
Video screens are important equipment. What good is your footage when you can’t get a pleasant have a look at it when you are recording? These days you may complement your manufacturing by getting a monitor that additionally information video in a pleasant edit-ready format that may even be higher than your digital camera’s built-in options.
There there may be the choice to choose up a wi-fi video transmitter that may get rid of some wires or get a view from a digital camera that merely isn’t in an easy-to-see location.
You may also simply get all three of those options in a single system. Filmmaker Chris Brockhurst is trying out the Vaxis Atom A5, an HDMI monitor that may wirelessly transmit or obtain a video sign in addition to report.
Vaxis has been making video transmitters for a minute they usually have been coming in at a worth vary that has made them a viable choice for on a regular basis filmmakers. Now, with the Atom A5 they’re bringing that expertise and extra to a monitor.
This system is a monitor, a transmitter/receiver, and recorder multi functional. It’ll even transmit to a cellular system like an iPad and permit that to report as properly. All with audio and minimal latency.
Core specs are that this can be a 5.5” touchscreen monitor with all of the core video help instruments that you’d count on.
It even has a 1000-nit max brightness (similar because the Atomos Ninja V) for daytime viewing. There are then some wi-fi expertise and HDMI in/out for video sign processing.
A terrific concept Chris has tried out is when you might have a multi-camera shoot, say a marriage the place you might be working the A digital camera handheld and have a B digital camera for the static shot, you may mount the monitor in your digital camera to have the ability to test the B digital camera always.
Picture Credit score: Vaxis
As for wi-fi reliability, Vaxis states this may work at as much as 600’. These acknowledged figures are normally in superb situations with excellent line-of-sight. Chris put that to the check. He was capable of finding a straightaway that ought to let it carry out optimally. Organising a digital camera he began to report with the monitor he was utilizing as a receiver and began strolling away from it. The gap he reached earlier than the picture froze? Over 800’.
One nitpick is that there isn’t a transparent message once you lose sign, it simply hangs on the final body. So if the picture isn’t that dynamic you would possibly have to be extra cautious. In excellent news the recording did shut out correctly when the sign is misplaced and was in a position to present excellent playback as much as that time.
It runs on Sony NP-F L-series batteries and has two slots. It solely requires one after the other so you may sizzling swap them mid shoot with out powering down. There are particular person energy indicators for every battery so you may inform which one is working low.
For recording, you aren’t getting the perfect with trendy 4K cameras, so it isn’t going to switch a Ninja V as your fundamental recording alternative. The Atom A5 solely information Full HD as much as 60p in H.264 to a microSD card. It additionally doesn’t have the power to bake in a LUT. It’s good for a backup however not your fundamental recording.

Picture Credit score: Vaxis
The menu system is first rate and straightforward to make use of. The show itself is sweet and crisp and all of your video help instruments are completely practical whether or not you might be wired up or working wirelessly. A number of programmable customized buttons can be found on the contact interface as properly.
As for ports you might have an HDMI out and in, a headphone jack, a DC energy enter, a DC output for powering equipment, a USB-C port for updates, and a microSD card slot. Just one 1/4”-20 thread on the underside so mounting choices are restricted and proper now there isn’t any software program choice for flipping the picture.
Total this appears to be an extremely versatile monitoring software. Remember the fact that I imply monitoring because it received’t exchange one thing like a Ninja V if you’re planning to make use of it to get most picture high quality/codecs out of your digital camera – no ProRes RAW right here.
What do you consider the Atom A5? Looks like a helpful system for unbiased productions.
[source: Chris Brockhurst]
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