Jump to content

Hummingbird LCD


TJ Williams

Recommended Posts

If you are looking for the Blackbird which is imps modification of the monitor for steadicam use. contact Les Zellen at ZGC Camera. in New Jersey. www.zgc.com they have a pretty good picture of the blackbird monitor on their site.

 

I also believe that both Howards modification and the ZGC IMP modification use the same screen and have basically the same image quality. Is that right Howard?

 

I've been using a std Hummingbird monitor for some time now. The start up is an issue.Once it is running though.

 

what I do is basically hold my finger on the dim selector for about 4 seconds when docking the rig. it will sit around on dim wo much draw for a long time. then I just ramp up the brightness when I saddle up. Les has said the latest ones are supposed to cure this, and I may have mine upgraded.

 

HOw was the Blackbird on grabbing the correct video signal on startup?

 

I have made some monitor mounts from IMP std or Blackbird to steadicam monitor mount tab.

They are 6061T6 Aluminum rather nicely finished in gloss back The do not allor the monitor to move below horizontal, which is nice, when the rig takes a hard move like in vehicle mount work, and sell from either Les or myself or $250 US My cable is made by Fred Davis and works really well (Thanks Fred) are you also making the cables for the blackbird for les?

 

TJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • Replies 72
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Premium Members

I just bought a slightly used MK-V Hummingbird monitor. When I plug in my Modulus, my video signal double terminates. If there is a termination switch on that monitor, I can't find it, and there's no information in the manual regarding termination.

 

My sled:

 

PRO DB3 & Upper J Box

XCS post (w/PRO connectors)

MK-V Hummingbird Monitor

MK-V Nexus battery base

 

I plan on contacting Howard, but I thought someone might know the answer.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark Karavite

A Camera / Steadicam Operator

mkaravite@comcast.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

Mark,

 

I can't offer a direct answer, only a comment that I had the same problem with my Transvideo Cinemonitor. I took it to them to remove the internal termination and now I terminate with an external terminator that I can remove if necessary based on the camera and setup I'm using.

 

For those of you who own Cinemonitors, you may want to look into this. Everything was working great for me until I got a pretty sizeable job using a video camera and the executive producer was on set. Couldn't figure out why the hell the video village monitor was so dark. I was sweating bullets. Got through it by going cabled (was terminating at the monitor and video transmitter) but now all I have to do is pull the terminator and I'm cable-free and happy.

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Premium Members
Hello everybody,

 

just wanted to get first hand opinions on the MK-V Hummingbird monitor. What do you guys like and dislike about it ? How does it compare to a TB-6/PRO monitor?

 

 

Thanks!

 

Ive had mine for a while now and am very happy with it. Obviosuly its not as bright as a tb6 but i havent encountered any problems with it for lack of brightness. Ive had it in rain and heat, bright sunshine and pitch black sets, 35mm, 16mm, HD and digibeta. Never had any problems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

I own a Hummingbird Blackbird and I am very pleased with its performance. It's similar to the MK-V version in that it has a frame line generator, is very bright, and has a PRO connector. It does not have the Analog style knobs and no heater. The cost however is very good relative to a TB-6 and to MK-V's version of the Hummingbird.

Contact IMP electronics if you are interested in seeing one in comparison to the MK-V version.

I hope this is helpful.

Jamie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Jamie. hope you are staying busy. Is there a US distributor for these now?

 

Jens. I also have a classic Hummingbird. The monitor is very large and viewable in almost any conditions.

Other than the strange appearance It is a good monitor. After several distributors I'm unaware that there is anyone to service it in the US If you are in Britain that is not a problem. Although My impression of the Hummingbird folk is that they are not very customer oriented, they are kinda a bunch of gearheads, who have made a pretty good monitor but don't have a service organization. Good news is mine hasn't broken! For this reason I would look hard at the Transvideo! similiar price local LA company with service in the US. More features. slightly smaller form factor.

 

If you do decide you want a Hummingbird I have cnc machined mount to a PRO type spud which is very nice. Even if the screw is loosened it will not drop below horizontal, very light weight and rigid. I have severa left in stock and will be happy to receive an E mail offline to talk about it

tjsteadicam@qwest.net

 

TJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

Hi guys,

 

I bought an MK-V Hummingbird mid last year, and I love it to bits, so much nicer to work with than the EFP green screen I had before - plus a hell of a lot of control over the image, I've worked for a long time without framelines, but I can't fault the Hummingbird at all. Picture overall is great, works better in sunshine in my opinion! I don't know too much about the TB6, only that it's an expensive monitor - but you get what you pay for and for me the Hummingbird was a great investment.

