Camera Monitor For Less - Viltrox DC-550

The Viltrox DC-550 is a 5.5" IPS monitor with 1200 nits for less than $150
(at the time of this videos release)
The DC-550 provides exposure tools such as scopes, false colors and zebras. There's also framing guides, focus assist tools, LUTs, anamorphic de-squeeze and much more packed into this affordable camera monitor. Viltrox has also been generous including a great sun hood along with a nice monitor mount, cables and even a free NPF battery.
Links to the monitor and other items mentioned in the video.
Get the Viltrox DC-550 on Amazon
amzn.to/48X0kGY
NPF Battery (Options)
amzn.to/3HI5FGs
NPF Battery USB-C Dual Charger
amzn.to/48Ss7s8
NPF Battery Wall Charger
amzn.to/483s4bM
Big NPF Battery Charge with USB-C
amzn.to/3ufnold
Smallrig HDMI to HDMI (Short)
amzn.to/3vYomCW
Smallrig HDMI to HDMI (Longer)
amzn.to/3OlCOeM
My Favorite Portable & Travel Friendly Video Tripod:
amzn.to/4bmYOj2
Viltrox product page:
viltroxstore.com/products/vil...
Looking for sweet music for your videos?
Get two months for free on artlist when signing up with this link:
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This video was shot on Fujifilm X-T4 and the Viltrox 23mm f1.4
Microphone - Sennheiser MKE600
Links above may be affiliate links
Chapters
00:00 - Introducing the Viltrox DC-550
00:35 - Unboxing
01:15 - Free NPF Battery
02:05 - D-Tap Powering
02:20 - Monitor Mount
02:45 - HDR Monitor
03:13 - Fan Control
03:32 - Custom Buttons
04:00 - Ports
04:35 - Controls
05:00 - HDMI Cables
05:30 - Build Quality
05:45 - 4K 60fps Monitor
07:10 - Tools & Features
07:23 - LUTs
08:00 - Value For Money?
08:11 - Sun Hood is genious
08:20 - Pros vs. Cons

[@PhilipDSouza]

Thank you very much! The only video that addresses resolution and frame rate right to rid the confusion. Many others do reviews and don't even answer the question in comments about it

[@ThomasFransson]

Glad it was helpful! I've seen this question being asked a lot too.

[@billpeck1189]

This is one of the best reviews of this monitor and I’ve watched a dozen. Thanks!

[@ThomasFransson]

Wow, thanks! So glad that you liked it!

[@dalloiselle7274]

Thanks for an excellent, detailed video delivered with style. Most thorough that I've seen. I am buying this make and model thanks to you.

[@ThomasFransson]

Thank you, you so are welcome!

[@03LilShaun]

I like your color grading, where can I get the Luts you’ve used on this video? 🙏🏾

[@petrituohimaa]

Tack för det här! I got this monitor a few weeks ago and I agree that it’s amazing for the price. Some people think the dial adds bulk but for us living in countries where the air hurts the face, the physical controls are a great addition. What monitor mount do you use? My SmallRig monitor mount gets in the way of the HDMI port and I had to replace the tilt axis knob with a regular bolt that doesn’t protrude. The location of the HDMI in port is too close to the mounting point, but it’s the only negative thing I can say about the monitor. (Well, the white battery is an eyesore but I got a bigger black one already… 😅)

[@ThomasFransson]

Yes, definitely some benefits with having both manual controls and touch. Sometimes touch can be a bit clunky. And I know a lot of users don't like touch at all or at least not the finger prints it generates 😉 I believe the monitor mount I used is the 2100B Haha yes I've seen a lot of people complaining about the color of the free battery. If that's your biggest problem... Then I'd say Viltrox made a pretty decent product. It's a free battery after all. Kul med en svensk här på tuben. Ha de gott! Edit: Finsk såg jag nu!

[@Blohme_official]

I think your PSA said in words what I didn't know how to google. Thank you.

[@ThomasFransson]

Oh wonderful, so glad you found the info! Have a great day

[@REMY.C.]

Thanks for this review. I strongly suggest people on limited budget to look into this monitor. I received the pro version a few days ago for my FUJI XT4 after many months of research and comparison. It really is a beautiful tool, very well made, 1200nits for the 550 and the 550pro with customizable fan speed, sun shade, battery, cage mount, cables and solid case included, very customizable. I bought it for 180 €/$. No monitor can beat it at this price. Yes the HDMI is weirdly positioned but I found some coiled and angled HDMI that works and finally preferred this down position cause no cables are dangling from the sides, well thought Viltrox. For your XT4 I suggest a smallrig cage, their awesome micro HDMI to HDMI and clamp, solves that xt4 weak HDMI port. I still need to find an elegant solution for the mic and my rig is almost done.

[@ThomasFransson]

Ah cool, another X-T4 shooter! Yeah, it's a great deal for sure and hard to find much complain about. Always keep a cage on my Fujifilm X-T4 even when it's stripped down for just travel photography and snippets of video.

