All solid points, brother! Been debating between this and shinobi ii. Which do you like better? Did you find it nice to have the larger viewing space or did you find the rig too cumbersome with a larger monitor? And Sony makes TV’s it’s weird that their camera lcds suck and why they don’t just make a native camera monitor. With full screen width and a super fast turn on time. Haha
@@AtomicPixel I stuck with the LH7P for a few months, for what it’s worth - I like that monitor. However, after the Shinobi II release I’m sticking with the Shinobi II for my handheld rig. 🤙🏼
Plot twist: I hate all on camera monitor interfaces equally. 😂 Honestly the new software ‘Movnorm’ on portkeys is pretty good. But, still has a few bugs I don’t understand.
@@SCINEMACREW my thoughts exactly. I’m not entirely sure what the issue was that particular night, but I’ve used it at 3 receptions since with no issues. Still has its quirks, but I’m starting to love this monitor more and more. Follow up video coming soon!
Looked it up it’s the Sony portable Data Transmitter at $1099 6.1inches. Let’s you livestream, transmit and view your media and screen for Sony cameras…
Wild! I haven't seen this yet - but looking at it further it seems to be more directed to the internet capabilities. Would be an interesting monitor to test to see if it meets my needs!
My biggest issue with the cheaper monitors (portkeys, desview) are the lut conversions. shooting in slog and using the lut conversion in monitor to rec 709 are pretty bad with alot of banding and werird color shifts in the shadows. Again Ive used the shinobi and thats probably the only one in that price range that accuratly covnerts slog
Good point - I’ve noticed this too and it’s all just a part of the screen quality. For me, having camera settings and recording viewable on screen is still my first priority. And even the expensive monitors don’t do that. I just want the perfect camera monitor 😩
I now have an LH5P II from portkeys, along with the new Atomos Shinobi II. Honestly, the Shinobi II has been my favorite of the 3. I'm working on a comparison video comparing the Portkeys LH5P II to the Shinobi II.
if you turn off your camera,,, not monitor,,,,, to change battery, change lens whatever,,,, do you have to re pair,/ connect camera again to monitor, every time I turn camera back on, I have to dive into menu setting and reconnect ? takes like 15 seconds to do,,,, I just want to power up and be connected, I use touch focus mostly.
@@djrightonbeat from what I’ve seen, if I power the camera off I have to reconnect the monitor when the camera powers back on. It’s quick, but it doesn’t auto connect.
I think I’ll be returning mine, I’ve noticed that when taking photos, the images take so long to process, which stops me from being able to record video while it’s still processing (not ideal for event videography or probably any videography 😂) The screen also goes black for a few seconds when shooting in 30p, but 24 120 & 240 are all instant- this is very strange (and annoying because I use 30p a lot for B roll) I’ve also found the UI incredibly clunky
@@runliftuk interesting! What camera are you shooting on? On my A7Siii I don’t have any blackout screen issues in 30 (or any other framerate for that matter) However, I don’t know anything about taking a photo - so I have no idea what that process is like with a monitor like this attached.
@@RossBarnett02 I use an a7C I guess with the photo issue - it’s kind of my fault as monitors are designed for video, not photo I just like to get video and photo for my clients at the same time so obviously there’s no point disassembling my rig just to take photos I do quite like taking photos with a monitor however, it’s a lot easier to compose shots better!
I’ve never been a sun hood fan mainly just for having the smaller footprint of my rig, but - I definitely agree this glossy screen is difficult to see in the sun.
links to the cables are in the description! I'm taking the 8v barrel out of the Smallrig battery into the barrel connection of the monitor for power with a right angle cable. Clean setup!
Honestly tough call on the "best" monitor. I guess it really all depends on your use case. Currently I'm rocking with the Shinobi II + LH7P for larger sets. I don't mind the plastic build on the LH7P because it's typically never in a position to be dropped/bent/broken. But, that's just me. The metal build of the LH5P II is nice though.
