I'm crazily looking for a mountable 7" monitor to mount on my XL2 (mainly because I need a better referance to focus on wide shots since it seems the 20x lense has a back focus issue, as others have confirmed on threads as well as myself experiancing it) Even though it looks in focus to me when viewing it through the viewfinder with the eye piece popped up, when I view the footage later, it's definetly not in sharp focus :(my eyes aren't what they used to be). It was recommended to me to try the Varizoom TFTU 7" monitor. But the bottom line question is, can I rely on it helping me. I can;t afford anything high in price.

Anyone have any experiance with it. Most of my shooting with it will be in 16:9. I'm told it is switchable. I originally had my eye on the Nebtek 70 Pro Li 7 inch LCD monitor, but it's a little steep in price for me at this time. I'm doing a shoot starting in the beginning of November and need something quick!

Joe

Joe, I'm not sure where you by your supplies at but if you call over to EVS in Glendale CA (www.evsonline.com) pretty much anyone of the guys there can help you with that question as many if not all of them are knowledgeable, experienced shooters themselves.

thanks Eric for your sugestion. they gave me a good recommendation for the Nebtec 7". It being by Panasonic, they said it would be a sharper image quality than the Varizoom monitor. That will be what I'll go with.

Joe

No problem. Hope it works well for you. Cheers.

Joe,
I use the Nebtek 7" monitor with my XL2 and love the way it works. YOu have to adapt for the amount of light and may want to consider the hood they can provide with it from hoodman. It's a great setup that really helps in compositing shots.
Dave M.

which exact model is this please as I'm also interested. I find focussing a big issue with the XL2 and would love the B+W 'proper' VF but it's a bit steep in price.

Gary, I use the Nebtek NEB 70 PRO LI. You can look it up here..http://www.nebtek.com/products.php?cat=13
Dave M.

Gary,
I should also add that you can get this at a significant price reduction through Brian at Zotz Digital...much less than going direct through Nebtek.
Dave M.

Thanks, I'll really be looking into the hood for the monitor. Thr monitor should be top me in two days or less. I also recommend Brian at Zotz, that's who I bought the XL2 from, and just about everything else, including the monitor purchase.

Dave, what does the hood go for, and do you have a link to Hoodman to purchase it?

Joe

Joe,
Sorry, I don't have a direct link for the hood and I don't remember the cost. I got it as part of a package deal. My guess is you can get it included in a deal through Brian.
Dave M.

Had a chance to try the Nebtek monitor on the XL2. Unfortunetly for me it doesn't seem to benefit me for my focusing concerns on the wide shots, but then again what did I expect for a low resolution monitor anyway. For composition, I have no doubt that will be fine. At least when shooting in 16:9, it will come in handy to at least give the Director and others a true perspective of the shot. One thing I've noticed about the monitor is that if you're panning with the camera, that the monitor's picture seems to react a little strange. While in middle of panning, the picture seems to distort a bit. The only way I can describe it is if you ever seen an old 1950's kinescope, where some of the image may look like it's buldging out abit when the camera dollied or panned. Anway, a part of me now wishes I waited to save up for a more high ended 16:9 / 4:3 field monitor this way I'd have the advantage of both worlds, focus & composition. But I will keep this monitor for the purpose of looking at composition. At least the Xl2 has multiple outputs which allows for additional monitors to be tapped in at the same time.
Sot the next question would be, how much does one have to pay for a monitor that hasd enough resolution for focusing, and even acurately reading colors in the shot? and I'm asuming it wouldn't be an LCD set-up?

Joe

I recently purchased a portable dvd player with an 8 1/2" screen to use as a modestly, very modestly priced "field monitor," and ended up taking the color down to grayscale due to the fact that the color was much harsher than the XL2's ....so, I'll use it in grayscale and it has helped some, but I too am very interested in using a field monitor with the XL2 and wonder if people have some suggestions about which ones to look at.

