Calib, B&H carries the IndiPRO Tools AC Power Supply with L-Series Dummy Battery (BH# INPSY62). I use these on a pair of SmallHD 702's in-studio and they work great. Might be worth a try on the Focus. Thanks for continuing to produce high quality and relevant videos! I've learned so much from you. Cheers!
I have the Focus since three days now, like it very much for my A6500. Use it on the Zhiyun Crane. Mounted on the left side of he handle bar with a small modified flash bracket. Unscrewed it's cold shoe and rotated it 90°. Much lighter than a macic arm or sth alike.
Hey, Caleb! Thanks for the awesome review... as always! I got this monitor for my birthday and have been loving it with my Canon Rebel t7i. Also, just FYI, SmallHD released a new OS3 update a few weeks ago that give a proper battery percentage on the monitor. Thanks again!
Thanks for the quality review. I appreciate the level headed pros and cons approach and you justifying all your comments with examples. I just ordered the Sony bundle through your B&H affiliate link.
ok cool... but the real question is HOW IS THE LATENCY!!! You should make a video comparing just the latency because I feel like that is a big deal breaker especially if its used while filming yourself!
Thanks for the reivew. I'm stumped on a couple things about the Focus 5, which I own: I've had it for years now... but it's a love hate relationship. 1. The color accuracy is always garbage. No matter how much I fiddle with it, or reset it to the factory settings, it never looks anything like it does on my a7siii screen or viewfinder. There for I always have to refer back to my camera screens to set WB if I'm doing so by sight (which I do 99% of the time). 2. Similar the the color issue, depending on the brightness setting of the Focus, the highlights appear washed out completely on the monitor, when they do NOT and ARE not on the camera screens. There for, I can never rely on the Focus monitor to, well, monitor my exposure and get an accurate representation of what is really going on in camera. 3. Again, same type of issue- Zebras. When I have zebras enabled, they shift based on the brightness of the Focus screen, when nothing else changes in cam, as far exposure settings go. The zebras do NOT match my in-cam zebras at all, even if set to similar values. There for (you guessed it!), I have to refer back to my camera's tiny screen to get a real reading of what's going on with my zebras / exposure. This is why I have given up on this monitor, and just rely on my tiny a7siii built in screen. While I cannot see the image as well because of the size, and cannot frame as intentially or accurately, i can atleast see my readings and get an accurate picture of- color, exposure, zebras, detail. I am honestly stummed as to how many people use this screen affectively and professionally. Please let me know if you have an tips to make this monitor more useful. Am I doing something wrong? side note: when I try to look up a way to calibrate the monitor.. I am left with nothing. They used to sell a calibration tool but don't anymore. I have an expensive X-rite Colorchecker, but unfortunatley this monitor doesn't support it.
You had me at touchscreen. how would you find touch responsiveness is and is there any lag/delay? Unreal amount of functionality squeezed into this monitor. Great review as always.
Solid review, this product really adds many of the missing parts. A few more (small) things i dislike after owning it for a while. The hdmi cable on the camera side could be 'smaller' it now has the same construction making it stick out too much. This works fine if you can lock it on a cage but this monitor allows for a very workable quick setup without. What would be perfect is a flatcable/90degrees connector. SmallHD support told me they are working on it and the current one was the one they could ship in time. The second one is the tilt arm, its fine but a connector part that would also allow rotation so you can aim it to the sides would be even better and they also told me they are working on a new optional replacement part to allow for this.... To make it perfect on next release would be great if they add a very small lithium battery inside so hotswap would be possible since it can feed the camera and a mirco usb power out to feed say a wireless option..... But for sony shooters this is a hit and it should be get over the $500 hump its a very solid value.
Their battery adapter is super cheap and doesn't fit well so definitely too expensive for that adapter. Also been having problems where my monitor gets really hot after about 20 min and the screen starts flashing a bit. I'm gonna try updating to see if that helps. All in all I still really like it and it's helped me a lot.
Con (maybe): The vulcanized rubber-like construct of the monitor. Oily hands will cause it to "melt" in the long run. At least in 80% humidity Singapore. I'm not sure yet if it will but most of my other things using the same finish tend to do that. I don't mind it being plastic (it's $500) but that's one thing I'd watch out for.
How do you feel about the size? I am considering this as my first monitor but it seems like the majority or alternative options are 7 inch. Features aside, which size do you prefer shooting with? Thanks for all the info!
How do you get such great color range in your backdrop? Are you just greenscreening it? Love the quality of your presentations, visually, audibly and informatively.
How is the latency? You haven't mentioned this and it was a serious problem with all the "best monitors under $200" so I'd like to know if this has the same amount or less.
I own this monitor too and I haven't noticed any latency, even shooting in 4k. It really is amazing for what you're getting. Especially shooting with the a6500. It solves almost all of the issues with the camera.
Great, thanks for your answer. I was planning on getting one of the cheaper ones from the sub $200 video just to have something that's bigger than the built-in screen (I own an A7s II) but now I might skip that and just spend a little more for this. Do you have experience with external recorders? I'm wondering if it would be even better to get an external recorder to use as a monitor but also to get 4:2:2 recording but they're more expensive of course and I should probably spend more money on other things first before that becomes a reasonable upgrade.
Hi Seth, I also own a Smallhd Focus and Sony a6500. I found out that this monitor only works when standing by in the 4K. When I start recording in 4K, my a6500's in body monitor does not show the image/videos are being captured, and the only thing showed is the information bars and settings that I can adjust with. In 1080p (HD) mode, all the menu and information bars will jump up to the Focus, the in body monitor will be off and I lost all the function of the touchscreen. Do you have the same problems that I have?
