Fig. 3: The Portkeys BM5 monitor – bright (2000 NITS) and well built, however the screen is very reflective which can hamper the viewing experience outside. RGB and Luma waveforms, histogram, false-color and zebra.
Your camera monitor attaches to the mount via a 1/4″-20 screw. There is a rubber pad to protect the bottom of the monitor from being scratched. Beyond the listed tools you can also add up-to 30 selectable LUTs into the EVF.
For more information and purchase it, please visit Volta Cinema’s website here. Education is an important part of self-development. MZed offers all kinds of usefull online courses. You can check our rewievs of their courses – Cinematic filmmaking masterclass by Philip Bloom and Directing color with Ollie Kenchington. They have interesting Black Friday offers which will be live from Wednesday 27th (PST) until the end of Monday, December 2nd (PST). Available offers.
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. However, the sun hood blocks the sunlight pretty effectively, there are minor light leaks on the edges, and it’s quick to set up. It’s definitely nice to have it in the package!.
B&H Buy link: Canon EOS R Camera Body with 24-105mm Lens Was: $3,399.00 Now: $2,699.00 (Savings: $700.00). 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.
What and who are we looking for?. 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.
And an expandable gimbal pocket that opens in two steps: first, unlock the zippers all around the bag. Then, extend your bag to reveal the full-size gimbal pocket. This pocket is initially designed to fit a Manfrotto gimbal, like their 300XM modular gimbal. Built-in monitoring tools include: 3D LUT monitoring, Waveform, Luma, Histogram, false color, Zebra, Peaking, Zooming, Audio Meters and so on.
In a camera bag configuration, I was able to fit. B&H Buy link: Canon EOS RP Camera Body with Accessories Kit Was: $1,299.00 Now: $999.00 (Savings: $300.00).
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, there are four functions buttons at the top of the monitor and a menu button plus scroll wheel to navigate in the menus.
I like the new dividers that don’t make you lose a ton of space inside the bag. When you’re packing your camera equipment for a trip, you want to pack as much stuff as possible inside your carry-on backpack. 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.
Finally, the Volta Cinema Top Handle has three 1/4″-20 mounting points at the handle’s back. The threading is really thin, and the metal is not thick here. While this is nice to have mounting points to store screws, I wouldn’t mount a camera accessory to it, even if I don’t see it breaking at all. The PortKeys P6 will start shipping at the end of December, and it retails for $169.00. You can pre-order it on PortKeys’ website, we will update this article with links to B&H and CVP as soon as it becomes available.
There are two little charging indicators on top of the Volta36 battery charger that goes from red (charging) to green (charged). Three New Z CAM E2 Cameras Introduced – 6K With Super 35 Sensor and 6K Plus 8K in Full Frame.
If that wasn’t enough, it also has recording capability and Bluetooth connectivity. Compatible with virtually every input and setup, it even allows you to control internal features like shutter speed and focus when used with certain camera models. you have fluent writing skills in English (native speakers preferred).
Panasonic LUMIX GH5 Camera Body – $700/€215 Discount Plus Cashback, Free LUMIX 25mm f/1.7 Lens, Free 3-Year Warranty. The menu itself is straightforward and well structured, also custom presents for the function buttons are available. However, some of the settings require deeper dives (changing the frame rate for example), hence doing that in the heat of the action does not work so well.
The PortKeys LH5P is the big brother of the LH5H, and both monitors have a lot in common, including. Great monitoring tools, including 3D LUT monitoring, waveform, false color, zebra, peaking, zooming, audio meters, crosshair, framing guides, grids, aspects.
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. Out of the box, the colors and images coming out of the PT5 are extremely good, and I would say close to being 100% color accurate. I only lowered the saturation by 3-4, and that’s it. I was delighted by what I saw, and I would not be that surprised if Portkeys calibrate each monitor out of the factory. The image is crisp and clear, which is impressive for an entry-level product.
One Aputure 200D LED light with all the cables. Codec wise there are H264 and H265 10bit internal recording options to SD cards, but as a big differentiator to other cams in this price bracket, it offers to record ProRes via USB-C to an external SSD drive.
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. Color Science of the Z Cam E2C Cinema Camera.
