Which monitor are you using and why? 
 monitor 
 By Clemens Hönig 

 on 2/1/19, 2:24 PM • 2,182 views
Hi guys,
Let us know, which monitors you are currently using:
 What size of monitor are you using? What brand and model? Why are you using this monitor? Are you mounting it on the hand unit or on a stand? Are you pulling through the monitor, or are you just using it as a referece? 
 

 Aidan Gray 

 On 2/21/19, 4:56 AM
Most of the time, I'm pulling off a SmallHD 703Bolt, which is a SmallHD 703U with a built in 300' Teradek wireless receiver. Its been my favourite tool since I bought it and its never let me down... When I can on larger shows, I'll try to get behind a Sony PVMA170 17" monitor - they're just so incredibly lightweight for moving around, they're pretty rugged, and the 4-pin input is nice for running with VCLXs (vs with the older Sony monitors). I also owned a SmallHD 1703-P3X for a hot second for a show, but ended up getting rid of it after not using it for half a year... A great monitor, but as I work mostly on commercials, I usually have to move too fast to lug around a 17" monitor.



 ERIC UGLAND 

 On 2/18/19, 9:44 PM
7"
Smallhd 703 ultrabright.
The brightness on this monitor was a total game changer for my focus pulling. You can see this monitor clearly in all lighting conditions with no sunshade. No longer having to isolate myself in the hood while shooting outdoors is fantastic. This allows you to easily keep your eyes on talent, your marks, and monitor all at the same time. 
The only downside of the brightness is other departments will constantly want to look over your shoulder. I've gotten used to it, haha. 
The peaking options with smallhd monitors let you dial in sharpness easily, and you can crank it up real high when using soft lenses. 
For studio studio gigs I use it on a short c stand, but mobility is pretty crucial for lots of my work. I keep a battery and teradek in a backpack system when doing a hand unit mounted setup, and I have a custom 3d printed teradek battery plate that can go on otherwise. I designed this with the help of a friend of mine in LA. It's got hooks for straps to hang on my neck/side if I need to walk away with it. (I'll upload a photo later, seems to not be uploading from mobile right now) 


I use it in combination with either cinetape or sniper, measurements, and sometimes pulling straight off the monitor. 




 Vince 

 On 2/19/19, 8:54 AM
9" Tv-Logic SRM 095W
See picture :-)
I like the ease and the picture size of this monitor. It's crisp and with it's 900 nits (with sunhood) it's perfect even in sunlight. The easy button access of Tv-Logic is nice for needing that extra's "brightness" on the fly. Apeture setting on 6.
On the picture I have "hard-mounted" my cvolution system with a 16x9 cinelock for easy on and off purposes.
The monitor is mounted on a Novoflex Mini Quickrelease plate and the stand is a Avenger lightweight baby stand.
Because of the speed of shooting on some filmsets (especially commercials - wide open apeture) it's almost not possible to shoot without any monitor. But when possible it like to lay out marks and use my Arri UDM for re-checking the distance and if i'm on "the mark"


 


 Nathan Lederman 

 On 2/11/19, 4:19 PM
 5' TV-logic VFM-058W Small, trusty. Still my first monitor. So can't really compare. Attached to a stand but with the ability to walk away with the whole setup mostly through the monitor, depending on the shot
 


 Steve Bellen 

 On 2/18/19, 10:43 PM
Small HD 1703
Large so I can see fine detail around the eyes for critical focus. My all time favorite monitor was the Astro design WM15 (I think). They haven’t made it for years now and it used to cost around $15K, so I never bought one. It was so clear you could actually turn peaking off for critical close ups.
Mine is mounted.
Havent pulled next to a lens in over 10 years now.
Looking forward to seeing where this forum takes us :-)
 