[@REMY.C.]

@@ThomasFransson I'm guilty of having 3 cages for my xt4 😂 All from Smallrig, one Lbracket with wooden handle for photography, a small one for video, and a big one that fits the xt4 with it's battery grip. I even got a small grip one for my xpro3. Those cages are dangerous for those of us who like to build things cause every time I buy an accessory for a cage, as soon as I receive it I'm like "okay, what can I buy next to make it better, just take my money!".

[@ThomasFransson]

I'm way too lazy for that. Just stick to one.

[@FriedFx]

This monitor will most likely be my first. I've been using the flip out screen on my Canon cameras (Rebel T3i, R and R5) for the last 8 years... I mainly want it for outdoor use. The flip out screen is just too small and I need a sun shade for this Florida sunshine. This is such a great value I can't pass it up! Great review 👍

[@ThomasFransson]

It's such a game changer!

[@javierrzrd]

I'm a beginner and got this monitor last December. Even my Pro friends have praised this monitor. Love it! Battery gives me less than 40 mins but is a free battery, who cares?! And the 1,200 Nits are BRUTAL! I do a lot of outdoor filming and none of my friend's +300 dollar monitors can compare in brightness. I only hate the glossy screens which reflects a lot but +90% of video monitors out there also come with glossy screens.

[@ThomasFransson]

Awesome!

[@weezypeasy]

An included cold shoe mount and an NPF battery? Impressive!

[@ThomasFransson]

Smart move for sure, I think a lot of new users may overlook the whole battery thing when buying a monitor. Not being able to use it on arrival

[@SOURMlLK]

Viltrox is one of the only 3rd party that actually make great quality products in everyone budget!

[@ThomasFransson]

They are on fire! It's going to be very interesting to follow them and see what other gadgets they bring out.

[@aristotle_4532]

​​@@ThomasFransson I use a 4 camera fujifilm xt4 system with viltrox prime lenses and I was looking for on camera monitors. I also use 4 24 inch 10bit eizo photography monitors that support 24 to 60p 1080p and look amazing while adding no delay. A problem i have is that 4k recording cannot be combined with 1080p output with lut preview on the fuji, so fuji only works with a lut when the hdmi output is 4k which eizo does not support. Does this viltrox monitor do anything about this? Is the hdmi pass through just a 4k input mirror as one would expect, or can it apply processing such as a lut and 1080p conversion? And btw, how is the delay on this monitor?

[@aristotle_4532]

​@@ThomasFransson I found it is 4k 30p and a mirror of the input as most monitors. An interesting detail is that they make a version without a touchscreen, without some rgb monitoring features, and with 400nits brightness that is passively cooled. I wonder if operating the 1200nits touchscreen full processing version at 100nits is OK with the fan turned off. Since they offer an option to turn the fan off, i think this may be the intended usage scenario. Full brightness must be what requires the active cooling.

[@ThomasFransson]

Yes exactly, even if it this one accepted a 4K 60fps signal in my test most manufacturers state 4K 30fps fps as the max input. There's always a threshold for how much heat various components can handle over time and what effect it may have on their lifetime. I've been shooting in -15C and indoors with this monitor and cooling was probably not necessary in most cases. But if you’re out on a full day gig and the monitor is running for 8-10h, cooling is good. Or during hot summer days. On the low setting it's not audible so I decided to park mine there ;)

[@ThomasFransson]

I've not tested this myself but on Viltrox website they say the LUT applied on the monitor won't be passed through over the monitors hdmi out.

[@ThanakritGu]

Thanks for the review! Does the overlay (parades etc) work while in anamorphic desqueeze mode?

[@ThomasFransson]

Yes they do. Thank you

[@bsv_za]

Thanks for making the video. Does this monitor by any chance have an onion skin overlay like the ninja V? You can basically overlay a frame from a previous video to make it easier to do a match cut. That's maybe my biggest driver to getting an external monitor.

[@ThomasFransson]

Sadly no, you can do freeze frames but no overlay of frames.

[@GilbertTV]

looks great & right now its 20% off on Amazon UK

[@ThomasFransson]

Wow 20% that's a steal! Let me know what you think of it if you get one.

[@deanhome1]

what camera did you use for this video it's so clean looks great

[@ThomasFransson]

Oh, thanks! Most of it is shot on the Fujifilm X-T4 and the Viltrox 23mm f1.4. Both B-roll and the talking head portion.

[@akcine]

It is crazy how much you get for $150?? wow. I already have monitors but if not I would def give it a try.

[@ThomasFransson]

Haha so true, I did a double take when I saw the price. Thanks for checking it out.

[@matecseke4574]

HI. Thank you so much for this fantastic video review. I record in hlg 2. in this case how should I set the lut loader?

