Monitor Purchase Advice

[Adam Smith]

Are you looking for a production monitor, or computer desktop monitor, or both?

If it’s the former, I’m really happy with my Panasonic 17″ BT-LH1700LW… I use it as a field monitor on shoots and as my dedicated video display in the edit station.

$2850 when I got it a few weeks ago, but if the resolution isn’t high enough and/or you want something bigger, they have a 26″ I believe that’s also built for field use, (but the 17″ is plenty heavy for me to be dragging around!)

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Rick Pearl]

I am looking for both a production monitor and an editing monitor.

I never thought about using the same monitor for both shooting and editing. Are there any drawbacks to using the same monitor for both shooting and editing, other than the obvious of always having to disconnect and reconnect it?

[Adam Smith]

It’s heavy and a little bit of work to pull it each time, but I do like that I have a rather large monitor to work with on-site. Has a built-in waveform and freezeframe+splitscreen feature that’s useful for comparing camera tweaks.

That being said, if I’d had the money I would have seriously considered an additional Panasonic 8″ LCD for run-and-gun shoots… more mobile, less obtrusive, lighter on battery consumption, easier to hood and view in sunlight, and I hear the focus assist is handy. Dang thing cost more than the 17″ tho, so I decided having a tripod was more important. =P

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Rick Pearl]

The “a built-in waveform and freezeframe+splitscreen feature that’s useful for comparing camera tweaks.” That sounds very useful. Is it all built into the monitor without the need for a connected computer? I didn’t know that you could get a waveform without an attached computer.

Which “additional Panasonic 8″ LCD” are you referring to?

Thanks.

[Adam Smith]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/494382-REG/Panasonic_BT_LH80W_BT_LH80W_7_9_Multi_Format_Color.html

That’s the new but apparently hard-to-find-in-stock 7.9″ portable viewfinder/monitor. At $2100 it’s actually a little lower than I’d remembered.

And yes the 17″Panasonic BT-LH1700W does all that in the monitor. The splitscreen is cool, you enter split mode, freeze the left side and continue to view the right side live. Works well for comparing color balance and image tweaks, not totally sure if you can compare separate sources.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/399256-REG/Panasonic_BTLH1700W_BT_LH1700W_17_Inch_Widescreen_HD_SD.html

-Adam

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Video Photographer / Avid Editor
Maximus Media Inc.

[Rick Pearl]

Thanks for all of your help!