Great review, really thorough - thanks for putting in the work on these things! :) (also, I speak for all of RUclips when I say the more you can refer to things as "big juicy _____s" the better)
Hi Caleb, very nice video! I have a GH-4/5 V-Log related question: do you tune the contrast, sharpness and saturation numbers down when using V-Log profile? I have a GH4 usually shoot in regular color profile (natural, standard, vivid, etc) with reduced contrast, sharpness and saturation numbers to achieve better dynamic range. Recently, I bought the V-Log profile and an external monitor, and I started using V-Log to shot (with the same reduced saturation, contrast and sharpness), and apply the display LUT. However, I found the image still looks very flat using applying the LUT. Should I just set all those numbers to zero if I am already using LUT?
Hi Caleb you can use the larger Sony PF970 batteries you just flip the monitor over the other way. Love this monitor been waiting so long for one like this, makes using the A6500 a dream setup.
Great Stuff, I really like visiting your channel before i buy, I have been shooting commercials for 25 years . I've retired and now running a photography business using DSLR's and now i am getting back into it via DSLR. we are using nikon cameras and soon we we will be moving to the nikon 810. Keep up the great work and i will be defiantly trying out the some of the gear your using. THIS monitor solves a lot of my problems, power, size and function, just have to get a hood for it... Thanks
It's actually an 8bit monitor, SmallHD are very sneaky by labeling it in the specs as 10bit processing. That is technically correct, same as many modern TV's the signal is processed at a higher bit depth that the display is capable of. If it really was a 10bit panel they would have plenty of HDR features as well.
Excellent presentation - thanks! Just wondering what is the weight of the monitor- as I am contemplating using it on a gimbal setup, where i have a weight limit.
Hi Caleb. Great review. I'm doing due diligence on this purchase and I have a question please. I've been told that when the monitor is connected to an A6300/6500 you can't use Smile/face detect, Lock on AF, Centre lock AF or Eye AF. That's one of the main reasons for getting the Sony and Sony lenses. Is this true? In which case it would be a deal breaker. Thanks.
Hey Caleb! Awesome review! Was waiting for you to FOCUS on this monitor!! (That pun tho...) I picked up this monitor to go with my a6500 as well. Is there a setting you used to have the monitor on AND keep the a6500 screen on as well? For me once the monitor turns on, the a6500 goes dark. Any way keep both on?? Thanks!
Only in 1080p. i know we all love 4k but don't forget you have that option. Now there is a bug that DOES allow you todo it but i still can't find a good way to trigger it. Its clearly sony turning the screen part of (it only happens after a 0.5 seconds) so i don't want to push this since its clearly done to protect power usage. The a9 for example doesn't have this since it can provide more power.
Thanks for the reply! For me the a6500 screen was still shutting off when I turned the monitor on even when not in 4k mode. Is there a setting I'm missing?
The Atomos Ninja Blade is THE BEST for $500. Simply because you can insert and record to a 2.5" SSD drive. Throw a 1TB or 500gb SSD drive and now you have a recording beast with Focus Peaking and tons of other perks.
Its ok on the a6500. I also (stupid) noticed that now reviewing of audio on recordings is way better since you can use the headphones. The pre-amps are far from perfect but o well...
Got my Focus 2 weeks ago and love it. FYI: Just like the the 4K image disappears on the camera lcd when attached to the Focus, so do options for auto focus. Center lock detect and smile/face detect are grayed out (both using focus area wide, 4K). I emailed SmallHD tech support and they said its the a6500. Are you finding the same?
Hi Caleb. Great video. Have you experienced any lag in audio while monitoring. Usually on cheap monitors I have small lag, not to big, but still annoying. How is situation here? Thank you.
Great vid cant wait to get mine in. Ordered from BH about a week ago. I ordered th panasonic bundle so do you know if I will receive a micro HDMI to standard HDMI cable? (using with the GH5) Thanks
Thanks for reviewing this product, I had actually pre-order this as soon as it was available for pre orders. But unfortunately my order got all screwed up somehow in their end and I was forced to cancel and when with The Ninja flame from Atomos with my Sony A6300 . Your review answer all my questions. I wanted to ask if you could review and / or do a tutorial on the Ninja Flame. Thanks
Hi Caleb, thanks for your your interresting review. I own a GH5. Do you have allready any experiences with your own GH5 and the Focus Monitor? Would you recommend it for the GH5? Thanks for your time. John from Germany
Really considering this one! One question...does this have an HDMI OUT? (as in, can I go from my GH5 to the monitor then back out to a capture card for live streaming?) I know that some monitors such as the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K can do this...
Hey brother thanks for the video. My only concern has been that I can't see the camera display settings on there unless I'm filming in 1080p. The moment I switch to 4k both screens are on and the settings etc only display on the camera and the image is on the monitor. Is there anyway to change this. Also can I keep my camera monitor off while using the small hd monitor.
I was also wondering this. It seems as a monitor (so viewing/reviewing your shots on set) this one is the best choice in terms of features and usability. But the Blackmagic has ProRes recording, which is an amazing codec and can help you a lot in post production (especially if you have a slower computer). The downside is that it's only HD resolution recordings in the blackmagic, and no slowmotion (as far as I know). Hope I helped you a bit, cheers :)
Van Pham I own the 5" BlackMagic VA and I love it. It's built super solid, very responsive touch screen, very sharp screen to keep focus, and records ProRes up to 60fps. As a Sony shooter with paid gigs, it also gives me peace of mind having a backup to all my footage in case a card ever goes bad. Downsides: not as many features as the SmallHD, and the monitor colors could be better. Small price to pay for a ProRes recorder though IMO.
