The BM5 is PortKeys’ new 5-inch 1080P flagship field monitor. It features an HDMI and SDI input, and an SDI output with cross-conversion. In case you need to monitor your sound, a 3.5mm output jack is located on the left side. There is a USB port at the bottom of the monitor for future firmware upgrades. Chinese manufacturer Portkeys is well-known for creating innovative on-camera monitors and viewfinders with very aggressive price/feature ratios. For example, they recently released the Portkeys BM5 III WR that can control the RED Komodo and is now RED Approved. Also, I reviewed their Portkeys LH5P monitor earlier this year, a monitor under $400 can control your camera.
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. 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°.
The bundle further includes the Sigma MC-21 adapter for Canon EF lenses and the 5″ monitor/recorder Atomos Ninja V. With the Ninja V, you can take advantage of recording in 12-bit ProRes RAW with this camera. In this price range, it is a very interesting combination. Any Smart 7 Monitor + Bolt 4K Monitor Module RX on the remote monitor.
The left side of the Portkeys PT5. In short, at least on paper, it seems like the LH5H comes with all the tools you need to correctly judge the exposure of your image and frame your shots correctly.
A few iterations later, after much trial and error, testing, and sleepless nights, my vision came full circle and the handle was launched in August. Since then, the product has seen some solid improvements, including the custom pins (found inside the handle) which can now ensure 5A output, and the custom cabling for the batteries which reduced the internal resistance resulting in minimal heat output and longer recording times. Also, there are rubber pull straps at the end of some zippers that open “secondary” compartments.
The first batch of both accessories got sold out relatively quickly, the next batch should be shipping by the end of June. 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.
Back on the Function page, you’ll find a little “+” icon on the left. Press it, and you can assign any of the monitoring tools as a shortcut in the toolbar. Various camera models/manufacturers are supported, giving you access to more or less camera control features depending on your camera. At the moment, here are all the supported models.
However, I think that the Portkeys PT5 is more suited if you’re often shooting inside. For example, during corporate/interview shoots inside, it’s an excellent low-cost option that I had a blast using. 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!.
What matters to become a CineD writer. The PortKeys LH5P is available now for $399.00, and the package includes a straight to elbow DC power cable, one camera control cable, a safety box, and a USB stick with the instructions. The LH5H currently retails for $100.00 less at $299.00 and can be a nice option if you don’t need the extra aluminum toughness. For more information, please visit PortKeys’ website here.
Setting up the Z CAM E2 Cinema Camera for the Trip. In short, blacks are not black anymore, but more on the grey side, and the picture starts to be a little washed out. On the , even if it has a “low” maximum brightness of only 400nit, you can see that the image shifts quite a lot when the backlight is at 100%.
The PortKeys LH5P is available now for $399.00, and the package includes a straight to elbow DC power cable, one camera control cable, a safety box, and a USB stick with the instructions. The LH5H currently retails for $100.00 less at $299.00 and can be a nice option if you don’t need the extra aluminum toughness. For more information, please visit PortKeys’ website here. Out of the box, the colors and images coming out of the are totally off. So it’ll take you some time to get something I would call acceptable. Most on-camera monitors are set at 6500°K, but even with multiple tweaks, I had to put the Black Mini to 7500°K and make some brightness/tint adjustments by hand to get in a somewhat accurate ballpark.
On top of the P6, there are four control buttons to quickly access your favorite functions, an On/Off switch, and four buttons to navigate through the menu. To mount the monitor on your camera, there is a 1/4 20″ mounting point at the bottom and one on the right side. 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.
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. So what’s different with this new model?.
If you want to use this camera for live streaming, in a locked-down scenario which is not demanding in terms of dynamic range, it will work very well. Display, video signals and monitoring functions.
As you can see, you need a cable to connect the handle to some cameras. Otherwise, if you are a Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4k/6K user, you can wirelessly control/adjust. 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.
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. To make things even more secure, there is even a side of the battery with a cut-out. I have no worries about inserting the batteries inside the handle or the battery charger.
You can set the two included straps onto the four front holes of these rubber parts to attach extra equipment/tripod to the bag. 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).
For more information and purchase it, please visit Volta Cinema’s website here. 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.
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. Adapta is KipperTie’s simple PL to RF adapter while Revolva also offers a system for inserting ND filter cartridges. Pricing for KipperTie Komodo accessories has not been announced yet.
The Z Cam E2C uses an MFT sensor (slightly smaller than the one used in the Z CAM E2) which allows DCI 4K capturing of up to 4K 29.98 fps in combination with the Z-Log2 flat picture profile. 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.
Earlier this year, PortKeys introduced the BM5 field monitor, an impressive little display that can control your camera. If you never heard of the PortKeys BM5 before, it is a 5-inch 1080P WLED touchscreen display that features an HDMI and SDI input, and an SDI output with cross-conversion. 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.
What can you power with the Volta Cinema Top Handle?. Sony a7 III is currently considered by many as the best Sony mirrorless camera for video. Its 24MP full-frame CMOS sensor performs really well in low light and its 693-point hybrid AF system also works well for video shooting. The camera can record up to UHD 4K30p video with HLG & S-Log gamma picture profiles. For more information about the camera, go ahead and read Johnnie’s Sony a7 III review.
PortKeys LH5P On-Camera Monitor Announced. PL to RF Mount Adapter for Komodo. Source: KipperTie.
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. Have you worked with the Z CAM E2? What are your experiences with this camera? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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. B&H Buy link: Sony a7R II Camera Body with Free Accessories Kit Was: $1,798.00 Now: $1,398.00 (Savings: $400.00).
