Tom,

Here’s the deal, it depends on what you want out of the monitor.
If you are looking for framing only (as I was) then the Varizoom is where you want to be.
If you are looking to replace a production monitor then the Marshall at $1500 is the one for you as it has a much higher resolution.
The Ikan was temping however it has a preparatory a/v cord so if you need a replacement you are sunk. If that was not the case I might have tried one.

The real deciding factor was both Varizoom and B&H are DVI sponsors.
Hey help support the board we should support them back when we can.

Hope this helps.

Bill

Also, remember that these do not have underscan, so compensate accordingly.

Good shooting---Mike

Thanx again everybody for all the help. I am thinking that the Varizoom VZ-TFT 7” is exactly what I’m looking for. People have said that it’s not good for focusing but anything is better then the low res view finder that comes with the XL2. (Right?)

Better but not the best if you want to use it for critical focusing then you need to spend the dollars for the Marshall or do like I do and haul around a large monitor.

Bill

Underscan?
 

*Warning, My ignorance is showing...*

What is underscan?

Thanks,

Trish

Normal viewfinders and monitors show a pretty picture, just not all of it! You may think that you have a great shot only to find out later that the mic boom was it the frame. This is because they do not show everything that is going to the tape, and will be seen on the TV later. Some are better than others, but I think on average they show only about 90% to 95% of what is actually being recorded. You can check your particular setup by taping something with specific borders for the viewfinder, then look at your actual footage on the computer and see what the difference is. Even the computer may not show all, burn a DVD to look at on a TV set too.

Anyway, a viewer or monitor with underscan shows the whole shot, usually with a blank border all around. One small problem, at least with my JVC monitor, is that when I put it on underscan it goes from a 9" monitor to about a 5" monitor. Oh well, better than nothing!

Mike

If you don't like the XL2's stock LCD monitor, which is crap, get the FU-1000 B&W viewfinder. This will allow you to focus accurately. The peaking function allows you to see things snap into focus. The framing is also nice, you see the whole image.

I'm saving my pennies for a Transvideo monitor, either the CineMonitor IIIa, or one of the Rainbow II models. I want to be able to use it as an onboard monitor, but I also need to be able to loop through to another monitor for the director. The Marshalls, Transvideos and Nebteks can do this. The Nebtek is less expensive and may be the way to go. The Transvideo monitors are muy expensive.

I got the Marshall 4" monitor, because I needed it for a job. It's okay, but everything is squeezed in 16x9 mode, so it takes a little getting used to. But, I can see what I'm doing when I'm jibbing, dollying, or doing other fancy things where I can't look through the viewfinder. I can also loop through to my other monitor, so the director can see what's happening. It's also good for some of the TV stuff I do, the director can either be tethered, or I mount it up top and have it pointing at the director so he/she can see the image.

Transvideo Intl.

Nebtek

XL2 external monitor
 

Could anyone recommend a trustworthy, yet inexpensive and small external monitor? I need something that would be easy to travel with.

I'd like to find something myself that is 16:9 (or at least switchable to letterbox), powered by an included rechargeable battery, and under $300. If such a thing exists by some miraculous stroke of serendipity, I've yet to find it. If anyone here has found such a gadget, do tell.

I use a portable DVD player that has video in. It was inexpensive and does a great job of letting me focus and correctly frame my image.

The screen on the one I bought flips 180 degrees so it lays flat with the screen facing out. A nice convenience.

Thanks for the tip Jesse. I actually have a portable DVD player, but it doesn't have a video in. Do you mind sharing the make and model of your player?

DVD players
 

Hi,
I just bought a polaroid model PDU1045. The good thing about this model is that it has a 10inch screen and the monitor does a complete 180 degree turn and folds back so all u get is the monitor. Place it in the case that comes with it and cross the straps and hey presto - you can then place the monitor over ur tripod!

Don't use it for colour critical use though but its great for focussing ur shots rather than peaking and magnifying! Might wanna make it mono.

Cheers

Brian

I finally got my set together. Received the nebtek battery converter for use with 12v monitor today and put it all together, here's how it looks:

http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/bras/camera1.jpg

http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/bras/camera2.jpg

http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/bras/camera3.jpg

the monitor i got from ebay. Cheapish thing, but preforms quite well. It origional color was grey but i spraypainted it to black. For power i use nebtek's battery converter, so i can use standard canon batteries. I shortened the cables a bit so i'm not stuck with miles of useless cable.

This is by no means good for much of anything other than a cheap reference monitor for use with a Glidecam, but what I did was go on over to Toys R Us and pick up one of those portable gaming screens for use with a GameCube. It included a cigarette lighter adapter which got me the connector I needed for adapting a 9.6v R/C car battery as a power source. So, I cut up the cable, spliced it to the wires on the battery, hooked it all up.

The screen featured an A/V input wire so I then plugged in the RCA output from the camera. Not so great for doing much other than not having to stair at the small viewfinder screen! Unfortunately, the screen isn't 16X9 so the image is stretched. There's a more expensive($100) PS2 screen available that is a widescreen(I think).

Whole thing cost me about $60. Works ok, but I think I'm gonna get that Nebtek battery thing and use this old LCD monitor I've got sitting in my closet!

Which monitor?
 

I just picked up an almost new XL2 and am wondering what would be the best monitor to use with it? I will be working at achieving a high quality image and need something that will do the job. I can imagine that I would also want one with 16X9 capability.

Thanks,
Jim