Hi Caleb, how's the colour accuracy of the Focus? I have the Aputure VS-2 and am considering switching out of it because of the terrible colour accuracy of that monitor. I want something that'll be similar/identical to what my camera is actually capturing.
Hi Caleb, I shoot with Lumix gh5 and is there any monitor lag issues? I currently use a Lilliput 7" full Hd Monitor (expensive $550) and there is terrible lag. I want to purchase the SmallHd focus but not sure if there is going to be lag. Thank you for your reply, great shows!!
If you figure out a way to calibrate it then I'd love to know because I've tried and it's got a screwy system that doesn't let you turn off the default lut and still adjust rgb parameters.
Calibration makes a huge difference, I have the 702 and did just that with DisplayCAL3 software and x-ride tool, after making a profile export 3DLut in 32x32x32 .cube file and load it into the SmallHD SD card. * calibration is done by connecting the monitor to the computer HDMI Here is a picture Before and After calibration flic.kr/p/WLFsLK
Can you recommend a budget camera for video, I need it to be able to adapt to Nikon and maybe cannon lenses smartly, i.e. auto focus and other stuff works. I have a Nikon D3400 and need an upgrade. I am looking at the a6000 as it is cheaper than the a6300 and a6500. I would probably buy it second hand. If you do recommend something, could you also recommend a smart lens adapter. Thanks.
Hello Caleb, big fan of your work. Caleb is there any way you can help me with the SmallHD Focus calibration? The monitor color does not match the A6500 EV color. Its a pain. Hope you can help me, thanks
You recommended the NP-F750 or smaller batteries as the larger 900 series batteries would prevent the monitor from flipping. Why wouldn't you just rotate the monitor in the other direction so the battery flips over the top instead of being underslung?
How's the latency on this monitor? I can't find a video with anyone talking about it. I've used a 702 before and that one was spot on. Is this close to it? Thanks.
Comments in this video about a 5” on-camera monitor cited that the brightness was “800 nits” and other “facts” describing this SmallHD camera monitor mentioned in the preface about its resolution, etc. Actually, none of those “stats” applied to ANY one 5” monitor made by SmallHD, certainly not that priced at under $500. These statements are misleading, perhaps intentionally so.
The battery level issue might be because you're using an off-brand sony battery? I know with the SmallHD 501, you have to use two official Canon LP-6 batteries for it to show the battery percentage, otherwise it also just shows the voltage with a question mark.
People also reported it with their official battery, the fact that is shows 2 batteries is also a hint that they need to work on that part of the software a little.
Hey Caleb, is it true that you cant properly insert the dummy battery in Sony A6500? I saw people complaining that they cant insert the dummy bat in the compartment and close it without stresss to the battery door! Is this a real problem or isolated cases?
It looks like the mount doesn't quite hold the monitor horizontal with the camera, its always slightly slanted. Perhaps the weight of the cables or something are pulling it down. Either way, that'll drive me nuts. Does it have hard points on the monitor itself so I can mount it directly to a camera cage, or use a mini ball head and mount it on the bottom?
I just had a random thought while watching this, if it connects the monitor to the coldshoe mount by a 1/4" male, then you could probably connect it to a small camera cage for the A6300 if the cage has 1/4" females on the side. just a though
It annoys me that you didn't navigate the "screens" by just swiping left and right. You don't need to pitch each time you want to change the screen. Other than that great video. I love my SmallHD. Question though, do you have any issues removing 3rd party batteries. I used the ones you recommend and they are really hard to detach from the SmallHD. The battery that it came with, removes just fine.
I did wasabi for example was hard to remove, other brands worked ok. Figured it was wasabi but i heard other report it too. guess you have to pick your brands a little :(
Hey Rob, Sorry for the late reply. I have this product, and it's really helpful in some situations: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DA38C3G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I hope this is helpful. - Paul
Do I want/need this monitor with the a6500 for vlogging? -- Im mainly concerned about exposure not so much with framing... I hate how you need a big/heavy battery, wish the camera battery could power the monitor too
Hey Caleb, 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
Great Video dude! Would you have any solutions of using this monitor with a gimbal? I've used it handheld and on a shoulder mount but I would love to be able to pair it up with a zhiyun crane somehow since filming outside in 4K is basically shooting blind.
question for you when reviewing footage on the GH5 using the small hd I cant seem to play them or review them cause theres no play button. Is there a setting I have wrong? By the way great channel, always enjoy your reviews. thank you
I shoot with an A7R ii and I am struggling to choose what monitor/ external recorder to pick. For only a few hundred dollars more I can get an Atomos Flame that can record 4K but the 7in size just seems so big. If the Atomos was a 5in screen it would be no contest. What are your thoughts? I really like this SmallHD but having an external recorder that does the same thing seems so appealing...
big and heavy, external recorders have their place and i will still use it. But this is about 100grams (without battery) and wire's are all clean and easy to hide its just a way smaller setup in use. Even compared to the say older 5" Atomos products like the ninja.
Hello, love your videos. I bought this minor with gh5 however it doesn’t show the image when I change the resolution to 4k 60fps. Is this work for you? I asked small hd and they said it doesn’t work. Is there a reason why you didn’t put this in the review video?