I recently purchased a portable dvd player with an 8 1/2" screen to use as a modestly, very modestly priced "field monitor," and ended up taking the color down to grayscale due to the fact that the color was much harsher than the XL2's ....so, I'll use it in grayscale and it has helped some, but I too am very interested in using a field monitor with the XL2 and wonder if people have some suggestions about which ones to look at.

I am possibly getting this one. Although the feature of a blue-only switch is nice if you want accurate color representation. On monitors without this feature a piece of blue gel will work fine, I think Wratten #45 or 47? (correct me if I'm wrong).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=319818&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

thanks Eric, looks like a good possibly for me in the near future for me. If you'll fo get it, you'll have to let us know your feedback on it. I'm asuming that it has no battery power option...

That's correct. DC only. If you're out in the middle of nowhere, however, there are AC/DC converters that I'm sure you can use to power it with via a generator.
But these monitors can be worth their weight in gold if you want the best image possible in terms of focus and accurate color.

Would it be correct to say then that the varizoom and nebtek, (sp?), etc., cam mounted monitors don't have the resolution that the NTSC monitors do like the one you've mentioned Eric?....I've seen the one you mention on BandH's site and plan to get one like that too. It would be great if there was something a bit smaller that had the same res and true color values, one that had a battery pack to use in the field.

Would it be correct to say then that the varizoom and nebtek, (sp?), etc., cam mounted monitors don't have the resolution that the NTSC monitors do like the one you've mentioned Eric?....I've seen the one you mention on BandH's site and plan to get one like that too. It would be great if there was something a bit smaller that had the same res and true color values, one that had a battery pack to use in the field.


LCD monitors can be high resolution (my Apple cinema displays proved that to me) but CRT's generally do a better job of delivering truer colors, rendering fast moving objects more clearly and are better in terms of being able to view them from more extreme angles.

I guess the main question anyone has to ask is what will I be shooting? If it's narrative stuff like short films, features, etc, then a field monitor is indispensable in my opinion. It's not to say that you won't be able to use both in these circimstances, but I think the CRT is more vital.

If you're run and gun, well, that speaks for itself. The LCD/TFT is your only option outside the camera's own monitor.

Since this thread began I actually was sold on the Varizoom TFT monitor that Joseph had mentioned. I think it delivers a decent image (though not quite as sharp as the Panasonic) and it came with a boat load of accessories plus no shipping and no tax from Brian over at ZotzDigital.

The Panasonic is still a great monitor, extremely bright and clear, but value and budget talked so I bought the Varizoom. I'm watching everything down to the last penny, here.

I also talked with EVS and found the JVC I mentioned is their no. 1 seller. They are out of stock and will be getting more in. Whatever I didn't put money wise into the LCD I'd rather put into the CRT.

[QUOTE=Eric Brown] Although the feature of a blue-only switch is nice if you want accurate color representation.

Return posting to my own post, here. The JVC does in fact have a blue switch.

Thanks so much Eric! you're a big help.

Both the TMH-150CGU and the TM-910SU have been in my rental dept for years, and neither has shown signs of even a mild shift after tens of rentals each. Great performers. I agree with all of Eric's statements, CRT is still the best choice for motion and color rendering. They both have 16:9, PAL/NTSC, and blue-check:

http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TMH150CGU

http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TM910SU

I am especially pleased with the VZTFT7 from varizoom for price and quality, that for around $500 you can have a complete kit with battery and mount. I set it side by side with several other more expensive monitors, and I was impressed with the results. It also does a flip for the 35mm adapters, and is extremely lightweight. Here are the links, but bear in mind Dvinfo members get a further discount.

http://www.evsonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=VZTFT7U

Ordered the varizoom LCD monitor from B&H and sent it back. We had hoped it would help with focusing issues with XL2 as well but found that in low light the image was just not good enough to use for focus reference. Probably will go with a small CRT now.

Since I got the 7" Nabtec Panosonic lcd, even though I was initially dissapointed with the resolution for focus, I don;t regret I invested in it. It still has been beneficial on shoots in the field. the Director I've worked with has found it valuable as well, especially for framing. For now, I've used a 13" tv with very good results when doing interior shots, mainly for better referance to color tempertures and exposure. Too bad it wasn;t 16:9. I still want to find the ideal field CRT monitor that has 4:3 & 16:9, along with Underscan, Blue Check, etc... AC & DC power, high resolution... Is there such a monitor with 700 lines of resolution that can be batteried powered, or can that amount of resolution only be powered by electrical power? And one that wouldn;t break the wallet?