B&H Buy link: RX100 III Camera Kit with Accessories Was: $748.00 Now: $598.00 (Savings: $150.00). Powering options and battery life.
It supports Teradek’s “Broadcast Mode”, which means that this one transmitter can communicate with an unlimited number of receivers. And it can also pair with their Bolt App for iOS and Android, which will allow you to tune the 5GHz transmission channel and monitor for interference. 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.
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. Disclaimer: As usual, let me first say that I am not representing Volta Cinema in any way. Like with all our unbiased CineD reviews, Volta Cinema, or any other brand, did not pay me to write this article. However, the company sent me the product to review for free. This review is my unbiased opinion, as Volta Cinema did not modify, influence, or gave input about the article before its publication.
Last but not least, at the front of the bag, inside the rain cover pocket, you’ll find two nylon loops. Using the two front straps and these two nylon loops, you can attach a heavy camera tripod to the bag. I tried with my Sachtler Speed Lock CF HD set of tripod legs: it works. CVP Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T30 Camera Body Was: €827.09 Now: €680.96 (Savings: €146.13 including Cashback).
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. So, you have to rely on the camera’s focus peaking (displayed via HDMI to the monitor).
HDMI is much more common on DSLR and mirrorless cameras and SDI is much more common on larger cinema cameras. While HDMI can transmit both video and audio, it doesn’t have the ability to lock into a port like SDI does. On the other hand, SDI only transmits video information and not audio. If you power your monitor with a Sony NP-F or Canon LP-E6 battery, the 8V DC out port on the right side of the monitor can be used to power other small camera accessories or a smartphone, I suppose. Unfortunately, a D-Tap or any other powering cable isn’t included in the kit, but you can easily find one at affordable prices.
There’s also a nice little pouch inside the bag, which is around 23 x 15 x 5cm/9 x 5,9 x 2in. I think that the can unleash its full potential if you’re shooting indoor. Also, if you’re usually doing live streamings or even professional-looking online meetings, it could be the perfect tool for you at a very reasonable price.
Also, one thing that I found annoying is that the display catches fingerprints quickly. It means that you need to clean your monitor very often, which can be annoying. FEELWORLD F7 PRO Released – Affordable 7” Director’s Monitor.
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. The BM5 support resolutions up to 1080p at 60 frames per second.
Back: the Sony NP-F/Canon LP-E6 battery plate and a battery release button. The Portkeys PT5 comes in a small box. Open it, and inside you’ll find a Pelican-style hard case.
Sony RX100 III Camera Kit with Accessories – $150 Discount. Moreover, a NATO-type clamp has been added to the bottom, which provides better flexibility when rigging the monitor. The NATO clamp also allows the screen to be attached to a handheld bracket: a great option for a run and gun director’s monitor setup. Four 1/4”-20 threaded holes on the body provide even more mounting options.
You can set the two included straps onto the four front holes of these rubber parts to attach extra equipment/tripod to the bag. Like every touchscreen monitor, one thing that annoys me is that the display quickly becomes a fingerprint cemetery. Of course, you can use the physical buttons to counteract that, but it takes a little bit of time to get used to these.
B&H Buy link: Panasonic LUMIX G9 Camera Body with accessories set Was: $1,497.99 Now: $997.99 (Savings: $500.00). B&H Buy link: Sony a6000 Camera with two lenses and accessories Was: $998.00 Now: $598.00 (Savings: $400.00).
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. E2-F8 FF: $5995 available in PL or EF mounts.
The list of all camera models and functions supported by the Portkeys BM5 III WR. The Manfrotto PRO Light Flexloader L is one of the biggest carry-on camera backpacks available on the market. In this review, we’ll take a look at the bag’s build quality, features, and how much gear it can hold. If you’re looking for one of the best solutions money can buy, let’s take a closer look at the Flexloader L!.
All the professional tools that you might need to monitor your image are still available, including support of 3D LUTs as well as Histogram, Zebra, False Color, De-Squeeze, and Zooming functions. Moreover, PortKeys claims that a new peaking algorithm will make focus pulling easier with this monitor, even though they do not thoroughly explain how. One feature that sets the PortKeys LH5P apart from many of its competitors is that it can control your camera. To make it work, you have to connect an optional cable from the monitor’s dedicated mini-USB port and connect it to your camera.