 

If anyone has any specific questions or queries, I'll be more than happy to answer them. If there's anyone in the UK who would like to check mine out, your more than welcome to come give it a try :)

 

Cheers

 

Jason

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

TJ;

I have to agree that the lack of a US distributor is a little disconcerting, but on the other hand, IMP has been more than happy to accommodate my needs and questions. Other than the distributorship, the monitor has worked wonderfully, and is a pleasure to work with.

Jamie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
TJ;

I have to agree that the lack of a US distributor is a little disconcerting, but on the other hand, IMP has been more than happy to accommodate my needs and questions. Other than the distributorship, the monitor has worked wonderfully, and is a pleasure to work with.

Jamie.

 

 

Hello Jamie,

 

There is no longer a need to worry about purchasing from a manufacturer with no US presence. NEBTEK.com is now the the official US distributor for the entire IMP Electronics line of products. Having to ship back across "the pond" is now a concern of the past. NEBTEK will handle all US sales, service and repairs. Not that anyone would need to worry about a repair, since we've already heard from several users whose units have worked perfectly since day one. At least we can give the consumer peace of mind that their monitor can be repaired "in house". The true benefit of a Blackbird or Hummingbird monitor is rarely talked about... build quality! Film and Video Professionals who are more interested in addressing the needs of the consumer, as well as producing a product that is guaranteed to work everytime, is the basis for the relationship that IMP and NEBTEK now share. In the coming months you will be able to find information on all IMP products on our website www.nebtek.com, as well as downloads, mounting options and connector cables. We will also be showcasing the Hummingbird and Blackbird Monitors at our booth at NAB 2007 (C3848). Please feel free to contact me directly or stop by our booth and take a look at what IMP and NEBTEK have to offer... you will not be disappointed.

 

Best Regards,

Rob DuBree

GM/NEBTEK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Members

Hey Jens!

 

I've had my mk-v hummingbird for a year and I think it's great!

 

It's a bit big and ugly but I like the extra weight the casing gives it. The rubberised buttons are easy to rip off but easy to replace. It's got a nice selection of in's and out's on the back of it too!

 

It's an LCD so off-axis it's not perfect but being colour it's very handy for video work. Would have prefered the screen to be 16x9 but having looked at the transvideo monitors I much prefer the hummingbird!

 

Any questions, just ask!

 

Ben Spence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Premium Members

Hey Pooki, get the F#@% off our forum with your nonsense!

 

I bought a used MK-V Hummingbird around the end of last year. I bought it mainly for digital cameras, and to see if I liked an LCD. I don't think it's a fair comparison between and LCD and a high end greenscreen. They are two different animals.

 

Pluses for the MK-V are daylight readability, size, color, less wind resistance, less power consumption & it looks cool. I find that it handles contrast poorly. To get enough contrast and brightness to see outside, I end up cranking up those 2 adjusments. When doing so, skies and skin tones tend to wash out. I like to be able to see the actor's expressions, and I miss that when outside on the MK-V.

 

I operate on live concerts, and I loved the LCD for that. I did a whole Bob Seager concert and never swithced batteries (using 3 Dionic 90's). I don't think off angle viewing is a problem to be concerned with on the MK-V. Long ago, I did use a Panasonic LCD backup monitor on a concert, and the viewing angle was a big problem. The only time you can get in trouble on viewing angle on the MK-V is when you go to low mode, make sure the tilt on the monitor is correct.

 

I purposely bought the LCD in conjunction with going to all Dionic batteries (except for 435 work). I lightened up the weight on both sides of the post on the bottom. Although I shed a few lbs. between monitor and batteries, ironically, with heavier cameras, I go to the greenscreen for more bottom weight because I prefer a short post. If I have the LCD on with a heavy camera, I have to extend my XCS post out to number 4.

 

I have given the LCD a fair shake, using it exclusively on a Genesis pilot in March. I still find myself jumping back and forth between greenscreen & LCD, depending on the conditions. For now, I will keep both. It's not perfect, but I think the MK-V is a pretty good LCD. Just don't expect it to look like a TB-6.

 

Mark Karavite

A Camera / Steadicam Operator

mkaravite@comcast.net

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...