First test
Your camera monitor displays a satisfying image, but how about upsizing it to something bigger and brighter? In this test, we appraise an external monitor that claims to be usable in glaring sun DesviewR6UHB PRICE: £279
TRANSCONTINENTA.CO.UK
SPECS › Price £279 › In the box Desview R6 UHB, 1 micro HDMI cable, 1 mini HDMI cable, 1 hotshoe mount, 1x 128GB card › Screen size 5.5in › Brightness 2800 nit › Interface 4K HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, SD card › Operating time 30-60mins › Viewing angle 178° › Resolution 401ppi, 1920x1080 › Touch Yes
WHATASIGHT For shooting and previewing, the Desview R6 UHB impressed with its image quality and ergonomics
› Contrast ratio 1000:1 › Battery NP-F/E6 type › Dimensions (wxhxd) 151.4x89.1x24.5mm
› Weight 240g (without battery) › Contact transcontinenta.co.uk
SET THE STANDARD There are plenty of features to fine-tune the R6 to your needs, including a custom colour temperature setting and exposure assist
HERE COMES THE SUN The D6 is great to use on bright days. An image on the Nikon Z 7 monitor set to max brightness is barely visible here and compares poorly to the Desview R6 UHB. The above image is an out-of-camera JPEG previews. It also makes sharing shots with your subjects easy, bringing obvious advantages in this era of social distancing. This unit is a handy piece of kit, making life much easier when shooting flatlays and still lifes. Using a longer cable with the monitor tethered to the camera, I could view and fine-tune compositions very precisely, without having to constantly get up and check the viewfinder. WC
benefit of the Desview R6 for outdoor stills and video shooting. Such a high output means the unit produces heat. To combat any issues, there is an integral cooling fan. Set to medium and high, it’s quite audible, but the low setting is practically silent. Plus, there is also the option to turn off the fan entirely. The unit comes with two connecting cables and a hotshoe mount, but no battery. It supports the commonly available NPF-fit batteries, and these are available in various capacities. I used a NP-F550 cell (£30 for two including a USB charger) and that generated a continuous running time of 83 minutes. Start-up occurs in two stages. After about three seconds, an image appears, before the screen reaches full brightness after another couple of seconds. Touch functionality is sensitive, while varied menu options can personalise set-up. For video shooters, the benefit is clear, but there is also plenty on offer for stills photographers shooting portraits, still life and weddings.
When it’s sunny out, you can squint into the EVF or use a monitor loupe, but this just removes the pain. Before testing the R6 in direct sun, I set the brightness of my Nikon Z 7 monitor to its maximum. Once outside, the Z 7's monitor view was not much use while the R6 displayed perfectly usable images. The monitor produces impressive images, making composing easy in all sorts of light and offers detailed
A TYPICAL CAMERA monitor measures about three inches diagonally – older models can be smaller. That’s large enough to present a good-quality image, suitable for composition and enjoying shots. But there are natural limits to screen sizes: the larger the screen, the larger the camera. Nonetheless, you can upsize your image by investing in a separate plug-in monitor, such as the Desview R6 UHB. Simply a monitor, there’s no
external memory. And before you think the product name has simply been misprinted, UHB stands for Ultra High Brightness, referencing the screen’s 2800-nit output. By comparison, the latest MacBook Pro 13in M1 boasts a 500-nit output, while a typical camera may display 200 nit. A higher value determines a brighter device. If you want a monitor that is legible in the sun, you need an output of at least 1000 nit. By this measure, you can see the potential
Verdict The Desview R6 UHB suits video shooters, while also offering plenty of benefits for still photographers. It displays impressively bright and detailed images – and the price isn’t alarming! PROS Great to use, image visible in bright sun, high-resolution image, versatile cooling fan, sensitive touch control CONS Audible fan at the higher setting
SHOWOF POWER The R6 UHB monitor takes NP-F type or Canon LP-E6 batteries, while input/output is via HDMI. It can be powered through the mains, and it features an SD card slot (for firmware updates only). A headphone socket is located at the base
46 Photography News | Issue 89
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook