smallHD AC7 – OLED External Field Monitor
smallHD is known for their ultra-high standard of quality field monitors. Keeping on par with their popular DP6 and DP4, the guys over at the smallHD HQ have done an excellent job with their latest AC7 LCD and OLED Field Monitor. For the video example below, we’re using the 7.7″ OLED monitor with the SDI option on a Blackmagic Cinema Camera.
When shooting with a camera that has an LCD monitor on the body, most shooters can tell you that the image quality of the picture their camera is seeing is hardly represented in truth on the LCD. This is not only attributed to the size of the screen, it is also due to resolution and color. A 7+ inch external monitor with an OLED screen is going to bring out vivid, vibrant colors and incredibly small detail that you might otherwise miss until your footage hits the editing deck.
The AC7 also comes with an SDI option, with pass through. SDI will give you the same clean signal as HDMI, however unlike the HDMI cable that tends to wiggle out, an SDI connection is locked. *smallHD has come up with a solution for finicky HDMI cables as well (CLICK HERE for an OliviaTech Video Review). High end cameras typically have an SDI port, if you’re shooting with a DSLR, you’ll likely only have an HDMI port.
Along with all of the usual suspects in the menu options, smallHD has implemented even more focus assist and false color options. Beyond just using a single color to aid in focus assist, you also have the power of Focus Assist Plus and Max.
False Color also has HL (high/ow) and HML (high/mid/low) options.
2X Zoom, also called 1:2 pixel mapping simply zooms into the image past its native resolution allowing for a very fine look at the details of your image. User Programable Buttons allow you to customize your monitor according to your workflow. Two user-defined function buttons which can be mapped to instantly switch on or off the effect of your choice, from Focus Assist+ to False Color to 1:1 Mapping and more.
For more tech details, products and accessories, please visit smallHD.com.
smallHD AC7 Field Monitor Choices
Hey Olivia,
Just checking in about which sub $500 field monitor you would recommend for a t3i w/ a cage. Shooting mostly outdoors (paintball events)
youtube.com/socialpaintball
@Justin smallHD also has the DP4-EVF and if you order one now, they will give you next day shipping with $50 off. Use Coupon Code: SmallHD-Origin-Story. I’d also check out the Lilliput 7-inch LCD monitor, Marshall 7″ Portable Camera-Top LCD Field Monitor and these iLogos Monitors.
Check out SmallHD’s DP4 monitor. Would be the perfect companion to outdoor gorilla/handheld style shooting.
AND…. it looks like Olivia beat me to it
I have one myself and I’m very pleased with it. SmallHD is known for their high quality field monitors but I have first hand experience with their customer service and it’s priceless.
@Ellzworth Yes, I really enjoy all of the smallHD monitors as well. Really great stuff from the team over there.
Thanks Olivia!
I have this monitor, and it is just amazing.
It’s very very good. It works really well with my Nikon D800. No problem at all.
I love the “peaking in red” function. The “focus assist plus” and “focus assist max” are also very good. I use them a lot. I really like the “guides” too.
It just works as intended.
I use my lenses with a wide aperture. I like this look. And it was a bit of a pain to focus correctly. I would miss the right focus point on and on.
That’s why I bought my AC7.
I have a Zacuto Z-Finder and it was no good enough. Now, with my AC7, I can focus very precisely. I don’t have any doubt with my focus.
I also don’t have to check constantly on my computer during my shooting by swapping my cards from my D800 to my computer.
Because the monitor and the focus assist are very precise, I just don’t check on my computer any more.
The OLED screen is beautiful. Can’t be more happy.
SmalHD were really kind and professional. Love them.
They send my monitor 4 days after they received my order although their website said I normally should have waited two weeks for it.
Very cool indeed.
They also applied a coupon I send them after my order was placed. And they were pleased to accept it without any problem.
I highly recommend this company and their monitors. Very good products.
A happy customer.
Hey Olivia,
Do you by chance know if it is possible to run both an HDMI and an SDI into the AC7 and toggle between the two inputs with one of the assignable buttons? That would be awesome for matching up images from different cameras on a two camera shoot.
@Jay Yes you can!
Unrelated question: What’s your cage setup on your BMCC? It looks very lightweight and useful.
@Eric It is the P&C Gear Box (click HERE).
Something i don’t get with those external monitors is why they are so expensive. OLED screen technology on this size can not be that expensive, it’s been used on smartphones up to 5/6″ and probably some tablets out there with similar resolutions and the cost of those, embedding most probably more capable hardware is less than even the cheapest of those AC7 monitors.
Even if they integrate photo oriented software and the obvious required input connections, it should not be that expensive.
Really this is a shame as it would indeed make life of photographers so much easier if they could go for one. But damn, not to this price.
I’ve asked the same question, but the answer is unfortunately a bit obvious. The production of these units is much lower quantities than the mass produced stuff. Until, the mass produced stuff has all the same options we need as photographers, its going to cost us. It does seem a bit insane to me too pay $700+ for a 7″ monitor with the options we want, but that’s what we are up against. Lilliput makes their products a bit cheaper, but not much.
Then a company should hurry to build some accessories that allows using tablets as proper monitors.
Many times i’ve been thinking it seems so obvious i don’t get why it’s not out there yet (except camranger, but i’m not too sure how good that one is).
I’ve got both a playbook and an ipad mini, and would love using any of the 2 as external viewfinder for my dslr, even if lacking the software package those real dedicated monitors have to offer.
and even if these are low volume production, they may be buying their LCD screens somewhere, and as those screens have huge production volume, as used in tablets, their cost can’t be that high. After all, those screens have nothing fancy about them, the main advantages come from the connections/electronics and software they had onto that.
This is nearly the perfect monitor. BUT: It would be REALLY nice to see a smaller AC model in the future. For example: An AC4 with the EVF option (IF the DP4 is discontinued) OR just a cheap AC5 (with HDMI only for example). I think such an AC5 would be THE BEST SELLING monitor. Because: Not everyone needs an SDI option, a 7″ screen size or the full metal housing of the DP series. And very good 4″ up to 5″ screens are REALLY rare on the market. At least the affordable ones. ^^
Btw.: I asked SmallHD a few weeks ago if there´s coming a firmware upgrade for the DP4 (to add focus plus MAX and the color options for the peaking). They said it´s not planned to do this. So I hope that´s a sign that there is a AC4 or AC5 coming ^^.
I purchased the DP4 and loved every feature, but couldn’t get past the long delay between recording clips. Every time live view turned off, it would take many seconds to kick back on in the DP4.
As a military photojournalist, seconds count and I can’t just ask who I’m shooting to redo an action because my field monitor was not on yet.
I hope in future models the significant lag is minimized.
SmallHD is putting out some impressive, high quality gear and I’m glad they are asking very reasonable prices.
Hmm. Maybe a new firmware will fix that problem. But I hope they are offering new smaller monitors soon too. Btw.: The quality is nice, the features are nice – but I need a smaller monitor than 7″. And the DP4 is nearly too small @ too expensive (compared to the AC7). So I hope for an AC5 model. Not price wise primarily – more size @ feature wise ^^
Hi!
what are the little avenger/star wars statues in those pictures called?? I must have them!!
@T I’m not sure, smallHD shot those. I’d ask the guys there, they’ll know.