What is the best external monitor for the Sigma fp?

Question

So I've been shooting with the Sigma fp for about a year now and honestly its one of my favorite cameras for video but the built in screen is starting to drive me insane. I'm currently on location in Portland doing a bunch of outdoor B-roll for a short doc and I literally cannot see a thing in the daylight even with the sun hood thing. Its super frustrating because I thought I had focus nailed on this one interview but when I got home to the edit suite everything was just slightly soft... like the peaking on the fp screen totally lied to me.

I've tried a cheapo 5 inch monitor I had lying around but the colors are way off and it doesnt even support the 12-bit raw output properly which is basically why I bought the fp in the first place. I need something that actually plays nice with the micro HDMI port without losing the signal every five seconds which has been happening with my current setup. I've got a shoot next Friday and a budget of maybe $700 tops for this. I just need something reliable that can actually handle the high bit rate and maybe something that doesn't weigh a ton because I'm usually handheld. Does anyone have a solid recommendation for the best external monitor for the Sigma fp that actually lets you see what you're doing?

SolarByte · Accepted Answer

Man, I feel your pain with that fp screen... it is basically a mirror in direct sun. If you want to keep that 12-bit raw workflow, you honestly gotta look at the Atomos Ninja V 5 inch 4K HDMI Recording Monitor. It is pretty much the gold standard for the fp since it actually records ProRes RAW which saves a ton of space compared to the internal CinemaDNG. One big warning tho... be super careful with that micro HDMI port on the camera. Its fragile as heck and will definitely wiggle loose or break if you dont have a decent cable clamp. I would suggest grabbing the SmallRig Sigma fp Cage 2518 or something similar to lock that cable down. Also, the Ninja is 1000 nits which is decent, but you might want to consider a high-quality Atomos Ninja V Sunhood anyway for Portland summers. It stays under your $700 budget easily, but definitely dont skip the cage if you want the signal to stay stable.

Minelabmfk · Answer

I was thinkin about your sun issue... quick question tho, are you looking to record raw externally or just need a better view while recording to an SSD? Honestly, Ive been really satisfied with these:

Blackmagic Design Video Assist 5 inch 12G HDR no complaints, handles the 12-bit raw signal perfectly.

Portkeys LH5P II 5.5 inch 2200nit Touchscreen Monitor crazy bright for those sunny days. Both are super reliable options for the fp.

ZenZephyrX · Answer

My buddy told me the exact same thing last week. Guess he was right lol.