Setting GH4 up for an external monitor?

[JazzBox]

Problem solved. Got a new cable to day and now the Aputure/GH4 combo works. Very easy setup, - connected the two, switched both on and bingo. Thanks to everyone for your comments and inputs.

About the quality of the Aputere: Well, for the money it is okay. The screen has too much contrast - maybe wrong contrast is the right word -  to my liking. The dark areas are too dark and the bright areas too bright. I've tried different settings for brightness and contrast, but can´t get what I would like. Also I would not trust the Aputure for colors - not terrible colors but not trustworthy. The GH4 LCD has far better balance between dark and light areas and better colors. For framing and most focus work though I guess the Aputure is okay. I have put an Anti Glare Film on top of the glossy screen, this and a DIY-modification on the sunshade made it quite useful  for outdoor use.

Anyways, in 4-5 months time I think I´ll get the SmallHD 501 Sidefinder, - if feedback from real world users is good.

​Great news!
Since I'm going to buy a monitor for my GH4 and for the BlackMagic Pocket, could you please tell me if the Aputure replicate the peaking and the zebra from the camera?
I mean: through the HDMI cable is possible to send not only the image, but also peaking, zebra etc... from GH4? And the LCD is still working while sending signal via HDMI?
Huge thanks!

p.s.: I ask you because if the quality is not so good I could buy the cheaper VS-1, that has no peaking and zebra, waiting to raise some money for a SmallHD 501

[bluefonia]

@JazzBox

Yes, the Aputure VS2 replicates the GH4 LCD in every way, - peaking, zebra, zoom, all the menus etc.. So you can use all the GH4 features you are used to. If you don't really need a monitor right now I suggest you wait and save the money for the 501. As I said in the previous post the Aputure is ok, - bigger of course but not as good as the GH4 LCD, - and sure it is nowhere near the 501.

The VS1 display has less resolution and contrast than the VS2 - lesser viewing angle too, - and as the VS2 does not deliver too impressive picture quality personally I would think twice about the VS1. 

[JazzBox]

@bluefonia

Thank you very much for your kind advices!
If you think to sell the VS-2 just drop me a line

[Nick Hughes]

I just used the 501 at a shoot this past weekend and it's really amazing. Great color/sharpness and great features. Doesn't get nearly as hot as I feared it would. It didn't quite make it through 9 hours, but I don't think my batteries were charged 100% (I had 4 off-brand LP-E6s). Software is still a little incomplete (not even V 1.0 yet)- no waveform yet and I have to reset peaking every time I turn the monitor on- it doesn't show up automatically. I can't wait for the sidefinder to be come out.

 

 

[bluefonia]

@bluefonia

Thank you very much for your kind advices!
If you think to sell the VS-2 just drop me a line

​You have got mail :-)

[bluefonia]

Any experiences on battery life on a 501/502?

[Nick Hughes]

Any experiences on battery life on a 501/502?

​4 batteries lasted me about 5 hours of shooting, with the brightness at 100% for most of that. I'm using off-brand batteries that may not be holding their charges very well. They weren't even displaying a full charge (the 501 has a percentage meter which is very handy). So in my extremely limited experience battery life is neither horrendously bad nor mind-blowing good. It's nice that you can keep an eye on the battery life and hot-swap as needed. When power runs out, there's no warning message or anything, it just goes black. 

[defpeppa]

I'm really late to this topic but have the same issue. Lilliput 668GL wont communicate with my GH4. Camera and monitor both work fine with my samsung TV so all ports and cables must be ok? Really frustrating. Just keep getting Blue Screen and cant change the menu.