Which external monitor should I actually get for my a7S III because the built-in screen is driving me absolutely insane lately? Im doing a high-end beach wedding in San Diego in about two weeks and there is no way I can pull focus on that tiny dim display in the direct sun. I have been looking at the Atomos Ninja V and the Portkeys LH5P II but I keep seeing conflicting stuff online and its stressing me out. The Ninja V seems like the safe bet but then I have to buy those stupidly expensive SSDs and I heard the fan noise can be a nightmare if you are doing close-up audio. On the other hand the Portkeys is 2200 nits which sounds perfect for the beach and it has that wireless camera control stuff but is the UI actually usable or is it just gonna crash on me mid-ceremony? My budget is capped at like $650 since I just dropped three grand on new GM glass and I need something that wont overheat after twenty minutes of 4K60 recording. Is there a third option I am missing like maybe the Blackmagic Video Assist or is the Ninja still the only real choice for Sony users even though its getting kind of old now? I just need to be able to see my damn exposure without squinting...
Honestly if youre hitting the beach in SD, skip the fancy recording features and focus on raw nits. Ive used the Osee G7 7 Inch 3000nit Ultra Bright Monitor lately and its a total beast in direct sunlight.
Dont fall for the Ninja V trap unless you actually need ProRes RAW. The SSDs and power draw will kill your budget. I would suggest the Portkeys LH5P II 5.5-inch 2200nit Camera Control Monitor for that beach sun, but be careful with the UI... its a bit clunky. Make sure to:
Honestly been so happy with the Feelworld LUT7 7-Inch 2200nit Ultra Bright Monitor. It works well in harsh sun!