SmallHD review

My SmallHD arrived today. I haven't completed my testing yet, but overall, it looks alright but I am let down in some areas.

First thougths:

It is a glossy display. I really didn't expect this (although I'm sure it is in the specs) and think this will be an issue in the daylight. Even with the hood, I could see a good solid mirror-like reflection on the screen. I love to see myself in the mirror (I so sexy), but damn. Perhaps the SmallHD folks actually believed Apple when the company stated that photographers prefer the Glossy screens on Macbook Pros. I didn't.

The hood is interesting. I like how it seems very durable and can attach without velcro, etc. But it does take quite a bit of effort to attach compared to a simpler, messier velcro solution. Regardless, I think the the hood design is cool and wish other monitors even those for computers used a similar design. This is such a good design that SmallHD should sell the idea to companies like Apple and Sony for use on laptop screens. Kudos.

It did not include a hot shoe adapter. Most monitors like this do so prepare to hunt down one separately. I've learned the hard way that finding a good one in-stock can be difficult. I finally found a good one at Nebtek.

The buttons are all on the back of the unit, making it difficult to navigate. It took me a minute just to figure out where the power button was! They are spaced apart and since they are on the back of the unit, if you are watching the front, operation of these button is entirely by feel. The outside buttons have different texture than the inside, but it does take two hands to use the menu fully since they span the area where your hot shoe adapter is most likely splitting the left from the right.. One hand pushes the buttons on the left side while the other hand pushes the right side. I'm sure this looked cool in the CAD program they used to design the monitor, but it is really annoying. Furthermore, there is quite a bit of talk on the SmallHD website about how easy it is to use presets, but switching to presets requires navigating into the menu (by blind 2-handed touch) and several clicks just to get to the place to switch to a preset. This is not simple or feasible in the field. My hands are busy holding the camera and I don't want to free both of them to just execute a simple preset change to my monitor settings. Even aspect ratios are buried in the menu system. Curses!

I was under an understanding that the monitor included markers such as those to show 4x3 for Center-Crop-Safe shooting, but it doesn't. Also, the HDMI input is not full frame. It is close to action safe. There are scaling options so you can make the monitor display the entire scene via a preset but you have to dial these in manually. And when you hit record on the 5D, it will stretch the edge differently and the monitor replaces an ugly Green around the exposed edges.

The Blue mode is not a Blue Gun mode, it just tints everything with more blue. Colorbars don't calibrate with this so don't try. I've managed to get a decent rough calibration from it using my eyes by sending a grey matte to it over HDMI from an AJA LHi card, then adjusting for neutral grey while viewing it next to my broadcast monitors. I then adjusted the contrast and saturation by matching a scene to my other gear which is calibrated.

I've done some comparison tests with the Sony EX1 (which gives full HDTV output via component) and the 5D over HDMI. I used an IKAN V8000HD showing the same signal in the EX1 test since the Component Input on the IKAN passes through to the next component monitor. I've noticed a significant difference between connecting directly to the SmallHD ports and passing through the IKAN first. There is a HUGE loss in quality passing through the IKAN and I suspect the IKAN is not passing any more than 480P through to the additional monitor, and with a different type of impedance as well which would explain the loss in contrast, saturation and brightness. The signal is darker, and lacks color when passed through the IKAN. When I direct connect the SmallHD, it looks better. Due to this, it is hard for me to say if the 1280x720P resolution is much sharper than the IKAN (which is 800x480). They look about the same, but I can't get both to run HD at the same time without passing through the IKAN first since the SmallHD doesn't even have passthrough ports. Both monitors seem to show the same amount of detail when connected to the camera in a series. Also, it is hard to say if the SmallHD is brighter than the IKAN since when I run in a series, it is definately dimmer, but seems to be brighter when not in the series with the IKAN.

I've noticed quite a bit of noise in the blacks and some nasty black crushing that I believe is not something I can control with the color adjustment options. There is near-black which is rather noisy, then a very sharp jump to full black and lowering contrast or sharpening, etc doesn't seem to fix this. This is of concern since as a camera monitor, I want to know if there is noise in my footage, or just in the monitor. I also want to know what the pedestal of my footage looks like while shooting. This affects whether I add fill to a scene, right? I am often trying very hard to preserve detail in the shadows with my footage, and a field monitor that covers them with solid black crushing is frustrating. This is happening over HDMI (5D) and component (from the EX1) and I know the noise is not just camera noise. The same footage looks fine elsewhere, even on the IKAN which seems to show better detail in the shadows while not being too bright (It is not at the default RGB's which I find to be very very poor). Furthermore, the IKAN is not a great monitor, so for it to look better than the SmallHD in dynamic range and noise is disturbing.