I bought a Portkeys and returned it. The monitor kept turning off and had a loose hdmi connection. I ended up buying the Atmos Shogun. Very happy with the quality and battery life. But I don’t like the added weight on my gimbal all day for weddings with the heavy batteries needed.
Man I love your channel. SO difficult to find honest, non biased / corrupted review.. Hopefully you stay like this when you reach 10K sub and brands starts to approach you. I can't agree more with you on this holy grail search of a great monitor.. this is just unbelievable .. It also seems the UI designers have never used their product themselves.. The LH7P was on my radar too but its 1000 nit only... I do mostly outdoor filming and that seems not bright enough. ... I own the Portkeys BM5 III which I've been gnarly happy with, but also miss that "its recording"-frame.. or even camera controls.. If Sony would make a monitor, we would probably have touch focus but also a crappy UI and very steep price..
I appreciate that! Hopefully the content doesn't change as the channel grows. I just really enjoy discussing the actual gear I use and the things I actually know about - which tends to be less technical and more practical. If you like the LH7P, but need a brighter display, I'd say go with the LH5PII - it's identical to the LH7P software wise, has wireless camera control , but with a 5.5" display at 2200 nits. I purchased one about 3 days before the Shinobi II release, and ended up liking the Shinobi II a lot more for my workflow. Working on a video about it now.
@@RossBarnett02 Will definitely watch your video.. I'm tempted by the Shinobi II but wanna be sure about certain things.. like powering.. I'm afraid to be confused. Can you confirm that you can can connect the monitor to a V-lock battery with the (non-included) battery eliminator and then use the monitor as a bridge and power the camera via the USB-c cable without any battery drain. If all this works, can you tell me what cable is used to connect the monitor (battery eliminator) to a V-lock? Is the cable included with the eliminator and can it connect in DC 8v to the V-lock (I find D-tap, too bulky). Thanks again man,
@@Superjeanmarc How long are you wanting to record for? On my Sony A7SIII - I do not have battery drain from the camera when connected to the Shinobi II via USB-C. I just ran a test with an hour and a half long recording in 4k/30 (Smallrig V99 battery drained 25%, camera + monitor stayed with full power). I would imagine this will run until the card is full (3hrs) or until the V-Mount + Camera battery dies (estimating 6hrs for v99 + additional 1-2 hours for internal battery). This is utilizing the AC adapter for the Shinobi listed in my Shinobi II review video.
@@RossBarnett02 With your test, there is no doubt that there is no battery drain if your internal battery remained full. Thank you so much for the test. I assume the guy that mentioned this issue wasn't using the appropriate cable. That can happen. thanks again for the hassle of testing this.
Hey bro I have the Sony a7siii with the port keys lh7p and for some reason when I drag my clips into post, I notice some of the clips have a quick black flicker for a frame or two ? Do you know why this happens ??
I have no idea what that could be - but I’m fairly certain it would have nothing to do with the LH7P since the HDMI out of the A7S works independently of the recording. I would try a new SD card.
About the monitor, the scopes could be applied to read the signal before luts are applied? Or just after? Thanks. I've searched for that info but I couldn't find anything.
My nikon Z6 has a good monitor. I've been using only. Touch screen works everytime. I've used sony cameras and i can tell the screen really sucks compared to my nikon. I never understood how such a great and popular camera has a bad screen and limited touch screen options.
Interesting! I’ve only ever commented on the size of using the built in monitor - never thought to consider it could be the UI/brightness level. Now I’m interested to see how a z6 compares.
@@RossBarnett02 Indeed I do have one but I don't always use it. It really depends on what I do. Sometimes I shoot photos and take videos at the time for small highlight clips
Glad I stumbled across this video. I haven't gotten into using any monitors yet, but it was nice to hear some (what seem to be common) complaints about other models. Looking forward to review of a better monitor in the future, possibly? Also, I really like the aesthetic of your studio. It has a very relaxing vibe to it. Have you done a studio setup walkthrough?
