2014Monitors forum
Connecting Sony F5/F55 cameras to external monitors including the SmallHD Gen 2
12 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The Sony F5/F55 output format is locked to the recording format, making direct connection to some monitors problematic
- Converting or cross-converting the signal using devices like the Decimator or AJA is the most reliable approach for Gen 2 compatibility
- Progressive scan output over HDMI is available at frame rates above 25 fps, but not when shooting 25 fps or 29.97 fps at resolutions lower than 2048x1080
- The F5/F55 can output 1920x1080 at 23.98p over HDMI directly to monitors if a cable run is feasible
- PSF format signals from the F5/F55 can be problematic with many devices but typically work reliably on Sony branded monitors
- HDMI output from the F5/F55 may use copy protection or non-standard resolutions that some monitors and converters struggle to recognize
- The Decimator and AJA converters can introduce approximately 1 frame of latency
- Gen 1 SmallHD monitors work directly with the F5/F55 without conversion
Depends on
- Information is from 2014 and firmware updates may have changed behavior since then
- HDMI compatibility issues with the Decimator were not fully resolved in the discussion
- Experience with specific Panavision F55 bodies may differ from standard Sony F55 units
- The discussion did not reach consensus on all conversion methods or settings