The problem is a little that the focus resolves 3 or 4 problems and how much do we $$ for each. $200 for lcd. $100 for headphones with volume control, $100 for powerbank option, $50 for the swivel arm. yes its $500 but things add up or problems are left open on a $250-$300 monitor.
If you can yes, But its easy for me to say this. But a good compare would be picking the a6300 vs a6500. Clearly the a6300 is 'almost' the same but once you add up all the smaller things there are a lot of them. Same here if for you it also resolves multiple problems and it comes with many more nice tools things are stacking up. This is way many say its not cheap but its good value.
Carlos Benjamin the cables won’t allow when they’re in the cable management. It’s possible when they’re loose but then it’s untidy. I bought the large battery but have since swapped that with a smaller one from one of my lights. It’s fine if you’re just behind the camera, but if you want the flexibility to flip it, you’ll need a lower profile battery 🙂
I was one of the first to have this monitor. I love it. However, I have run into a couple of instances where the screen starts glitching out on me and I have to restart it. I'll have to keep an eye on it and see if it happens again.
DSLR Video Shooter at first it looks like there is a problem with my camera banding, but it's really the monitor. It looks like the monitor keeps repeatedly trying to access the left side menu. It may be caused by a sort of "false touch" because of residue my fingers leave on the display. Not 100% certain though.
hi caleb, i just recked my old small hd foucs and got a new one. on the old i had a red frame apear when recording on the new one i can't find this setting. do you know how to do this. / pete.
Love my Atomos Assassin. The backup recording has saved my ass a couple times when my camera failed to record. But recently I cracked the screen and the touch function broke 😖
Hi @Caleb, I have a Feelworld F550 which is a little too quiet on the headphone output (with my A6300) and unfortunately also looks like native screen refresh is locked to 60Hz meaning some telecine judder becoming visible when using it for PAL which I do mostly 1080@50p. Did you encounter any of these issues..I might consider the upgrade..Plus I really do like the waveform. PS how do you know/see >105% IRE when shooting CINE4? (I think the waveform from the A6300 is a little off..)
Calib, B&H carries the IndiPRO Tools AC Power Supply with L-Series Dummy Battery (BH# INPSY62). I use these on a pair of SmallHD 702's in-studio and they work great. Might be worth a try on the Focus. Thanks for continuing to produce high quality and relevant videos! I've learned so much from you. Cheers!
Nice monitor, however I would really like the see a similar video like the " 9 best monitors under 200$ ", but for a price point between 300 and 500$
Like your reviews! Calm and professional without screaming and cheap destructing tricks. Thank you!
I have the Focus since three days now, like it very much for my A6500. Use it on the Zhiyun Crane. Mounted on the left side of he handle bar with a small modified flash bracket. Unscrewed it's cold shoe and rotated it 90°. Much lighter than a macic arm or sth alike.
@axel I'd love to see the setup and know how you modified the bracket. This is exactly what I am looking to do.
Me too! Sounds great. Love to see the setup
6:10 You can upload LUTS into an SD Card, LUTS and LUTS of flexibility 😂
Nice :-)
Please don't go into FPGA. Okay ????
you're everywhere bro haha
Hey, Caleb! Thanks for the awesome review... as always! I got this monitor for my birthday and have been loving it with my Canon Rebel t7i. Also, just FYI, SmallHD released a new OS3 update a few weeks ago that give a proper battery percentage on the monitor. Thanks again!
Is your background just a white/grey paper with a gelled LED right behind you pointing up at it in the center? It looks really nice.
That moment when the a6500 is rigged up with a 500$ Monitor and a 45$ Mic.
Thanks for the quality review. I appreciate the level headed pros and cons approach and you justifying all your comments with examples. I just ordered the Sony bundle through your B&H affiliate link.
ok cool... but the real question is HOW IS THE LATENCY!!! You should make a video comparing just the latency because I feel like that is a big deal breaker especially if its used while filming yourself!
hows the lagg? surprised this wasnt mentioned
Thanks for the reivew. I'm stumped on a couple things about the Focus 5, which I own:
I've had it for years now... but it's a love hate relationship.
1. The color accuracy is always garbage. No matter how much I fiddle with it, or reset it to the factory settings, it never looks anything like it does on my a7siii screen or viewfinder. There for I always have to refer back to my camera screens to set WB if I'm doing so by sight (which I do 99% of the time).
2. Similar the the color issue, depending on the brightness setting of the Focus, the highlights appear washed out completely on the monitor, when they do NOT and ARE not on the camera screens. There for, I can never rely on the Focus monitor to, well, monitor my exposure and get an accurate representation of what is really going on in camera.
3. Again, same type of issue- Zebras. When I have zebras enabled, they shift based on the brightness of the Focus screen, when nothing else changes in cam, as far exposure settings go. The zebras do NOT match my in-cam zebras at all, even if set to similar values. There for (you guessed it!), I have to refer back to my camera's tiny screen to get a real reading of what's going on with my zebras / exposure.
This is why I have given up on this monitor, and just rely on my tiny a7siii built in screen. While I cannot see the image as well because of the size, and cannot frame as intentially or accurately, i can atleast see my readings and get an accurate picture of- color, exposure, zebras, detail.
I am honestly stummed as to how many people use this screen affectively and professionally. Please let me know if you have an tips to make this monitor more useful. Am I doing something wrong?
side note: when I try to look up a way to calibrate the monitor.. I am left with nothing. They used to sell a calibration tool but don't anymore. I have an expensive X-rite Colorchecker, but unfortunatley this monitor doesn't support it.
Hey Caleb, this is a very informative video! The focus is way more powerful then I was expecting. By the way I really enjoy the colores backgrounds.
