Hey Harv! I own the Focus and I also bought the additional sunhood for it which makes it even better in bright conditions and it has a nice rubberized coating (it also gives a bit of privacy). I find that it is actually easy to pull focus even without any of the assistance features on it because its sharp enough. By the way I totally agree on your comment about no case included, that would be kind of essential..
Love your reviews, your A7sii reviews/opinion videos were some of the best I watched before purchasing mine (it does not disappoint by the way, what a camera!) When I can afford a monitor I will definitely check out your recommendations
Thanks for the review. I received mine last week and use it with a GH4. The FOCUS definitely has better "Focus Assist" than the GH4. I have not tried the "Peaking," but after watching your video, I will test it. I was using a DP6; the FOCUS is lighter and the ability to "flip" the monitor so talent can see framing is much better than rotating on a mini ball head/hot-shoe mount.
Hey! Really enjoyed the video! Thanks for putting this together. I did get the chance to use this monitor, I rented it for an event that I shot about a month ago from lensprotogo.com. I shoot on the Sony A7SII and I really enjoyed using this monitor. The screen on the A7SII dims when shooting 4K, and it makes it really hard to use, adding the weight of this monitor makes the camera a little easier to hand hold steady and you have a fairly decent sized screen to get to use handheld for run and gun style. It wasn't too big to cary around on the top of a tripod and I could quickly disconnect it from the top of the camera and throw on the top of my Ronin. Typically shooting an event like I was, I don't have access to power so I will bring along about 12 extra Sony NP-FW50 batteries, and I'm constantly changing batteries. I only had to use 2 NP-F970 batteries the whole day, and I can bring extras for the next few days. Of course I loved all the added features of using this monitor over other low level monitors, but at the price point it has me thirsty for more features available in monitors like the Atomos series. Do I spend extra and buy Atomos, or do I settle and buy a Small HD Focus?
It's best feature is weight, as far as I get it. 110g w/o batteries - who else makes anything like that? All those Aputures or other SmallHD models weight like Ninja Inferno from Atomos - which can also record 4k60p and longer that 30 min. But when you shot from hands - extra 900g is that difference that will make you use internal Sony monitor (and then realise you missed focus). This is where this device is coming on scene.
Definitely a great monitor but some stuff just seems unfinished and I think they pushed it out too soon. I've had some really weird glitchy stuff with mine
Hey Harv! New to your channel. Really enjoying the content you're putting out. You are always very informative and thorough, and have answered a number of questions that have come up after my new a7sii purchase. Thanks for the solid content. Keep it up!
Bought an a7s ii today and will buying this monitor soon. I really like the easy of use and all the features. Besides i like to buy a monitor from a well respected brand. As a filmstudent with a small wallet i want to be sure that i buy something with good quality. Thanks for your opninion! Greets from The Netherlands
I used my SmallHD Focus on sony a7iii out in light rain - and the day after the focus would not turn on... Just something to keep in mind. I will probably wait for the Atomos ninja V. For just 100$ more you get a recorder as well!
Maybe there is no sun visor because once you put it on you can't use the touch screen. That's just my guess but it does make sense and a pretty valid reason to bump it to 800 nitts. Touch screen = no sun visor = need for bright screen. IDK just my guess... Great video as always!! Keep it up!
Good video, I like the approach it is informative. I use a Lumix G80(85) for video but shoot Canon DSLRs for stills. Your comments about Canon/Nikon not providing any useful focusing aids is absolutely right, my experience too until... I recently acquired a Canon M6 and I have a collection of FD vintage lenses I use on the G80 (using adapters) so for fun I got an adapter to use them on the M6 and was stunned, the peaking in manual focus is way better than even the G80. I don't know who kicked the folks up the bottom at Canon but it has worked on this camera model !
hey thank you for this comment. I saw a bunch of it on amazon and was wondering if its any good. I dont need anything amazing, just something that works good enough for me to see.
Owned one for a bit. And loved it. But I'm all about value. It didn't check off everything for me. I wish it had an HDMI out. The mount was flimsy. Always had to tighten it. The battery meter is super innacurate and basically useless. And I didn't use all of the features. Mind you all these issues showed up after months of use. These CZcams review videos don't usually take that into consideration. I ended up selling it and getting the feelworld MA5. It does most things the smallhd does at a 1/3rd of the cost. For me it's worth it. The biggest trade off is losing LUTs and a touchscreen. But you get HDMI out and a 1080p display (plus some extra $$ in your pocket). Hopefully the next version of the focus includes HDMI out. Then I'll be back. Until then, the feelworld works great.
I own the ATOMOS ninja flame, and there are definitely some good and bad things that don't work for me, the biggest one is the size of the device and and battery size/weight. And that's just purely because the way I like to shoot, the touch screen is not responsive at times, you have to really press the screen to select or adjust stuff, there is no quick focus button that is at all times in the screen, you have to go to the focus menu and press the button there. Now since the atomos is also a recorder I get why it needs a bigger battery but after watching this I'm probably gonna sell it and go for something smaller like this. Thanks Harv!