[@ThomasFransson]

If you’re using any luts in camera or in post you could use the same Lut on the monitor. If you're not using any luts then you can leave LUTS off

[@lonceyscairns33]

Cheers so much seems decent 😊❤

[@HarrisonBender]

Great review man. Thanks for making such a comprehensive look at this guy. I'm currently looking for a brighter monitor (currently on the f6 plus) and wondering if my Smallrig mount will block the HDMI in port. any chance you could let me know the length of the included mount and/or the measurement from the 1/4" to HDMI in? Thanks so much!

[@ThomasFransson]

I've tested with two different smallrig monitor mounts and both have been fine. I'd only worry if you're using some hdmi cable with a super chunky connector.

[@HarrisonBender]

Legend. Thanks so much for getting back to me

[@ThomasFransson]

My pleasure, glad to be able to help. Cheers!

[@davegoldsmith2588]

Thanks. Very useful. I keep coming back to the viltrox. Tempted by others but there slways is a sticking point such as brightness build quality or functionality. I have viltrox lenses, and the build is good. I have decided..... probably.

[@ThomasFransson]

It's a great monitor with a high "bang for the buck factor" for sure! Nice what lenses are you using? I'm sold on the 23mm f1.4,

[@davegoldsmith2588]

@ThomasFransson I have the 23 mm 1.4. It's excellent but will focus hunt if you let it. Can be overcome in settings but I never get it on my tamron. Build wise, it's excellent. I'm on the fx30.

[@ThomasFransson]

Nice, it's pretty much glued on my Fujifilm X-T4 and even if I decided to get the Viltrox 13mm f1.4 for my FX30 I'm still contemplating getting a 23mm too. Its just that "having two of the same" ;)

[@bynunoalves]

Currently trying to figure out what kind of rig setup I want to get for my Sony A7iii which, for a beginner like me, can be a painful process haha Was looking at monitors with no idea on which one to get but your video makes for a very strong argument when it comes to this new monitor. Greatly appreciated dear sir. Liked and subscribed! 😎

[@ThomasFransson]

Thank you so much, I appreciate it! Ah, rigging! It is definitely a puzzle. I have a video up on my mini/compact rig that can be broken down/set up without the use of any tools. It was one of the things I realized after I started to build out my cameras. I was spending so much time putting it together on location and breaking it down again for transport. So I slowly switched out parts to quick release and nato rail mounts.

[@bynunoalves]

@@ThomasFranssonhaha exactly thats what I looking into, having all quick release so it makes everything easier. I will definitely take a look into that video brother. Again, thank you and great job! 🤘🏻

[@ThomasFransson]

Happy rigging and don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

[@bynunoalves]

@@ThomasFranssonmuch appreciated brother! 🙏🏻

[@ThomasFransson]

My pleasure!

[@kinoromantic]

The value for 150$ is simply astonishing!

[@ThomasFransson]

It really is!

[@iamwannabefilmmaker]

thanks for the efort nice video. Have you use it outdoor? the problem with this kind of cheap monoitors is the are mirroring and outdoors with a lot sun you cant see anything. I had issues in the past with 2 brands.

[@ThomasFransson]

Oh, I see what was the brightness on those? I have mainly used it outdoors which have worked great. I have a 1000Nits monitor that I have used for outdoor shoots without a hood prior to this one. I'd say that at 1200nits and with the hood it should be ok for monitoring. There are obviously brighter monitors out there and depending on the use case they might be necessary for super critical work in direct sunlight without a hood or not shooting back lit. But for framing and basic work 1000 and 1200nit have worked for me. You can check out my video on the Lilmon 5 (1000nit) to get a feel for where I'm coming from.

[@iamwannabefilmmaker]

@@ThomasFransson 2200 nits! It's not a nits thing it was an andycine. It has to do with cheap Glas that was used in monitor. I bought the ninja v that doesn't have so much nits but I can see better thann the 2200 nit monitor. So I am careful with monitor’s and I would do an outdoor comparison with monitors and direct sunlight hitting the monitor and angles. That’s so important because i buy a monitor to see better what’s the point if I can’t see anything? Indoors are most monitors ok. Nice talking to you thanks

[@ThomasFransson]

Ah I see! Well, like I said, I've had no issues.

[@petrituohimaa]

One more question - how does the Viltrox compare to Lilmon 5? I seriously considered that monitor but it’s hard to get in Europe.

[@ThomasFransson]

The Lilmon offers a few more advanced features like probe location and the way you can control luts and create multiple setups.

[@dronepacker7183]

Hi, great video as I was looking for a budget monitor for wedding videography so things will be easier to focus. I think you have already answered but just want to make it more clear, if I use 4K 60 fps in camera setting I can still use the monitor at the same time in HD 1080 any fps or 4K 30fps? oh yes sorry I use Nikon Z6ii.

[@ThomasFransson]

Glad it was helpful! Yes exactly, today's cameras let's you use a separate hdmi resolution from your recording resolution. If you look at a $2000 pro monitor like the Ultra 5 from SmallHD it will work exactly the same. Supporting up to 4K 30fps signals and have a 1920x1080 display resolution.