I recently brought a Sony Z1E.
I'm used to work with a Betacam camcorder (lookin trought the BW viwefinder) and a 9" CRT Sony PVM-9041QM for framing.
The 9041 has 12v input and accepts NP1 batteries, but they last for a short period of time and it's heavy to walk around with it.

I'm looking for a 7" LCD and find on this forum some options.

I ask the opinion of the people that has used this models, some feedback.

-VARIZOOM VZ TFT7 w/ 480x234x3 for $400
-NEBTEK NEB 70 PRO LI w/ 480x234x3 for $1230 (With Sony batteries=Z1)
-MARSHALL V-R70DP w/ 800x480 for $875 (seems the best ?)

Obviusly the less money I spend the better, but...

1- For focusing is any of the LCD better than the 9041 ?
2- Do the batteries last longer that I would get with the NP1
3- What is the opinion of the people that uses this eq. ?

To spend $2K or $eK in an LCD is out of my pocket.

Sincerely
Carlos Manuel

This is responds to some one who is looking for a good quality 7" LCD monitor mount on the XL2 camera. iKan make a perfect fit for their purpose. Retail for only $ 349, you can buy from B&H for less, it comes with everything that you need.

Is there an advantage in using the 7” 16:9 monitor over the 5.6” 4:3 monitor with the XL2?
I will be using both formats, but mostly 16:9.

Thanks,
Bill

the varizoom 7" is a widescreen monitor, so it will display the 16:9 picture properly in widescreen format. it also has a 4:3 display mode that puts black bars on each side. you can use the 5.6" 4:3 monitor, but the 16:9 image will appear squeezed on the 4:3 display.

another big plus for the 7", for some people, is that it has the capability of rotating the image 180 degrees, for use with 35mm adapters.

it definitely doesn't come close to a crt monitor for image quality, but it's picture is ok, especially compared to some other lcds out there.

Henry,

Thank your response was right on the mark. Just what I needed to know.
I was wondering about how it would handle 4:3, I could not find that answer on their site.

I see another one of DVIs sponsors also makes a 7: 16:9 monitor iKan.
Does any have experience with them?

Thank you,
Bill

i used the ikan for a couple of days. it's a decent lcd for the price, but it's real problem was it's proprietary a/v out. there's a unique connector on the monitor that will only take the a/v cord that comes with the unit. the a/v cord itself has the proprietary connector on one end, and standard rca a/v jacks on the other. i found it way too long and unmanageable for camera mounting. it's a pretty massive cable, and there's no way to swap it out for something shorter. i honestly don't know what they were thinking -- all the video demos on their site have the monitor mounted on top of an xl1 with no sight of an eight foot cord (an exaggeration for sure, but that's what it seemed like).

Henry,

Once again thank you, it will be the Varizoom 7” for me! :-)

Bill

Do either of these monitors accurately display colors?

Depends on what you mean by accurate. If you mean 2^14 white bits then probably not :). Like any monitor, especially in that price range, it's going to have it's own color wheel. You'll have to adjust and calibrate. I doubt you're going to get an image that any colorist would be happy with though. Varizoom monitors don't have very good resolution or color reproduction, and the price reflects that.

In my case color is not an issue; I just want a larger view finder so I can see what I am doing. I could even do with the smaller less expensive 5.6” screen with squashed 16:9.
I will however go with the 7” 16:9 model.
For color and focus I have a Sony monitor that I travel with.

