SmallHD Intros On-Camera Grading via New Firmware Upgrade to DP7-PRO Field Monitors

SmallHD, which brought the production industry the first true high-definition on-camera monitors, now ups the ante with a one-of-a-kind, on-camera color grading system, designed to dial-in quick color grades and provide clients and crew with a clear view of how the finished product will look. Available now, this groundbreaking new toolset is part of a free downloadable firmware upgrade V3.0, and ships with all new SmallHD DP7-PRO on-camera field monitors.

Until now, providing a real-time preview of what a shot should look like after post has been costly and cumbersome, requiring additional hardware to be dragged around on the shoot. SmallHD’s DP7-PRO color monitor and color grading software offers the first elegant and cost-effective method of injecting visual creativity on the spot to keep the client and key members of the crew on the same visual page.

The DP7-PRO with the color-grading suite offers a host of features that are true firsts for any field monitor. In addition to real-time color grading of HDMI and SDI signals, the graded video can be sent downstream via HDMI or SDI to another monitor. It also allows for importing and applying grades in 3D LUTs (look up tables) that have been created on popular desktop color grading apps, and for modifying them on the DP7-PRO. What’s more, the resultant grades made on the DP7-PRO can be exported for use with any popular color-grading app as a starting point for post­production coloring.

SmallHD co-founder and CEO Wes Phillips explained the challenge shooters faced before this advance, "More and more cameras are producing flat looking image profiles, which is better for post but have made it harder on shooters who need to instill confidence in clients and directors on set. We've changed all of that. The DP7-PRO color grading system is a compact, low cost way of giving a client or director an instant view of what the up-coming or just-finished take will look like coming out of post--everything they need to be excited about your shots."

Another huge enhancement is the ability to overlay any JPEG image via SD card on top of live video using selectable transparency of the JPEG. Shooting for post becomes much easier now that a small on-camera monitor allows shooters to perform shot matching for CG work and camera alignment for 3D rigs. In addition, the update allows the DP7-PRO to capture nearly unlimited screen shots from the video feed, giving the user a reference for continuity, and shot composition for future “overlay” use.

The 7-inch high definition monitor, complete with color grading system, is available in three versions: the DP7-PRO LCD (SB), DP7-PRO OLED and DP7-PRO High Bright (HB). Each DP7-PRO monitor provides HDMI and SDI inputs as well as HDMI and SDI ports that can output the graded video for viewing on the client monitor or routing to an external recorder. Small HD DP7-PRO LCD models begin at the special introductory pricing of $1399 at www.smallhd.com

As with all SmallHD monitors, the company will continue to add a wealth of new features via free firmware updates, to future-proof the purchase. A quick overview of this system is available at  http://www.smallhd.com/color-grading/

For more information visit www.smallhd.com, email: info@smallhd.com