GEAR REVI EW | PORTKEYS BM5 I I
Despite the occasional lag, the BM5 II, with its solid build and unique camera control, is the perfect partner for BMPCC 4K or 6K set-ups PORTKEYS BM5 II PR I CE £546 / $500
WORDS & P I CTURES ASH CONNAUGHTON
both connect to the monitor via the included Lemo cables. The BM5 also has a power out feature, for running cameras that require 7.4V or wireless follow focus, such as the Nucleus-M and Nano from Tilta.
ABOVE The BMPCC 6K and Canon FD vintage primes, used with the Portkeys BM5 for camera control
he Portkeys BM5 II is a 5.2-inch on-camera monitor priced at around £550 in the UK, with its
overheating during my time with the monitor, but it is very warm to the touch. This is because the heat sinks are located at the rear of the BM5, which keeps the internals of the monitor cool. Along with a side air vent, the BM5 also has a built-in fan with three speed settings: low, middle and high. On the middle and high settings, the fan is quite noisy and will be problematic for recording sound in tight spaces. The low setting, however, does a great job of keeping the air flowing, while also being very quiet. When it comes to powering the monitor, the built-in battery slot is designed to take Sony L-Series (NPF) batteries, which are inexpensive and readily available. You can also power the monitor externally, via DC or D-Tap, which
main selling points being its feature- rich OS, bright 2200 nit 1920x1080 touchscreen display and its very unique camera control ability. The monitor itself feels solid as its body is mostly aluminium, but this does mean it’s a little heavier than some of its competition, weighing in at 340g. An Atomos Shinobi weighs only 200g with a full plastic body, but the BM5 has the edge in durability and build quality. Its display is an IPS panel with good colour and sharpness, with a built-in toughened glass screen protector. The BM5 II, like a lot of high- powered monitors, does run pretty hot. I’ve not experienced any
SPECI F I CAT IONS SCREEN SIZE: 5.2IN RESOLUTION: 1920X1080 COLOUR DEPTH: 8-BIT BRIGHTNESS: 2200 NIT CONTRAST RATIO: 1000:1 VIEWING ANGLES: 178°H/178°V
40 DEF I N I T ION | DECEMBER 2020
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