Thanks Jan-Marius! Me too! Gels are fun :-)
What gels and lights do you have to colour the background?
Thanks for the review!
Thanks for watching EposVox!
You had me at touchscreen. how would you find touch responsiveness is and is there any lag/delay?
Unreal amount of functionality squeezed into this monitor. Great review as always.
Thanks kOS! The touch was very very good. Better than my Atomos Shogun Inferno.
I own one myself the touch is really responsive, really no lag what so ever. 100% would reccomened
Solid review, this product really adds many of the missing parts. A few more (small) things i dislike after owning it for a while. The hdmi cable on the camera side could be 'smaller' it now has the same construction making it stick out too much. This works fine if you can lock it on a cage but this monitor allows for a very workable quick setup without. What would be perfect is a flatcable/90degrees connector. SmallHD support told me they are working on it and the current one was the one they could ship in time. The second one is the tilt arm, its fine but a connector part that would also allow rotation so you can aim it to the sides would be even better and they also told me they are working on a new optional replacement part to allow for this.... To make it perfect on next release would be great if they add a very small lithium battery inside so hotswap would be possible since it can feed the camera and a mirco usb power out to feed say a wireless option..... But for sony shooters this is a hit and it should be get over the $500 hump its a very solid value.
Just got mine and it's awesome!
Such a great little monitor!
Their battery adapter is super cheap and doesn't fit well so definitely too expensive for that adapter. Also been having problems where my monitor gets really hot after about 20 min and the screen starts flashing a bit. I'm gonna try updating to see if that helps. All in all I still really like it and it's helped me a lot.
Always learn so much with your videos. Thank you
Con (maybe): The vulcanized rubber-like construct of the monitor. Oily hands will cause it to "melt" in the long run. At least in 80% humidity Singapore. I'm not sure yet if it will but most of my other things using the same finish tend to do that. I don't mind it being plastic (it's $500) but that's one thing I'd watch out for.
Great review. Definitely going to buy this, just need to wait until it becomes ready to buy in store.
Nice review, thanks. Wish I could sit in front of a camera and sound as relaxed as you do!! Keep up the good work :-)
Another awesome video. Thanks man! Can't wait to grab one of these.
How do you feel about the size? I am considering this as my first monitor but it seems like the majority or alternative options are 7 inch. Features aside, which size do you prefer shooting with? Thanks for all the info!
I have always LOVED the 5 inch size. 7 inches is a lot to balance on top of a camera system unless you only shoot with a tripod.
Makes sense! Thank you
Thank YOU for watching!
How do you get such great color range in your backdrop? Are you just greenscreening it? Love the quality of your presentations, visually, audibly and informatively.
It's the lights ain't it haha 😳
Great video review, thanks for posting.
Thanks, would be interested in your thoughts on 7" in that price range for those of us with old eyes.
already addressed. Can be too top heavy.
How is the latency? You haven't mentioned this and it was a serious problem with all the "best monitors under $200" so I'd like to know if this has the same amount or less.
Very good. Much better than those other monitors. Throwing $300 more at a monitor seems to do the trick!
I own this monitor too and I haven't noticed any latency, even shooting in 4k. It really is amazing for what you're getting. Especially shooting with the a6500. It solves almost all of the issues with the camera.
Great, thanks for your answer. I was planning on getting one of the cheaper ones from the sub $200 video just to have something that's bigger than the built-in screen (I own an A7s II) but now I might skip that and just spend a little more for this. Do you have experience with external recorders? I'm wondering if it would be even better to get an external recorder to use as a monitor but also to get 4:2:2 recording but they're more expensive of course and I should probably spend more money on other things first before that becomes a reasonable upgrade.
I'd agree whole heartedly.
Hi Seth, I also own a Smallhd Focus and Sony a6500. I found out that this monitor only works when standing by in the 4K. When I start recording in 4K, my a6500's in body monitor does not show the image/videos are being captured, and the only thing showed is the information bars and settings that I can adjust with. In 1080p (HD) mode, all the menu and information bars will jump up to the Focus, the in body monitor will be off and I lost all the function of the touchscreen. Do you have the same problems that I have?
Great review, really thorough - thanks for putting in the work on these things! :) (also, I speak for all of RUclips when I say the more you can refer to things as "big juicy _____s" the better)
As soon as I have $500 after I upgrade to an a6500, I'm getting this!
Thanks for the great review and dark grey shirt as usual!
Thanks Man! Going shopping for new threads soon ;-)
Awesome review for the monitor, just bought one today.
Great vid. Thanks
“Big fat juicy vector scope” new band name 🤣
The smallHD Focus is the way too go, always thought that a 7 inch monitor felt too top heavy for smaller cameras
Hi Caleb, very nice video! I have a GH-4/5 V-Log related question: do you tune the contrast, sharpness and saturation numbers down when using V-Log profile? I have a GH4 usually shoot in regular color profile (natural, standard, vivid, etc) with reduced contrast, sharpness and saturation numbers to achieve better dynamic range. Recently, I bought the V-Log profile and an external monitor, and I started using V-Log to shot (with the same reduced saturation, contrast and sharpness), and apply the display LUT. However, I found the image still looks very flat using applying the LUT. Should I just set all those numbers to zero if I am already using LUT?
Hi Caleb you can use the larger Sony PF970 batteries you just flip the monitor over the other way. Love this monitor been waiting so long for one like this, makes using the A6500 a dream setup.
Great review! What's the color accuracy like? I'm looking at getting this to replace my Blackmagic Video Assist which has terrible color accuracy.
