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This page takes you through the external monitors we have available at BSU, when you might choose to use one and how to connect them.
An additional monitor can be a great help when filming. You will have a better idea of focus, exposure and composition, particularly outside when it can be bright, and difficult to see the camera's display.
A second monitor can be very useful for the director/client and can offer a second audio connection for their headphones.
Also another screen is essential for vlogging if your camera’s own screen won't face forward.
There are some cons of course with using a monitor: The screen can upset the balance of the camera when handheld, if the set up is heavy, and can draw attention to the camera set up in guerilla style filming.
What monitors we have at BSU
Atomos Shinobi Atomos Ninja recorder Marshall Monitor
We have:
6 x Atomos Shinobi monitors with a 5.2 inch screens
These are the lightest and newest devices and the first choice for mounting to a camera.
1 x Atomos Ninja with a 5 inch screen, which is a recorder as well as a monitor. This is heavier as it has a SSD drive and takes two batteries instead of one.
2 x Marshall monitors. They have a 7 inch screen but are too heavy to be an onboard camera monitor but are excellent as a directors monitor on a light stand.
All the monitors work on mains and batteries.
Mounting a monitor to the camera or stand
Normally this is done with a ball joint or a magic arm. For the Canon C100, a ball joint will mount onto the hot shoe fitting on the camera body or the top handle.
To use a magic arm you will need to to screw into the threaded hole at the rear of the top handle.
The Shinobi and Atomos Ninja Blade have fitting points top and bottom.
The vernacular for these holes and the bolts that go into them are (jargon alert !) are ‘Quarter twenties’. These are the industry standard size for mounting cameras to tripods. Quarter meaning the diameter of the bolt is ¼ of an inch wide and there are 20 threads in an inch if the bolt was that long. This adorable little picture explains everything.
To mount onto a Sony A7111, you can use a ball joint to the hot shoe or a magic arm to the Shape cage.
The Marshalls with a battery are too big to go on a camera, so are best put on a stand for the director.
Connecting between the camera and monitor
All of the screens use a HDMI connector, and the Marshalls have an HDMI out as well, which means you could loop the image to another monitor elsewhere.
The C100 uses this same ‘Full size’ HDMI whereas the Sony A7111 uses a ’Micro’ HDMI to Full size. The connections in the camera are very delicate and great care must be taken not to yank out the lead.
The Shape cage for the Sony (which we have 2) has a locking mechanism to protect the input.
Written by FR
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