[@dronepacker7183]

@@ThomasFransson Thank You.

[@stewartmoore]

Why do you have the sun shade on if it 1200 nits? - is it bright enough for sunny out door conditions ? (sorry haven't watched the whole video)

[@ThomasFransson]

Not all monitors comes with a shade - and the design of this one is rather genious. I'd say so, I've been shooting on a 1000nit monitor prior - (linked in the video) and it worked well in daylight. That 1000 nit monitor does not come with a hood btw.

[@VOKASINEMA]

Good video.

[@ThomasFransson]

Thank you, and thanks for taking the time to comment

[@JonSteine]

Might have to get a new Moniter soon 😁

[@ThomasFransson]

Swing by and try it out

[@robzielinski]

One question i cannot find an answer too in any other video, can you run peaking and zebras at the same time?

[@ThomasFransson]

Yep, just tried it.

[@woodcraft_cz]

I’m torn between this and the Osee lilmon, any input please?

[@ThomasFransson]

Both are good options, but like I mentioned in the video, the Osee is slightly more "high end" and I think it works better in production situations. Also, if you are planning on shooting anamorphic, there's a bug in the DC-550 resetting your de-squeeze when you power off the monitor. If you’re not shooting anamorphic, that's obviously not going to be a problem. The 1200nit is a nice little polish on the 550 as well as the sun hood that protects the screen during transport.

[@tiagodias9742]

How good is the peaking on the monitor? A lot of cheap ones have peaking that is almost unuseable :(

[@ThomasFransson]

I think the screen is nice so I find the peaking to be a lot more reliable and precise compared to the F6 plus which is another monitor with a similar price tag. But it come across as almost 8bit in comparison. I haven't compared it to the Lilmon 5 but in general I think a lot of these newer budget monitors have way better screens than back in the days.

[@BrendanYoungMusic]

So if your camera has touch to focus, does the touch function of this monitor support that?

[@ThomasFransson]

There's only one monitor that can do that and I believe it's still only works on newer Sony cameras. That monitor is made by portkeys. RED has this function too with their proprietary monitors.

[@studiovitta]

Nice review sort but very useful. I just buy the pro version yesterday How can I turn the resolution to 1080 cause when I plug the monitor on my A7s3 automatically set the input at 4K but the settings on camera was 1080 ? By the way the monitor is super and very accurate with a minimum shift to much exactly with the screen of my camera Thanks

[@ThomasFransson]

I'm not sure if the a7s3 uses the exact same menu but check: menu - setup - external output - hdmi. Hope this does the trick.

[@pepebenitezruiz]

@@ThomasFransson I think that the HDMI output can be configured on the camera. I have checked it in the menu of the Sony FX3, which is supposed to be the same as the A7sIII.

[@giovcarrillo4222]

What are the anamorphic desqueeze options? I can't find it on their website. Is the delay okay for professional use?

[@ThomasFransson]

I would recommend the Osee Lilmon 5 in this price range if you’re planning on using anamorphic de-squeeze. There's currently (still) a bug on the DC monitors that will turn off de-squeeze every time you power off the monitor, even with battery still attached. This gets rather frustrating on longer shoots where you might want to conserve battery between takes. I did a comparison between the Viltrox and the Lilmon 5 here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3banJhnlKd3fZIsi=NJA8E2H1tgbojOqa But to answer your question, it will cover 1.33, 1.5 and 2x I'm pretty sure it does 1.6x too. I only use 1.5x so my memory is a bit rusty

[@saf574]

How were you able to update the firmware on the monitor? Can’t find it on their website at all

[@ThomasFransson]

That was just for illustrative purposes

[@watzmaaname]

Hi Thomas, what anamorphic de-squeeze options does the Viltrox provide? Can't find the exact settings the monitor's got. Checked many videos. It's not in the manual either. I plan to use 1.5x squeeze lenses. Would be great if you can help please. Thanks.

[@ThomasFransson]

It do support 1.5x - Thats what I use myself ;) And from memory I'm quite sure it supports all the common ones - 1.33, 1.5, 1.8 and 2x squeeze.

[@watzmaaname]

@@ThomasFransson Brilliant, thanks! Have you tried out the Blazar Remus set? Would love to see it paired with an FX30. They have teased a 35mm S35 T1.6 variant. Man, how does one resist these beauties?

[@ThomasFransson]

I have the 45mm ef mount with blue flares. Wasn't sure how usable 65mm would be on s35 for hand held without ibis. But bought a metabones speed booster ef to e mount, so ill probably pull the trigger on the 65mm soon. I've seen some test shots done with the 35mm already so it's probably not far away from launch.

[@watzmaaname]

@@ThomasFransson That's great. Would love to see footage. Wish you well!

