Pentax K-5 and external HDMI LCD screen

Nass · 06-07-2011, 02:20 PM

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.

Bloody UPS! Still don't have mine *whines*

Nass · 06-08-2011, 06:07 AM

So I got my SmallHD Pentax Field Monitor at work this morning and first impressions are very good indeed.

As expected the HDMI field monitor takes over everything you'd see on the back of your cam which itself is left off.
Unlike the Marshall 5", the signal is fine, and on all resolutions.
Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too.
Sits comfortably on the flash bracket with a very thin rechargable battery on the back (comes precharged).
Solid as a brick, and the anti-scratch screen fits beautifully.
The focus assist feature works really well, as does peaking, false colour etc.
It has a split screen feature which allows for 2 simultaneously visible inputs, one via hdmi one via composite.
The factory colour setting looks pretty far off the mark but there are all sorts of controls to correct it.
The screen remote which I thought looked a bit gimmicky is in fact very useful.
I'm on SmallHD V1.3; V2 is due to come out soon which is a free upgrade with yet more functionality - colour assists, grids etc

I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course.

DogLover · 06-08-2011, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by Nass

So I got my SmallHD Pentax Field Monitor at work this morning and first impressions are very good indeed.

As expected the HDMI field monitor takes over everything you'd see on the back of your cam which itself is left off.
Unlike the Marshall 5", the signal is fine, and on all resolutions.
Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too.
Sits comfortably on the flash bracket with a very thin rechargable battery on the back (comes precharged).
Solid as a brick, and the anti-scratch screen fits beautifully.
The focus assist feature works really well, as does peaking, false colour etc.
It has a split screen feature which allows for 2 simultaneously visible inputs, one via hdmi one via composite.
The factory colour setting looks pretty far off the mark but there are all sorts of controls to correct it.
The screen remote which I thought looked a bit gimmicky is in fact very useful.
I'm on SmallHD V1.3; V2 is due to come out soon which is a free upgrade with yet more functionality - colour assists, grids etc

I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course.

I was getting all excited about this one.....and then I saw the price. Holy crap! $900?

Nass · 06-08-2011, 08:11 AM

Maybe the smaller model due to come out this month would be the one to look at for you - the DP4. This does have a different resolution though, which was one of various reasons offered for the Marshall 5" one not working (allegedly us pentaxians need 720 min)

RonHendriks1966 · 06-08-2011, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by Nass

Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too.

I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course.

I'm very interested in the future that ther are no black bars when recording video (playing them is different, since then it futures 16:9 output) and how that works for resolution, since the video recording output, the little screen between all the bars is only 640*360 pixels.

Originally posted by DogLover

I was getting all excited about this one.....and then I saw the price. Holy crap! $900?

Yes indeed, that is why I bought something else.

liukaitc · 06-08-2011, 08:27 AM

maybe in the not far future some chinese cheap one will appear on ebay......

DogLover · 06-08-2011, 08:56 AM

If there isn't already, there will soon probably be a tablet with a HDMI input for less money, lighter weight, and many more uses, not to mention a really large screen. I'll just wait.

Nass · 06-09-2011, 07:01 AM

Yes I think there's already one -- APad - Android 2.1 MID Tablet with 7 Inch HD Touchscreen + WiFi - US$ 299.98. I had a long hard look at what could and couldn't be done with my iPad but I couldn't find a way of using it as a livescreen viewer without it getting nasty in some way. I could also have used my laptop but that rather defeated the goal of small and light.

Where these specialist field monitors differentiate themselves is the extra functionality like peaking and fine focus filter etc which give you functionality over and beyond it being an extravagant large articulated screen. No denying though that HDMI gives a much cleaner liveview than composite as well. BUT! for anyone feeling constructive who is looking for a field monitor on a budget that uses composite - have a look at this $28 project: Dirt Cheep Monitor project! | DSLR Film Noob

RonHendriks1966 · 06-09-2011, 07:25 AM

Originally posted by Nass

Yes I think there's already one -- APad - Android 2.1 MID Tablet with 7 Inch HD Touchscreen + WiFi - US$ 299.98. I had a long hard look at what could and couldn't be done with my iPad but I couldn't find a way of using it as a livescreen viewer without it getting nasty in some way. I could also have used my laptop but that rather defeated the goal of small and light.

Where these specialist field monitors differentiate themselves is the extra functionality like peaking and fine focus filter etc which give you functionality over and beyond it being an extravagant large articulated screen. No denying though that HDMI gives a much cleaner liveview than composite as well. BUT! for anyone feeling constructive who is looking for a field monitor on a budget that uses composite - have a look at this $28 project: Dirt Cheep Monitor project! | DSLR Film Noob

I don't think that will work since most of those devices only run HDMI-Out so you cannot put in your videosignal. Try your laptop and report how it works.

Other problem is that the output of our camera is very different between HDMI and DC-out, so we have to get a screen with HDMI and they are expensive.

