Monitor Rental Guide: Director's, Field or Recorder?
Set monitor rental guide — the difference between director's monitors, field monitors and Atomos recorder-monitors; SmallHD Cine13, Shogun 7 and Ninja V compared, with Istanbul rates.
On set, "monitor" is not one thing: the director''s screen at video village, the field monitor a focus puller relies on, and the recorder-monitor capturing RAW are three different jobs. This guide sorts our SmallHD, Atomos, SWIT and Lilliput fleet by function. Every model rents from our Monitor Rental page.
Three Monitor Types, Three Jobs
| Type | Size | Who uses it? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director''s | 13-28" | Director, agency, client | SmallHD Cine13, Lilliput 28" |
| Field / on-camera | 5-7" | Operator, focus puller | TVLogic 5.5", SmallHD 7" |
| Recorder-monitor | 5-19" | DIT, RAW workflow | Atomos Ninja V, Shogun 7, Sumo |
Video Village: Why the SmallHD Cine13 Is the Standard
The SmallHD Cine13 4K High-Bright (3,000 ₺/day) is the fixture on commercial and series sets: 4K panel, daylight-readable brightness, built-in LUTs and scopes. As a budget alternative the Atomos Sumo 19" (1,250 ₺) doubles as monitor + ProRes recorder; the Lilliput 28" 4K (1,250 ₺) is the biggest screen for the agency corner.
Capture Side: The Atomos Family
| Model | Capture | Best use | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shogun 7 | ProRes RAW 5.7K | FX9/FX3 RAW output, HDR preview | 1,000 ₺ |
| Ninja V 6K | ProRes RAW 6K | Compact on-camera RAW | 750 ₺ |
| Ninja V 4K | ProRes 4K | Long-form, YouTube/events | 750 ₺ |
To pull 16-bit RAW out of a Sony FX3 you need a Ninja V — internal recording cannot do it. For codec details see our BRAW vs X-OCN vs REDCODE article.
Field Side: Focus-Pulling Tools
The focus puller''s classic is the TVLogic 5.5" (1,000 ₺): peaking and false color expose focus errors instantly. The Shinobi 7 (1,000 ₺) stands out outdoors with high brightness. For HDR workflows the SWIT FM-215HDR (1,250 ₺) keeps previews accurate.
Three Questions for the Right Pick
- Who watches? Director/agency → director''s (Cine13); operator → field (5-7"); DIT/RAW → Atomos.
- Where do you shoot? Outdoor sun → high-bright (Cine13, Shinobi 7) or a hood.
- Wireless? Director''s monitors are usually fed by Vaxis wireless — rent as a package.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a director's monitor and a field monitor?+
A director's monitor (13-28") sits at video village for the director/agency, fed by a wireless receiver. A field monitor (5-7") lives on the camera for framing and focus. They do different jobs; a professional set carries both.
When do I need an Atomos Ninja/Shogun?+
Two cases: (1) external ProRes/ProRes RAW capture — e.g. RAW output from a Sony FX3/FX9; (2) long-form recording without card swaps. If you only need monitoring, a regular field monitor is enough and cheaper.
How much does monitor rental cost?+
Field monitors 600-1,000 TRY/day (Ninja V 750). Production monitors 1,000-1,250 TRY (Sumo 19" and Lilliput 28" at 1,250). SmallHD Cine13 4K high-bright 3,000 TRY. Weekly ~30% off.
Which monitor is readable in sunlight?+
High-bright (1500+ nit) models: SmallHD Cine13 and Atomos Shinobi 7 stay readable in daylight. Standard monitors need a hood outdoors.
Do you offer a wireless video + monitor package?+
Yes — Vaxis wireless TX/RX + director's monitor rents as one package, with package pricing when added to camera kits.