Great Stuff, I really like visiting your channel before i buy, I have been shooting commercials for 25 years . I've retired and now running a photography business using DSLR's and now i am getting back into it via DSLR. we are using nikon cameras and soon we we will be moving to the nikon 810. Keep up the great work and i will be defiantly trying out the some of the gear your using. THIS monitor solves a lot of my problems, power, size and function, just have to get a hood for it...
Thanks
You might not need a hood since the screen is so bright.
It's actually an 8bit monitor, SmallHD are very sneaky by labeling it in the specs as 10bit processing. That is technically correct, same as many modern TV's the signal is processed at a higher bit depth that the display is capable of. If it really was a 10bit panel they would have plenty of HDR features as well.
Excellent presentation - thanks! Just wondering what is the weight of the monitor- as I am contemplating using it on a gimbal setup, where i have a weight limit.
Yea! Toying with this for my C100 MkII.
Would make for a nice pair!
The drool factor is strong with this monitor. Great review, BTW.
Hi Caleb. Great review.
I'm doing due diligence on this purchase and I have a question please. I've been told that when the monitor is connected to an A6300/6500 you can't use Smile/face detect, Lock on AF, Centre lock AF or Eye AF.
That's one of the main reasons for getting the Sony and Sony lenses.
Is this true? In which case it would be a deal breaker.
Thanks.
I have definitely used eye AF and it worked
Any update on the firmware helping those Cons you indicated? Fix battery display? Thanks for the awesome review once again!
Hey Caleb! Awesome review! Was waiting for you to FOCUS on this monitor!! (That pun tho...) I picked up this monitor to go with my a6500 as well. Is there a setting you used to have the monitor on AND keep the a6500 screen on as well? For me once the monitor turns on, the a6500 goes dark. Any way keep both on?? Thanks!
Only in 1080p. i know we all love 4k but don't forget you have that option. Now there is a bug that DOES allow you todo it but i still can't find a good way to trigger it. Its clearly sony turning the screen part of (it only happens after a 0.5 seconds) so i don't want to push this since its clearly done to protect power usage. The a9 for example doesn't have this since it can provide more power.
Thanks for the reply! For me the a6500 screen was still shutting off when I turned the monitor on even when not in 4k mode. Is there a setting I'm missing?
The Atomos Ninja Blade is THE BEST for $500. Simply because you can insert and record to a 2.5" SSD drive. Throw a 1TB or 500gb SSD drive and now you have a recording beast with Focus Peaking and tons of other perks.
I love the focus! One thing I noticed with the GH5 is when you change from playback to live view the video is choppy. Otherwise the Focus rocks!
Right on. I'll have to check that out!
Its ok on the a6500. I also (stupid) noticed that now reviewing of audio on recordings is way better since you can use the headphones. The pre-amps are far from perfect but o well...
Got my Focus 2 weeks ago and love it. FYI: Just like the the 4K image disappears on the camera lcd when attached to the Focus, so do options for auto focus. Center lock detect and smile/face detect are grayed out (both using focus area wide, 4K). I emailed SmallHD tech support and they said its the a6500. Are you finding the same?
Can this monitor allow you to record longer then 30 minutes on sony A7 series cameras?
Hi Caleb. Great video. Have you experienced any lag in audio while monitoring. Usually on cheap monitors I have small lag, not to big, but still annoying. How is situation here?
Thank you.
Hmm. Haven't tested fully but it didn't seem back. There will always be a little HDMI audio lag but not as bad as the < $200 monitors I reviewed.
Great vid cant wait to get mine in. Ordered from BH about a week ago. I ordered th panasonic bundle so do you know if I will receive a micro HDMI to standard HDMI cable? (using with the GH5) Thanks
Wow. How did you do the light setup and the background?
Hey Caleb. Do you power your camera from the monitor? If so, how long do a single charge last? Thanks 🙂 I'm shooting on a GH5
Glad I saw your FB post. Thank you....gonna watch it right meow! Will use your link to purchase (as always hahaha)
Also Caleb you are almost at 200k subs. Advance congrats!
Thanks Ry!!!
Thanks for reviewing this product, I had actually pre-order this as soon as it was available for pre orders. But unfortunately my order got all screwed up somehow in their end and I was forced to cancel and when with The Ninja flame from Atomos with my Sony A6300 . Your review answer all my questions. I wanted to ask if you could review and / or do a tutorial on the Ninja Flame. Thanks
Hi Caleb, thanks for your your interresting review. I own a GH5. Do you have allready any experiences with your own GH5 and the Focus Monitor? Would you recommend it for the GH5? Thanks for your time. John from Germany
Really considering this one! One question...does this have an HDMI OUT? (as in, can I go from my GH5 to the monitor then back out to a capture card for live streaming?) I know that some monitors such as the Blackmagic Video Assist 4K can do this...
Hey brother thanks for the video. My only concern has been that I can't see the camera display settings on there unless I'm filming in 1080p. The moment I switch to 4k both screens are on and the settings etc only display on the camera and the image is on the monitor. Is there anyway to change this. Also can I keep my camera monitor off while using the small hd monitor.
that is a limitation of the camera not from the monitor
Thank you for your review.
This monitor vs. the blackmagic video assist 5", which is better in your opinion?
I'd take this one. Love the flexibility. That said I haven't played with the BM recorders.