The resolution is high, but with the unit's sharpening algorithm, I have had a tough time finding the point where sharpening is treated as null. It seems to be around the 20 setting. Most presets are at 50 which is definately adding significant sharpening to the signal, which basically makes the image look... useless as a field monitor.

The folks at SmallHD.com have suggested that to get a peaking function, you just boost the sharpness all the way up. I'm sorry, but this is completely misinformed. It is much harder to focus when the monitor is trying to make everything sharper. A good peaking function is important to all modern shooters using large sensors and the folks at SmallHD should understand what this is before they suggest the product has the equivalent of such a feature in the sharpness control. The best peaking function is still the Sony EX1 method which swaps 100% Blue, Red, Yellow or White over areas that have very tight local contrast while ignoring all other areas of lower contrast. The rest of the image is not sharpened and shouldn't be if you plan to have any luck focusing. It would be best for this to happen in the 5D, but... I digress.

The batteries seem to be pretty nice. I ordered 2 and got about 2.5 hours out of the first one which might have not been fully charged out of the box. They are heavy for their size but seem packed with power. They are not heavier than one of those big Sony L's, but still not much lighter. The case is made of aluminum which might be why they seem heavier than I expected. And they are affordable at about $60 each. I do like the flat shape and they don't stick out very far from the monitor like the Sony L's do on other monitors, making the monitor seem thinner and easier to store in a laptop bag, etc. The batteries attach by a simple cable, rather than a hot plug connector so it should be very easy to use alternate batteries as well. The settings on the monitor seemed to remain when I changed batteries. The batteries also seem to charge over USB, which means a simple miniUSB or cell phone charger might work in a pinch. Plus the extra batteries include an extra charger and cable so you can charge many at a time. This is good. Kudos for a good battery design.

There is a VGA computer input. This is also good. It might come in handy as a small teleprompter someday.

The unit is heavy. With the battery, I can feel it is a bit more heavy than the IKAN V8000HD. Of course it also seems better built and more rugged so I'm not completely bothered by this. My NebTek hotshoe to 1/4" adapter is a very nice, small, solid adapter for attaching monitors to hotshoes, but even it can't seem to keep the monitor from toppling back or forward when the hood is attached. This monitor is probably too large for most hotshoe applications and will result in a less stable tripod with all that weight up so high. I'll look into a way to place it lower for a lower center of gravity, perhaps on an articulating arm which is attached to 15mm rails or a tripod mount. Either way, I expected this and am not as disappointed as others seem to have been with the weight of the unit. The monitor has 1/4" screw holes on all sides, so you can mount it hanging downward off a hotshoe extender which should be more stable for the whole rig.

The input connectors are on the top, which makes sense for many cases, but it also means that any rain or splashes will drop right into your connectors. This is ironic since the unit seems very well built and somewhat sealed everywhere else. I like that the connectors are RCA for the component port, rather than the bulky BNC type. But there is no video pass-through, so this is the only monitor you can use on the set if you use component without a distributor. with HDMI, you need an HDMI splitter or distributor. I'll test with mine tomorrow to see if it works.

It is frustrating that so many monitors make you choose between HDMI and HDSDI. Why not a monitor with both? I like HDMI because it is on the 5D, but I LOVE HDSDI because I can daisy-chain multiple monitors on the set with distributors, etc. I'm not aware of a single field monitor that has both inputs concurrently.

Lastly, the 5D's 480P mode is sickening. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. During recording is when we need to see what we are shooting the most! Now that I've expressed my dissatisfaction with one of our camera's biggest shortcomings, the 480P does look better in HDMI than it does over the lame AV port. I can see slightly more detail, but still not enough to "bet my life" on a clip. What bugs me is that the aspect ratio changes each time you enter recording mode. This is not only annoying but can make the image less sharp with all the scaling of pixels in the monitor. The SmallHD could make our lives a bit easier in this regard by having the monitor automatically display all SD content in 4x3, but they don't. Many TV's and DVD's have this feature and I really don't see why they don't do this. If I set the monitor to 16x9 full mode, the 480P will be stretched to fill the whole frame as anamorphic when I start recording. This makes it tough to judge composition and other "niceties" that photographers tend to appreciate. If I set the monitor to 4x3 mode, everything will look squashed until I hit record. I understand that the 5D is to blame here, but since the SmallHD is being marketed so directly to 5D users, they should at least try to make this part of the 5D experience slightly less hurdling or should I say hurling... Either way, HDMI out lunacy is the 5d's current Achilles heal in my workflow and the SmallHD unfortunately is not going to help in this regard.

