Which external monitor is best for the Sony FX3?

Question

What kind of monitor should I actually buy for my Sony FX3 if I have literally no idea how any of this stuff works? I just bought the camera for a small documentary I am filming in Seattle next month but the little screen on the back is just way too tiny for my eyes and I am really struggling to see if my shots are even in focus. It's making me super nervous honestly.

I have seen people using those big screens on top of their cameras in videos but when I look them up online there are a million options and I dont really get the difference between the 5 inch ones or the 7 inch ones or what things like nits even mean. My budget is around $400 or so because I already spent a ton on the camera itself and a lens. I am mostly gonna be filming indoors but I might do some street shots too if the weather stays nice. I also heard some of these screens can record the video directly but is that something I actually need or is it just for pros? Sorry if this is a really dumb question I just dont want to buy the wrong thing that wont even plug in correctly...

Susanhodsget · Accepted Answer

In my experience, stick to a 5-inch screen. Over the years, I've tried many rigs and big monitors just make the FX3 feel like a heavy brick.

Atomos Shinobi 5-inch 1000nit HDR Monitor

PortKeys PT6 5.2-inch 600nit 4K HDMI Monitor The Shinobi is killer for outdoor shots because of the high nits (brightness). Skip the recording monitors for now... you dont need them and they'll just eat your budget.

Gokem · Answer

Coming back to this... honestly, i totally get the budget anxiety. When i first started, i spent way too much on the camera body and then realized i still needed like five other things just to see what i was filming. Regarding that recording question, you probably dont need it right now. The FX3 records amazing footage internally, so spending extra on a recorder is kinda overkill for your first doc in Seattle. You'd rather spend that cash on good batteries or a solid cage. I remember my first real shoot where i bought a monitor and totally forgot that the batteries aren't usually included in the box. That really sucked because i had to scramble last minute. If you want to stay well under your $400 limit and still have money left for a decent meal, maybe look at something like the Feelworld F6 Plus 5.5 Inch 4K HDMI Monitor. It is pretty light and has a touchscreen which makes life way easier when you are trying to check focus on the fly. It is not as bright as the crazy expensive ones, but for indoor stuff and Seattles usually cloudy weather, it does the job perfectly fine. Just a heads up tho, make sure you budget for a really high-quality thin cable like the Kondor Blue Braided HDMI to HDMI 4K 60Hz. The thick ones that come with some gear will pull on your camera port and eventually break it, which is a nightmare repair. Focus on getting a 5-inch one for now, 7-inch gets way too bulky on a small camera.

C_aaake · Answer

Saw this earlier and wanted to chime in... @Reply #1 - good point! Size really does change how the FX3 handles when you are handheld. I remember my first doc shoot where I couldnt see anything on the back screen because the sun was out, and it basically ruined a few shots because I missed focus. Honestly, with a $400 budget, you should focus on high brightness (nits) rather than recording features. The FX3 records great internally anyway, so you dont really need an external recorder like a Ninja V right now.

Feelworld LUT5 5.5 Inch 3000nit Ultra Bright Monitor

Desview R6 UHB 5.5 Inch 2800nit Touchscreen Monitor Anything over 2000 nits is gonna let you see clearly outdoors without needing those annoying sun hoods. I found that starting with a high-brightness monitor saved me so much frustration on street shoots. You just plug it into the camera via the HDMI port and you are good to go.