[@ThomasFransson]

Thanks. hope I can make a video on it soon.

[@imthemaximus]

feelworld f6 plus is a 4k monitor which almost comes at the same price, good thing on viltrox is it comes with a battery, both hdmi cables and a better swivel mount.

[@jonasradke]

It’s not a 4K display though, only 4K input which this also supports

[@imthemaximus]

@@jonasradke ohh that’s interesting even I didn’t knew this, I think so I fell for their clever advertising 😅

[@jonasradke]

Yeah it's a little bit deceiving

[@ThomasFransson]

True, I don't think I've ever seen a small on camera monitor with 4K resolution Not even the $4500 7" monitor mentioned in the video has a 4K resolution. But it's easy to get caught up in all the numbers. F6 Plus is great, I have one and it gets used every week.

[@imthemaximus]

@@ThomasFransson Same here!

[@colingentile]

Hi Thomas, Very nice video, thank you ! I'd like to buy an external monitor to use with my Fujifilm GFX setup, for macrophotography. I need to know that the resolution is better on this kind of monitor than on the EVF with magnification punched in. Because I find the resolution of Fujifilm's screens is lacking details for my use and kinda hope these external monitors would help in this domain. Can you give me some feedback on these resolution concerns ? Thanks a lot ! Peace. Colin

[@ThomasFransson]

Hi Colin! This is a tricky question and I don't feel 100% comfortable giving any definite advice. I'm assuming this is for on location/out and about situations where you're not able to shoot tethered to a computer screen? These monitors, DC-550 and the DC-550 Pro have a resolution of 1920x1080 and a pixel density of 400ppi. (In contrast, The iPhone 14 Pro Max have a pixel density of 460ppi) However, there is a pixel to pixel mode on the DC-550 which will be useful for macrophotography and critical focus. Sorry for not being able to give any other advice other that some numbers and comparisons which hopefully will give you a rough idea of what to expect from the DC-550 monitor.

[@colingentile]

Hi @@ThomasFransson !! Thank you co much for your feedback ! It already helps me a lot and gives me confidence to continue my reserach. Yes, I only work outside, without any tethering setup. I was thinking of mirroring my EVF on an iPhone, but don't know if it's possible or not... Anyway, thank you so much for your help ! It's very nice of you ! Take care, Colin

[@ThomasFransson]

Maybe you could use your iPhone with the correct cable- hdmi to whatever connection your phone has. I've tried a few 3rd party apps for this in the past. But as I'm an android user I'm not well versed in the iPhone options. I wish you the best with all of this and hope to see some of your work soon. I'm a Fujifilm shooters myself ;)

[@pepebenitezruiz]

thank you for your video.... Can I display a 4k50p signal on this monitor?

[@ThomasFransson]

Maybe 5:46 But like most monitors it's officia max frame rate and resolution is stated as 4K 30fps and the display itself is only 1920x1080 So unless you have a need to do pixel to pixel displays, setting your HDMI out to 1920x1080 will allow you to shoot 12K 50000fps (as long as the HDMI signal is 1920x1080)

[@SeniorRock54]

I'm using the Pro with my Fuji X-S10 and I got two questions. 1.what is "Camera Mode" in the Monitoring Tool good for 2. I can see the menue points of my camera display but no focus points on the Monitor. Is that normal?

[@ThomasFransson]

1. Thats a good question. I couldn't quite figure out that either, and the manual doesn't shed much light on it either. 2. This is either your camera settings and what info is being displayed over HDMI or a limitation on the camera. Dive into your camera settings where you should be able to add and remove visual features and alternate how these if these are shown or not with the info display option. Thats how it is on my X-T4. XS10 would probably have a similar menu.

[@DM-ez3ks]

how can you introduce a self made lut into the monitor? Thanks!!

[@ThomasFransson]

Via the SD card slot on top of the monitor. Insert a card with luts - tap on USER LUT on the menu and a little scroll list of the luts on your card will appear on the right side of the screen.

[@billyoung9538]

I have a question I've not asked of other channels, because their reviews haven't been as well executed. Does the bottom of the cold shoe monitor stand have a functional 1/4" hole in it? I ask, because my rigs monitor arm has a flat plate with a 1/4 screw on the bottom, and due the the HDMI ports being on the bottom of this monitor, they would prevent this from mounting properly. Thus my only option would to to use some type of offset, like say a 1/4 threaded hole in the bottom of a cold shoe, to mount the monitor without the downward facing ports presenting a problem.

[@ThomasFransson]

First of all thank you I'll take that as a compliment ;) Yes, there is a thread on the bottom of the mount so using an offset would probably work like you say. That or maybe using an angled HDMI cable is space is tight. Cheers!

[@billyoung9538]

@@ThomasFransson thanks for the info. That pretty confirms this meets most of my needs. The false color is my only concern currently, but hopefully it will function well enough, but if not there are false color luts as well. As for the wire, I'm sure I can find a solution to it much easier than it would have been to find an alternative mounting solution.