I haven't decided if I should return the unit yet. Perhaps the black crush and shadow noise is an issue they will fix in firmware. I'm not sure if I want to wait since there are recently some intriguing options from Marshall which lack the sheer resolution but probably beat it in color accuracy, focus and exposure aids, ergonomics and matte/non-glossy screens. These are more expensive, and lack some of the cool features I like in the SmallHD, so it is tough decision.

Didn't have time to read the whole post yet, but glossy? Well I don't even have to think about buying this monitor then. What were they thinking

good points. I have just got mine...

The limitations of the 5d output does cause issues. The small HD needs an Auto aspect ratio setting. The blacks are very blocky too. It's not hugely representative of the actual image.

The sun hood is good, but hard to put on and off. Glossy screen not a got idea. but it's cheap and way better than my ikan 5600.

the image itself doesn't look that filmic on it, when compared to watching it back on your computer, or even the 5d lcd display. But focus is pretty easy with it and it supports to zoom function of the camera.

More to come. Will hopefully use on a shoot tomorrow.

phil

mthomas,
Thank you for the in depth review. I was itching to get one and I'm glad I waited. Not that I decided not to get one, but I like to avoid surprises.

At least now I know whats in the box.

I was waiting to hear some reviews on the SmallHD monitor. I think Philip will be releasing more of his thoughts on it very soon as well. I had narrowed it between the SmallHD and the Ikan 5600. I was looking at one of the newer Marhall monitors, but I'm not 100% on it either. I've preordered the Zacuto Z-Finder for run and gun stuff, but I would still like an LCD that I can attach to rods and still be somewhat mobile with. If Canon could release an update that would allow us to monitor external video in HD, that would solve all of these issues. I wonder if that is above or below 24p on their list of "things to do".

I was waiting to hear some reviews on the SmallHD monitor. I think Philip will be releasing more of his thoughts on it very soon as well. I had narrowed it between the SmallHD and the Ikan 5600. I was looking at one of the newer Marhall monitors, but I'm not 100% on it either. I've preordered the Zacuto Z-Finder for run and gun stuff, but I would still like an LCD that I can attach to rods and still be somewhat mobile with. If Canon could release an update that would allow us to monitor external video in HD, that would solve all of these issues. I wonder if that is above or below 24p on their list of "things to do".

Welcome Chad to the forum. I suspect is at the bottom of the Canon's list, since everyone seems so much more vocal about 24P when complaining and blogging. Very few editorial reviews touch on this key limitation of the camera and therefore I suspect Canon hasn't made it a priority. I want 24P, but don't see it as necessary as the ability to see what I'm shooting while I record. You can in many cases change the 30P footage to look pretty good at 24P in post production using softare like Apple Shake, but you can't fix focus or bad composition in post. Poor monitoring and the odd blacking out of the on-camera LCD while a monitor is connected, makes ruined shots much more likely than issues with frame rate do.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the SmallHD. I was one of the first orders (got serial number 222), and have been using it quite a bit. I agree with just about everything you've said in critique of the DP1, especially the poor handling of the darkest parts of the picture. The blocking noise is a huge issue for me - even when I know it isn't in my actual image, it's disconcerting to any crew member or *gasp* client. And, it further obscures important details that I'm needing to see. To me, this is the biggest single drawback of the monitor.

It's a shame, really, since so many things are well thought out on the monitor. The sunshade, as has been stated, is excellent, and the batteries are, too. I'm impressed with the quality of these accessories at the reasonable price points they are offered. I also like that I can keep the battery mount on the monitor and still house it in the neoprene sleeve - wasn't expecting that. The glossy screen isn't particularly glossy, really, and with the sunshade, you can seal up the image pretty well even in hot daylight.

I can get over the bad placement of the control buttons. It breaks with convention and common sense, but I can deal with it. But I agree there should be a hot switch for 16:9/4:3 switching.

That wasn't a review it was a novel! but a good informing read thx MT. Why can't anybody just make something that works right out of the box? I've just about given up on waiting for firmware updates.

After spending hundreds on 2 pairs of LCD glasses I still haven't figured out what I'm gonna use but I'm thinking about just getting a 15" LCD TV with HDMI in and 12v power for $300 to use locked down and keep a pair of the LCD glasses for run and gun.

The marshall sounds like the best option.

A glossy field monitor???? What a shame.

Lost me at Glossy. LoL But I kept reading. It's strange to think that I'd consider an iKan over something else but sounds like I'd rather have the iKan if I were to even bother with something that huge.

Thanks a lot for your detailed thoughts, I think you saved a lot of us time and return shipment moneys.