If you remove the pouch that comes with the bag, you can put a monitor – in this picture, the PortKeys PT5 that I reviewed here – and some SSD hard drives. One micro-HDMI to full-size HDMI cable.
The NATO rail ratcheting knob is not spring-loaded. The 1DX Mark III is the newest generation of Canon’s professional DSLR. While aimed at pro photographers in the first place, the camera offers some serious video specs too. It can record 5.5K 60fps 12-bit RAW video internally.
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. 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.
One full-size HDMI to full-size HDMI cable. 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.
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. Last week, we were the first to report about a new company named PortKeys and their BM5, a field monitor capable of controlling your camera. Ahead of NAB 2019, the company just announced another exciting product, the OEYE-3G EVF. Let’s take a look at this exciting new EVF.
Camera control for KOMODO or DSMC2 installed on either one of the Smart 7 Monitors.”. One full-size HDMI input on the right side that can take signals up to 4K30p.
The BM5 III WR is made from aluminum, and there is a tempered glass in front of the display. Panasonic LUMIX G80/G85 Camera with 12-60mm Lens and Accessories Set – $300/€83 Discount Plus Free LUMIX 25mm f/1.7 Lens, Free 3-Year Warranty.
You can power it via Sony NP-F style batteries, or the DC 12V 5A 4-pin LEMO connector. Any Smart 7 Monitor + Bolt 4K Monitor Module 750 TX connected to the camera with any necessary camera control cables.
The new 4K Monitor Module 750 TX, like its RX (receiver) brother, bolts cleanly onto the back of any SmallHD Smart 7 monitor. That means the whole unit then only requires one power source, one input, one mounting point. It functions much more like an extension of the monitor than a secondary unit. If you already favor SmallHD monitors this is great news, but unfortunately it boxes out other manufacturers. Buy link: FUJIFILM X-T4 Bundle Was: €2,593.15 Now: €2,480.33 (Savings: €112.82).
The list of all camera models and functions supported by the Portkeys BM5 III WR. As you can see, you need a cable to connect the handle to some cameras. Otherwise, if you are a Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4k/6K user, you can wirelessly control/adjust.
The LEYE SDI will retail for $549/€500. It is already listed on our partners’ websites B&H and CVP, so it should be available very soon!. 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.
Add the special promotion code at checkout. The answer is yes. I had no issues at all – the build quality of both monitor and camera is top notch, and there was no overheating of both devices. The monitor has a fan which I turned down to the lowest setting to avoid picking up the sound, so it got very very hot. It still worked reliably.
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. 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.
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!. CVP Buy link: Canon EOS 800D Camera with 18-55mm lens Was: €682.12 Now: €555.26 (Savings: €126.86 – Cashback).
Pricing and Availability: The price for the OEYE-3G EVF is $1,199.00 and the device is expected to ship in early May. To me, Atomos did it right with their Ninja V: there is one 3/8-16″ mounting point at the bottom with ARRI locating pins. If you use a 3/8-16″ monitor mount with ARRI locating pins, your monitor won’t go anywhere or twist.
I asked some colleagues and friends to try carrying the Flexloader L, and everybody was impressed by the amount of support and comfort this backpack provides you. I think you have to try it out for yourself to experience how a bag should feel on your shoulders. Furthermore, these high-quality metal zippers pull straps are not here for the flex.
Function settings page where you’ll find all your monitoring tools. To make it short, all you have to do is purchase the right cable for your camera with the monitor – also available separately – and plug it from the LH5H to the camera. Then, you’ll be able to trigger the recording, navigate through the menus of the camera, change your settings, and so on.
There is a printed user manual in the box. It’s not very detailed, but it’s a good starting point if you need it. 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).
In short, at least on paper, it seems like the LH5H comes with all the tools you need to correctly judge the exposure of your image and frame your shots correctly. As I mentioned, the PRO Light Flexloader L is a hefty bag that measures 36 x 35 x 56cm/14.1 x 13.7 x 22in for an empty weight of 3kg/6.6lbs. As with every camera bag, the internal dimensions are slightly smaller at 26 x 15 x 47cm/10.2 x 5.9 x 18.5in.
As a direct frustration with Tilta’s Nano motor which required a very specific input to perform well, I decided to have a go at designing a solution. Oskar joined me again so this time we actually ended up launching an Indiegogo campaign. At the time we didn’t have much of a prototype but the idea was clear: Someone had to put some high-capacity cells inside a top handle since it was such a mandatory piece of kit. Why not us?. Finally, there is a 1/4-20″ mounting thread, and a USB Type-A port to update the firmware of the LH5H, load your LUTs, or power it.
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). 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 fan is quiet; you can hear it when you start the monitor because it’ll kick in at maximum fan speed for a second. But, once the monitor is on, you’ll have to put your hear next to the exhaust vent to notice it at low speed, and even an on-camera microphone would have a hard time catching it. 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.
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. The PortKeys HS7T can be powered by two hot-swappable Sony L-Series batteries. Source: PortKeys.
The monitor mount is decently made; it’s mainly made out of aluminum. I would say that it’s a nice and beautiful product that works as advertised, but there is a lot of room for improvements to make the user experience more “reassuring” and enjoyable.
You’ll find six pages at the top of the UI: monitoring tools, image setting, LUT, display tools, audio, markers, and settings. B&H Buy link: Sony a7 II Camera with 28-70mm Lens and Accessories Kit Was: $1,598.00 Now: $998.00 (Savings: $600.00).
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