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Originally posted by aburke09

I'm looking for a cheap monitor(couple hundred bucks) that will work with the Canon XH-A1, any suggestions?

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ANY monitor will work with just about any camera except that if you have an HD camera output, without a downconverter, you will only be able to put that input into an HD monitor. The same with Standard Definition.... most HD monitors will not accept standard def signals.

So, it comes down to price, portability and power. Some monitors are too bulky to be practical in a movie making environment so smaller can be better in most cases. Also, power needs are important. Some can only be used when plugged in to an AC source, but some do allow you to use batteries. If you're shooting a lot of exteriors, consider power when you make your decision. And of course, price. The best thing to do is to browse the selections in your price range and then consider the format and power issues from there.

Keep in mind that not all monitors are necessarily "what you see is what you get." No one should ever necessarily light and expose an image based on the picture on the monitor, however if the monitor is properly calibrated (using bars generated from the camera), then you can consider it. But there are always differences in the way different technologies show you what the camera is delivering, so be wary of how one type of monitor may influence what YOU see on set compared to other types before making a final decision.

Brian Dzyak
Cameraman/Author
IATSE Local 600, SOC
http://www.whatireallywanttodo.com
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