Chuy Perez Thanks god I can ask somebody that has the Atomos so I’m in a bit of a scramble in choosing the Small HD or the atomos Shogun inferno my question is can I use the inferno as a Screen monitor for just picture I know it has a lot of benefits when it comes to video so I wanna get more bang for my buck I know it’s a lot but I want to know if I should just pay the extra 400 and get the inferno
Yes I think you hit the nail on the head with this review. The battery is a licence for sure. As well the whole nit rating might be meaningless if you use a hood. I have seen people who use whole drapes to watch the monitor. But I guess on a gimbal it might need to be super bright. SOOOOO what is it like after a year. I sense Small HD will be upgrading .. Version 2 might be even better like higher resolution.
Sony A6500: -> "The following functions are not available when the camera is connected via an HDMI cable and the [ File Format] is [XAVC S 4K], or when the [ File Format] is [XAVCS 4K] and [Dual Video REC] is [On]. [Smile/Face Detect.] [Lock-on AF] under [Focus Area] [Center Lock-on AF] [Eye AF]" So, when u are using your smallhd focus on the Sony A6500 , does it disable the face detection af function ? If yes , it's a big deal breaker for using the monitor on a gimbal, for vlogging etc....
I had it for a short while but returned it. The battery was REALLY hard to mount. The rubberized plastic on the back felt cheap and although the screen is really great and the features are wonderful, I was just worried about it breaking. The micro HDMI wouldn't fit in my a7s cable protector. It was solving some problems that I have on my a7s but I think it's just time to move on from that system to something that comes with a better rear screen, improved color, and better battery life.
Thank you for your honest review your reviews are always so helpful. I have been looking to buy one of these monitors but I have saved extra money and my question is would you pay the extra and get an atmos screen instead ? Thanks
RE visor option. I"ve had several Atomos Shogun/Flame monitors with sun visors. IMHO: hoods are useless. Why? Because if you're at any angle where you can see into the hood, unless YOU are in shadow, all you see is a reflection of your face in the sunlight. If you put a cloth over your head and over monitor (like large format photography) then that works. But hoods? Useless. That said, I have the Atomos Flame and… yeah. Full viewing in full sunlight, no hood, no problem. It's friggin' amazing. Just need something useable outside much smaller for a GH5 mostly for focus pulls. I had the SmallHD DP6 and while it was good, the menus were awful and it was useless outdoors in any conditions other than night. RE case: Get a sturdy sheet of plastic/cardboard cut to size of front of unit (not just screen) and pop it into a lens wrap. Way smaller, lighter, and still protective. Alternately, Pelican makes some decent small cases that may fit. Still, yeah; $20 and they could have offered one. Thanks for a good pro/con.
I bought SmallHD Focus OLED based on this video. I have a Nikon d750 and d850. Neither work with this monitor. No signal received by the monitor. The monitor does work with my D800. Australian distributor unable to help....so unless I get some ideas I will be sending in back. Be careful Nikon owners.
I use the SmallHD on my D750 all the time. Set the camera to Live View. Of course, you will need a common Mini-HDMI to DMI adaptor, and they are inexpensive and plentiful.
Awesome video Harv. I like my focus a lot. I find it very annoying that the a6500 doesn't show the video info text overlay on HDMI out when recording in 4k. When recording I cant see any of the settings or even if the camera is actually recording on the monitor :( Other than that (which is a problem with the Sony, not the monitor) I dig it a lot. Thanks for explaining the focus peaking feature. I was expecting bright red lines around stuff like the Sony peaking does, but that not what the peaking feature on the monitor does. Your explanation was great. Keep up the good work!
Sony A6500: -> "The following functions are not available when the camera is connected via an HDMI cable and the [ File Format] is [XAVC S 4K], or when the [ File Format] is [XAVCS 4K] and [Dual Video REC] is [On]. [Smile/Face Detect.] [Lock-on AF] under [Focus Area] [Center Lock-on AF] [Eye AF]" So, when you are using your smallhd focus on the Sony A6500 , it seems to disable the face detection af function. Big deal breaker for using the monitor on a gimbal, for vlogging etc....
that's odd. On my 6300 I can view the overlays on external monitor but you have to disable RAW for whatever reason and then the option is active but then it makes my camera screen go black and only shows on the external monitor.
Phew at my country price is closer to 750 (the base version without the kit). This is than quite sad (and mainly expensive) compared to competition. However for my purposes I'm happy with Ikan VL35, solid monitor and headphone jack.
You make it look so easy. I agree its great to use. But. I have difficulty with the functions. In particular the headphone volume. I found it ONCE then after 20' or so of trying to find it again I gave up. Im beginning to think I have memory problems. And theres no manual. Clearly you seem to have sorted it out in 10' So maybe you can help me. Thanks. Nice work. I see your a muso. I am too. I score stuff for TV. Don't seem to have a problem with that. Best wishes.
I use the GH4 and am looking for a reliable 5 inch monitor with NO LAG or LATENCY. Any suggestions pease? I recently returned a FEELWORLD because the lag or latency was just too bad. When monitoring video it was just about manageable, but when when monitoring audio and dialogue through headphones it was both annoying and distracting especially when filming narratives with dialogue and interviews. How is the SOKANI on this? How does it compare to the Small HDFocus? The F579 from FEELWORLD had a great display, images and menu but the lag was just intolerable and totally unworkable. Thanks
My question is about Lag. I use my Canon 80-D with a 70/200 lens to film Highschool football games from the press box. With the movement of panning in action shots, I was wondering if any monitor lag will be a negative effect on my ability to video action accurately.