[@ThomasFransson]

True, and one can always reach out to Viltrox and ask for updated false colors. They have added and changed some features since the launched this series.

[@laurenceliddy]

Does this monitor have an image capture function to take a snapshot of your scene and overlay it on top of your footage, similar to the SmallHD monitors?

[@ThomasFransson]

Sadly no. I'm afraid it's going to be whiteboard markers to line things up.

[@laurenceliddy]

Ahh that’s a shame, I use that feature a lot!

[@ThomasFransson]

Yeah, I haven't seen onion skin on any budget monitor. Might be one, but there might be one out there.

[@Josh-jt5se]

i was wondering if the image looks oversampled. Ive had over monitors before and it looks too sharpened and the colours look abit crap.

[@ThomasFransson]

That might be because of the signal resolution or the pixel density on the actual screen. I have a few older monitors with lower pixel density. They look like old Nintendos compared to newer ones like this =) Nothing wrong with the colors, if they don't match your camera display you could always adjust them to match. This after making sure you are using the correct conversion lut on your monitor. You could also take a look at another favorite of mine - the Osee Lilmon 5 it's a few dollars more but It gives you the option to even plug in a colorimeter to do a proper color calibration.

[@marieta.s]

Does it support recording to an external hard drive or sd card?

[@ThomasFransson]

No, it's a regular camera monitor.

[@speakstruth7742]

Does the false color come with a guide? Is it adjustable?

[@ThomasFransson]

There's two false color overlays Type 1 and Type 2 Type 1 being the classic more detailed version (in my opinion) While the Type 2 is a simpler version with fewer IRE steps. Both have a scale/guide but no IRE values attached to the various blocks. This is hopefully something Viltrox can fix with firmware.

[@neunik_]

Can you maybe give me a guide or some tips how can i correctly set the monitor if i film in SLOG2 for example or otherwise that the monitor shows me exactly the same picture as on my camera? Because sometimes i have the problem that i only use the external monitor and the quality on my Mac shows me another picture as on the monitor. I think the settings are not correct 🥲

[@ThomasFransson]

I can give you a few pointers, hopefully they might be of help. First of, make sure to transfer the same slog2 conversion Lut you use while in your editing software to the monitor with an SD-Card. Cards 32gb cards works, maybe 64gb cards too. But i know for a fact that larger cards won't be recognized by the monitor. I have a few old 4gb cards i use for this. There's hundreds if not thousands of of s-log conversion luts out there and they will give you wildly different results. So making sure you are using the very same LUT is the first step. Secondly (I'm on pc) a lot, if not all macs these days use P3 gammut as default instead of sRGB. While P3 offers a wider color range it's not as similar to rec.709 as sRGB is. I'm guessing you are converting your s-log2 footage to rec.709 before doing any further corrections and grading. If you haven’t changed these settings in your editing software or on your computer you will not see the actual rec.709 levels on your screen. The p3 issue is the reason why colors can look ok on you computer but once a video is uploaded to KZbin or presented in a standard rec.709 environment, the image will appear lower in saturation and contrast as it's been corrected when viewing it in the "wrong profile" There's more to it, but this is a great place to start and while you investigate any settings changes for your specific computer and editing software you will come across more related information which will be presented in an easier way to digest than in a youtube comment ;) Cheers! There's a few more things that could affect the outcome, but I think these two sugges

[@neunik_]

@@ThomasFransson Wow, first big thanks for your long helpful answer! First.. im using an older SD Card with 8Gb which works good on the viltrox Monitor and always was inside. Next ist the Lut.. im a bit questioned because i am using DaVinci Resolve for cutting and grading.. on DV you put a colour space transform effect while grading on the video and there you can put for example gammut.cine & Slog2 on it and get an Rec709 standard picture. And you‘re right once i have the Rec709 Standard im starting grading. At this moment i think i habe to create an lut on my own with DaVinci to get this Color space transform on my camera? So i have to watch some videos 😂 Im using an Macbook Air with M1 Chip so maybe you‘re right. Im not a professionell but i think i will have a look on the SRGB thing.. maybe on my mac its wrong thats right! But that means you are always working with luts on the monitor right? So you don‘t look at the normal picture just see the final graded version right?😊 Thanks a lot for the answer im very happy about ist and i habe to change some settings now 😂

[@ThomasFransson]

Hey, I'm jusy happy if I'm able to help someone. I see, I sadly i picked up Resolve during the pandemic hoping I would have time to switch, but... But you are right, there should be a way to export the cst to a lut for your monitor. Must be tutorials on that out there. I also think Resolve have some way of letting you set the desired gammut for monitoring. Sadly I can't provide more details for Resolve.

[@jezmink]

Does it say it's an IPS display on the package box, there is nothing on Viltrox website about having a IPS display.

