Adding an External LCD Monitor to the XL1S
 

Hello all,

I'm now in the market for an XL1s. (upgrading from a GL1 after two years... it's the whole "starting to do real work for big clients and image is important thing").

Naturally, I like the flip out LCD screen on the GL1, and was wondering if anyone has any experience using an external LCD mounted to the shoe on the XL1.

I'm looking at one at BHPhotovideo for $139, made by Citizen. It looks decent.

Thoughts, Comments?

Thanks.
Kyle
www.lookmom.net

Yep, I've got one. Put it on the shoe with a ball mount so I can swivel it to see it from different angels. Very happy with it. Excellent addition.

Monitor
 

I buoght a 7 1/2" TFT from Radio Shack ($179). It's one designed to be used to play DVDs and keep the little curtain climbers from eating the upholstery in the back seat. I also used an old flash shoe to affix it to the XL1-s. Works like a charm, and certainly gives a better idea of what you're shooting that the EVF does. when I do news stories and have a pretty face doing a stand-up live report, I just flip it around and they're happy campers. Indoors it easy to use with a 12-volt step-down; but outside away from a power souce it eats batteries.

theres a 3.8 LCD citizen monitor on Bh for 185.00, I think if its a lil bigger its better to appreciate the images.

Rolando, do you have one of them? If so I'd love to hear what you think of it.

I needed an LCD monitor for a stabilzer I just built so I picked up the Citizen M938 off eBay for about what I would have paid for that smaller one.

it's 3.8 inches with 105,120 (146 x 720) pixels so I think it should be pretty good.

I guess I'll have to play with it a bit to mask it off for 16:9.

Kyle, you said it "Image is important" and in this case its important in two ways, the image you want to see, and the imaging of yourself and your equipment. If your going with an XL1s I recomend you a better monitor, Check out the Nebtek 5.5"

Good luck,

Alexis

I am using the NEBTEK 5.5" too, and I agree with Alexis, Nebtek gives you great quality for the money. Just a little advice: If you are using the MM-XL1 Universal Mini-Mount from Light Wave Systems, be sure to buy a ball mount that doesn´t make the monitor interfere with it. I bought the "standard" ball mount from Light Wave Systems and it´s too short, so I have to turn my MM-XL1 every time to make room for the monitor.

Ivan

That was kinda what I was alluding to here.

I wonder if another kind of shoemount exist, let's say like an adapter where you can install two accesories, an on cam light and the monitor for example...

Alexis

Yes. I think Nebtek do one. About $165 as far as I recall.

I got my Citizen M938 the other day and if you are looking for an inexpensive monitor to mount on a stabilizer or to the top of a camera it looks pretty good.

Not good enough to be a field monitor but if you are dolly'ing or doing a stedicam shot and need it, it was worth the $120.00 I paid for it.

Comes with mount to go on most cameras.

Im torn between these 2 lcd's:
http://www.starvision.us/SVT-718MT.shtml
this is a 7" 16x9 monitor.
$280

or this one:
http://www.nebtek.com/5inch/NEB50Xlpage.html
$560

They both look pretty good.
Is anyone familiar with either of these models? The price difference is pretty substantial. Is the quality? I spoke with the starvision guy, he says it is very commonly used with the xl1, and he has all the adapters to mount it, plus a battery converter to use canon batteries.

Stephen

The first of those looks suspiciously like this, a rebadged Lilliput 700. I have no idea what the brightness of this LCD is, but I can't imagine that it's high. Nebtek claim 350NIT for theirs, but then they also claim 400NIT for the Panasonic 7" when even Panasonic only state it as >300!

here is some info:

Model:
Starvision TM-SVT718M (silver finish)
_ Dispay:
_ Brightness:
350 NIT Cold Cathode Filament Tube
_ DPI:
336,960
_ Viewing Angle:
60º L & R - 45º/30º Up/Down


Stephen

Thanks for drawing this to our attention,
NEBTEK's NEB70XL 400 NIT spec was listed according to the original Panasonic TC7-WMS1 specifications. Apparently sometime this year, Panasonic has changed their spec to a >300 NIT listing.
We will effectively change this spec in our literature and on our website. I have a call in to Panasonic asking why the sudden change.
In the meantime, NEBTEK's new NEB50XL (as of 10/02) is 350 NIT. That is the specification we set with our manufacturer.