Hi Harv, great review. does the monitor have any lag?...my current Lilliput 1920x1080 HD monitor has terrible lag with my Lumix GH5 especially shooting 24p. Thanks!
I wanted to buy this monitor so much for my a7sii but that fact that it had a unique hdmi cable was complete BS. Literally made it impossible to mount it on my Ronin since the cable was so short. Bought an atomos ninja flame and couldn't be happier.
Hey Harv! Me again..I have two kind of aftermarket batteries I use for it and they are both a terrible pain to remove from the backplate, I basically always end up shooting them into the sky. Does the original Sony L series battery fit (if you have any) easily on the Focus? My other problem is every time I try to tilt the monitor on the tilt arm the monitor shuts off. Note that I am also powering my a6500 with it so they both shut off. That is very annoying and I don't know if its has to do with aftermarket batteries not connecting well to the Focus or not. Any help would be appreciated, cheers!
For everyone who owns this, another downside is that only the smallhd cable fits inside the monitor. I had to chisel thr sides of my micro hdmi cable to get it to fit inside. Do not lose the original cable or you will suffer/buy small hd's cable.
Hello, i have the App Fieldmonitor on iOs and it make the job. But when i see your video, i hesitate to buy SmallHD Focus monitor. Do you have test the app ? And there is a big difference between both ? Bests regards.
Is there anyway at all to download 3rd party apps on these? I would think probably not or else tons of people would be doing what I want to do which is to be able to use it with my p4p or inspire remote but doubt I can run DJI Go app but figured it's worth asking around.
I own a Blackmagic Video Assist 4k and quite like it. I've often wondered if their 5" Video Assist isn't actually a better option than the Small HD with DC power option, SDI/HDMI input as well as HDMI/SDI loop output and 1080p recording to SD. Thoughts?
I don't know how it compares to the 4K, but I have a 5" Video Assist and the color accuracy of the screen is terrible. It has an awful green tint which is really distracting to use. As for the 1080p external recording, I suppose it depends on what you're shooting with. I currently shoot with a 5D Mark III and there is hardly any difference between the internal H264 codec and the VA ProRes HQ. In fact, if anything, the H264 is probably better. I would not recommend the 5" Video Assist. I'm currently looking at getting rid of mine and replacing it with a SmallHD FOCUS.
Hi Jimmy. Thank you for your reply. I'm curious how old your BM VA 5K is and have you contacted BM about the color issue? The color accuracy of mine is really quite good so I'm wondering if it's perhaps a warranty or firmware issue? I also find there is little difference between my camera's internal codec and ProRes until I'm shooting in log and color grading - but for general shooting, the internal codec is just fine. I often set the BM to ProRes proxy and rename the proxy files to the same name as the camera's internally created files so that I don't have to wait for my pc to render proxy files. I do find this is super convenient.
It's about 12 months old. I did contact Blackmagic and even sent it in for an inspection/assessment. They admitted that the monitor did shift towards the warmer/green side, but according to them this was within acceptable levels and they refused an exchange or refund. It's running the latest firmware which was apparently supposed to address some color accuracy issues. However, this has not made any difference whatsoever. It seems to be a known issue, at least for the 5" model. There's plenty of negative feedback all over the web about it. I for one have been very unimpressed with Blackmagic's customer service and product quality. I'm sure they do have some good quality products, but quality control seems to be very hit and miss. I won't be taking the risk of buying any of their products again.
Hey Harv, Is there any way you could make an overheating test with this monitor and the Sony a6500? I just wanted to know if the camera overheats and if it improved. If you just let me know I would appreciate it. I can't find any videos on this. - Paul Show less REPLY
Harv - I don't need the battery for my D750 (it's battery life is great) does it have a mini hdmi with the basic option. I've clicked all round the site but they don't tell you what leads come with the basic option. - a 'whats in the box' would have been helpful - seems like they are trying to up-sell by not giving info on the non bundle option.
No. You'll have to buy a mini-HDMI to HDMI adaptor. Cheap and readily available (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) The SmallHD comes with an HDMI (full size) adapter you can plug into.
Yes, it helps A LOT! You will need an inexpensive adapter cable to go from the D750 Mini-HDMI to normal-size HDMI (which then plugs into the HDMI adapter that comes with the monitor). Sounds more complicated than it is. You will love it. I use it for stills and video with D750's.
Finally someone stopped drooling over this thing! Awesome Harv! Powering a camera from another device? Why has nobody thought of this before? Oh wait,,,they did,,,it's called D-tap. And its not proprietary. And it powers everything. And I know you're next thought is "but they're expensive!". But did you just drop $600 on a monitor/power solution for your camera? If you need the tools the SmallHD offers, you are obviously on high value shoots. Surely one paycheck would cover some bigger batts!
mmm, I'm not sure about this. The Focus is aimed at vloggers (not necessarily high end video work, I'd say the 500 and 700 series are more for this kind of work), otherwise it wouldn't need to be super lightweight etc. Like you said there are d-taps but I'd say they're for a different group of consumers.Many thanks for the kind words btw :)
Harv Video/Audio Stuff Good point about the intended market being vloggers. I guess it's easy to forget not everything is targeted directly at the level of professional! Thanks for the reply!
