[Aluminum] I've tried a number of different monitors and this is the first that fully meets all of my goals!
The vmount plate and metal build. Function buttons built in. Best menu system I've used. The best on-camera monitor you can buy right now. Obviously quite expensive but do you really want to skip on what acts as your eyes for the camera image? I don't. Get this monitor!

[Aluminum] Just picked up my unit, and I have to admit, I'm really impressed with the quality of the display. The overall build, the buttons, and the refreshed software are all very nice improvements, which also shows how many years the 703 have served as a flagship ultrabright monitor. I'd 100% recommend the sunhood. The design is genius! Serves as great protection to the display while moving around between locations. Mine also came with a clear screen protector, which I was surprised to see as I had ordered an extra one. I did not think it would include it as my Ultra 5 did not. I managed to screw up the application of the first one, so kind of glad I had a spare to try again with.

[16:9] This is exactly what I've been looking for. It may be pricey for a complete beginner but it is worth it. It could be a little large for a smaller camera. The size of the screen draws many eyes to it, and people love to critique. Also it makes reviewing clips more enjoyable WHEN THE ENTIRE CREW IS TRYING TO LOOK. All my comments refer to not having a director's monitor on set.

[1.985 lb] This is currently the best on-camera monitor that money can buy. Camera control works very smoothly and the monitor’s user interface is very responsive and well thought out. Touch screen is also a great feature when using the camera control functions. I was surprised to learn that a screen protector comes in the kit!

[LCD] I purchased the Shinobi 7 to put on my Komodo originally as it was half the price of the Indie 7, but after deciding to exchange it, I was so glad I did. This monitor is bright, quick, intuitive, and just works. It's been put through multiple 10 hour days and it adds so much easy functionality that you need out of a professional monitor. If you're in the market for a monitor ; just buy this one, you won't regret it.

[443 ppi] Great product, I wanted to upgrade my camera set up and this was the answer.

[LCD] The monitor is very bright, it can be used outdoors. Its construction is solid. It has many configuration options, it is versatile. Maybe it has the power tab too close to the grip thread. same goes for the sdi connector. Very good image quality, the definition is really amazing. You can see the 10 bits.

[16:9] The part that I needed all this time, I thought I didn't need it but I finally bought it

[443 ppi] When you choose SmallHD, you probably want the functionality more than the low price. So I'm not going to complain about the price.

I have both Indie 5 and Ultra 5. Unlike Indie's 1000 nits, Ultra's 3000 nits is perfect for any scenario I need. The aluminum body also helps with cooling. (The Indie has a plastic back.) If you're as curious as I was about the location of its fan, it's tucked away in that concave and convex structure on the back. You can't see it in the pictures on the site, but it's there. Indie is 1.6A, and Ultra is 2.1A. I plan to test how much more power the Ultra consumes than the Indie.

In addition, the physical buttons give it a huge improvement in operation. Physical buttons can jump to the different windows faster on set. Both monitors have a slight lag in switching windows side by side, but the Ultra's physical buttons made the lag perfectly acceptable. The other three custom buttons also work well in the new system.

The most distinctive feature of Ultra, and the biggest difference between it and Cine and Indie, is the power supply plan. Ultra is designed entirely for cinema cameras. It can only be powered by a 2-pin Lemo cable. I see a lot of complaints about the thickness of Cine and Indie. The thickness of Ultra is reduced due to being batteries-free. You also get this by around 100 grams more weight. But 100g on a cinema camera never being a problem. You know what I mean.


I hope this review helped you to make your decision.

[9.5 x 7 x 2.5"] Bought this during a B&H flash sale. It has all the good features and high NITS that you'd expect from a monitor at this price point. I like having the inputs/outputs on the bottom rather than the side. The battery plate integrates nicely on the back. If you use it with a Canon R5C as I do on occasion, you can power the monitor off a small gold mount or v-mount battery and use the power tap to power camera with a dummy battery. Will also convert HDMI in to SDI out which is useful for multi-camera setups going into the same monitor.

Niggling complaints: If light weight is important to you, this is kind of heavy compared to some other models. Also, I wish SmallHD would put their recessed anti-twist holes at the same distance as ARRI does.