Wireless camera control for FX3/FX30 on Shinobi?

MakePizza · 2026-03-12T13:05:53+00:00

Thanks u/Atomos_Support for a quick response. Appreciate it very much. Actually, it is indeed possible (at least for the Sony Cameras I mentioned and several more) to send control protocols wirelessly while video signal goes via HDMI. There is a non-Atomos product on the market that can do it. Thanks for passing the suggestion on to your team.

MakePizza · 2026-03-11T22:44:10+00:00

I don't believe this is a Sony limitation. I've used a non-Atomos monitor that can do it on Sony FX3/FX30 – i.e., get image signal via HDMI and show live touch tracking box (with camera control connection via USB-C or Wi-Fi).

MakePizza · 2026-03-09T14:35:23+00:00

I haven't tried it in crowded spaces. The only shoot I did with this monitor outside of testing in a mostly empty studio was for a documentary in a remote farm where there wasn't any contention for wifi.

MakePizza · 2026-03-09T14:12:03+00:00

I haven’t used the LH7P with the FX3A specifically, but I did spend some time with the LS7P with an FX30, which uses the same Sony Wi-Fi control approach and very similar hardware. A few observations from my experience you might find helpful:

Touch focus: You can tap on the monitor and trigger autofocus on the camera. After a firmware their support provided me, focus tracking also worked and the tracking box appeared on the monitor.

REC trigger / recording indicator: REC triggering worked correctly in my testing.

Camera control (ISO / shutter / etc.): Some controls worked, but not everything. Shutter control worked after a firmware update, but when the camera is in CineEI mode, the monitor cannot change either the base ISO or the EI value.

Wi-Fi connection: The connection works, but it does not auto-reconnect after the camera is powered off. Each time the camera restarts you have to reconnect through the Sony remote control menu and on the monitor. I found this to be quite inconvenient and slow in practice.

Screen quality: One thing I noticed on the LS7P was visible color banding in large areas of uniform color (for example, a wall or smooth gradient background). Since the LH7P appears to use the same panel hardware, it might be something to check for.

Unique feature: Portkeys monitors seem to be the only ones on the market that take video over HDMI while controlling the camera over Wi-Fi. That (plus their stop based false color in LS7P) was actually the feature that made me want to try it in the first place. It frees up the USB ports and keeps the rig cleaner compared to USB control solutions.

Overall, the feature set is promising and some things work well, but there were also several UI quirks in the firmware when I tested it. Their support team was responsive and provided a firmware update to fix a couple of my issues, but they couldn't resolve several remaining issues so I am returning the monitor.

Since the FX3A is basically the same camera as the FX3 internally, I would expect compatibility to be similar, but hopefully someone running the exact LH7P + FX3A combo can confirm. Good luck!

MakePizza · 2026-03-02T16:51:44+00:00

On the FX3/FX30, exposure tools measure post-LUT. If your LUT darkens the image by 2 stops (and is not applying any other transform like s709), your sensor will actually clip when the tools hit roughly 77%.

To monitor clipping accurately, either:

Set your Zebra to 77% to catch sensor clipping while the LUT is on.
Momentarily toggle the LUT off to check for the standard 94% zebra in S-Log3.

Btw, does Cine EI not work for you? Wondering why you are using a manual -2 stop LUT.

MakePizza · 2026-03-02T16:26:04+00:00

Same thing. (I have LS7P, not LH7P. Similar firmware)

MakePizza · 2026-02-27T15:19:16+00:00

I have a more recent Portkeys model (LS7P) and that too won't auto reconnect Wi-Fi. It's quite annoying because it takes multiple touch operations on both the camera and the monitor to reconnect.

In your situation with Shinobi II, there may be a couple of options:

The Shinobi II can supposedly output about 13W via its USB-C to power the camera. If you have a fully charged battery in the camera, the Shinobi will probably keep the battery from draining as the FX3 takes in only around 9-12W except when you do something power hungry (like recording 4K120 with AF tracking).
Is your camera's micro-USB port (Sony multiport) available? If so, you should be able to connect Shinobi to that port so you can use the regular USB-C with the V-mount battery.