Dudeeeeeeeeeeee!! I’m working on a full office tour. Unfortunately, like most things in film, it’s an absolute mess, but what’s in frame looks good and that’s all I need. I’ll get on that soon!
I don’t think it’s too loud at all. I barely even noticed a fan noise at all. Granted, most of our work is in live events where audio is always run off camera - so I can’t speak to those who use it with on camera microphones as their primary source of audio.
@@RossBarnett02 - Better overall color accuracy and camera control functionality. Also, it’s the industry standard. I hate the price though and they always say you gotta pay to play.
@@chrisjenkins9978 true - of all of those camera control seems to be my biggest need. From what I understand camera control on smallHD is only for the big names in cinema (arri, red & Sony Venice). Not Sony alpha. I might be wrong about that, but from what I’ve read that’s what I understand.
Hi there, thanks for your review and choosing our product. Could you please tell me your camera model? If you want to have a monitor which can control your sony camera via control cables, LH5PII is suitable~
th-cam.com/video/wypPmda5a9A/w-d-xo.html Here's a general overview of the rig, cables have changed slightly just to have better management. It's a fairly simple 3 cable setup. I run a usb-c to usb-c from the Smallrig V-Mount battery to the USB-C on the camera. This lets me keep a normal Sony battery in the camera body which charges the camera all day and has better reliability overall than a dummy battery setup. (camera can still run even if the v-mount dies/unplugs) Then, a barrel cable from the 8v out of the Smallrig v-mount battery to the 8v connector onto the monitor. Then, of course, right angle HDMI to HDMI cable for the monitor feed.
@@GUNMENusa product links have been updated in the description! Including the usb-c cable, power cable + right angle HDMI that I've used for the last 2+ years. Appreciate you!
True, the image quality gets better & better the more expensive you go. But - I still have the same basic issues with the Small HD and Shinobi (no ability for camera control and no settings viewable on screen).
SmallHD seems like they only offer camera control compatibility for ARRI, RED, & Sony VENICE. I haven’t tried it - but reading the website it doesn’t mention any of the Sony Mirrorless lineup.
@@KeshenMac I guess that’s my entire frustration. It’s nice as far as display goes, but for me it has the same issues as a $199 portkeys monitor if you can’t see what’s happening while you’re recording. A better display and better brightness means nothing if I still have to rely on the Sony screen to change camera settings.
All solid points, brother! Been debating between this and shinobi ii. Which do you like better?
Did you find it nice to have the larger viewing space or did you find the rig too cumbersome with a larger monitor?
And Sony makes TV’s it’s weird that their camera lcds suck and why they don’t just make a native camera monitor. With full screen width and a super fast turn on time. Haha
@@AtomicPixel I stuck with the LH7P for a few months, for what it’s worth - I like that monitor. However, after the Shinobi II release I’m sticking with the Shinobi II for my handheld rig. 🤙🏼
@@RossBarnett02 awesome. Thanks for the feedback brother!
I thought I was only one who hated ninja v interface
Plot twist: I hate all on camera monitor interfaces equally. 😂
Honestly the new software ‘Movnorm’ on portkeys is pretty good. But, still has a few bugs I don’t understand.
THANK YOU for bringing this up ! Like wtf why doesn’t sony just make a monitor? We’d all buy it if it had touch-focus
Also for it prob disconnected cause 2.4 wifi signal was probably having interference from everyones phone/more devices?
@@SCINEMACREW my thoughts exactly. I’m not entirely sure what the issue was that particular night, but I’ve used it at 3 receptions since with no issues. Still has its quirks, but I’m starting to love this monitor more and more. Follow up video coming soon!
Didnt Sony recently release an oled 5 inch monitor that works with their cameras but it’s past $1000. I saw something like that on B&H a bit ago.
Looked it up it’s the Sony portable Data Transmitter at $1099 6.1inches. Let’s you livestream, transmit and view your media and screen for Sony cameras…
Wild! I haven't seen this yet - but looking at it further it seems to be more directed to the internet capabilities. Would be an interesting monitor to test to see if it meets my needs!