Eric, what is the name of the arm that you show in your Instagram to attach this to the Crane? I would like to purchase one to do the same thing. Thanks, David
Frankly I think my Canon Screen is the best between sony and nikons. I shot a job with an a7s2 and got surprised on how crappy the lcd screen is, not sharp at all.
The TOUCH SCREEN is really WEAK ans SHITTY... mine cracked on me within a Month... and since there are no Other button controls for the MONITOR, you have to REPLACE the whole thing as it becomes Useless if the Screen is damaged.
If you are a CANON 5D User - I Don't see why they can't just give a Battery Option for a CANON LP-E6 Battery? The whole point of the SmallHD (as I understood it) was Portability, but with the SONY Battery Only, you have to have that battery (and a Spare if you are a PROFESSIONAL) and the Sony Charger as well as your CANON Batteries and Canon Charger. Just More UNNECESSARY CRAP to Carry around with you on Shoots.
Looks like a great tool. Nice review! However, regarding price: Why are camera monitors still that expensive when Tablets have become soo cheap and often have better screens and build quality? I know camera monitors have more ports, have to program their own OS and have a smaller market - but look at what tablets you can get for 700£! That really makes me wonder why they charge so much more... For Canon users wanting to buy this. Look at the app "DSLR Controller". It's only ten bucks and turns your Android Tablet/Phone into a monitor.
I need to buy another monitor for this weekend, have any recommendations? $300-600. I really dig your video man and the sony profile ones are SO helpful. cheers
rather pointless comment. If you DON'T want in depth information and discussion of an item. why not go to the manufacturers website. i'm sure they will give you an entirely unbiased and accurate overview of their product. Sheesh. There's no pleasing some people!
Enjoy guys :)
Hey man, how did you attach the tempered glass?
It just has a slightly sticky back, took a couple of trys to get it perfect tho
Great video! My only issue with the Focus is to check the how much battery is left. Would love to see something more simple.
Hey Harv! I own the Focus and I also bought the additional sunhood for it which makes it even better in bright conditions and it has a nice rubberized coating (it also gives a bit of privacy).
I find that it is actually easy to pull focus even without any of the assistance features on it because its sharp enough. By the way I totally agree on your comment about no case included, that would be kind of essential..
rhapsodist Which sunhood do you recommend?
Love your reviews, your A7sii reviews/opinion videos were some of the best I watched before purchasing mine (it does not disappoint by the way, what a camera!) When I can afford a monitor I will definitely check out your recommendations
I am very satisfied with the monitor. I use it with Sony a7sii and a5000. Thank you very much for the video Harv
I just this thing last week. Just pure awesomeness!
Thanks for the review. I received mine last week and use it with a GH4. The FOCUS definitely has better "Focus Assist" than the GH4. I have not tried the "Peaking," but after watching your video, I will test it. I was using a DP6; the FOCUS is lighter and the ability to "flip" the monitor so talent can see framing is much better than rotating on a mini ball head/hot-shoe mount.
Hey! Really enjoyed the video! Thanks for putting this together. I did get the chance to use this monitor, I rented it for an event that I shot about a month ago from lensprotogo.com. I shoot on the Sony A7SII and I really enjoyed using this monitor. The screen on the A7SII dims when shooting 4K, and it makes it really hard to use, adding the weight of this monitor makes the camera a little easier to hand hold steady and you have a fairly decent sized screen to get to use handheld for run and gun style. It wasn't too big to cary around on the top of a tripod and I could quickly disconnect it from the top of the camera and throw on the top of my Ronin. Typically shooting an event like I was, I don't have access to power so I will bring along about 12 extra Sony NP-FW50 batteries, and I'm constantly changing batteries. I only had to use 2 NP-F970 batteries the whole day, and I can bring extras for the next few days. Of course I loved all the added features of using this monitor over other low level monitors, but at the price point it has me thirsty for more features available in monitors like the Atomos series.
Do I spend extra and buy Atomos, or do I settle and buy a Small HD Focus?
It's best feature is weight, as far as I get it. 110g w/o batteries - who else makes anything like that?
All those Aputures or other SmallHD models weight like Ninja Inferno from Atomos - which can also record 4k60p and longer that 30 min.
But when you shot from hands - extra 900g is that difference that will make you use internal Sony monitor (and then realise you missed focus). This is where this device is coming on scene.
Definitely a great monitor but some stuff just seems unfinished and I think they pushed it out too soon. I've had some really weird glitchy stuff with mine
Dang that was sooner than I thought! 😊 keep them coming Harv! 😉
Pleasant review and right music and volume.
Hey Harv! New to your channel. Really enjoying the content you're putting out. You are always very informative and thorough, and have answered a number of questions that have come up after my new a7sii purchase. Thanks for the solid content. Keep it up!
