Quick take: SmallRig's wireless phone monitor vlog kit lets you see yourself while filming with your phone's better rear camera. For about $71, you get a sturdy, long-lasting screen with a 1/4" thread, a secure phone clamp with magnetic monitor mount and cold shoes, and a mini tripod. Connection is quick and latency is low. My one big gripe: the screen can only flip, not mirror and flip, which gets awkward on gimbals and in the Blackmagic Camera app. For production use, it's the best kit. For vlogging, a cheaper no-name monitor that can mirror and flip is my pick.
Why a Phone Monitor?
Whenever we talk about camera gear, someone says, "Why don't you just use your phone?" The problem is the good camera is on the back. Until phones have a screen on the back, a monitor like this is the only thing that makes filming yourself on a phone practical.
These wireless phone screens have been around for about two years, but they really took off in the last six months. You can tell, because SmallRig, which doesn't usually make monitors, made one. I use these monitors constantly, not just for content but for second and overhead angles. They're much easier than running a recorder like a Ninja with a cable, and more reliable than most camera brands' Wi-Fi apps.
Compared to a dedicated camera like the Canon PowerShot V1 at $900 plus extras, this entire kit was about $71 with tax, which makes it an easy way to start.
My Phone Pocket Video Kit
My usual phone rig is just the phone with a JJC magnetic MagSafe ND filter holder, with a Pro-Mist and a variable ND. In the Blackmagic Camera app, that gives me three lenses (ultra-wide, main and telephoto), proper exposure control and whatever mic I want. I've used add-on phone lenses, and they're good, but they're one more thing to carry. The glaring issue has always been that you can't see yourself.
What's in the SmallRig Vlog Kit
The monitor: The longest battery life of any I've used, the most robust build and the only one with a built-in 1/4" thread, so you can clamp it under a table for overheads or wide shots.
The phone mount: More secure than MagSafe, with side levers so you don't break it pulling phones in and out, a magnetic side for the monitor, and cold shoes on top and bottom for a mic.
A telescopic mini tripod with an adjustable ball head that packs down small.
There's also a configuration with a handle for SmallRig's phone cage, which is too much even for me.
Connecting It
Turn it on and scan the QR code to connect. After that, it reconnects automatically, so you just cast your screen. It's fast and painless, and because it uses your phone's Wi-Fi, range and latency are good.
My One Problem: Flip Without Mirror
To orient the image correctly, you double-tap the power button to flip it. In the regular camera app that's fine, but in the Blackmagic app, which I think many SmallRig buyers will use, the flipped image is mirrored. Moving left looks like moving right, which is disorienting. And you can't just rotate the monitor the other way, because then it blocks the lens.
It's a bigger problem on gimbals. Phone gimbals can barely hold a phone, let alone this setup with an ND filter. On something like a DJI RS4, you have to flip the rig, and the monitor bangs into the gimbal arms, so you lose features like face tracking. Workarounds exist, like using the Blackmagic app's SLR mode, but that's a lot of steps.
Another Monitor You May Want Instead
A cheaper no-name monitor I own solves both issues. It casts directly with no Wi-Fi setup, and it can both mirror and flip the image, so you can mount the lens in any direction. It also remembers your settings, so you just turn it on, cast and go. Battery life is okay. SmallRig should add mirror and flip in the next version.
Final Thoughts
For vlogging, I recommend the cheaper monitor that mirrors and flips. For a proper production tool, the SmallRig is better: longer battery life, a sturdier build and that 1/4" thread. I still think a dedicated camera is better for thermals, file safety and not getting interrupted by notifications, but that's a $1,000 investment versus $60 to $70. It's just cool that we have this option.
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