[@ThomasFransson]

That's a good question, I don't have the box anymore so I can't verify what it says on the box. But it's probably an LCD display. And I say "probably" as I'm assuming it is.

[@burry218]

Does it have 9:16 vertical crop aspect ratio markers?

[@ThomasFransson]

No vertical crop guides atm but you can use the trisection guides for this. Hopefully they’ll add more guides or customization to the current ones if there’s enough people asking for it.

[@benjaminkessler6455]

Hey, mine has crazy Input Lag of about a second. Is there a way to fix that : / thanks

[@ThomasFransson]

There's no way around latency over hdmi. If you’re sending a 4K signal out from your camera, try change it to 1080. Not sure, but maybe bypassing down sampling inbthe monitor might shave off a few ms.

[@BobPetrone]

Is it difficult to see the screen when filming on sunny days?

[@ThomasFransson]

It works pretty well. Especially with the hood attached.

[@paulonobrega3557]

I'm really confused as in vitrox website says only the DC-550 pro has touch screen. Can you confirm that this one reviewed is the DC-550 and not the pro?

[@ThomasFransson]

I saw that too, both have a touch screen. The one in the video is not the pro version as you can see on the images.

[@paulonobrega3557]

@@ThomasFransson Great to know. Thanks.

[@ThomasFransson]

Happy to help

[@nevinsanchez9112]

I was looking into the Viltrox 550 or the Viltrox 550 pro. I just saw the pro dropped down price. I wonder what’s the difference in specs because they both looked the same. On Amazon the description it said the DC 550 does not have touchscreen but the 550 pro does, but in your video you used the touch screen. If you get your hands on the pro, I would definitely love to see a comparison video.

[@ThomasFransson]

There is a handy dandy comparison chart on Viltrox website comparing the three models. The pro version offers a few more scopes from recollection.

[@nevinsanchez9112]

@@ThomasFransson this helped so much. Well I’m glad they all have touch screen. Looks like the prices for all are all dropped and not that far off in price. I wonder they all compare size, specs in a video, that’ll be cool. I honestly don’t know the use case of the pro with the added waveforms from a beginner standpoint. Thanks again

[@ThomasFransson]

True, the regular 550 will probably do the job in most cases, I would pass on the lite version because of the 400 nit display.

[@greggh]

@@ThomasFransson Could you post the link? I can't find it. Viltrox's website is in Chinese.

[@ThomasFransson]

Go to the Viltrox store website and the product page there. On the page there's a drop down menu where you can switch language from "Simplified Chinese" to English

[@ish_vids]

How doea this compare with the Osee Lilmom 5?

[@ThomasFransson]

It's two somewhat different monitors. The DC-550 wins on simplicity, price and physical features like the hard sun hood that also acts as a screen protector. This along with the manual controls makes it a great easy to use run and gun monitor. The Lilmon 5 has more technical bells and whistles which can be handy in production settings, such as the probe location, adding look luts and being able to adjust the intensity of these. It can also be setup for multiple cameras and shooting scenarios. Both have their own tricks up their sleeves and it will come down to what tricks you need the most. And budget to some degree

[@CampbellCaptures_]

Are there Vertical ratio markers ???

[@ThomasFransson]

Sorry for the long wait. A friend was borrowing this monitor and I wanted to double check since I don't recall seeing any vertical marker options in the menu.. I just had a look and can confirm that there's none. As I shoot vertical in vertical orientation this is probably why I didn't catch this earlier. Hope the information helps even if you sadly had to wait.

[@jaywbus]

Man #Viltrox is killling it

[@ThomasFransson]

Yes sir, they’re bringing it

[@azharuddinsaikh7605]

can i control the focusing on monitor touch screen ?

[@ThomasFransson]

As far as I know there's only RED monitors that works with their own cameras. And one, maybe 2(?) monitors from Portkeys that does this. But only with newer Sony cameras. It would be fantastic if this feature became more common on monitors though.

[@kevinskyburger5603]

I have seen that there is a Pro version of the DC-550 does someone know what the difference is?

[@ThomasFransson]

There's a few more exposure tools in the pro version. 2 histograms vs. 1 on the regular. 3 parade waveforms vs. 1 on the regular. Apart from that they're the same. The lite version have the same features as the regular 550 but only a 400nit display. And it weights 267g vs. the 280g of the Pro and regular 550. There's a comparison chart on Viltrox website, but this is basically what's listed on that chart as differences.

[@AtakhanAliyev]

Hi ! Does it support “DCI 24” ? Thank you !

[@ThomasFransson]

Hi, yes it does, I've used it a lot on my Fujifilm X-T4 where I shoot DCI.

[@AtakhanAliyev]

@@ThomasFransson thank you for your answer. And does it support 10 bit 4:2:2 ?

[@ThomasFransson]

Yes you can use it for monitoring when shooting 10bit 422

[@Valleedbrume]

I just wish it had an SDI input.

[@ThomasFransson]

That would have been truly amazing at this price point.