Bought an a7s ii today and will buying this monitor soon. I really like the easy of use and all the features. Besides i like to buy a monitor from a well respected brand. As a filmstudent with a small wallet i want to be sure that i buy something with good quality. Thanks for your opninion! Greets from The Netherlands
I used my SmallHD Focus on sony a7iii out in light rain - and the day after the focus would not turn on... Just something to keep in mind. I will probably wait for the Atomos ninja V. For just 100$ more you get a recorder as well!
Maybe there is no sun visor because once you put it on you can't use the touch screen. That's just my guess but it does make sense and a pretty valid reason to bump it to 800 nitts. Touch screen = no sun visor = need for bright screen. IDK just my guess... Great video as always!! Keep it up!
+Kevin Lin SmallHD makes a visor for it. It's 19US
+StephenFungDOTNET Ah I see, thanks for mentioning that. In the video he mentioned he wished to have a sun visor, guess his wish has come true :D
I got mine and LOVE IT, in spite of it's flaws.
flaws?
Good video, I like the approach it is informative. I use a Lumix G80(85) for video but shoot Canon DSLRs for stills. Your comments about Canon/Nikon not providing any useful focusing aids is absolutely right, my experience too until... I recently acquired a Canon M6 and I have a collection of FD vintage lenses I use on the G80 (using adapters) so for fun I got an adapter to use them on the M6 and was stunned, the peaking in manual focus is way better than even the G80. I don't know who kicked the folks up the bottom at Canon but it has worked on this camera model !
ufff you made me think in the Feelworld 570 over the Small HD after watching your review
Feelworld 570 ... Awesome build, amazing image, metal body.
hey thank you for this comment. I saw a bunch of it on amazon and was wondering if its any good. I dont need anything amazing, just something that works good enough for me to see.
Owned one for a bit. And loved it. But I'm all about value. It didn't check off everything for me. I wish it had an HDMI out. The mount was flimsy. Always had to tighten it. The battery meter is super innacurate and basically useless. And I didn't use all of the features. Mind you all these issues showed up after months of use. These CZcams review videos don't usually take that into consideration. I ended up selling it and getting the feelworld MA5. It does most things the smallhd does at a 1/3rd of the cost. For me it's worth it. The biggest trade off is losing LUTs and a touchscreen. But you get HDMI out and a 1080p display (plus some extra $$ in your pocket). Hopefully the next version of the focus includes HDMI out. Then I'll be back. Until then, the feelworld works great.
I own the ATOMOS ninja flame, and there are definitely some good and bad things that don't work for me, the biggest one is the size of the device and and battery size/weight. And that's just purely because the way I like to shoot, the touch screen is not responsive at times, you have to really press the screen to select or adjust stuff, there is no quick focus button that is at all times in the screen, you have to go to the focus menu and press the button there. Now since the atomos is also a recorder I get why it needs a bigger battery but after watching this I'm probably gonna sell it and go for something smaller like this.
Thanks Harv!
Chuy Perez Thanks god I can ask somebody that has the Atomos so I’m in a bit of a scramble in choosing the Small HD or the atomos Shogun inferno my question is can I use the inferno as a Screen monitor for just picture I know it has a lot of benefits when it comes to video so I wanna get more bang for my buck I know it’s a lot but I want to know if I should just pay the extra 400 and get the inferno
great video harv... thanks for ur effort
I own the SmallHD Focus and I definitely agree with your conclusions :)
Yes I think you hit the nail on the head with this review. The battery is a licence for sure. As well the whole nit rating might be meaningless if you use a hood. I have seen people who use whole drapes to watch the monitor. But I guess on a gimbal it might need to be super bright. SOOOOO what is it like after a year. I sense Small HD will be upgrading .. Version 2 might be even better like higher resolution.
Thank you for this honest review
Sony A6500:
-> "The following functions are not available when the camera is connected via an HDMI cable and the [ File Format] is [XAVC S 4K], or when the [ File Format] is [XAVCS 4K] and [Dual Video REC] is [On]. [Smile/Face Detect.] [Lock-on AF] under [Focus Area] [Center Lock-on AF] [Eye AF]"
So, when u are using your smallhd focus on the Sony A6500 , does it disable the face detection af function ? If yes , it's a big deal breaker for using the monitor on a gimbal, for vlogging etc....
Do you mean not available on the camera at all, or just not available on the screen?
I had it for a short while but returned it. The battery was REALLY hard to mount. The rubberized plastic on the back felt cheap and although the screen is really great and the features are wonderful, I was just worried about it breaking. The micro HDMI wouldn't fit in my a7s cable protector. It was solving some problems that I have on my a7s but I think it's just time to move on from that system to something that comes with a better rear screen, improved color, and better battery life.
Hello Harv'. I had to choose between the Atomos Ninja V and the SmallHD Focus and after this test you gave us, I order the second one. Thanks ;-)
Thank you for your honest review your reviews are always so helpful. I have been looking to buy one of these monitors but I have saved extra money and my question is would you pay the extra and get an atmos screen instead ? Thanks
I was about to buy one of these. Then I seen your video here. Thank you. I’m now holding off for the SmallHD 1080pOLED they’ve got coming in June.
Thanks . Great video.