I was also wondering this. It seems as a monitor (so viewing/reviewing your shots on set) this one is the best choice in terms of features and usability. But the Blackmagic has ProRes recording, which is an amazing codec and can help you a lot in post production (especially if you have a slower computer). The downside is that it's only HD resolution recordings in the blackmagic, and no slowmotion (as far as I know). Hope I helped you a bit, cheers :)
Van Pham I own the 5" BlackMagic VA and I love it. It's built super solid, very responsive touch screen, very sharp screen to keep focus, and records ProRes up to 60fps. As a Sony shooter with paid gigs, it also gives me peace of mind having a backup to all my footage in case a card ever goes bad. Downsides: not as many features as the SmallHD, and the monitor colors could be better. Small price to pay for a ProRes recorder though IMO.
thanks for the comment, guess I am going with the Blackmagic, which suits my need better
I have both and prefer the SmallHD Focus but then I never 'record' in the Video Assist monitor.
i really hope you do a full detail video of the focus..
Hi Caleb, how's the colour accuracy of the Focus? I have the Aputure VS-2 and am considering switching out of it because of the terrible colour accuracy of that monitor. I want something that'll be similar/identical to what my camera is actually capturing.
Hi Caleb, I shoot with Lumix gh5 and is there any monitor lag issues? I currently use a Lilliput 7" full Hd Monitor (expensive $550) and there is terrible lag. I want to purchase the SmallHd focus but not sure if there is going to be lag. Thank you for your reply, great shows!!
Awesome video as usual. Have you found a way to easily calibrate the monitor? There's a calibration option in the menu.
Haven't done so yet but plan on doing a video on it soon! My unit was very close to perfect out of the box.
DSLR Video Shooter Awesome. Looking forward to a video on it. Ordered mine but there's two to three weeks waiting. :(
If you figure out a way to calibrate it then I'd love to know because I've tried and it's got a screwy system that doesn't let you turn off the default lut and still adjust rgb parameters.
Mine came really warm (yellowy). :(
Calibration makes a huge difference, I have the 702 and did just that with DisplayCAL3 software and x-ride tool, after making a profile export 3DLut in 32x32x32 .cube file and load it into the SmallHD SD card.
* calibration is done by connecting the monitor to the computer HDMI
Here is a picture Before and After calibration flic.kr/p/WLFsLK
Hello, if ypu have a sony a6300, does the touchscreen work for focusing? Thanks, and btw, great video! :)
You do not have to pinch for going to a page, just swipe left or right, its much faster ;-)
Can you recommend a budget camera for video, I need it to be able to adapt to Nikon and maybe cannon lenses smartly, i.e. auto focus and other stuff works. I have a Nikon D3400 and need an upgrade. I am looking at the a6000 as it is cheaper than the a6300 and a6500. I would probably buy it second hand. If you do recommend something, could you also recommend a smart lens adapter. Thanks.
Hey Caleb! Could you do a Q and A Video? BTW you deserve way more subs!
Hey Floppin! I did a live Q&A recently. I have more planned though! Thank you for the kind words. Slowly growing!
Hello Caleb, big fan of your work. Caleb is there any way you can help me with the SmallHD Focus calibration? The monitor color does not match the A6500 EV color. Its a pain. Hope you can help me, thanks
You recommended the NP-F750 or smaller batteries as the larger 900 series batteries would prevent the monitor from flipping. Why wouldn't you just rotate the monitor in the other direction so the battery flips over the top instead of being underslung?
hi.. enjoy your video.. can you send me the link for your audio mic, is it from Rode, and which model? thank you. G.Lam
How's the latency on this monitor? I can't find a video with anyone talking about it. I've used a 702 before and that one was spot on. Is this close to it? Thanks.
You swipe from one screen to the other without pinching out. Just swipe from full screen to full screen.
Comments in this video about a 5” on-camera monitor cited that the brightness was “800 nits” and other “facts” describing this SmallHD camera monitor mentioned in the preface about its resolution, etc. Actually, none of those “stats” applied to ANY one 5” monitor made by SmallHD, certainly not that priced at under $500. These statements are misleading, perhaps intentionally so.
The battery level issue might be because you're using an off-brand sony battery? I know with the SmallHD 501, you have to use two official Canon LP-6 batteries for it to show the battery percentage, otherwise it also just shows the voltage with a question mark.
People also reported it with their official battery, the fact that is shows 2 batteries is also a hint that they need to work on that part of the software a little.
ah, thanks for the clarification!
Hey Caleb, is it true that you cant properly insert the dummy battery in Sony A6500? I saw people complaining that they cant insert the dummy bat in the compartment and close it without stresss to the battery door! Is this a real problem or isolated cases?
Hi Caleb, I just got the small hd focus. i cant se a reording indicator on the screen is that correct.
It looks like the mount doesn't quite hold the monitor horizontal with the camera, its always slightly slanted. Perhaps the weight of the cables or something are pulling it down. Either way, that'll drive me nuts. Does it have hard points on the monitor itself so I can mount it directly to a camera cage, or use a mini ball head and mount it on the bottom?
I just had a random thought while watching this, if it connects the monitor to the coldshoe mount by a 1/4" male, then you could probably connect it to a small camera cage for the A6300 if the cage has 1/4" females on the side. just a though
That thing is so amazing! I gotta try it
It annoys me that you didn't navigate the "screens" by just swiping left and right. You don't need to pitch each time you want to change the screen.
Other than that great video. I love my SmallHD. Question though, do you have any issues removing 3rd party batteries. I used the ones you recommend and they are really hard to detach from the SmallHD. The battery that it came with, removes just fine.
Hmm. I didn't have any issues with batteries. The battery release button works great with my 3 different brands.
