Gear Review | Osee T5+
Something I’ve learned over the years is that when you’re truly out using gear it will eventually break. For the last few years I’ve been using an Atomos Shinobi since it was the only affordable & reliable daylight-viewable monitor available at the time (purchased in 2019). While out filming Higher Ground the hdmi port on this monitor ended up getting damaged & when I contacted Atomos it was going to be around $190 for a new motherboard which would fix the issue.
Fx6 w/ 100-400gm & atomos shinobi at Sundance Mountain Resort
Considering it is a $300 monitor brand new, I decided it was time to see what else was available on the market as technology keeps changing at a rapid pace. For my on camera monitor I am pretty firm on having a 5” monitor. For many of the situations I find myself in, the smaller size makes way more sense as it’s less intrusive & also lighter weight.
The major factors I had when looking at monitors were price, usability, screen brightness, and functions built in. My minor factors were hdmi/sdi inputs, power supply options, and capability of adding on a wireless transmission unit. Upon quick search, my main options with quality reviews were to continue with the Atomos Shinobi ($299) or pick up the Smallhd Action ($329)/Indie ($1,299)/Cine ($1,599)/Ultra ($2,199) 5” monitors, and the Osee T5+ monitor ($145).
Testing the Osee T5+ at Antelope Island w/ fx6 & 100-400gm
With the Osee monitor being cheaper than repairing my Shinobi, I figured it was worth giving a shot. While it only has HDMI input, I wasn’t super worried as the location is fairly protected. The 1,000 nit brightness & other features were worth checking it out… Plus I purchased it on amazon so I could easily return it if I really didn’t like the user interface experience.
Osee T5+ on Sony Fx6 w/ 100-400gm
Thankfully… Very quickly I realized this monitor was the best bang for your buck I’d seen in quite some time. It has the same brightness as most of the more expensive monitors, and has most of the same features as well. The most important one for me is focus peaking as that is a tool I use constantly. I usually keep focusing peaking & histogram on while hiding everything else as it matters less to me since I also have the sony viewfinder on my Fx6 for any other info needed. This allows me to focus on framing & focus more when deep in a shot.
While I find it the best overall monitor for my needs, there are definitely some things I’d like to be a bit different. First, the joystick isn’t easy to use with gloves on as I found while filming some skiing with it. I was able to get the job done, but it required either removing my glove or jamming my gloved finger down onto it ensuring I caught the joystick. The other is lack of SDI port… Which I know will never be in a $145 monitor, but… If they dropped one on the $500 price range like their g7 monitor (3k nit 7” display) I would buy it immediately. I’ve debated trying the g7, but my desire to keep a 5” monitor onboard won out. I’ve been told it is in the works, but there is no timeline for release… That being said, if Osee needs a beta tester I’d be happy to do that task.