Thank you for all the helpful comments and options.
Bill

I know what you mean about being able to see what your shooting. I bought 2 of the varizoom monitors for my XL-2s and i love them. I'm not so horribly concerned with color as to hual around a crt monitor, so these are wokring out prefect for what i need them for. Just being able to see what I'm filming. I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy. Its nice to get outside of the eyepiece when using my xl-2s now.
I have a shoot tomorrow of a live music event and it will be my first using these monitors. I will let ya know how i think they worked out in acutally use.
____________________________
cameraBOX studios
2 cannon XL-2s
iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

Daniel,

Good luck with your shoot.
I sometimes do theatrical shows and coffee houses, I put my monitor next to the tripod for reference and I had borrowed a 5.6” Varizoom monitor to try. I was shooting 4:3 so it worked fine. Now I am shooting mostly 16:9 so the 7” monitor was the one I was interested in.

Which did you buy?
Let us know how the shoot went.

Bill

Orginally ordered the 5.6". I always do 16:9 and crop in post to 4:3 so going wiht the 7" for me was a no brainer. Plus, its a few more inches to view.
Also....just for cool-look factor...bigger is better right? haha.
____________________________
cameraBOX studios
2 cannon XL-2s
iMac intel G5 w/ FCE HD

Bill,

I am curious about your color monitor that you haul around with you!!!

I know lcds do not give the best color renditions. but the lcd is great for framing, is it good for focusing too??

for actual color I would like to know about your sony.



Dan, why do you shoot wide and then crop???

Dale,

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a URL worth? :-)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=302342&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

This is the monitor I "lug" around as for focusing I think it is better with the larger LCD but better still with the CRT.

Bill

To Whom it may concern: The only monitor out there worth buying is the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' unless you only want a monitor for framing. The Varizoom will never give you reliable focus reference. There it is, I said it!

Agree with Jaagdy.

Strictly talking about portable monitors here in that under 7" class

Unless budget is a constraint - the Marshall V-R70P-HDA 7'' (16:9) is top notch value. Just picked up one this week. About $1350 USD

I honestly don't know if a CRT in "that size range" would be a better option - they are quite heavy.
I have a few 9 inch Sony's (a few years old) and I still like feel the is HDA better. Color is very accurate
I do like CRT's - actually for my main studio display that i show to customers i use a Sony 30 inch HDTV CRT - that thing is amazing (I didn't like the lcd's in that size). I don't know if it was the scalers or what in those - the picture just not right - comes out a bit crusty - blacks/contrast were pretty soft and mushy.

For simple framing and general color - any 16:9 LCD portable should be ok.
The Marshall 480x240's should be a decent choice - I have a 70P too.
Not in the same class as the HDA resolution wise -though but still pretty good color wise.

I saw a Varizoom 7" 16:9 at a local shop today and i'm not impressed.
I own a 4:3 Varizoom LCD too and the picture is terrible coming from my z1u. From my dvcam 4:3 output its reasonable. I have had to repair that monitor twice because the AV plug (mini) came loose (internal soldering) right in the middle of a shoot.

The Marshalls are built like a tank - the Varizooms are not meant to take too much abuse.

Again - as some people have pointed out - sometime you just need something for framing - larger viewfinder - in that case anything should do.
If budget is an issue - I'd try the Xenarc at a minimum - with the 800x480 screen for good focus.

Cheers
Paul

Just curious ... how is the built in viewfinder on the XL2 for gauging color? I don't have my camera yet but I have been looking at small lcd monitors as I don't think I will like having my face pressed into the viewfinder all the time. I plan to shoot mostly nature (landscape where I live is full of cool lakes all along the Alabama River), maybe a few "fun" music videos for friends' bands and such.

While the comments about the Marshall made me think twice, I also thought that for that price ($1300-$1500) you could get a new laptop and DVRack software (adding the features of DVRack with hard disk recording). The problem here (laptop/DVRack) is that it is more gear to lug around and setup if you are constantly on the move.

Henry,

Once again thank you, it will be the Varizoom 7” for me! :-)

Bill

I am very curious to know your true thoughts on this after you get a chance to use it a bit.


