Best external monitors for the Sigma fp camera?

Question

What external monitor are you guys actually liking for the Sigma fp right now? I finally grabbed one of these tiny beasts for a documentary shoot I have coming up in London next month but man that fixed back screen is a nightmare in daylight even with the loupe sometimes. Ive been shooting on bigger rigs like the Alexa Mini for years so I know my way around a monitor but this micro HDMI port on the Sigma makes me so nervous about port strain and finding a solid cage/cable clamp combo that doesnt feel like a toy.

Im looking to spend maybe 500 to 700 bucks tops since this is my secondary B-cam stealth setup. I was looking at the Ninja V obviously for the ProRes RAW but honestly the Blackmagic Video Assist 12G seems tempting if I want to try BRAW which I hear is a bit of a workflow headache but people say the colors are better? I just need something bright enough to see in the sun because the fp screen basically becomes a mirror outside. Also does anybody know if certain monitors have issues with the signal dropping? I read some stuff about the fp being picky with cables and I really dont want to be fiddling with a black screen while I'm trying to capture street scenes on the fly. Let me know what you guys are rocking on yours because I need to order something by Friday...

SignalSlinger · Accepted Answer

TL;DR: The Atomos Ninja V 5-inch 4K HDR Monitor is the best bet. I'm super happy with mine for outdoor shoots. It's plenty bright and ProRes RAW is way easier than BRAW workflow-wise. To protect that micro HDMI port, get the SmallRig Sigma fp Cage with HDMI Cable Clamp. It works well and keeps things solid so you dont get signal drops. Best bang for your buck setup honestly.

Heathrogma · Answer

> I was looking at the Ninja V obviously for the ProRes RAW but honestly the Blackmagic Video Assist 12G seems tempting... Honestly, I had a frustrating time with the Ninja V on the fp last year. The fan was way too loud for my scratch mic and the signal would drop if I even breathed on the cable, which is a total mood killer. If youre leaning toward the Blackmagic Design Video Assist 5 12G HDR, just a heads up that the BRAW implementation on the fp is a total resource hog. It looks incredible, but it eats storage like crazy and makes the camera run super hot. Since you mentioned your Alexa background, are you planning to rig this with a V-mount or just use internal batteries? The Video Assist is a major power hog compared to other screens. I actually moved to the PortKeys LH5P II 5.5-inch 2200nit Touchscreen Monitor for daylight. Its way brighter than the Atomos, though it feels a bit plasticky. Definitely grab the 8Sinn Sigma fp Cage if you want something that feels less like a toy.

KernelKeeper · Answer

Late to the party but honestly, that built-in screen is such a letdown in the sun. I tried a budget setup and kinda regretted it at first.

PortKeys LH5P II 5.5 Inch 2200nit High Brightness Monitor is legit for the price and actually visible.

Feelworld LUT6 6 Inch 2600nit Ultra Bright HDR/3D LUT Touch Screen Monitor is brighter but feels a bit cheap honestly. PortKeys build is way better for street stuff. Just dont skimp on the cable or itll flicker like crazy...