RE visor option. I"ve had several Atomos Shogun/Flame monitors with sun visors. IMHO: hoods are useless. Why? Because if you're at any angle where you can see into the hood, unless YOU are in shadow, all you see is a reflection of your face in the sunlight. If you put a cloth over your head and over monitor (like large format photography) then that works. But hoods? Useless. That said, I have the Atomos Flame and… yeah. Full viewing in full sunlight, no hood, no problem. It's friggin' amazing. Just need something useable outside much smaller for a GH5 mostly for focus pulls. I had the SmallHD DP6 and while it was good, the menus were awful and it was useless outdoors in any conditions other than night.
RE case: Get a sturdy sheet of plastic/cardboard cut to size of front of unit (not just screen) and pop it into a lens wrap. Way smaller, lighter, and still protective. Alternately, Pelican makes some decent small cases that may fit. Still, yeah; $20 and they could have offered one.
Thanks for a good pro/con.
How or can this be used for still photography .. I hate the 3" screen on my camera !
Great job on this one! 😍😃🎥
Great review!
how can u see the monitor in full screen? and how can u see the screen of monitor and camera in same time? i cant do it withy my canon 6d
I bought SmallHD Focus OLED based on this video. I have a Nikon d750 and d850. Neither work with this monitor. No signal received by the monitor. The monitor does work with my D800. Australian distributor unable to help....so unless I get some ideas I will be sending in back. Be careful Nikon owners.
I use the SmallHD on my D750 all the time. Set the camera to Live View. Of course, you will need a common Mini-HDMI to DMI adaptor, and they are inexpensive and plentiful.
Awesome video Harv. I like my focus a lot. I find it very annoying that the a6500 doesn't show the video info text overlay on HDMI out when recording in 4k. When recording I cant see any of the settings or even if the camera is actually recording on the monitor :( Other than that (which is a problem with the Sony, not the monitor) I dig it a lot. Thanks for explaining the focus peaking feature. I was expecting bright red lines around stuff like the Sony peaking does, but that not what the peaking feature on the monitor does. Your explanation was great. Keep up the good work!
parking lot photographer, how is autofocus working on your a6500 and smallHD? Any thoughts on that?
Sony A6500: -> "The following functions are not available when the camera is connected via an HDMI cable and the [ File Format] is [XAVC S 4K], or when the [ File Format] is [XAVCS 4K] and [Dual Video REC] is [On]. [Smile/Face Detect.] [Lock-on AF] under [Focus Area] [Center Lock-on AF] [Eye AF]"
So, when you are using your smallhd focus on the Sony A6500 , it seems to disable the face detection af function. Big deal breaker for using the monitor on a gimbal, for vlogging etc....
that's odd. On my 6300 I can view the overlays on external monitor but you have to disable RAW for whatever reason and then the option is active but then it makes my camera screen go black and only shows on the external monitor.
Planning to buy one soon...just been hesitant because I also have Atomos recorders and just a monitor seems odd these days.
Hey Harv,
Do you have an opinion on this bad boy?
Sokani 5"
Love all your videos as always thanks so much for your work!
Harv - do you have any experience with the atomos-monitors/recorders? Thank you!
Anders Holm Wejse I use a Ninja Blade and with the A7s - it's great!
Phew at my country price is closer to 750 (the base version without the kit). This is than quite sad (and mainly expensive) compared to competition. However for my purposes I'm happy with Ikan VL35, solid monitor and headphone jack.
Mate does the back of the camera screen go black when shooting 4K (xavc-s) on a7s ii with the SmallHD Focus?
Hows the lag? I’m surprised most reviews dont mention the lag , seems super important for a camera operator.
You make it look so easy. I agree its great to use. But. I have difficulty with the functions. In particular the headphone volume. I found it ONCE then after 20' or so of trying to find it again I gave up. Im beginning to think I have memory problems. And theres no manual. Clearly you seem to have sorted it out in 10' So maybe you can help me. Thanks. Nice work. I see your a muso. I am too. I score stuff for TV. Don't seem to have a problem with that. Best wishes.
My 600€ Canon 650D had a way better screen (which was also touch screen), than my 2500€ Sony A7Sii...
I use the GH4 and am looking for a reliable 5 inch monitor with NO LAG or LATENCY. Any suggestions pease? I recently returned a FEELWORLD because the lag or latency was just too bad. When monitoring video it was just about manageable, but when when monitoring audio and dialogue through headphones it was both annoying and distracting especially when filming narratives with dialogue and interviews. How is the SOKANI on this? How does it compare to the Small HDFocus? The F579 from FEELWORLD had a great display, images and menu but the lag was just intolerable and totally unworkable. Thanks
I have big delay in focus monitor. Is it normal? How i'll focusing while shot the film?
My question is about Lag.
I use my Canon 80-D with a 70/200 lens to film Highschool football games from the press box. With the movement of panning in action shots, I was wondering if any monitor lag will be a negative effect on my ability to video action accurately.
I have the GH5, I do find the screen not large enough to really nail focus in the heat of the moment, so looking for an on camera monitor.
Hi Harv, great review. does the monitor have any lag?...my current Lilliput 1920x1080 HD monitor has terrible lag with my Lumix GH5 especially shooting 24p. Thanks!