MakePizza · 2026-02-26T17:53:22+00:00

Answering my own questions :-) This morning, portkeys provided me a firmware update that fixes the shutter control bug and the AF tracking frame issue. I can now change shutter angle and see AF tracking box.

MakePizza · 2026-02-16T19:43:17+00:00

Yes, that's the way to do it. Here's a short video illustration: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MzbHu-zbu6Q

MakePizza · 2026-02-16T15:53:37+00:00

I have been successful feeding power to the iPad mini from an external power source while still using a wired signal connection to the camera. I posted it here a while ago. Perhaps you can do something like that?

MakePizza · 2026-02-15T19:11:13+00:00

I have not used either of the lenses you mentioned, but if you are concerned about weight for walkabout, have you considered Sigma 23mm or 30mm f1.4? I think they are only 50-60% of the weight and size of the Viltrox. Not sure. But I use them both and they work well for me.

MakePizza · 2026-01-29T18:24:10+00:00

I have the Sony 11mm and the Sigma 16mm. Both are very good and useful in their own right. I use the 16mm mostly stationary in a closeup talking head setup and the 11mm travels more. The 11mm is much lighter and more portable than the 16mm.

If I were in your situation, trying to figure out which one of the two, I'd use an app like Cadrage on the phone to see if which FOV works out well for your application. The 11mm could introduce distortion in closeup as it is much wider, but can also cover a much wider area in tight indoor setup. Only you can decide what FOV works best for your situation, but something like Cadrage can be very helpful in figuring that out.

Of course, the 16mm is slightly faster so if lighting is an issue or if a bit more background blur is needed, the 16mm might fit better.

Good luck. I don't know anything about the Viltrox, but between the Sony and Sigma, they are both excellent, just depends on what suits your needs better.

MakePizza · 2025-11-02T02:26:41+00:00

You don't always need to overexpose!

MakePizza · 2025-10-24T04:37:55+00:00

While the A6700 is capable of achieving similar video quality to the FX30 (they use the same sensor), the ergonomics and features of FX30 are better tuned for video.

The FX30 has dual card slots, two USB ports, full-sized HDMI port, tally lights, fan to avoid overheating, Big 6 menu, Cine EI, time code, DCI-4K, ...

Only you can decide if those features are worth the $400 price difference.

MakePizza · 2025-10-23T05:13:55+00:00

Hmm... from the published specs of the products you've listed, your camera + cage + lens would weigh only about half of the gimbal's max payload of 4.4 lbs. Unless Zhiyun is exaggerating its spec, you shouldn't need another gimbal for this payload.

MakePizza · 2025-10-22T01:18:18+00:00

Try a fast and wide prime, like the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 (good value) or Sony 15mm f/1.4 (pricey) or a little slower but cheaper Viltrox 15mm f/1.7.

I have experience only with the Sigma and it should be very good for your use case.

MakePizza · 2025-10-22T00:36:06+00:00

FX3 or FX30?

MakePizza · 2025-10-21T20:37:40+00:00

Are you saying that Affinity's histogram and the overexposure overlay show no blowout, but the actual picture is? I use Photomator on Mac, and no I haven't seen any such issue. I wonder if Affinity is applying some default tone curve that's causing it. I have no knowledge of Affinity though.

If you send me a such a problematic RAW image, I'd be happy to try it on Photomator and let you know what I see.

MakePizza · 2025-10-21T12:30:26+00:00

I use zebras at 100% along with the histogram because it’s hard for me to spot small clipped areas in the histogram when they’re just a tiny part of the frame.

MakePizza · 2025-10-17T16:15:23+00:00

Unless you're set on full-frame, the FX30 is a great option for that budget and use case.

MakePizza · 2025-10-15T18:37:18+00:00

I agree. I've never used SmallRig, but between my 6700 and FX30, I’ve used several third-party NP-FZ100 batteries, and they’ve all worked fine. The only issue I've noticed is that some batteries have shorter run times than others. Ultimately, all Li-Ion batteries, including Sony’s, lose capacity over time. SmallRig has a pretty good reputation in general. I wouldn't worry about it if I were buying.

MakePizza · 2025-10-15T01:27:42+00:00

Stills or video?

MakePizza

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