I did wasabi for example was hard to remove, other brands worked ok. Figured it was wasabi but i heard other report it too. guess you have to pick your brands a little :(
Do you prefer the included swivel arm to your custom, go-pro like monitor adapter you built (a la Red camera)?
I want to know this as well.
I really like my custom setup, but if you want to completely flip the screen, the Focus arm is your best option.
If I wanted to have the monitor at right angle to camera, I guess one would need a small ball joint interface between hot shoes and L mount.
Hey Rob,
Sorry for the late reply. I have this product, and it's really helpful in some situations: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DA38C3G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I hope this is helpful.
- Paul
Do I want/need this monitor with the a6500 for vlogging? -- Im mainly concerned about exposure not so much with framing...
I hate how you need a big/heavy battery, wish the camera battery could power the monitor too
Hey Caleb,
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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thanks, is there another version of this monitor with a higher resolution than this?
Great Video dude! Would you have any solutions of using this monitor with a gimbal? I've used it handheld and on a shoulder mount but I would love to be able to pair it up with a zhiyun crane somehow since filming outside in 4K is basically shooting blind.
Tom Antos made a video recently about using a monitor for gimbals. You should check it out.
You could attach it to the handle of the gimbal. That way it's not adding any weight to the camera.
You could try using this on the arm of the gimbal and thread a monitor to it via the screw www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PPQ0MGQ/ref=ya_st_dp_summary
I would nano clamp it to the handle. The cables are super light weight do balance shouldn't be an issue.
I have the same problem, you couldent use the battery to charge the camera either. Also will have to get a longer cord.
question for you when reviewing footage on the GH5 using the small hd I cant seem to play them or review them cause theres no play button. Is there a setting I have wrong? By the way great channel, always enjoy your reviews. thank you
I shoot with an A7R ii and I am struggling to choose what monitor/ external recorder to pick. For only a few hundred dollars more I can get an Atomos Flame that can record 4K but the 7in size just seems so big. If the Atomos was a 5in screen it would be no contest. What are your thoughts? I really like this SmallHD but having an external recorder that does the same thing seems so appealing...
big and heavy, external recorders have their place and i will still use it. But this is about 100grams (without battery) and wire's are all clean and easy to hide its just a way smaller setup in use. Even compared to the say older 5" Atomos products like the ninja.
Hello, love your videos. I bought this minor with gh5 however it doesn’t show the image when I change the resolution to 4k 60fps. Is this work for you? I asked small hd and they said it doesn’t work. Is there a reason why you didn’t put this in the review video?
Let's Go!
Great stuff... QUESTION: What monitor is good for the A6500 for just vlogging and checking composition?
This monitor would be best. Otherwise the monitors I talked about in my comparison video would also do the trick for less $.
Awesome yeah, seems like a bit of $ just for vlogging and framing. I am a noob so most of the settings are meaningless at this stage. :)
The problem is a little that the focus resolves 3 or 4 problems and how much do we $$ for each. $200 for lcd. $100 for headphones with volume control, $100 for powerbank option, $50 for the swivel arm. yes its $500 but things add up or problems are left open on a $250-$300 monitor.
SO what you are saying is... close your eyes and buy the SmallHD Focus for $599
If you can yes, But its easy for me to say this. But a good compare would be picking the a6300 vs a6500. Clearly the a6300 is 'almost' the same but once you add up all the smaller things there are a lot of them. Same here if for you it also resolves multiple problems and it comes with many more nice tools things are stacking up. This is way many say its not cheap but its good value.
what about using a hdmi splitter for hdmi out (wireless transmitter). would love to see your take on that
I'm fine, but there's no signal music today. You opened my wallet again. Haha.
Why couldn't you flip the screen the opposite direction with the bigger battery?
Carlos Benjamin the cables won’t allow when they’re in the cable management. It’s possible when they’re loose but then it’s untidy. I bought the large battery but have since swapped that with a smaller one from one of my lights. It’s fine if you’re just behind the camera, but if you want the flexibility to flip it, you’ll need a lower profile battery 🙂
I was one of the first to have this monitor. I love it. However, I have run into a couple of instances where the screen starts glitching out on me and I have to restart it. I'll have to keep an eye on it and see if it happens again.
Yikes! I haven't had that issue myself, but when I start the monitor out the color wigs a little before settling down.
DSLR Video Shooter at first it looks like there is a problem with my camera banding, but it's really the monitor. It looks like the monitor keeps repeatedly trying to access the left side menu. It may be caused by a sort of "false touch" because of residue my fingers leave on the display. Not 100% certain though.
Is it worth getting one of these used or saving up and buying a indie 5???
hi caleb, i just recked my old small hd foucs and got a new one. on the old i had a red frame apear when recording on the new one i can't find this setting. do you know how to do this. / pete.
Love my Atomos Assassin. The backup recording has saved my ass a couple times when my camera failed to record. But recently I cracked the screen and the touch function broke 😖
Oh no! So sorry to hear that. So sad.
Hi @Caleb, I have a Feelworld F550 which is a little too quiet on the headphone output (with my A6300) and unfortunately also looks like native screen refresh is locked to 60Hz meaning some telecine judder becoming visible when using it for PAL which I do mostly 1080@50p. Did you encounter any of these issues..I might consider the upgrade..Plus I really do like the waveform. PS how do you know/see >105% IRE when shooting CINE4? (I think the waveform from the A6300 is a little off..)
In the other videos of monitors you showed us how much the delay is but not with this one, is it better than one fo the 200 range models?