The Pocket 4K had a huge success in the last months, many users have trusted it to deliver content all over the world. The camera proved to be a real workhorse producing stunning images in a compact and cheap body packed with a plethora of neat features.
To get around some of the inconvenience of that small body, though, most of the filmmakers had to resort to rigs and cages to get most out of the camera and to extend the battery life typically adding a V-mount battery on top of the rig, thus creating additional problems in accessing the monitor on the back. There are some solutions to get around this problem as Armando Ferreira has one particular in mind.
This solution at hand is made by SmallHD and Teradek. At first glance the setup appears to be quite different, an obvious couple of antennas on top may seem a bit unconventional at least when you compare it to the standard form factor that most on-camera monitors have.
In fact, the Focus Bolt 500 TX is the result of a partnership between Teradek and SmallHD, and it’s an integrated solution, both a monitor and a transmitter.
The offering is quite impressive if you consider that the whole package is not much larger then the sole monitor. Usually, you would have to route the signal from the camera to a bulky transmitter that you then screwed on the cage or on a cold shoe.
This setup instead puts together the two pieces and makes the rig much lighter.
On the other side, you would have the monitor of choice and a receiver, another bulky addendum to the rig. In this setup, you have the Focus 7 Bolt 500 RX with a Teradek Receiver.
So why you should consider a combo like this instead of a cheap and classical solution? Ferreira is making a good point while considering the future-proofing of your gear, not to mention reliability which is another essential prerequisite.
Once you are set to invest in a monitor (and with a camera like the Pocket 4K you’ll probably need one), it could make sense to go the extra step and buy the Focus 7 Bolt 500 TX with Bolt 500 Receiver.
After all, this configuration has all you can ask from a professional field monitor and a receiver – pro features, flawless integration, and all the bells and whistles with the expected quality provided by two staples in the gear industry, so why not give it a chance?
[source: Armando Ferreira]
Order Links:
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (B&H, Amazon)
SmallHD FOCUS Bolt 500 TX On-Camera Monitor (B&H, Amazon)
SmallHD FOCUS 7 Daylight-Viewable 7″ Monitor with Bolt 500 Receiver (B&H, Amazon)
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate partner and participant in B&H and Adorama Affiliate programmes, we earn a small comission from each purchase made through the affiliate links listed above at no additional cost to you.
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