one-man-band filmmaker, I’ve been trying to create one rolling bag and one backpack shooting kit that fits everything I need for all basic shooting scenarios and talking heads: two cameras, lenses, two camera tripods, some LED lights, light stands, and so on. write one representative news post about a current subject of your own choosing that you would consider a “perfect fit” for our site (and which we haven’t written about yet). It can be either a classic news post of something current (example here), a review (like here) or a longer educational post (like here). Choosing the right subject and headline is almost as important as the proper content to go with it :-).
PortKeys HS7T front and back views. Source: PortKeys. Phil also tested the Sensor Calibration (Black Shading) with the Komodo. Black Shading is basically a sensor and pixel check while generating a calibration map to counteract a sensor’s inherent fixed pattern noise. For RED DSMC2 cameras it was roughly 1 minute per “K” for calibration (8 minutes on RED Monstro 8K). RED Komodo 6K is faster in this regard – Sensor Calibration was done in less than 1.5 minutes.
Canon EOS R Camera Body with Accessories Kit – $500 Discount. Note that with the 4k DCI settings and 1.9 crop factor vignetting can occur at the widest setting of the Olympus lens.
A monitor is a monitor, no matter its price, and I treat every product the same, so let’s get started!. you have the time to write regularly – people with full-time jobs should check if they can find the time to write regularly.
When the monitor is switched on, you can adjust various display settings inside the menu, including. I tried the Manfrotto PRO Light Flexloader L in two primary configurations: a “traditional” camera bag and a multipurpose backpack.
PortKeys LEYE EVF Announced – 4K HDMI Affordable Viewfinder. Build quality and mounting points.
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. The exterior design of the PortKeys LH5P is not groundbreaking; it’s simple and quite minimalist. Now let’s take a quick tour of the monitor.
B&H Buy link: Canon EOS Rebel T7i Camera with 18-55mm Lens and Accessories Kit Was: $899.00 Now: $649.00 (Savings: $250.00). Today’s post is the first out of three and it features only cameras, drones, FilmConvert, and MZed.
In a lot of ways, the Portkeys PT5 reminds me a lot of the SmallHD 501, which is still to this day my favorite 5″ on-camera monitor. It’s compact, lightweight, with good battery life, and it just feels like it’s part of your camera. The good thing is that the PT5 is a fraction of the SmallHD 501’s price, and it even has a way better battery life, but it doesn’t have SDI input/output ports. So you can’t have the cake and eat it too. B&H Buy link: Panasonic LUMIX G85 Camera with 12-60mm Lens and accessories set Was: $997.99 Now: $697.99 (Savings: $300.00).
In 4k DCI mode (4096 x 2160) the crop factor of the Z CAM is about 1.9, using the speed booster gives a crop of 1.35 approximately. USB cables: a mini-USB to USB-C cable, and a mini-USB to Lanc camera control cable. When you purchase the LH5P, you have the option to buy additional camera control cables.
Various picture profiles available including Rec.709 / Z-Log2 / FLAT / HLG. Rigged out RED Komodo. Image Credit: Phil Holland.
First is to put a Canon LP-E6 or Sony NP-F battery at the back of the monitor. Indeed, the built-in battery bracket supports both type of batteries natively, which is very smart and reminds me of the SmallHD 700 series of monitors. Edit: just after completing this review, Z CAM introduced a new firmware update (V 0.88) featuring ZRAW (internal RAW capture, partial debayer, supports up to 4096×2160@30fps initially). We might take a closer look at this ZRAW firmware in the near future.
And this is the feeling you get, colors are not off, but you can make them better by adjusting the contrast a bit and the chroma/tint settings by plus or minus two/three. If you have an i1 Display Pro prob, you can even re-calibrate your LH5P yourself later down the road if needed. 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 Black Mini. The preamp is a bit noisy, but it works.
The addition of this plate easily turns the F7 PRO into an affordable, compact director or 1st AC monitor. Furthermore, the vertical position of the NP-F style plate can be adjusted by loosening two screws in order to adapt to a wider variety of systems. Indeed, a great on-camera monitor must be as color accurate as possible and be as close to “what you see is what you get” as possible. If your monitor colors are not correct, you won’t see your footage the way it’s supposed to be. For example, when a monitor’s colors are wildly inaccurate, you can see orange when you’re supposed to see yellow or red. It can affect how you’ll set your camera’s white balance or exposure, for example.
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 PT5, which works fine. 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.
The other part of the “proper” 3rd-party EVF market consists nearly entirely of Zacuto products. I will not mention the Wooden Camera modification kit for the Blackmagic URSA EVF. We recently reported about the new Zacuto Kameleon EVF, but they also make other EVFs like the Gratical Eye that we reviewed and the Gratical HD. These EVFs are amazing, full of features and build like tanks, but they are not cheap at all. I can not confirm that these new dividers do better at absorbing shocks.
On top of the EVF, you’ll find four user-assignable buttons. the height of the small dividers could be higher so small objects doesn’t move inside the bag.
Camera Controls through the Monitor. But Tudor didn’t stop here. He worked hard on its product and idea to refine the design, improve features, and launch it on its own a couple of months later, in August 2020.
The bag is made out of nylon and synthetic fabric. The ripstop nylon fabric features a cross pattern all over it. This kind of fabric is used to make military clothes, so I have very little doubt about its quality or longevity. All in all, it’s a matter of taste, but it’s a nice-looking bag that looks professional without screaming “there’s plenty of camera equipment inside,” which I always like. The next thing I’m a bit skeptical about is that each time you exit the menu and re-open it, you’ll always come back to the first page/first tool. That’s frustrating and I would like for it to stay – or at least have the option – on the same page/tool I just tweaked.
you’re getting your name out there to thousands of eyeballs, and we can link to your personal site from your name in the news and review posts. Judging the brightness, color accuracy, or Delta E of the Portkeys LH5P with a spectrophotometer did not make a lot of sense. Indeed, numbers are just what they are: numbers. I prefer to judge a product by its feeling and the overall perception of an image.