My biggest issue with the cheaper monitors (portkeys, desview) are the lut conversions. shooting in slog and using the lut conversion in monitor to rec 709 are pretty bad with alot of banding and werird color shifts in the shadows. Again Ive used the shinobi and thats probably the only one in that price range that accuratly covnerts slog
Good point - I’ve noticed this too and it’s all just a part of the screen quality. For me, having camera settings and recording viewable on screen is still my first priority. And even the expensive monitors don’t do that.
I just want the perfect camera monitor 😩
Just try almost any BM camera
Fair point - the onboard display on the BM cameras are fantastic. I wish other companies followed suit with displays like this.
Try Portkeys BM7 II DS
I now have an LH5P II from portkeys, along with the new Atomos Shinobi II. Honestly, the Shinobi II has been my favorite of the 3. I'm working on a comparison video comparing the Portkeys LH5P II to the Shinobi II.
if you turn off your camera,,, not monitor,,,,, to change battery, change lens whatever,,,, do you have to re pair,/ connect camera again to monitor, every time I turn camera back on, I have to dive into menu setting and reconnect ? takes like 15 seconds to do,,,, I just want to power up and be connected, I use touch focus mostly.
@@djrightonbeat from what I’ve seen, if I power the camera off I have to reconnect the monitor when the camera powers back on. It’s quick, but it doesn’t auto connect.
I think I’ll be returning mine, I’ve noticed that when taking photos, the images take so long to process, which stops me from being able to record video while it’s still processing (not ideal for event videography or probably any videography 😂)
The screen also goes black for a few seconds when shooting in 30p, but 24 120 & 240 are all instant- this is very strange (and annoying because I use 30p a lot for B roll)
I’ve also found the UI incredibly clunky
@@runliftuk interesting! What camera are you shooting on? On my A7Siii I don’t have any blackout screen issues in 30 (or any other framerate for that matter)
However, I don’t know anything about taking a photo - so I have no idea what that process is like with a monitor like this attached.
@@RossBarnett02 I use an a7C
I guess with the photo issue - it’s kind of my fault as monitors are designed for video, not photo
I just like to get video and photo for my clients at the same time so obviously there’s no point disassembling my rig just to take photos
I do quite like taking photos with a monitor however, it’s a lot easier to compose shots better!
The issues I have with this "cheap" monitors is the mirroring on the screen. Use only with sun hood.
I’ve never been a sun hood fan mainly just for having the smaller footprint of my rig, but - I definitely agree this glossy screen is difficult to see in the sun.
Use a matte screen protector. That’ll remove all reflections
@@sebasfilmedit never thought about that thanks man
@@sebasfilmedit that’s a good idea actually. I didn’t think about that!
What kinda dc cable it take to use for a rig set up I m use in the cano R10 small rig v mouth plate with and the 99 pro v mouth battery
links to the cables are in the description! I'm taking the 8v barrel out of the Smallrig battery into the barrel connection of the monitor for power with a right angle cable. Clean setup!
So what is the best monitor? I got an LH7P portkeys, and it's super flimsly
Honestly tough call on the "best" monitor. I guess it really all depends on your use case. Currently I'm rocking with the Shinobi II + LH7P for larger sets. I don't mind the plastic build on the LH7P because it's typically never in a position to be dropped/bent/broken. But, that's just me. The metal build of the LH5P II is nice though.
I bought a Portkeys and returned it. The monitor kept turning off and had a loose hdmi connection. I ended up buying the Atmos Shogun. Very happy with the quality and battery life. But I don’t like the added weight on my gimbal all day for weddings with the heavy batteries needed.
Makes sense, I’ve never been a “gimbal + monitor” fan because of the weight and dangly HDMI cables.
Man I love your channel. SO difficult to find honest, non biased / corrupted review.. Hopefully you stay like this when you reach 10K sub and brands starts to approach you.
