So I finally pulled the trigger on a Sony FX30 and man I am so hyped to get this rig finished but the tiny screen on the back is absolutely killing me especially when I'm trying to nail focus on some fast moving shots. I've been scouring YouTube and Reddit for the last few days trying to decide on a monitor and I'm honestly more confused now than when I started lol.

I kept seeing the Atomos Ninja V pop up everywhere as the gold standard but honestly I'm not sure I even need all that recording stuff? Like the FX30 records 10-bit 4:2:2 internally just fine so do I really want to pay extra for a drive and the bulk of an external recorder just to get ProRes? Then I saw the PortKeys LH5P II which has that awesome wireless camera control but I've read some weird stuff about the menu system being a nightmare to navigate on the fly and I'm worried about reliability when I'm out in the field.

I have a big wedding shoot coming up in about two weeks here in Seattle and I really need to have this sorted out by then because the lighting in some of these old churches is gonna be a total nightmare to judge on that little flip out screen.

Here is what I am looking for:

• Budget: Trying to stay under $600 if possible but could go to $700 if it's really worth it
• Brightness: Needs to be at least 1000 nits or more because I do a lot of outdoor stuff too and glare is the enemy
• Size: 5 or 5.5 inch is preferred to keep the rig compact
• Features: Must have good LUT support and focus peaking that actually works well with Sony's system
• Power: Something that doesn't drain NPF batteries in like twenty minutes would be a dream

Should I just bite the bullet and get the Ninja even if I don't use the recording or is there a better monitor only option that feels just as professional? I've looked at some FeelWorld stuff too but they feel a bit plasticky and cheap for a pro setup... what are you guys actually using on your FX30 or FX3 rigs?