Used monitors & displays

A used monitor or display is one of the smartest purchases you can make: the screen doesn't wear out the way a sensor or shutter does, so a well-kept example does exactly what it should for years. With us, every device is professionally inspected, you get at least 12 months' warranty and you have a 14-day right of return — so you can test at your leisure whether it suits your workflow.

What should you look out for with a used screen?

Check the panel itself for dead pixels, burn-in and uneven brightness: put up a plain white and a plain black image and look closely. With on-camera monitors, the touchscreen response and the condition of the housing and connections (HDMI/SDI) are important, because these have often worked outdoors. For field work, brightness in nits counts: if you're going to work in the sun a lot, choose a high-bright or ultrabright model. With monitor-recorders such as the Atomos range, it is useful to know whether the right recording format and the accompanying SSD mounts are included, as with the Atomos Ninja V, which is popular with filmmakers on the move thanks to its bright HDR screen and direct recording options.

Which type is for whom?

Filmmakers and run-and-gun shooters are well served by a lightweight on-camera monitor or an Atomos or Blackmagic monitor-recorder that records in high quality straight away. If you work mainly in the studio or at your editing desk, sought-after models at the moment are the Atomos Shinobi 5" 4K HDMI Monitor, sharp on-camera monitoring, the Atomos Ninja V+, an extensive recording monitor, and the SmallHD Indie 7 Monitor, a colour-accurate production monitor, which with their bright and accurate image work well for critical image assessment. Also take a look at the other sections in the Studio category and at field recorders and on-camera monitors to complete your setup.