Nass · 06-09-2011, 09:04 AM

Yes, that was my initial thought too. But according to this thread here, it can take HDMI in as well - Recent 7-10 inch tablet for field monitor? - Canon Digital Photography Forums

The output is different, yes - but you don't absolutely have to have HDMI. It's better quality, agreed, but if you're on a budget and just want a larger view, composite will display on external screens...?

RonHendriks1966 · 06-09-2011, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by Nass

Yes, that was my initial thought too. But according to this thread here, it can take HDMI in as well - Recent 7-10 inch tablet for field monitor? - Canon Digital Photography Forums

The output is different, yes - but you don't absolutely have to have HDMI. It's better quality, agreed, but if you're on a budget and just want a larger view, composite will display on external screens...?

There is no reporting off it does work!!!!!

**jpzk** · 07-20-2011, 07:43 PM

Resurrecting an old thread ... again!

So I got into the habit of resurrecting old threads and this one seems to be quite appropriate for what I am looking for:

A small, orientable external monitor which I could use for taking bird "low shots" without having to crouch low in mud .... is there anything out there resembling what I am looking for?
I mean, Canon 60D has an orientable monitor that does just that.

Any suggestion(s) would be appreciated!

Thanks.

JP

**LaurenOE** · 07-20-2011, 07:56 PM

The Zacuto ZFinder/EVF is where I am heading when I get an extra $750 or so. FYI the Zacuto website is horrible, so don't go there.

Zacuto Z-Finder EVF Z-FIND-EVF B&H Photo Video

rawr · 07-20-2011, 08:04 PM

$750? That's a lot of clams.

Try searching eBay for 'Lilliput LCD field monitor" to get a 7 inch HDMI field monitor for about US $200.

**LaurenOE** · 07-20-2011, 08:22 PM

Originally posted by rawr

$750? That's a lot of clams.

Try searching eBay for 'Lilliput LCD field monitor" to get a 7 inch HDMI field monitor for about US $200.

LOL. All you have to do is HOLD a Zacuto. It's the creme de la creme.

06-08-2011, 06:07 AM	#32
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	So I got my SmallHD Pentax Field Monitor at work this morning and first impressions are very good indeed. As expected the HDMI field monitor takes over everything you'd see on the back of your cam which itself is left off. Unlike the Marshall 5", the signal is fine, and on all resolutions. Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too. Sits comfortably on the flash bracket with a very thin rechargable battery on the back (comes precharged). Solid as a brick, and the anti-scratch screen fits beautifully. The focus assist feature works really well, as does peaking, false colour etc. It has a split screen feature which allows for 2 simultaneously visible inputs, one via hdmi one via composite. The factory colour setting looks pretty far off the mark but there are all sorts of controls to correct it. The screen remote which I thought looked a bit gimmicky is in fact very useful. I'm on SmallHD V1.3; V2 is due to come out soon which is a free upgrade with yet more functionality - colour assists, grids etc I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course. Last edited by Nass; 06-08-2011 at 06:44 AM.

06-08-2011, 07:45 AM	#33
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	Originally posted by Nass So I got my SmallHD Pentax Field Monitor at work this morning and first impressions are very good indeed. As expected the HDMI field monitor takes over everything you'd see on the back of your cam which itself is left off. Unlike the Marshall 5", the signal is fine, and on all resolutions. Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too. Sits comfortably on the flash bracket with a very thin rechargable battery on the back (comes precharged). Solid as a brick, and the anti-scratch screen fits beautifully. The focus assist feature works really well, as does peaking, false colour etc. It has a split screen feature which allows for 2 simultaneously visible inputs, one via hdmi one via composite. The factory colour setting looks pretty far off the mark but there are all sorts of controls to correct it. The screen remote which I thought looked a bit gimmicky is in fact very useful. I'm on SmallHD V1.3; V2 is due to come out soon which is a free upgrade with yet more functionality - colour assists, grids etc I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course. I was getting all excited about this one.....and then I saw the price. Holy crap! $900?

06-08-2011, 08:21 AM	#35
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by Nass Beautiful high res display which can be stretched, squashed and viewed 1:1 pixel by pixel. You can lose any black bars that you want on 480, and you can resize it in various ways to more or less lose all black bars on the other settings too. I'll put it through its paces properly and report back in due course. I'm very interested in the future that ther are no black bars when recording video (playing them is different, since then it futures 16:9 output) and how that works for resolution, since the video recording output, the little screen between all the bars is only 640360 pixels. Originally posted by DogLover I was getting all excited about this one.....and then I saw the price. Holy crap! $900?* Yes indeed, that is why I bought something else.

