small monitor for exterior use

[Josh Bass]

I'll be working on a project where we'll be shooting outside a lot. I'd like to be able to see what I'm getting in something other than the camera's (DVX100a) viewfinder or LCD flipout screen, and I've been on shoots where they used the 8 or 9 inch NTSC monitors outside, and thought that would be a good idea. I guess I'm looking for a good compromise between price and image quality. . .I SUPPOSE it doesn't have to have SEMPTE-C or P-22 phosphors, or anything like that, just the standard blue gun, 16:9, underscan, that kind of stuff.

If you guys could recommend particular models, that'd be good. It'll need to be able to use a battery, as opposed to being AC powered. If they're older models, that's fine; I'm not opposed to looking on eBay.

[Bill Pryor]

I use an 8" Sony. I think it's an 8045Q, something like that. Check B&H. It's about $900 and can use NP1 type batteries. However, for outdoor use, you need some gaffer tape and cardboard, or one of those Portabrace monitor bags with the hood. Even then, it's not wonderful outside, but it does have 16:9.
If you don't need 16:9 and just need something bright for reference, Radio Shack has a nice LCD TV set for about 75 bucks. I bought one for an outdoor jib shot I had to do last summer. When the camera is up high on the 10' jib, I can't see through the viewfinder, obviously. The little Radio Shack thing, which is an RCA brand, I believe, worked great. Even in bright sun I could see the image well enough to get the shot. Of course, that's all it's good for--reference. You couldn't use it for serious color checking. It's got about a 4" screen. I went out in search of a black and white small monitor, thinking that would be brighter, but this one from Radio Shack was actually better than the black and white ones, for my purposes at the time. There are some nice bright professional B&W monitors made that look good in bright light, but you can spend a lot of money for them. If you have a camera with an LCD screen, you might try a Hoodman (or again, gaffer tape and cardboard), which would give you a better ability to use the screen in bright light.

[Josh Bass]

Thanks. No LCD of any kind, I want a CRT monitor, so I can check exposure levels, white balance, etc.


Couldn't I just fashion a hood for it out of black foamcore? Seems all you'd need would be some way to attach it, and to make sure it's long enough.

[Nick Hiltgen]

The 80 series from sony is probably what you're looking for. The 8044 and 8045 are more expensive because they offer high Resolution, the 8041 and 8042 are going to be a little bit cheaper. The Q models will play different format's -PAL NTSC, Secam(?)- and if I remember right the ones with the green power button usually don't have 16:9 but the ones with the grey power buttons usually do. Either way they're typically a switch in the front of the monitor that let's you choose how you want to view your footage.

Oh and if you're interested I'm seelling my 8041Q that has 16:9 and underscan over in the members classiifieds section.

[Josh Bass]

Thanks for the info. . .I'll take a look at your ad. I won't be the guy buying it though. . .so I'll have to convince him it's worth it.

[Nick Hiltgen]

I'm not positive but there are probably a few places in texas that will rent the monitor to you (or whomever you're working for) for a pretty fair price (out here it's about 50 a day for the 8045q ) so that might be another route to consider, usually if you're renting for a week or tow they'll go down to 3 or 4 day weeks (which would still put you close to purchasing the monitor but it might save you a few dollars.

[Josh Bass]

That's true, but I'm talking about at LEAST a six month project, where the monitor would be of use to us every single shooting day.

[Bill Pryor]

I like the 8045Q and bought it because we were shooting more 16:9. You can save about 300 bucks or so by getting the one with less resolution. However, because the screen is fairly small, I felt the higher resolution would be necessary with clients around. For outdoor use, you will need to make or buy a hood; even for bright rooms it would be a good idea. I've never used batteries, so I don't know how long it will last on a couple of NP1s, but my guess is not very long. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did use those batteries, since I have a bunch left over from my Betacam days.

[Josh Bass]

Ok, good to know. The HD monitors I've seen (I know we're talking about SD, here, but oh well) have a battery. . .uh. . .holder on the back, and you actually have to use an adapter for AC power. . .it's little piece with the socket on it, and you attach it where the battery normally goes. Is there anything like that available for what I'm talking about?

[Bill Pryor]

On the Sonys we're talking about here, there's a normal AC power cord, no need for an adapter. The batteries slide into internal battery compartments.

[Josh Bass]

Alright, gotcha. Thanks.