+Oh! Show Productions barely any at all actually, way better lag-wise than my Aputure vs5
I wanted to buy this monitor so much for my a7sii but that fact that it had a unique hdmi cable was complete BS. Literally made it impossible to mount it on my Ronin since the cable was so short. Bought an atomos ninja flame and couldn't be happier.
you could have bought a longer cord separately like i did for about $15
They have a 2 foot cord available for pretty cheap or you could get a HDMI coupler.
dremel
Harv, can you tell what are the cheapest other monitors that accept 3D Luts? (as an alternative to this one). Are there any that you know of? Thx!
Hey Harv! Me again..I have two kind of aftermarket batteries I use for it and they are both a terrible pain to remove from the backplate, I basically always end up shooting them into the sky. Does the original Sony L series battery fit (if you have any) easily on the Focus? My other problem is every time I try to tilt the monitor on the tilt arm the monitor shuts off. Note that I am also powering my a6500 with it so they both shut off. That is very annoying and I don't know if its has to do with aftermarket batteries not connecting well to the Focus or not. Any help would be appreciated, cheers!
is it working well for canon and nikon too?
What is that cage you're using? It looks nice!
For everyone who owns this, another downside is that only the smallhd cable fits inside the monitor. I had to chisel thr sides of my micro hdmi cable to get it to fit inside. Do not lose the original cable or you will suffer/buy small hd's cable.
+Adam Kostandy very good point! Well said :)
Hello, i have the App Fieldmonitor on iOs and it make the job. But when i see your video, i hesitate to buy SmallHD Focus monitor. Do you have test the app ? And there is a big difference between both ? Bests regards.
Hey! Im wondering about buying monitor for my GH5. About ur suggestion, which one do you think it more suitable with my cam. Thx for such a hood info.
Today, would you recommend atomos shinobi or smallhd for a7III to film mainly in slog 2/3. Thanks
Can you use as monitor on 120fps 1080p?
Is there anyway at all to download 3rd party apps on these? I would think probably not or else tons of people would be doing what I want to do which is to be able to use it with my p4p or inspire remote but doubt I can run DJI Go app but figured it's worth asking around.
I own a Blackmagic Video Assist 4k and quite like it. I've often wondered if their 5" Video Assist isn't actually a better option than the Small HD with DC power option, SDI/HDMI input as well as HDMI/SDI loop output and 1080p recording to SD. Thoughts?
I don't know how it compares to the 4K, but I have a 5" Video Assist and the color accuracy of the screen is terrible. It has an awful green tint which is really distracting to use. As for the 1080p external recording, I suppose it depends on what you're shooting with. I currently shoot with a 5D Mark III and there is hardly any difference between the internal H264 codec and the VA ProRes HQ. In fact, if anything, the H264 is probably better. I would not recommend the 5" Video Assist. I'm currently looking at getting rid of mine and replacing it with a SmallHD FOCUS.
Hi Jimmy. Thank you for your reply. I'm curious how old your BM VA 5K is and have you contacted BM about the color issue? The color accuracy of mine is really quite good so I'm wondering if it's perhaps a warranty or firmware issue? I also find there is little difference between my camera's internal codec and ProRes until I'm shooting in log and color grading - but for general shooting, the internal codec is just fine. I often set the BM to ProRes proxy and rename the proxy files to the same name as the camera's internally created files so that I don't have to wait for my pc to render proxy files. I do find this is super convenient.
It's about 12 months old. I did contact Blackmagic and even sent it in for an inspection/assessment. They admitted that the monitor did shift towards the warmer/green side, but according to them this was within acceptable levels and they refused an exchange or refund. It's running the latest firmware which was apparently supposed to address some color accuracy issues. However, this has not made any difference whatsoever. It seems to be a known issue, at least for the 5" model. There's plenty of negative feedback all over the web about it. I for one have been very unimpressed with Blackmagic's customer service and product quality. I'm sure they do have some good quality products, but quality control seems to be very hit and miss. I won't be taking the risk of buying any of their products again.
Hey Harv,
Is there any way you could make an overheating test with this monitor and the Sony a6500? I just wanted to know if the camera overheats and if it improved. If you just let me know I would appreciate it. I can't find any videos on this.
- Paul
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REPLY
harv when are you gonna do a video on ur personal picture profile settings? I bought eoshd but they don't provide a log mode anymore
Check out Peter Bak Color, and it's free, and has a log mode.
Harv - I don't need the battery for my D750 (it's battery life is great) does it have a mini hdmi with the basic option. I've clicked all round the site but they don't tell you what leads come with the basic option. - a 'whats in the box' would have been helpful - seems like they are trying to up-sell by not giving info on the non bundle option.
No. You'll have to buy a mini-HDMI to HDMI adaptor. Cheap and readily available (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.) The SmallHD comes with an HDMI (full size) adapter you can plug into.
😂🤣😂 "No case?!" Whaaa? Glad I went with Atomos ninja flame. Close in price. Plus the new atom HDR. Yeee. Thanks Harv.
If I don't buy the bundle, what do I actually get? Do I get the arm and an HDMI cable?