06-09-2011, 09:04 AM	#40
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	Yes, that was my initial thought too. But according to this thread here, it can take HDMI in as well - Recent 7-10 inch tablet for field monitor? - Canon Digital Photography Forums The output is different, yes - but you don't absolutely have to have HDMI. It's better quality, agreed, but if you're on a budget and just want a larger view, composite will display on external screens...? Last edited by Nass; 06-09-2011 at 09:31 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pentax K7 LCD Screen flickers and ghosting	redeleon	Pentax DSLR Discussion	10	04-28-2019 02:23 PM
Lightroom screen vs K-7 lcd vs Pentax software	Corvairfan	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	4	03-30-2011 06:27 AM
Why Pentax don't need a swivel LCD screen	Douglas_of_Sweden	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	10	11-09-2010 04:26 PM
Broken LCD screen Pentax KX:(	RpM	Pentax DSLR Discussion	9	10-28-2010 08:07 PM
Pentax K-7 LCD picture review screen question	pkoz	Pentax DSLR Discussion	6	11-06-2009 04:19 PM

06-07-2011, 02:20 PM	#31
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Bloody UPS! Still don't have mine whines

06-08-2011, 08:11 AM	#34
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	Maybe the smaller model due to come out this month would be the one to look at for you - the DP4. This does have a different resolution though, which was one of various reasons offered for the Marshall 5" one not working (allegedly us pentaxians need 720 min)

06-08-2011, 08:27 AM	#36
liukaitc Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,008	maybe in the not far future some chinese cheap one will appear on ebay......

06-08-2011, 08:56 AM	#37
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	If there isn't already, there will soon probably be a tablet with a HDMI input for less money, lighter weight, and many more uses, not to mention a really large screen. I'll just wait.

06-09-2011, 07:01 AM	#38
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	Yes I think there's already one -- APad - Android 2.1 MID Tablet with 7 Inch HD Touchscreen + WiFi - US$ 299.98. I had a long hard look at what could and couldn't be done with my iPad but I couldn't find a way of using it as a livescreen viewer without it getting nasty in some way. I could also have used my laptop but that rather defeated the goal of small and light. Where these specialist field monitors differentiate themselves is the extra functionality like peaking and fine focus filter etc which give you functionality over and beyond it being an extravagant large articulated screen. No denying though that HDMI gives a much cleaner liveview than composite as well. BUT! for anyone feeling constructive who is looking for a field monitor on a budget that uses composite - have a look at this $28 project: Dirt Cheep Monitor project! \| DSLR Film Noob

06-09-2011, 07:25 AM	#39
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by Nass Yes I think there's already one -- APad - Android 2.1 MID Tablet with 7 Inch HD Touchscreen + WiFi - US$ 299.98. I had a long hard look at what could and couldn't be done with my iPad but I couldn't find a way of using it as a livescreen viewer without it getting nasty in some way. I could also have used my laptop but that rather defeated the goal of small and light. Where these specialist field monitors differentiate themselves is the extra functionality like peaking and fine focus filter etc which give you functionality over and beyond it being an extravagant large articulated screen. No denying though that HDMI gives a much cleaner liveview than composite as well. BUT! for anyone feeling constructive who is looking for a field monitor on a budget that uses composite - have a look at this $28 project: Dirt Cheep Monitor project! \| DSLR Film Noob I don't think that will work since most of those devices only run HDMI-Out so you cannot put in your videosignal. Try your laptop and report how it works. Other problem is that the output of our camera is very different between HDMI and DC-out, so we have to get a screen with HDMI and they are expensive.

06-09-2011, 12:50 PM	#41
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by Nass Yes, that was my initial thought too. But according to this thread here, it can take HDMI in as well - Recent 7-10 inch tablet for field monitor? - Canon Digital Photography Forums The output is different, yes - but you don't absolutely have to have HDMI. It's better quality, agreed, but if you're on a budget and just want a larger view, composite will display on external screens...? There is no reporting off it does work!!!!!

07-20-2011, 07:43 PM	#42
jpzk Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Québec Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,251	Resurrecting an old thread ... again! So I got into the habit of resurrecting old threads and this one seems to be quite appropriate for what I am looking for: A small, orientable external monitor which I could use for taking bird "low shots" without having to crouch low in mud .... is there anything out there resembling what I am looking for? I mean, Canon 60D has an orientable monitor that does just that. Any suggestion(s) would be appreciated! Thanks. JP

07-20-2011, 07:56 PM	#43
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	The Zacuto ZFinder/EVF is where I am heading when I get an extra $750 or so. FYI the Zacuto website is horrible, so don't go there. Zacuto Z-Finder EVF Z-FIND-EVF B&H Photo Video

07-20-2011, 08:04 PM	#44
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	$750? That's a lot of clams. Try searching eBay for 'Lilliput LCD field monitor" to get a 7 inch HDMI field monitor for about US $200.

07-20-2011, 08:22 PM	#45
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Originally posted by rawr $750? That's a lot of clams. Try searching eBay for 'Lilliput LCD field monitor" to get a 7 inch HDMI field monitor for about US $200. LOL. All you have to do is HOLD a Zacuto. It's the creme de la creme.