We have an HPX-500 and we're looking at buying a BT-LH80w camera monitor for it. We desperately need a field monitor.

We shoot mostly 1080p30. According to the specs this monitor doesn't support 1080p30. Are we out of luck then? Why would this monitor not support this fairly common framerate? What happens if we plug it in and send it 1080p30?

Wow, I like your style!

Gonna pop for a $2700 screen (plus odds and sods) which says it doesn't support 30p just on the off chance it might do it if you try.

Hmm, am I missing something here?

I would suggest the 900 but, guess what? According to the blurb, it won't act as a VF! Amazing.

I suppose you could drop into a Panny dealer and try it and see what happens, but those specs look pretty damn specific.

Think sommat has to give, either the 30p or that screen as a VF.


CS

Well we were going to buy it, but if it can't handle the format we shoot in, I don't see buying it.

The focus in red is a big sell, but not big enough to make us shoot a different format.

I was curious if by not supporting native 30p it was just saying it would display 30p in a 60fps stream, which maybe is not such a big deal.

Guess you're best bet is the "hands on test", if possible or a direct chat with Panny (tho' one bit of bad advice there could be expensive).

Good luck.


CS

I could be wrong but I think you'll be fine if you go with that monitor shooting in the mode you describe. Since the HPX is recording those 30 frames over 60i (refer to your instruction manual) and not natively recording just those 30 frames, you should be fine going to that monitor. The monitor does support 1080/59.94i AND 1080/60i.

Hope this helps.

BTW, I believe this question was asked/answered over on the HPX forum at dvxuser.com.

I suggest a larger monitor like the LH1700 (http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=94264&catGroupId=14625&surfModel=BT-LH1700W&displayTab=O). It supports 1080/30P. There are also several options for 12V battery power.

If you're shooting HD, you really need to be using a larger monitor to check focus, composition, etc. Some folks recommend a minimum screen size of 24".

The nice thing about the Panasonic monitors is the built-in waveform, so you can get a better idea of what your exposure levels are. I don't know exactly how accurate they are, but they at least get you in the ballpark. Obviously you want to hook up a waveform and vectorscope to get exact readings.

One helpful thing you might want to do is get a piece of plexiglass and some sticky back Velcro to make a protective clear cover for the monitor. That keeps the Director's grubby fingers off the screen. Why do people insist of touching the f-in' monitor. I always have to resist the urge to slap it away from the glass.

I also recommend that you cover the 17" Panasonic monitor with a thin layer of plexiglass or similiar material.

I was on a shoot, with the 17" monitor and noticed two finger-sized dark areas. I asked the owner, and he said the DP was pointing something out and pressed on the monitor screen.

I am sad to report that the dark areas are permenant!

He now keeps a thin protective layer on the monitor.

If you enclose the monitor with a deep enough hood (to prevent sunlight from hitting the screen), it will also serve as a good deterrent to the grubby fingers !!!

A 17 inch monitor would be too much for us. We need something on camera. We need to be fairly low profile and mobile. I'd love to have both, but the on camera monitor meets our needs much better than the 17 inch.

I'll make sure I get a demo and bolt it on our camera for a day of testing before we commit. It will also be good to figure out if we need SDI or not.

Why not try the BTLH80 (smaller brother of the 17")? I found it just as good in the field as the BTLH1700 (17 inch fellow).

Just bought this monitor. I'm in pal, and it supports 1080 25p (out on the 1080 50i mode) Since this mode works the same as the 1080i 30 for the 60hz camera, I'm quite certain the monitor, which can accept a 1080 60hzs signal, plays back 1080 30p. Also this monitor is marketed as a VF option for the HPX500, so it has to support all modes.

The monitor is good, but there's a problem on the viewing angle. I had it mounted top down, due to be using it with a 35mm adapter, and reversed the monitor is very hard to see...

But I figured a way to mount it on the HVX with a 35mm adapter (Brevis). Heavy, but handheldable.

The plus of the monitor is its relatively lightweight, has built in waveform, works with anton bauer gold mount batteries and has a 4 pin power input for belts, etc.

The focus in Red is invaluable for HD shooting. However, its still hard times for 35mm adapters, but a lot more manageable than with the built in LCD.

Sergio,

Just wondering how you mount the LH80 on the HVX? Care to share your method? I was thinking about mounting it on HVX202 - but, I have doubts the handle can cope with the weight for extended periods of time.

TS

Thanks for the solid info on the monitor. that's what I was hoping for...a view from the field. We're not using any 35mm adapters, just the standard cac lens, so we're very much looking forward to focus in red.