+Rob Dunfy yes indeed, arm and cable included:)
I can't find anyone using this on a Nikon. I'd love to know if it'll help me manual focus with my D750 the superior peaking will help a lot.
Yes, it helps A LOT! You will need an inexpensive adapter cable to go from the D750 Mini-HDMI to normal-size HDMI (which then plugs into the HDMI adapter that comes with the monitor). Sounds more complicated than it is. You will love it. I use it for stills and video with D750's.
Finally someone stopped drooling over this thing! Awesome Harv! Powering a camera from another device? Why has nobody thought of this before? Oh wait,,,they did,,,it's called D-tap. And its not proprietary. And it powers everything. And I know you're next thought is "but they're expensive!". But did you just drop $600 on a monitor/power solution for your camera? If you need the tools the SmallHD offers, you are obviously on high value shoots. Surely one paycheck would cover some bigger batts!
mmm, I'm not sure about this. The Focus is aimed at vloggers (not necessarily high end video work, I'd say the 500 and 700 series are more for this kind of work), otherwise it wouldn't need to be super lightweight etc. Like you said there are d-taps but I'd say they're for a different group of consumers.Many thanks for the kind words btw :)
Harv Video/Audio Stuff Good point about the intended market being vloggers. I guess it's easy to forget not everything is targeted directly at the level of professional! Thanks for the reply!
if only it had hdmi out (granted you can work around this by using a hdmi splitter)
I returned mine.
+SPDTDL really? How come?
Best monitor I have bought. Quite happy with it and it is a must on the crane, you can see images of it attached to my Crane on my IG @studioekworx
Eric, what is the name of the arm that you show in your Instagram to attach this to the Crane? I would like to purchase one to do the same thing. Thanks, David
That's a cool mounting option, what Ikan clamp is that?
Video Upskill mini clamp www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1246005-REG/the_padcaster_pcclsys01_three_piece_clamp_system.html
Many thanks!
Excellent cheers
Frankly I think my Canon Screen is the best between sony and nikons. I shot a job with an a7s2 and got surprised on how crappy the lcd screen is, not sharp at all.
we judge our photos and adjust sharpness and color at 300 dpi so why not a video monitor? - your simply nitpicking
Any chance for a follow up since they released new firmware? czcams.com/video/856SJzSE9AU/video.html
Too bad it doesn't have an hdmi out :-/ But seems to be really worth it anyway.
canon best quality screens, as much as I hate to admit as a sony user lmao
+patrick diaz agreed! Hopefully Sony will have listened to alpha users for the a7s3 :)
Gh5 screen is very Sharp
olympus
The TOUCH SCREEN is really WEAK ans SHITTY... mine cracked on me within a Month... and since there are no Other button controls for the MONITOR, you have to REPLACE the whole thing as it becomes Useless if the Screen is damaged.
If you are a CANON 5D User - I Don't see why they can't just give a Battery Option for a CANON LP-E6 Battery? The whole point of the SmallHD (as I understood it) was Portability, but with the SONY Battery Only, you have to have that battery (and a Spare if you are a PROFESSIONAL) and the Sony Charger as well as your CANON Batteries and Canon Charger. Just More UNNECESSARY CRAP to Carry around with you on Shoots.
720 is HD. 1080 is FHD...
+eraserrx indeed, isn't that exactly what I said in the video?
I guess he means that the brand is called SmallHD and not SmallFHD. haha
LOL
I like smallhd product. But they are expensive
Looks like a great tool. Nice review!
However, regarding price: Why are camera monitors still that expensive when Tablets have become soo cheap and often have better screens and build quality? I know camera monitors have more ports, have to program their own OS and have a smaller market - but look at what tablets you can get for 700£! That really makes me wonder why they charge so much more...
For Canon users wanting to buy this. Look at the app "DSLR Controller". It's only ten bucks and turns your Android Tablet/Phone into a monitor.
Great point comparing these monitors to tablets!
SmallHD does NOT work in 4K with Sony 7iii!!! I believe it's a Sony issue but let's get Sony to fix this NOW!
Wow, what a blunder! I’m sure between Sony and SmallHD they’ll have it sorted pronto
I need to buy another monitor for this weekend, have any recommendations? $300-600. I really dig your video man and the sony profile ones are SO helpful. cheers
Drop me a message on my facebook dude, looking to get a monitor.
5 inches, too small, who cares? I like all your videos tho!!
+rekteen eh? I don't think it's too small, I'm selling my 7" monitor remember. Many thanks :)
Harv Video/Audio Stuff I didn't watch it all cuz too small 😁 you think the 7" is too big? I still like all your videos
I just looked at the price!???!###!!!****^^%%$$##@! Em what....?
+rekteen mmm no not too big, it's a question of features and convenience :)
Make smaller videos, and less smiling plz
+AB less smiling?!
no disrespect man, I just dont like over smiling people... but nothing's wrong with it. peace.
+AB what can I say, I'm just a happy kind of guy :) I also don't plan the length of the vids, they're as long as I need them to be
rather pointless comment. If you DON'T want in depth information and discussion of an item. why not go to the manufacturers website. i'm sure they will give you an entirely unbiased and accurate overview of their product. Sheesh. There's no pleasing some people!