Seems I may need to re-plan my budget if the onboard viewfinder doesn't reproduce accurate color and focus and the Varizoom is really that bad.

the xl2's stock viewfinder is the camera's weak point IMHO. colors are on the dull, washed-out side, and it's tough to use where critical focus is required. the b&w crt viewfinder is far sharper, and has a knob to control peak (for focus assistance). once you have the fu1000 on the camera, you will probably never want to take it off again. of course, you lose color.

i think the cheap portable lcd monitor like the varizoom is getting a little bid of a bad rep in this thread. it's an inexpensive, useful tool for what it is -- for framing your shots and general color, and it can be had for around 350 bucks. i haven't seen the hd marshall and can't speak to that, but if accurate colors and critical focus in the field are absolutely essential to you, i can't imagaine any lcd would be better than a small portable crt monitor, like an 8" sony or jvc, a portabrace case, and some batteries to provide power.

Daniel,

What is a "velcro soft hood?" and where do you get one?

"I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy."

What is a "velcro soft hood?" and where do you get one?

"I've used them in the bright sun and witht he little velcro soft hood and still very happy."


Use the words sun hood and you might get some answers in B&H's site.

Velcro soft hood is a generic name to describe a sun hood which you put over your camera LCD screen after you open it. I got mine when I bought my PDX10 camera, and it works fine. It's also a great help, both indoors and outdoors.

I noticed people talking about this monitor on the site just as I'm about to sell mine. We used it for the last two days of shooting a feature film (would have used it for the entire thing but it was shipped to us late). Therefore, it is essentially in brand new condition, having been used for a total of about 5 hours.

Please see the link below for product specs, etc.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=400388&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation


The monitor worked quite well. Our company is about to switch equipment, however, and won't need it any longer. Please feel free to contact me with a reasonable offer. I can send photos to any person with a serious inquiry.

Thanks.

Can the varizoom vz-tft7 7" flip the image upside down for 35mm adapters?

Can the varizoom vz-tft7 7" flip the image upside down for 35mm adapters?

Yes it can.

How are the xenarc monitors? Which 7" model would be appropriate to monitor HDV footage with 35mm adaptor? I want to avoid features I don't need. And Nevus, can you make me an offer for your varizoom?

Does anyone use a Varizoom TFTYU 7 inch LCD monitor with a Canon XL2? If so could you post a picture with it mounted? Do you like it?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=400388&is=REG&addedTroughType=searchq


Thanks

I bought a Varizoom Swit hi res monitor, and have had a chance to try it at several venues.Shooting with Canon XLH1.
1- Catholic church confirmation mass at night in low light.Shooting 4:3 sd.
2- Bar mitzavah. Cocktail reception w/ blown out back light, then uber dark dinner party. Shooting in HDV, 60i.
3-One day marathon student film shoot (Miami Children's Museum). Shhoting in sd under light conditions ranging from good to hideous.
The first night I tried it, I mistakenly used the component inputs while shooting in sd. It looked fuzzy, but I couldn't stop the shoot.
The bar Mitzvah I shot in HDV, and the Swit was fantastic. What a pleasure to see what I was doing. I also refered back to my fu 1000 monochrome viewfinder on the Canon for reference.
The student shoot-I used the S video input while shooting inSD, and the monitor looked great.
I'm really happy with the monitor, except for the following:
1-The LCD screen smudges easily, and I haven't been able to get the finger prints off. I've only used a soft lens cleaning cloth to no vail. I called varizoom and they offered no help on cleaning.Any suggestions?
2-The clamp that comes with the kit isn't that great. Very hard to grip anything and keep the swit fom moving.The two rubber pieces on the clmp fell out, and one is lost.
3-I bought the articulating arm from Varizoom for $129. I'm pretty sure that I'll return it. A mechanic frind nd I tried to set it up to use the swit on my tripod, but it slipped all over. Not a well designed piece. Any body else find anything that works?
bruce S. yarock
www.yarock.com

1-The LCD screen smudges easily, and I haven't been able to get the finger prints off. I've only used a soft lens cleaning cloth to no vail. I called varizoom and they offered no help on cleaning.Any suggestions?

Check out the products from Klear Screen. I've used their two-step iKlear wipes on my laptop and LCD screens and they worked great. I think I got them at an Apple store. http://www.klearscreen.com/