Using iPad as DSLR monitor

[Steve Crow]

No experience with that but you might want to check out CamRanger at https://camranger.com/ – it’s the system I’ve seen most often reviewed online. Seems to work well from what I can tell from the reviews but I’ve never used it myself.

Steve Crow

[Paul Campbell]

Steve, any recommendations for a great external monitor for a Canon? I tried using the video output to an extenal 17″ LCD monitor (standard pc monitor) and it looked awful. Totally low res and not usable for pulling focus. Maybe there’s a 5″ monitor or something that clips onto the hotshoe? Time to start searching 🙂

[Steve Crow]

Hey Paul,

I don’t have any specific recommendations, the monitor landscape is growing by leaps and bounds. There are companies like:

Marshall
Small HD
Aputure
Lilliput

and then you have companies like Atmos and Convergent Design making monitors that do double duty as external recorders as well and which can record 4K if you give it a 4K source. Black Magic has a new monitor/recorder combo that records up to 1080p.

I’d also look carefully and the software that comes with it which gives you features like focus assist and scopes which are very very nice to have.

So I’d say start scrolling through your options here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_POPULARITY%7c1&ci=1984&setNs=p_POPULARITY%7c1&N=4028759510&srtclk=sort

and good luck.

Steve Crow

[Paul Campbell]

Thanks. I appreciate your insight. I’ve been scarfing up a lot of info on this particular forum. My next post will no doubt be right around the corner 🙂

[Steve Crow]

No worries Paul. Since you are into this stuff, check out my free Flipboard magazine which now has over a thousand curated articles on filming video with DSLRs (there are plenty on monitors too):

https://flipboard.com/section/hd-dslr-filmmaking-byqgog

(or search for HD DSLR Filmmaking on the Flipboard app if you happen to have it installed)

Steve Crow

[Paul Campbell]

Cool! You’ll forgive my latest post then, as you no doubt cover it in your articles 🙂

[Steve Crow]

Oh, I didn’t write the articles, only collect them into a single spot.

Steve Crow

[Aaron Star]

Manfrotto has their digital director that comes with tripod mounting hardware.

https://www.manfrotto.us/

The thing about the ipad I would think is light falling on the screen, and issues with using it outdoors.

A Zacuto Z-finder, or the new Zacuto EVF would be a more versatile setup for indoor and outdoor settings.

[Paul Campbell]

Thanks, Aaron. I was planning on making flaps for the iPad if indeed this idea came to fruition, but alas it wasn’t meant to be. No worries, plenty of options out there. Stay cool.

[Aaron Star]

What I would recommend is making more like a box tube, and cutting it at an angel of about 20-30 degrees. Use flat black foam core, and make the tube long enough so the screen will reflect against the side of the tube. This will give you a reflection free view of screen. Looking straight on with flaps, and you will just see the sky or daylight bright background behind you.

I made something similar to tape on my DSLR viewfinder, so I could see it in daylight better.