An on-camera monitor can be one of the most convenient tools in a videographer’s arsenal. The Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 7-inch on-camera monitor is poised to offer a lot of performance for a little money. Can it deliver the goods on a budget? Read on to find out.
I’ve been putting the Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 monitor to use for the last few weeks. To see what it’s made of, I’ve used it in a variety of different settings and on multiple cameras. Is this sub-$200 monitor worth it? Let’s find out.
Pros
- Comes with most everything needed to use right away
- Screen is bright and easy to view
- Included Sun Hood
- Great battery life with tons of Sony NP-F style battery options available
- Assist tools such as focus peaking, histogram and zebras
- Fabulous price
Cons
- Feels light and plastic-y
- No mention of weather sealing or resistance
- Control buttons feel slightly cheap
- HDMI port is on the right side, most cameras have that port on the left
Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 — Technical specifications
All of the technical specifications for the Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 have been taken from the product listing page at B&H Photo:
- 7″ 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD
- HDMI and Composite A/V Inputs
- Supports UHD and DCI 4K Resolutions
- 450 cd/m² Brightness
- 160° Viewing Angle
- Focus Peaking
- Zebra Exposure Guides
- 1:1 Pixel Mapping
- L-Series Battery Plate
- Includes Ball Shoe Mount and Sun Hood
Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 — Ergonomics and build quality
There’s a lot to like about the Elvid FieldVision 4KV2 when it comes to handling. The included shoe-mount ball head is one such thing. It allows tons of adjustment for the monitor. It also seems up to the task of supporting the monitor. The Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 is also simply laid out. All of the controls are handled via physical buttons along the bottom of the screen.
The buttons on the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 let you access the menus, navigate them, and some are also programmable function buttons. The arrow buttons also control the volume, which neither the monitor nor the instruction booklet makes clear. It took me a while randomly mashing buttons to figure that one out.
The Included sun hood mounts in two pieces. One hard plastic piece clips onto the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2, while a thinner piece then velcros to that. As a result, the hood offers a nice reprieve from reflections and glare. I ended up leaving the hard plastic lower piece of the hood on practically all the time. That said, the sun hood never got in the way during use.
On the right side of the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 are all of its inputs. It features a full-sized HDMI port, an AV input, headphone input, OSD input and a USB port. The DC Power input is below that. The HDMI input being on the right is a bit odd as most cameras plug into the left side. This means that to plug into the monitor, your HDMI cable has to be stretched across the camera.
Build quality
The Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 seems built appropriately for its price range. You won’t find exotic materials or overly rugged construction here. It seems well put together and like it should last a long time with appropriate care. However, there are a few things to nitpick.
The buttons feel quite cheap. They provide a tactile click when pressed, but they lack any refinement. Also, it doesn’t appear that the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 has any kind of dust or weather sealing. As a result, you’ll likely want to avoid using this monitor in inclement conditions. That said, I have brought it on a few mountain bike trips and filmed during dusty conditions without any issues as of this writing.
Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 — In the field
The Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 has a host of features to make shooting easier. It has focus peaking, false color, zebras, pixel-to-pixel mapping (a fancy version of punch-in focus checking) and many others. It can even display de-squeezed anamorphic footage. This monitor does boast an impressively sized toolbox, especially considering its low cost.
Using the monitor reveals a crisp and bright display. The color is vivid and seems accurate. Focusing, even without peaking enabled, is made much easier due to the clean detail rendered by the screen. There is some glare and reflection from its glossy surface, but the included sun hood can negate that.
Elvid made a smart, if perhaps common, decision to use Sony NP-F style batteries with this monitor. This allows for tons of power choices. In addition, it can be powered with an optional DC power plug. Shooting with a Watson NP-F770 battery (4400MaH), I was able to periodically shoot for half a day and only use about fifteen percent of the battery. That’s not bad at all.
The programmable function buttons on the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 make using four of your favorite tools easy. I set mine to activate focus peaking, zebras, false color and pixel-to-pixel mapping. With the press of those buttons, you can turn your favorite features on and off easily.
All of these tools combined with the great screen quality seriously improved my shooting experience. I shot fast vintage primes while testing the Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 and found my experience greatly enhanced. Focusing was a breeze. The zebras and large display were also a great aid for exposure. Overall, using the monitor was an excellent experience.
Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 — Big on features, small on cost
So who is best suited for this monitor? Well, it could suit a large number of people. Budding videographers on a budget would love it. YouTubers who need more than their camera screen would appreciate the monitor and its price. When it comes down to it, anyone who is looking for a monitor and doesn’t need external recording capabilities, or extremely rugged construction, would likely enjoy this monitor.
The Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 delivers a lot of goods for under $200. Its buttons feel a little cheap. It’s not built to be rough and tumble. However, for someone needing a fully-featured tool for video, this monitor is a fantastic bargain. If this is you, you may want to consider this monitor to bolster your video toolkit.
Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 7″ On-Camera Monitor
The Elvid Fieldvision 4KV2 7″ On-Camera Monitor allows you to monitor SD, HD, and 4K video on a crisp and vivid high-resolution 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD screen. It features a host of video assist tools like focus peaking, zebras, false color, 1:1 pixel mapping, and more. This monitor makes life easier for videographers who want to get the most out of their equipment. To top it all off, it does all of that for a great price.