 Alex Cameron 

 On 2/28/19, 6:59 PM
Small HD 702 Hi Bright.
I bought it almost 2 years ago and bring it on every job I do. Still works great too.
I do a lot of movi/handheld documentary jobs so being slim/minimal/lightweight is mandatory to moving fast. 
My first build was putting my 702 in a WC director's cage and my teradek reciever (whichever one I got from the job) in a AB gold mount sandwich plate. Worked great but was a little bulky. Also was hard to carry on a neck strap and pull in daylight.
I then tried mounting a monitor to my hand unit (RT MOTION) and running power/sdi cable to a backpack. A little more lightweight but still kinda bulky if you gotta shed weight quickly to do a skinny assignment.
My favorite build, which is what I use now on every job. Is a logic block from media blackout that holds my teradek onto my monitor and powers off sony batts. This is also cinelocked onto a baby pin on a cstand so I can snap off quickly and snap it onto my rt motion.
Obviously use the best tool for the job but I was always taught to never fully rely on a monitor. USE THE FORCE! :) Also, a lot of my jobs are crashing straight into a subject as the subject is dancing around camera making monitors a very poor tool because of the amount of latency from the camera's SDI port (arri 2-3 frames/sec, RED 5-6 frames/sec), wireless video and any monitor on the market. I'm not sure if this problem will ever go away for a long time based on the physics of transferring high res video but I'm not an engineer. I tend to keep an eye on the talent as they bob and sway and trust my muscle memory on the knob and the distance markings on the lens for pulling and maybe every 3-4 seconds I'll dart my eyes to my 7" to check sharps but it's mostly watching the subject (60% subject, 40% monitor, unless I'm in lowlight and wide open).
The problem with why monitors are so essential nowadays is that a lot of my jobs up until now didn't give me preps. It was owner op gear that was messy and uncalibrated and non columnated properly so my marks/numbers would always be off, forcing me to shove my head into a monitor which I DESPISE. I LOVE dancing with the operator and talent and enjoying a performance while executing perfect focus (based off emotion and math), it's a main reason why I love my job so much. 
So TL/DR monitors are a tool but only use them when you have to BUT in our modern world they're becoming more and more of a survival tool for AC's as we get into bigger sensors, sharper glass but not every job's gonna give you the time to make your chances of perfect focus possible so come packing your own solution.



 

 Yevgeniy Bubley 

 On 2/12/19, 3:31 AM
7”
Smallhd 702Bright
good sharpness settings,good size,lightweight,bright 
Sometimes hand,sometimes stand
Jast for checking;)




 Brian French 

 On 2/20/19, 5:32 AM
SmallHD 7” 702 Bright.
I’ve had my 702 Bright for a bit over a year. It’s set up in a wireless cage for most gigs. 
Some love the different focus peaking options, I prefer to use 3-7 points sharpening and occasionally the black and white mode. 
Would like to pick up another monitor for quickly onboarding though. 
 

 Holger Pest- Hallal 

 On 2/26/19, 12:10 PM
I own a Smallhd 502, 5“. I have been using it on every job since i bought it 2.5 years ago. I wanted a setup beeing as lightweigt as possible when mounted on the remote follow focus. The monitor is powered by two lpe 6 batteries, i manufactured my own adapter to power the Teradek by these batteries as well. 
I use the zoom function a lot, especially when checking the take during a replay.


I use whatever is available to keep the actors in focus. I use my tape measure / laser, udm / cinetape, the monitor and „the force“, depending on what the shot needs to be nailed.


The monitor is connected to the remote follow focus via a quick release adapter to switch between stand and handheld mode. 

I think about buying the „bright“ version soon because it can sometimes be difficult to work in bright sunlight.




 Borek 

 On 2/19/19, 11:29 AM
TVLogic 058w, 055, F-7H, 055a. The regulaztions of the peaking and Focus assist works best for me comparted to other monitors. 058w becomes too hot and because of NPF battery issues I own a BPU batery plate adapter. Small HD has in my opinion not enough 12v power options.



 Caley Gibson 

 On 2/18/19, 9:40 PM
Small HD 1303
Great size, sharp as a tack, useful features for the DOP when they need to step away from their monitors and get closer to set. Always on a stand (using a Matthews Monitor Stand II). Usually using a combination of monitor and focus marks and cinetape.


Excited to be a part of this forum. 
 
Thanks for the support Caley!
 Convert as an answer Clemens Hönig 

 on 2/19/19, 9:11 AM
I've been interested in this - I had a 1703 for a little while and then ditched it after not using it for about 6 months... I pull off of either a 703 Bolt or 703U depending on the wireless requirements, but now that I've been doing more full frame work I feel like I'm missing the larger screen... Do you find it that much more beneficial than a 7"? Does the size slow you down at all on commercial productions?
 Convert as an answer Aidan Gray 

 on 2/21/19, 4:50 AM

 

 Brian Aichlmayr 

 On 4/12/19, 4:16 PM
I have a few options for monitoring, all SmallHD.
For Studio work, I’ll use a 1303 due to its size and mountability.
In the field I switch between a 7in monitor on a stand/ handheld for controlled environments. For run and gun handheld type days, I’ll use a 503 for weight reasons. 
I like the 03 series of monitors because of their brightness option. Shooting in Texas, it tends to be hot while out in the sun. Being able to wear sunglasses and pull focus makes things way easier on the eyes.
All of which i tend to use Teradek Sidekicks or Bolts and pulling from a WCU4 because of the mounting options the plates and mounts present.
 

