At first glance this looks like a bit of an oddity, but the more you think about it the more using a Wireless Video Monitor on a smartphone actually does make sense for a wide range of different shooting scenarios.
At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking that what a device that’s basically a big screen really doesn’t need is another big screen; especially given that it’s not likely to be anywhere near the usually stellar quality of the original. But SmallRig’s new Wireless Video Monitor for smartphones is actually a pretty good idea that opens up a whole range of shooting options.
Powered by a built-in 1500mAh battery that should deliver up to three hours of uninterrupted use (two hours at full beams), the monitor is a mere 106.0 x 69.0 x 14.0mm / 4.2 x 2.7 x 0.5in and weighs 129.0 ± 10.0g / 4.5 ± 0.35oz. It can be attached to a phone via either the usual sort of mobile filmmaking ecosystem devices and a 1/4''-20 thread and a pan-tilt cold shoe head, or via MagSafe. This latter option gives you the chance to use a phone’s much better rear facing camera as the selfie camera, which should amp up vlogging quality significantly.
Other obvious use cases are shooting down low or up high and being able to angle the monitor so that you can see clearly, something which the slab-like smartphone form factor is legendarily bad at. Or, and this is possibly even more useful, SmallRig says that it provides a stable connection of up to 10 meters (32.8 feet), allowing you to use it as a remote control. Single button mirror mode, zoom, and capture, make it a good tool for solo shots. No data on latency as yet.
Pricing and availability
Next batch of US orders will ship June 27, while other regions begin shipping June 11. Availability looks limited to certain countries, currently the US, UK, and ‘some EU countries’. Pricing is $64.99.