Shooting outside can be problematic when the sun shines directly on your screen. But the Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor hopes to solve that with its extremely bright 2000-nit screen. That means you can actually view your video easily, even in strong, beaming sunlight. The Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor is designed for outdoor shoots, where the lighting is not always under your control. If you have ever squinted at a screen while shooting, this could be worth considering.
The DC-A1 features a seven-inch 1920×1080 Full HD IPS touchscreen, showing crisp and vivid images from nearly any direction. It remains faithful to the REC.709 color standard and reproduces 100% of the sRGB color space, so your colors remain true. It also includes a 60Hz refresh rate, which has everything looking smooth as you work.
What Else Viltrox DC-A1 Camera Monitor Offers?
The monitor is not simply showing you your footage. It has got pro-level features such as focus peaking, zebra patterns, waveform, and even support for custom LUTs. These aid in keeping your shots sharp, correctly exposed, and color-corrected on the set. You can even store up to 20 custom LUTs on a USB stick, which is nice if you find yourself working with a certain look all the time.
Navigation is simple. There is a complete touchscreen, along with a control knob and shortcut keys. You can turn brightness, contrast, or even tools such as zebra lines with a quick tap or rotation. The Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor supports HDMI 2.0 input and output in 4K resolution at 60Hz, delivering a smooth, lossless monitoring experience. It also includes a loop-out port so others can monitor your footage simultaneously.
It is also constructed with outdoor use in mind. The monitor is light at only 348 grams, and it includes a removable sun hood to cut out glare. Cooling fans automatically regulate to prevent things from overheating during extended sessions. It powers on with NP-F batteries, Type-C charging, or DC-IN, so you can go on without concerning yourself with power.
Price and What You Get
The Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor costs $278. For that, you receive quite a lot in the package:
- DC-A1 monitor
- Detachable sun hood
- Custom pan-and-tilt head
- Portable carrying case
- NP-F550 battery
- Screen protector
- Mini HDMI cable
- Standard HDMI cable
- USB power cable
- Digital manual
- Installation tools
- Package box
All you need to start using it right away is included.
Final Thoughts
I have done exterior shoots where I have had to second-guess what was being displayed on the screen. That is less than optimal, particularly when time and light are at a premium. The Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor looks designed to prevent that sort of tension. It is not attempting to be flashy. However, it simply wishes to do its work competently. And for me to know that I can depend on my equipment in the middle of a hectic shoot is important.
[via Viltrox; Image credits: Viltrox]
