As above, I've been looking into using a laptop as a field monitor and discovered
Product - Veescope Live: Chroma Key, Green Screen, Blue Screen, Vectorscope, Waveform Monitor,RGB Parade,Softlyght Keyer,Edges (http://www.dvdxdv.com/NewFolderLookSite/VeeScope/Products/VeescopeLive.overview.htm)
Veescope live will allow me to connect my camera directly to my macbook via FW and it will also allow me to capture footage, sounds like an ideal solution to avoiding the extortionate cost of HD capture solutions and their compatibility issues.
It's advertised as a sweet $99 which is wonderful value. So I looked a little closer and downloaded the software.
Bump, you have to have final cut pro installed on your macbook to use it !!
So if I have to have FCP it sends the cost through the roof if I want to be an honest punter and pay for a second licence? So why don't I just capture through FCP if it's already installed.
Using a macbook in the field with this system means most of the time I couldn't see a thing, glare, reflections, angle, washed out colour etc. ~`so even if I was prepared to live with the washed out colour and simply got it for critical focus which is what I mainly wanted it for, most of the time I could hardly see anything at all never mind see well enough to focus.
The second limitation which raised it's head was that Final Cut Pro ran flawlessly on my Macbook while trying this direct monitor capture experiment. Veescope live on the other hand stuttered and lagged badly, occasionally crashing. It's scared me right off from depending upon it to capture anything.
So I'm still watching this forum and others for a field monitor that I can actually see in daylight and I live in Ireland so our daylight mostly looks like dusk to most of the rest of the world. :-)
Peter

bummer about the software not living up to expectations.
I've been using the SmallHD DP1x which comes with a sun hood. Works great and I'm in the desert sun here in AZ so it's ridiculously bright. You still have to get your face up to the shade though.
I think just about any monitor would work with a sun shade...the DP1x just happens to come with one. You could probably make one for the MBP.
Happy shooting!

Thanks for that, I looked into it, looks like a decent product but $899 plus a battery and the battery lasts about 2 hour, so I'd need at least 4 batteries for my standard days shooting. I'd probably have to get it from US, vat and duty and 4 batteries makes it all go crazy money.
BTW, I never thought of making a hood for the macbook, such an obvious thing, thanks for that tip.
Peter

No problem! When you start manufacturing the shade for the rest of the world, I will expect a pat on the back...ha ha!
Btw, I believe the DP1x can take other longer lasting batteries. They just won't have the nifty logo and snap to the back of the monitor.

You guys can make your own monitor shades if you want.

But if you don't want the hassle - Hoodman makes spring loaded monitor covers for most laptop screens.

Good luck.

Thanks for that, I looked into them, great idea, I have a tent like that, every summer I bring it out just to toss it in the air and watch it self-assemble, the kids love it.
Peter

You can also look at Scopebox, which starts at $400, and Conduit Suite for $200.

ScopeBox (http://www.scopebox.com/index.php)

dvGarage - Conduit (http://www.dvgarage.com/conduit)

Yikes, scopebox for hd is $700 and you still need FCP installled on the same machine, so it's the same question why not simply use FCP. I just need quick and clear critical focus previews, capturing with the same software would be a bonus but I wouldn't depend on it, I'd keep my tapes.
I've looked into a variety of field monitors and saw numerous posts recommending portable DVD players but the max res on these things is 800x480, hardly desirable. real HD portable monitors are the price of a small laptop. So I might end up with a macbook and a hood after all with FCP installed.
Peter

A number of the new portable monitors have pixel to pixel function that really helps for focusing. On the Ikan VX9 you can pan around the scene as well. I find this works very well for focusing.

And the not quite full HD res is not really a factor for me in a field monitor.

I also use Scopebox at times in studio setups in conjunction with a MX02 or KONA. These are very good scopes. And a much smaller setup than traditional scopes.

You know what would b e really good? An iPad is the perfect screen size, decent resolution, light enough to mount on the tripod with the camera and has everything else. They are appearing secondhand at very good prices. If only it had a way of accepting video from a video camera