 Ari Magder 

 On 6/3/19, 1:50 PM
I recently upgraded my monitor to the SmallHD 1303HDR. This 13” monitor works beautifully outside in full sunlight. I purchased an sunshade for the monitor as well as an anti-reflective screen protector which cuts down on glare significantly. I also use the quick release monitor bracket made by Upgrade Innovations and have attached a mounting block to the bottom made by Ratworks Engineering. This block features numerous mounting points (3/8” and 1/4-20). I use this block to mount two micro ball heads by Manfrotto to attach my preston HU3 and my CineRT handset.
The back of the monitor features a gold mount and I have a gold mount to v-mount adapter when needed. The setup is very clean as I have added a Wooden Camera 2 pin lemo splitter to power a transmitter mounted with the cold shoe adaptor and to recharge the CineRT handset. The monitor sits on a beefy Mathews stand and of course, a Robocup to hold water and coffee!





 Branislav Ciric 

 On 3/23/19, 1:27 AM
Tv logic 056 or 058
Mostly attached on camera, I use it during static shots, for close up. Generally I put them 20-30% zoom in. I prefer to be close to the camera and I like to use manual FF. Monitor is just for reference. Using only monitor you are chasing focus,not pulling

 

 Matt 

 On 8/10/19, 2:10 AM
New to the forum but excited to be here.
I upgraded last year from an Odyssey 7Q to the SmallHD 703Bolt. I love it. As many have mentioned above, it's a game changer in daylight without having shade to help. I work on a lot of Gimbal jobs or HandHeld and like being able to see my marks and operator at all times. To stay mobile, I actually use a Benro Head on a Monopod w/ my hand unit attached on the side via V-Mount adapter and repurposed Phone Holder (see pic below - HU is Bartech Digital Unit). If in a studio, I'll put a baby pin receiver on the bottom and get a baby roller. 
The peaking/focus assist modes are great and can be easily dialed in to what you need and DP's I work with have really liked using my scopes when we're running around and have to move fast (so I always have that as a page now) and allows me to check it occasionally to make sure something didn't get bumped. Recently had an operator pump the Iris down for some reason and caught it thanks to knowing where the waveform should have been (was unable to be close to camera in this instance). DP was amped I caught it. 


 
Hey Matt, Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum. That's a nice set-up!
 Convert as an answer Clemens Hönig 

 on 8/12/19, 8:56 AM
Thanks Clemens! Excited to be here!
 Convert as an answer Matt 

 on 8/12/19, 7:49 PM


 Jesper Rey 

 On 5/14/19, 11:52 PM
I use the TV-logic VFM-058W. Mostly for its size and portability.
I use Vlock batteries on it which keep it running for more than half a day per battery. When I don't have a 2nd AC with me, I don't have to worry about the monitor running low on juice.

I also use the monitor cage Rowa mechanik makes specifically for this monitor. The wireless receiver is mounted on the back using a bracket custom made by myself, mounted onto the cage.

I mostly keep it on a small C-stand close to the operator. For a more run-and-gun set-up I can mount the whole unit onto a chest harness made by Portabrace and have my hands free for my hand-unit. The added weight of the monitor cage and vlock battery helps me keeping it close to my chest and tilted to my eyes. 


I rarely get enough time to take proper measurements and marks on most shoots I do. That means I have to rely on my monitor and with the 058w I feel like I can most of the time. It's not the best in bright sunlight but a sunhood helps a lot. 
 

 Gunnar Mortensen 

 On 5/18/19, 9:51 PM
I have 2 monitors that I use depending on the job. I use a smallHD 1303HIghbright and a smallHD 703 ultra bright. Both are super sharp. Make sure that you get the brightest option available so you don’t look like Ansel Adams and cut off from the rest of the set. I still try to set my monitor as close to set as possible. Also set it low so I can see over the top. Your operator will start to move his foot in preparation to push in or you can see the dolly wheel move past the mark. None of which you would notice if you were under a shroud 
 

 Joko Neumann 

 On 2/27/19, 1:19 PM
I'm using a TV-Logic VFM-058W attached to my hand unit with a quick release so I can ditch it as fast as possible. (Or in some rare cases to put it onto a stand)
I like the Monitor for it's three function keys (which are also great to change a setting in a take if you have to)
The buttons have an actual click when you press them other than smallHD (Im never sure if a actually pressed something or am on the right preview page).
I also like that there are many options to power your monitor and that you can change the battery plate if you want to.
I try to pull focus without the monitor and use it mainly as a reference but at the moment I am still depended on having the Monitor with me for the majority of the shots.

 

 Alexandre Valentim 

 On 3/7/19, 10:04 AM
Hi
i have a two monitores setup right now. Smallhd 1303 for “studio work” and SmallHd Focus Bolt Sidekick for “run & gun”. I used to have a 7” but now I dicided to go bigger and smaller ;)
1303 has it’s own Sidekick attached. All have quick releases so I can go from a 13013+ WCU setup into 5”focus + WCU in seconds. 
My previous monitor was a Transvideo Stargate HD 7” and this is still the best monitor ever for focus pulling. Brighter and sharper than any other monitor around and quick access funcions button are the way to go.
