The Best Video Recording Monitors (2020)

Atomos Ninja V

Small, but mighty!

Record up to 4K60 in ProRes, DNxHR, DNxHD, or ProRes RAW (with supported cameras) - simply unbelievable at this price point.

Screen brightness of 1000 nits (brighter than nearly all current smartphones) looks great and is even usable in direct sunlight.

Inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0 (Type A)

Supported Formats: Broadcast formats up to 4096 x 2160 at 60 fps (higher formats available in ProRes RAW)

Supported Codecs: ProRes 422, ProRes RAW (with supported cameras), DNxHR, and DNxHD

Media: 2.5” SSD/HDD - (Supported Drives)

My Favorite Feature: Price

Atomos Shogun 7

Bigger, but mightier!

All the same great features from the Ninja V plus:

• A larger, brighter monitor with 15+ stops of dynamic range (3000 nits peak brightness - wow!)
• 12G-SDI input capable of up to 4K60
• Switch and record up to 4 x 1080p60 inputs (record ISOs of each input along with a program feed - all in ProRes)

Inputs: 1 x HDMI 2.0 (Type A), 4 x 3G-SDI or 2 x 12G-SDI, 1 x Sync

Supported Formats: Broadcast formats up to 4096 x 2160 at 60 fps (higher formats available in ProRes RAW)

Supported Codecs: ProRes 422, ProRes RAW (with supported cameras), CinemaDNG (up to 30p only), DNxHR, and DNxHD

Media: 2.5” SSD/HDD - (Supported Drives)

My Favorite Feature: 4 x 1080p60 multi-cam

Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q+

While it is beginning to show a bit of age, this is an industry standard when it comes to 4K RAW recording/monitoring and is still an excellent choice.

Packed full of features and upgrades, like RAW recording, dual HD recording, and Titan HD Extract (capture and record up to 3 HD angles from a single 4K source).

*RAW recording requires an additional license purchase.

*Recording to RAW at 4K50p or higher and 2K200p or higher require recording to two SSDs simultaneously.

Inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4b (Type A), 4 x 6G-SDI (single/dual/quad-link capable)

Supported Formats: Broadcast formats up to 4096 x 2160 at 60 fps

Supported Codecs: ProRes 422, ProRes 4444 (2K/1080p), DNxHD, Uncompressed (2K/1080p in DPX), RAW (additional license purchase/rental required)

Media: 2 x 2.5” SSD/HDD slots

My Favorite Feature: Upgrade rentals - unlocking features only when needed can save money

Convergent Design Apollo

This may seem like a fairly expensive recorder.

But...

It does so much more.

Switch up to 4 x 1080p60 inputs while recording ISOs of each input and a program feed in ProRes, save an edit-friendly XML file of every cut, and output a program feed via SDI.

A recent update also adds the ability to record 2 inputs up to 4K30.

Now it makes sense.

Inputs: 1 x HDMI 1.4b (Type A), 4 x 6G-SDI (single/dual/quad-link capable)

Supported Formats: Broadcast formats up to 4096 x 2160 at 60 fps

Supported Codecs: ProRes 422, ProRes 4444 (2K/1080p), DNxHD, Uncompressed (2K/1080p in DPX), RAW (additional license purchase/rental required)

Media: 2 x 2.5” SSD/HDD slots

My Favorite Feature: Switch and record an entire 4 camera project from a 7" monitor - pretty powerful