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Editing Monitor doubling as field monitor
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[Scott Sheriff] “$2,500 bucks is a chunk of change to lose if Murphy shows up on set”
My greatest fear of Mr. Murphy and his immutable laws is when something happens to the camera. Had that happen a few years ago, fortunately after 4pm when most of what was going to get done was done, and had to call an immediate wrap. A buddy suggests having and EX-1 or EX-3 along as a back-up/2nd cam, but there are lots of things I’d buy before going that route.
[Scott Sheriff] “We are now living in a world where the on set monitor costs more than the camera.”
I’m pretty sure the matte box & follow-focus stuff was more than the cost of the monitor. But then I’m a fairly weak shooter so I need all the help I can bring along.
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[Nick Griffin] “I’m pretty sure the matte box & follow-focus stuff was more than the cost of the monitor.”
Excellent point.
[Nick Griffin] “My greatest fear of Mr. Murphy and his immutable laws is when something happens to the camera.”
Sometimes the most innocent thing sets up a cascade failure.
I was shooting at an event in Boulder and there was at least one guy from every station in the market set up in the press area shooting B roll. One of the competitors photogs decided to move his sticks a little, to gives us some more elbow room. Like us, they had an Oconnor 50 head with a Peter Lisand quick release. He picked the sticks with a ‘bear hug’ type move, and his shoulder hit the release tabs and the Betacam came off the head, ass first, in a rotating motion, like a rock rolling down a hill, hitting the pavement lens first. It was unbelievable, and surrealistic. Kind of a car accident like slow motion. It was on the pavement before any of us could even react. We were all speechless (I know you can’t believe that) as 70 grand worth of camera and lens lay there shattered and bent. Back then a typical house in the ‘burbs didn’t cost much over 60 grand. It was clear that the camera was totaled, and we all felt very bad for this guy. Never saw him at any other gigs after that.Scott Sheriff
Director
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.” —Red Adair
Where were you on 6/21?
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Most of the DSLR shooters I know tend to use either the Marshall or Small HD monitors in the field. (I prefer the Marshall’s because the Small HD is cheaper, but has no loop through – and requires one to spend hundreds to add on external loop through monitoring for director/client viewing)
No one I know with solid experience really trusts them for total color accuracy – so you must be able to look at a scene and see where you might have mixed light issues. But the “false color” abstracts are as good as a WFM for exposure if you learn to read them properly. And the focus assist is OK and a big improvement over the terrible LCD resolution of any DSLR screen.
For focus, if your working EFP, just drop out of Live mode and just look through the lens which is 100% dependable.
These (along with the requirement for double system sound) are the trade offs for getting astonishing video capabilities in a super cheap DSLR form factor.
And often, small, agile rigs are superior to large rigs and needing more hands in modern production. Not always – but often enough.
FWIW.
“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor
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I have a pelican case that I mounted a monitor in. I drilled 4 holes through the lid and mounted a $50 used 17″ monitor using aluminum spacers. I have a flip down piece of plastic that doubles as a sun shade that protects the screen from everything else that I tend to throw into the case (batteries, chargers, LED lights etc.
It is a little large for true run-n-gun, but if you are doing anything in studio or a true location shoot, it is absolutely fantastic. I would say that the total price was less than $200.
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