In some of the shoots we've been doing we've been dealing with a depth of field of about 2cm. It's next to impossible to fix focus even with focus assist. We're hoping this monitorwill really help out.

On the up side, it's an amazing problem to be dealing with a very narrow depth of field. That's the type of problem I like.

Huh? DOF of only 2cm? I hope your subject or your camera is absolutely stationary during the shoot then. I think you are really pushing the limits of focusing then.

Yep, we're pushing the limits of focus. Full zoom from maybe 7 feet away. Kind of our own version of macro. Sea cucumbers, sea stars, scallops. They look extremely awesome at 1080 projected big.

Hi Jeff,

I'd like to visit the Aquarium sometime to check out some of your finished work shot on the HPX. Can you give me some more details?

Feel free to email me directly if you like...

Why not try putting a Century Optics 2X teleconvertor in front of the lens and you get 2X magnification for the same distance? That means the DOF is now 1cm or less :-).

And just wondering - how do you prevent those sea creatures from moving around ... your camera can be on tripod ... but, sea cucumbers, star fishes, etc ... these fellows do move. And with DOF of 2cm ... I mean you can't tell them to hold still, right? :-).

Actually we did shoot some stuff with the 2x on the lens. The sea cukes and the sea stars don't really move that fast. When they're moving in a straight line it's pretty excellent because you just let them move through the focus point and leave the camera be.

There were some really nice shots of one sea cucumber close-up with a beautifully out of focus cucumber moving through the background. So much fun and the colours look amazing.

To top it off we took the footage up to the 24 foot theatre screen and man oh man did it look amazing. The footage held up extremely well.

Sergio,

Just wondering how you mount the LH80 on the HVX? Care to share your method? I was thinking about mounting it on HVX202 - but, I have doubts the handle can cope with the weight for extended periods of time.

TS

Sorry for the late response, Tingsern Wong... Didn't see that the thread was moved. Well, basically what I did is I found an adapter screw to a small tripod head that fixes on the screw on the back of the HVX handle. I tried different heads and found one that actually fixes pretty well on the screw area (it has a small elevation on the middle of the handle were the screw is, which causes some unstable mounting in some small tripod heads), The one I got works flawlessly, it is indeed a movable head (flexibe, allowing different angles for the LCD- inverted it really needs this ability, due to the poor angle of view.)

I can post a picture, but don't know how to. Just know how to type, or post fotos on hi5 on the net...

Anyway, on a tripod, or handheld, with the monitor near the back and the brevis on the front, it all feels, strangely enough, balanced, but there's a problem:

As a Glidecam Smooth Shooter flyer, I can honestly say it is close to impossible to use an HVX+Brevis+GC4000+smooth shooter+BTLH for shooting. The weight is over the arm's capacity....

But on a tripod or handheld with an asssistant, it works great.

Cheers,

Sergio

Hi Sergio,

You can indeed post JPEGs on this website. When you reply to thread, there is a box that is below the reply box - "Attach Files". Click on "Manage Attachments" button. A window will open up where you can attach pictures and post your pictures there.

Agree that it is impossible to handhold the HVX+Brevis+LH80+whatever.

Only on tripod this is possible. Anyway, I only intend to use LH80 and HVX together on tripod and not handheld.

Don't you think the HVX handle looks a bit thin to hold the LH80+AB battery for long periods of time? It is because of that consideration that I decided to use the Petrol bag. Let me see your picture first - then I shall decide whether I will do likewise as you.

Thanks,
TS

Hi Sergio,

You can indeed post JPEGs on this website. When you reply to thread, there is a box that is below the reply box - "Attach Files". Click on "Manage Attachments" button. A window will open up where you can attach pictures and post your pictures there.

Agree that it is impossible to handhold the HVX+Brevis+LH80+whatever.

Only on tripod this is possible. Anyway, I only intend to use LH80 and HVX together on tripod and not handheld.

Don't you think the HVX handle looks a bit thin to hold the LH80+AB battery for long periods of time? It is because of that consideration that I decided to use the Petrol bag. Let me see your picture first - then I shall decide whether I will do likewise as you.

Thanks,
TS

The thing is I have a belt where I put the AB battery. The power is connected trough the 4 pin connector. Ok, pictures coming later today ;)

Here is a try on posting pictures of my setup.
EDIT- IT seems it worked!

Sergio,

Thank you for the informative pictures. I didn't think the HVX202 handle could bear the weight of the monitor + AB battery. Apparently, your picture showed me otherwise.

Where did you get that Cullman's ballhead from? I have only seen one side with a hole and the other side a bolt. Yours is both sides having a bolt. Is the ballhead strong enough to hold the monitor without it twisting or swaying from side to side?

TingSern, basically the cullman has a bolt only on top. The bottom, if you look closely to the picture where I'm holding it, has a screw with 2 heads inserted. So one goes into the cullman, and the other stays for mounting on the HVX200. Cheap and effective solution.

The top screw is large, due to a small to large screw adapter (that's why its gold colored). This solution is cheap, solid as a rock, lightweight, and the Cullman head can securelly hold the monitor+ battery no problem. The trick is on the screw with two heads. the base of the screw and its length is just perfect for the hvx's screw hole. So the whole setup is steady and doesn't shake or is unstable to the sides, due to the small " bump" surrounding the HVX hole. The handle in my view can handle the monitor, but having the battery on it is pushing it...So the belt option for the battery seems like a safer bet.

It can even be handheldable, if you have strong hands, there is... On a glidecam 4000 with smooth shooter, however, its over limit, so I have to find either an assistant to hold the monitor while I fly with the brevis, or its a no go...

Sergio, where did you find that "large screw adaptor" from? I have lots of panball heads (mostly based on Acra Swiss design). I can easily adopt one of them for my HVX - provided I can figure out your "large screw adaptor". Thanks.

Sergio, where did you find that "large screw adaptor" from? I have lots of panball heads (mostly based on Acra Swiss design). I can easily adopt one of them for my HVX - provided I can figure out your "large screw adaptor". Thanks.

The large screw adaptor is a 20 HK dollar iron screw cap that screws on the small screw of your head. You can get this in any electric store or (don't know how to say this in english!) those stores were they have screws, tools for bricolage, etc. How about taking your head with your HVX and the Monitor and see how they figure out a screw on solution? Maybe you print out my pictures, and show to them, they will definetly find a solution for you.

I basically did this and went to one of the oldest Photography shops in town who has lots and lots of support gear. The owner was very helpful and we found out this solution and tried many others...

Thanks ... I will go and hunt for it in Singapore then.

I went down to hunt for the male to male "connector" - asked 5 photographic shops - no luck (never heard of such a thing). I then went to my favorite photo supply shop ... says Manfrotto has it - but they don't have stocks right now. At least I don't have do an overseas order (or worse, ask you to get one for me and post it to me). Not even sure when it will come in. Have to wait. Meanwhile, I carry LH80 around in its Petrol bag + a small light tripod to hold the monitor.

Hi Sergio,

I found the solution .... simply remove one of my spare Gitzo tripod's screw (that comes with 1/4" and 3/8" together), screw the 1/4" all the way into my Acra Swiss style ballhead, mount the plastic plate in reverse and bolt it down with the nut. Now, the 3/8" thread is protruding from the bottom of the ballhead - I simply screw the 3/8" side into the handle of the HVX202. The wide round plastic plate acts as a stabliser and spreads the weight away from the hole itself.

If you are interested in seeing how it looks like, I can post the photo.

TS

Sure, Tingsern. The best thing on my setup is that it feels solid and its not putting pressure on the hvx screw hole. Everything is stabillized by the iron "circle" that separates the two screw heads- as you can see from the picture.

Anyway, glad you did it! Its a lot better to have it in camera, imho.

Now I'm looking for a monitor "hood" to cover sunlight...

Now that we are putting a heavy weight on the HVX202 handle, two things we can do to minimise long term damage ...

a) Offload the AB Dionic battery - use the 4 pin power connector and the AB plug to put the battery into your backpack / waist belt, etc.

b) Get a ZACUTO HVX200 Heavy Load Support - URL ...
http://store.zacuto.com/product.php?productid=212&cat=0&page=1
Yes - I know - it costs US$75 ... but, think of the repair bill (if it is indeed possible at all) if the handle breaks .....

Forgot to upload the picture ... it is here below.

Now that we are putting a heavy weight on the HVX202 handle, two things we can do to minimise long term damage ...

a) Offload the AB Dionic battery - use the 4 pin power connector and the AB plug to put the battery into your backpack / waist belt, etc.

b) Get a ZACUTO HVX200 Heavy Load Support - URL ...
http://store.zacuto.com/product.php?productid=212&cat=0&page=1
Yes - I know - it costs US$75 ... but, think of the repair bill (if it is indeed possible at all) if the handle breaks .....

Yes, this Zacuto support sounds good. Overpriced, but good for what we are doing!

I know it is way overpriced - but, compared with the repair bill (if it can be repaired at all) - this is insurance :-), I think it is okay - if we start loading the handle with the BTLH80 each time.