[@SothanyTieb]

wow,i like that

[@ThomasFransson]

It's a great deal for sure!

[@Carsonous]

What's the difference between the lite, standard, and pro?

[@ThomasFransson]

The lite has a 400nit display and no touch while the regular and the pro steps it up a notch with more features, touch screen and 1200 nits. The pro version also offers a bit more control and tools when it comes to exposure. I only have experience with with the 550 so id recommend looking at the feature comparison list on Viltrox website if you really want to get into the nitty-gritty and what level that would be perfect for the work you do.

[@greggh]

@@ThomasFransson Please post the link. I can't find it.

[@ThomasFransson]

It's on their website. It was the first result when searching on "Viltrox DC-550" on Google. The Viltrox store page if you expand the detail section.

[@Gleebi]

Waiting for another company to make a small ninja star type recorder. Do it viltrox

[@peppecapraro]

hello and thank you. My viltrox jerks, does this happen to you

[@ThomasFransson]

I've not had any issues with this monitor - But out of curiosity, what do you mean by "jerks"? If you suspect some sort of malfunction I suggest you contact Viltrox support to find out if it's a problem with the monitor itself or something that can be corrected with some adjustments to the camera or monitor settings.

[@peppecapraro]

@@ThomasFransson the video stutters

[@ThomasFransson]

ah! Sounds like it could be from the camera and your HDMI out settings. Or some setting on the monitor that have been changed or locked into a format that doesn't match the signal from the camera. Have you tried doing a reset on the monitor and made sure that you're sending a 1080 signal out to the monitor instead of a 4K signal over HDMI? If none of that works I would reach out to Viltrox and see what they can suggest in terms of fixes. They would have a better grip on this.

[@azizulzulzaha]

Pls plug in a 10,000 mah powerbank, and see how long it lasted

[@ThomasFransson]

Based on a npf battery at around 5000mah I think you can expect about 6-8 hours with a 10 000 mah powerbank maybe even more depending on the brightness and other features onboard that may impact the power draw.

[@billyoung9538]

I love False color, but the colors on that chart looks terrible. Why the heck would one make Black clipping pink? Why aren't there any indicators as to what clipping level each color represents? Why at the percentages where proper exposure of the light and dark side of a subject is that not using an easily identifiable set of colors? While anything that changes the colors to a bracketed set of hues is technically False Color, there is useful false color and unuseful false color and what I'm seeing looks less than useful, sadly.

[@ThomasFransson]

Not having a scale is a bit of a bummer. There's two types of false colors available and you can make some adjustments. But hopefully Viltrox will refine this feature in the future. I've seen many variations of false colors so I wouldn't say it's just Viltrox.

[@billyoung9538]

@@ThomasFransson I wouldn't say there are only two types of false color, as I've seen at least 6 or 7 color variations; however I do believe there are currently two methods for what the colors represent. Traditionally, and more commonly the first is IRE values, and the second and newer is EI or exposure index. I've personally never used an EI based system myself so can't attest to if it's better or worse, but my assumption here is this is IRE based. While it's possible they're sticking to some standard, most companies in the past included the chart breakdown in an instruction manual, a menu option/ help option, or online somewhere. The reason is IRE charts, like zebras, are subjective and personal so the proper exposure color can vary up to around 20% on either side, and some systems only color a few key targets leaving the rest in grey scale. My issue with the chart on this monitor is that the skin tone color chips are in the same hue rage as the surrounding colors. That means one has to decipher which value is the correct value, which defeats the purpose of false color in the first place. It's hard to say for sure without testing it out in person, but it would have been better to give it a pink or green color and set the black clipping point to a blue as is found in most other systems. The exact color isn't as important as it being easily identified next to the colors around it. That is part of the reason the EI chart has been gaining in popularity. To implement it one is supposed to stick with specific index colors vs the choose your own adventure method companies use with IRE, because, lets face it, when I looked at this monitors pink in the review I immediately thought it was well exposed until I looked at the chart and realized it was very under exposed. I made incorrect color assumptions based off my personal history, and one really doesn't want to make that kind of mistake by accident in the middle of a job.

[@billyoung9538]

Hey so I think I misunderstood your reply. Upon watching a few more video's one individual went over the menu system and pointed out that the monitor has 2 false color variants, and indeed one of them is the more traditional version I was looking for. So i wanted to apologies for my previous confused response.

[@ThomasFransson]

Perfect! - Yes I figured it was just "fast reading" in play there. Hope you'll enjoy the monitor.

[@pepebenitezruiz]

no touch screen?, then in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGmwaoduoNmqps0 the monitor is touch screen, same version, DC-550

[@ThomasFransson]

What? Watch the video before writing comments

[@pepebenitezruiz]

Oh, you say yes, touch screen, but dont show us, hahaahah, sorry

[@ThomasFransson]

Hahaha What? I guess you didn't watch the video and/or trying some sort of troll tactics?