I can't agree more with you on this holy grail search of a great monitor.. this is just unbelievable .. It also seems the UI designers have never used their product themselves.. The LH7P was on my radar too but its 1000 nit only... I do mostly outdoor filming and that seems not bright enough. ... I own the Portkeys BM5 III which I've been gnarly happy with, but also miss that "its recording"-frame.. or even camera controls..
If Sony would make a monitor, we would probably have touch focus but also a crappy UI and very steep price..
I appreciate that! Hopefully the content doesn't change as the channel grows. I just really enjoy discussing the actual gear I use and the things I actually know about - which tends to be less technical and more practical.
If you like the LH7P, but need a brighter display, I'd say go with the LH5PII - it's identical to the LH7P software wise, has wireless camera control , but with a 5.5" display at 2200 nits. I purchased one about 3 days before the Shinobi II release, and ended up liking the Shinobi II a lot more for my workflow. Working on a video about it now.
@@RossBarnett02 Will definitely watch your video.. I'm tempted by the Shinobi II but wanna be sure about certain things.. like powering.. I'm afraid to be confused. Can you confirm that you can can connect the monitor to a V-lock battery with the (non-included) battery eliminator and then use the monitor as a bridge and power the camera via the USB-c cable without any battery drain. If all this works, can you tell me what cable is used to connect the monitor (battery eliminator) to a V-lock? Is the cable included with the eliminator and can it connect in DC 8v to the V-lock (I find D-tap, too bulky). Thanks again man,
@@Superjeanmarc How long are you wanting to record for? On my Sony A7SIII - I do not have battery drain from the camera when connected to the Shinobi II via USB-C. I just ran a test with an hour and a half long recording in 4k/30 (Smallrig V99 battery drained 25%, camera + monitor stayed with full power). I would imagine this will run until the card is full (3hrs) or until the V-Mount + Camera battery dies (estimating 6hrs for v99 + additional 1-2 hours for internal battery). This is utilizing the AC adapter for the Shinobi listed in my Shinobi II review video.
@@RossBarnett02 With your test, there is no doubt that there is no battery drain if your internal battery remained full. Thank you so much for the test. I assume the guy that mentioned this issue wasn't using the appropriate cable. That can happen. thanks again for the hassle of testing this.
Hey bro I have the Sony a7siii with the port keys lh7p and for some reason when I drag my clips into post, I notice some of the clips have a quick black flicker for a frame or two ? Do you know why this happens ??
I have no idea what that could be - but I’m fairly certain it would have nothing to do with the LH7P since the HDMI out of the A7S works independently of the recording.
I would try a new SD card.
Hi there, could you please send the video of the issue to us via FB or email? Thanks a lot~
About the monitor, the scopes could be applied to read the signal before luts are applied? Or just after? Thanks. I've searched for that info but I couldn't find anything.
I use the waveforms continuously, and the waveforms are accurate before AND after a lut is applied. 👍🏼
My nikon Z6 has a good monitor. I've been using only. Touch screen works everytime. I've used sony cameras and i can tell the screen really sucks compared to my nikon. I never understood how such a great and popular camera has a bad screen and limited touch screen options.
Interesting! I’ve only ever commented on the size of using the built in monitor - never thought to consider it could be the UI/brightness level. Now I’m interested to see how a z6 compares.
@@RossBarnett02 The UI isbquite friendly screen brightness is good. Even during sunny days image is still visible enough to shoot
@@RedStar89 all good things to have! But also - a 7” behemoth of a monitor on top of your camera to see your framing is always a nice touch 😅
@@RossBarnett02 Indeed I do have one but I don't always use it. It really depends on what I do. Sometimes I shoot photos and take videos at the time for small highlight clips
Glad I stumbled across this video. I haven't gotten into using any monitors yet, but it was nice to hear some (what seem to be common) complaints about other models. Looking forward to review of a better monitor in the future, possibly?