The user interface consists of two pages. When you start the monitor, it shows you your image or the Portkeys landing page if no source is connected. If you touch the screen, the image scales down a bit and the Function settings page pops up on the sides of the display. All your monitoring tools are on this Function page. The stickers were a bit of an afterthought when we realized not many of the clients were actually watching the video guide before using the handle. It has resulted in a couple of instances where the battery was forced in the wrong way, and it broke the pins (which is also why we provide the supplementary set).
The BM5 III WR is now a little bit bigger than its predecessor, with a 5.5″ display compared to the previous 5.2″ one. Also, the monitor features built-in monitoring tools, including. This rolling shutter result of 36 ms is the highest I have ever measured in the lab. Compared to the very good 11.1 ms of the sister Z CAM E2 camera, it renders the E2C a very delicate candidate for handheld work.
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. PortKeys BM5 Monitoring Functions.
Then, a sub-menu will pop up at the bottom of the screen, and you can change your monitoring tools’ settings. To give you an idea, one of my Manfrotto Reloader Air-55 Pro zippers died two years ago. I sent it back, and they quickly sent me a brand new roller bag free of charge to replace it. That kind of service what professionals are looking for.
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. CVP Buy link: Sony a7 III Camera Body Was: €1,710.35 Now: €1,564.83 (Savings: €145.52 – CashBack).
Teradek just released the 4K Monitor Module 750 TX, a transmitter unit capable of 750 feet of 4K HDR transmission – not to mention wireless camera control. Oh, and it meshes right onto your SmallHD Smart 7 monitor. Are you drooling yet?. PortKeys LEYE – Display and Loupe.
Finding more information about PortKeys as a company is a little tricky as we haven’t been able to locate much information on the web about them, but the EVF does look promising at first glance. 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.
Atomos Unleashes ProRes RAW for the Z CAM E2. Also, and this is not particular to this monitor, but something I still don’t understand, is why manufacturers only put 1/4-20″ mounting points – thankfully with locating pins on the LH5P – at the bottom of their products.
These tools are pretty standard nowadays on on-camera monitors, but nothing is missing on the LH5P. Also, you can adjust the position and scale of each tool via the touchscreen, but more on that in a second. 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 Z CAM E2 features a micro 4/3″ WDR CMOS sensor (19mm x 13mm). There is a Micro Four-Thirds lens mount. PortKeys LH5H Released – Affordable 5″ Monitor That Can Control Your Camera.
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). Indeed, the Volta36 batteries are 36Wh/5A batteries; that’s a lot of juice in such a small package. In the graph above, you can see the capacity to weight ratio compared to other battery solutions.
When the PT5 is up and running, you can adjust various display settings inside the menu, including. The Black Mini has a claimed maximum brightness of 400nit, which is not daylight-viewable like every monitor 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 in this review.
If you wish to attach your monitor to a 1/4-20″ mounting accessory, all you have to do is put a 3/8-16″ to 1/4-20″ threaded insert. Simple and easy, I guess implementing this type of mounting option at the bottom of every monitor is easy to make, making every filmmaker happy. The comes in a compact cardboard box. Nothing exciting so far. Once you open it, everything is neatly packed, with no space wasted. It’s the kind of box that is impossible to re-pack once you’ve opened it and taken the products out. Interestingly enough, the monitor doesn’t come with a case to store it in.
First, there are two small expendable pouches, one on each side. I have issues with this kind of tripod pockets most of the time, as they are small. To give you an idea, they barely fit a Peak Design Travel Tripod, one of the most compact camera tripods you can get. The Chinese manufacturer PortKeys is starting to be well-known for making affordable monitoring solutions for filmmakers with a lot of built-in monitoring and camera control features. We first heard about the company with the fully-featured BM5 monitor that can control your camera, then more recently the LH5H that is HDMI-only which we are currently reviewing – stay tuned for more info about it.
PortKeys HS7T Metal Edition: all-metal design. 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. In short, blacks are not black anymore, but more on the grey side, and the picture becomes a little washed out.
HS7T with wireless video transmission system. Phil Holland is also testing various lenses on Komodo. He said he already mounted over 100 different lenses on the camera.
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