Good, well priced monitor?

[AAphotog]

What is a good, well priced(less than $800 the cheaper the better. Just no trash) monitor that I can purchase?
I am using the 5d3 and would like it to have an HDMI input as well as the ability to see 2.35:1 crop mode, focus peaking wouldnt hurt also. If possible, would like it to be able to be mounted to the hotshoe.
Any ideas? What are you guys using?

[remoteman]

I've got a SmallHD DP4 without the evf for my 7D, getting a 5d3 in next week, love it. Nice and crisp, great for focussing even without peaking (which I don't use personally). You can assign a whole bunch of different crop marks and i believe change the transparency of the borders. Comes with a hotshoe ball head adapter. I have actually used the hdmi loop through a lot more than I thought I would have, makes it really easy to send out a cable to a client so they don't hover around the camera.

The biggest benefit by far it simply being able to place it wherever I want, I've been cramped into corners of rooms before far too often. It's really well built, I shelled out for a 9" noga arm and a berkey system rail block for it, which i highly recommend, because both of the red rock micro arms which I had previously have fallen apart, the thread inside the handle has been stripped. Nothing else on the market is as streamlined and compact, i don't find the 4.3" size to be a downside at all. You might be able to squeeze a DP6 into that budget if you're lucky. The only other on camera monitor outside of the smallhd offerings that i would really consider is the TVlogic 5.6" as it has vector scopes. Depends on your needs. Oh and the fact that it takes LP-E6's is enormously convenient. I get a good 3-4 hours on two batteries (cheap ebay ones).

[AAphotog]

Originally Posted by remoteman

I've got a SmallHD DP4 without the evf for my 7D, getting a 5d3 in next week, love it. Nice and crisp, great for focussing even without peaking (which I don't use personally). You can assign a whole bunch of different crop marks and i believe change the transparency of the borders. Comes with a hotshoe ball head adapter. I have actually used the hdmi loop through a lot more than I thought I would have, makes it really easy to send out a cable to a client so they don't hover around the camera.

The biggest benefit by far it simply being able to place it wherever I want, I've been cramped into corners of rooms before far too often. It's really well built, I shelled out for a 9" noga arm and a berkey system rail block for it, which i highly recommend, because both of the red rock micro arms which I had previously have fallen apart, the thread inside the handle has been stripped. Nothing else on the market is as streamlined and compact, i don't find the 4.3" size to be a downside at all. You might be able to squeeze a DP6 into that budget if you're lucky. The only other on camera monitor outside of the smallhd offerings that i would really consider is the TVlogic 5.6" as it has vector scopes. Depends on your needs. Oh and the fact that it takes LP-E6's is enormously convenient. I get a good 3-4 hours on two batteries (cheap ebay ones).

Thanks for the in depth summary. Does it offer 720P playback? I know that the 5d2 doesnt output 720P while recording, but the 5d3 does. With that said, I'd like to make sure the monitor also plays the stream in 720p while the camera is recording as well.

[remoteman]

The DP4 will play back full 1080p no worries at all, so yes 720 as well. The 5d3 and 7d offer 1080 out during playback and capture. You can still use it with a 5d2, but yes, you'll only be seeing the 480p image the camera provides. It will automatically upres it to fill the screen however, a nice touch.