Also, I really like the aesthetic of your studio. It has a very relaxing vibe to it. Have you done a studio setup walkthrough?
Dudeeeeeeeeeeee!! I’m working on a full office tour. Unfortunately, like most things in film, it’s an absolute mess, but what’s in frame looks good and that’s all I need. I’ll get on that soon!
Have you tried the OSEE Lilmon 5?
I have not - does it have a way to display the camera settings on screen?
Hi there Ross! I've read some comments about the fan noise being too loud? What do you think about it? Thanks, great video.
I don’t think it’s too loud at all. I barely even noticed a fan noise at all. Granted, most of our work is in live events where audio is always run off camera - so I can’t speak to those who use it with on camera microphones as their primary source of audio.
@@RossBarnett02 thanks so much! Keep it up!
They have to hit certain price points
@@htxvisualz true, but all the price points seem to be lacking the feature I want. (Wired Camera control)
Thanks for the warning. I guess I’ll bite the bullet and buy the SmallHD. 😢
How will the smallHD fit your needs better?
@@RossBarnett02 - Better overall color accuracy and camera control functionality. Also, it’s the industry standard. I hate the price though and they always say you gotta pay to play.
@@chrisjenkins9978 true - of all of those camera control seems to be my biggest need. From what I understand camera control on smallHD is only for the big names in cinema (arri, red & Sony Venice). Not Sony alpha. I might be wrong about that, but from what I’ve read that’s what I understand.
@@RossBarnett02 - Might be time to join the big-boys.
Hi there, thanks for your review and choosing our product. Could you please tell me your camera model? If you want to have a monitor which can control your sony camera via control cables, LH5PII is suitable~
Hey there!
I’m typically on the Sony A7Siii or Sony FX30!
@@RossBarnett02 LH5PII is suitable for both! It can control them via wifi and control cable!!!
@@PortkeysMonitor if you’d like to send me one I would love to be a part of raising awareness for others. 👀
@@RossBarnett02 Hi~For cooperation, you can contact us via email
can the LH5pII control a fujifilm xs-20`?
Can you post a link for your power setup? Cables or dummy battery?
th-cam.com/video/wypPmda5a9A/w-d-xo.html
Here's a general overview of the rig, cables have changed slightly just to have better management. It's a fairly simple 3 cable setup. I run a usb-c to usb-c from the Smallrig V-Mount battery to the USB-C on the camera. This lets me keep a normal Sony battery in the camera body which charges the camera all day and has better reliability overall than a dummy battery setup. (camera can still run even if the v-mount dies/unplugs) Then, a barrel cable from the 8v out of the Smallrig v-mount battery to the 8v connector onto the monitor. Then, of course, right angle HDMI to HDMI cable for the monitor feed.
If you have affiliate links to everything I’ll use them. Looking specifically for the cables you used to power the monitor and hdmi
@@GUNMENusa I appreciate that - give me a day I’ll get it all set up. 🤙🏼
@@GUNMENusa product links have been updated in the description! Including the usb-c cable, power cable + right angle HDMI that I've used for the last 2+ years. Appreciate you!
All power cables have been added as affiliate links in the description below the video.
well the good ones are expensive. small hd cine 5 is great but pricey. Atomos shinobi is probably the best for the price
True, the image quality gets better & better the more expensive you go. But - I still have the same basic issues with the Small HD and Shinobi (no ability for camera control and no settings viewable on screen).
smallhd ?
specifically the Cine 5 (best value imo, $300 more for double the indie 5's brightness from 1000 to 2000 nits)
SmallHD seems like they only offer camera control compatibility for ARRI, RED, & Sony VENICE.
I haven’t tried it - but reading the website it doesn’t mention any of the Sony Mirrorless lineup.
@@KeshenMac I guess that’s my entire frustration. It’s nice as far as display goes, but for me it has the same issues as a $199 portkeys monitor if you can’t see what’s happening while you’re recording. A better display and better brightness means nothing if I still have to rely on the Sony screen to change camera settings.