The PortKeys LEYE is not the company’s first try at making an EVF. Indeed, last year, they released the OEYE-3G EVF with SDI/HDMI input ports and a very high 1080P resolution.
In addition, there are multiple exhaust vents all around the monitor, which help with heat dissipation. Talking about heat, I was stunned that the monitor was not warm or hot to the touch even after a couple of hours of being turned on. So that’s a good sign!.
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.
Another feature is a gigabyte ethernet connection for control of the camera and live streaming. The WIFI (with the included antenna) of the cam allows the use of the Z CAM app that features a full-screen image view – essentially, if you accept some lag (see the video above) you can use your smartphone as a monitor.
There are many 5″ on-camera monitors available on the market, with different price ranges depending on features you need/want. So I decided to compare the Porkeys PT5 ($169) to the Atomos Shinobi that retails for a $299 price tag ($130 more expensive) and the FeelWorld F5 that is $149.
The battery fit is snug, it goes in and out smoothly. No major issue here.
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.
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.
Like the PortKeys OEYE-3G, the LEYE doesn’t have a built-in battery. You can power it via the DC 7-24V barrel port or 5V USB Type-A port on the device’s right side. It means that you’ll have to use an external battery to power the EVF, either a V-Lock/Gold-Mount battery or a power bank.
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.
These monitoring tools were also available in the previous version, but Portkeys improved its peaking mode, which looks easier to view now. A new “freeze-frame” tool is now available to capture a frame and use it as a reference/guide.
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.
The offers you three 1/4″-20 mounting points at the bottom, top, and right side of the monitor. I think that it is enough for an on-camera monitor, even if, as always, I would have preferred 3/8-16″ mounting points with ARRI locating pins, which are more versatile.
In terms of construction, the PortKeys BM5 is entirely made out of aluminum. In front of the screen, there is a toughened glass in to protect it against shocks. It weighs only 350g, which is relatively light for a rugged field monitor. The BM5 is daylight viewable with an impressive brightness of 2000 nits and a viewing angle of 178°.
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.
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.
However, on-camera monitors are not your traditional computer display. Most of the time, you can’t use a probe or spectrophotometer to adjust your on-camera monitor.
For example, when a monitor’s colors are wildly inaccurate, it can happen that you see orange when you’re supposed to see yellow or red. It can affect how you set your camera’s white balance or exposure, for example.
According to Manfrotto, the Flexloader L can take up to eight lenses, a DSLR/DSLR with grip or Cinema Camera, a 16-inch laptop (27 x 2.5 x 46 cm/10.63 x 0.98 x 18.11in), a gimbal, a tripod, and more. So you got it; this backpack can take a lot of stuff. That also means carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders, but we’ll talk about that in detail later.
This interesting bundle includes the newest APS-C mirrorless camera FUJIFILM X-T4 (our review). With its 26.1MP sensor, the camera can record up to 4K 60P uncropped video in 10-bit in F-Log. It offers nice ergonomics, good IBIS, and flip-out screen. The bundle further includes the 5″ 1000nit monitor/recorder Atomos Ninja V and SanDisk 128GB 300MB/s SDXC memory card.
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.
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.
Once you switch the power button on, the monitor takes around five seconds to boot up until it is operational.
Although the LH5H is an “entry-level” monitor, it features tons of monitoring tools like its big brother, including:.
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.
Canon: 1D X Mark Ⅱ, 5DS, 5DS R, 5D Mark Ⅳ, 5D Mark Ⅲ, 5D Mark Ⅱ, 6D Mark Ⅱ, 6D, 80D.
The main tube/handle is where you insert your battery. This tube is 16cm long with a diameter of 3.2cm, and the total weight with a battery inside is around 170g.
The monitor has a contrast ratio of 1000:1, and I could not confirm if the panel itself is 8 or 10-bit (8+2 FRC obviously if it’s the case). According to VIDEOGEAR, the display covers 131% of the Rec.709 color space and 98% of DCI-P3. On top of that, the panel would support HDR ST2084 300 / ST 2084 1000 / ST 2084 10000 / HLG monitoring, but I have high doubts about it and can’t confirm.
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!.
Disclaimer: As usual, let me first say that I am not a VideoGear Ambassador. Like every other article on CineD, VideoGear, or any other brand, did not pay us to write this article. However, the company approached and sent us the product to review for free.
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.
I had to read instructions to find simple functions. For example, when you’re on the Function page, I activated the Frame Guide tool by tapping on the screen and activating it on the side. Then, I could not find where to adjust the settings and aspect ratio of that tool.
In the end, you’ll probably end up not using the case, which is a bit of a shame. I think most filmmakers would have preferred spending a little extra money to get a larger case that can fit a couple of accessories. But, this is a budget-friendly monitor, so I understand that PortKeys have to save money somewhere, and this is already nice to include a case for the price.
Next are the shoulder straps that do have two adjustments settings. The first one, like every backpack, is the length of each strap.
Also, there is a 7/24V power input port on the left side of the monitor that you can use to power the Black Mini externally.
During our cinema5D Virtual Show, we caught up with Dan Chung from Atomos to discuss the upcoming Atomos Ninja V and Z CAM E2 firmware updates that will allow ProRes RAW recording over HDMI. The Atomos Ninja V 5″ HDR monitor-recorder has been very popular for Z CAM E2 users because the camera doesn’t have a proper screen to monitor what you’re shooting.
On the front of the OEYE-3G, it features an SDI, HDMI and USB input, plus an SDI and HDMI output. The HDMI input can accept signals up to 4K DCI at 24 frames per second, or 4K UHD at 24/25/30 fps. The SDI input is limited to 1080P input up to 60 fps.
However, they also closed the door on other monitors who might want access to the latest features from Teradek. BlackMagic, Atomos, PortKeys, and others will have to find their own solutions.
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.
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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:.
In addition, the Z CAM app essentially gives you full control over all the camera settings – very nice!.
Also, it gets very very hot and is quite power hungry. I used the “low” setting for the internal fan to avoid picking up the sound on video.
Edit: Phil Holland was kind enough to share with us a download link for footage taken with his new camera. You can obtain it by clicking here.
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.
you have time to write between 2 and 25 articles per month (Lengths can vary.).
Optimize the ratio options in the guide function, automatically adapt the deformation function, and add three ratio modes of 1:1, 16:9, 6:19.
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!.
* CVP Terms and conditions apply. All products are subject to availability. We reserve the right to withdraw the Promotion at any time without notice. Any descriptions of the promotional product is for illustrative purposes only and there may be small discrepancies in the size and colour of goods supplied.
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.
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