Wooden Camera Monitor Hinge for SmallHD Smart 5 Series Monitors Released

Camera Accessories

by Jeff LochAugust 23^rd, 2023

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Wooden Camera have just released four new monitor hinges designed explicitly for SmallHD Smart 5 series monitors. The monitor hinge attaches to your monitor via a 1/4″-20 screw with locating pins, and depending on the model, mounts on your camera with a 15mm rod, 3/8″-16 with ARRI locating pins screw, Canon C series camera with a 1/4″-20 screw and Canon accessory mount, or ARCA swiss plate. So let’s take a closer look at these handy monitor mounts!

The SmallHD Smart 5 series monitors were released in September 2022 and consist of three models: the Indie 5, the Cine 5, and the Ultra 5. These high-end on-camera monitors feature HDMI input and output ports, 3G-SDI input and output ports, and a maximum brightness ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 nits. Also, all Smart 5 series monitors are powered by the company’s latest PageOS 5 operating system, which has one of the easiest-to-use user interfaces and more complete set of monitoring tools I have ever found in a monitor to this day.

However, one thing I always found oddly designed with the SmallHD Smart 5 series monitors is the mounting points. Indeed, all monitors have at least one 1/4″-20 mounting point at the bottom and left/right sides with SmallHD’s proprietary locating pins, which is different from the recently introduced ARRI 1/4″-20 Pin-Lock interface. But, due to their design, it has been a challenge finding proper monitor mounts (with SmallHD specific locating pins to avoid unwanted movement when mounted on your camera rig) for the SmallHD Smart 5 series that do not interfere with the monitors’ various input/output ports.

To solve this problem, Wooden Camera, which is next to SmallHD part of Creative Solutions, have just released a new monitor hinge lineup specifically designed for the SmallHD Smart 5 series that should ensure a rock-solid and easy-to-use connection between your monitor and camera.

Wooden Camera Monitor Hinge for SmallHD Smart 5 series – features

At the base of the Wooden Camera monitor hinge is what the company sells as a “replacement arm.” Basically, it is an aluminum monitor mount that attaches to your monitor with a 1/4″-20 screw and two correctly spaced locating pins, and that attaches to your camera, or accessory mount via a 15mm LWS rod. Since the SmallHD Smart 5 series have locating pins in all directions, you can attach the monitor hinge in the way that suits you best. Lastly, it can be attached to the bottom or sides of your monitor without any problems.

Wooden Camera also developed three different 15mm rod adapters:

• A 3/8″-16 with ARRI locating pins version.
• An ARCA version designed to work with the Wooden Camera RED KOMODO top mount.
• And a Canon C series version that features a 1/4″-20 screw and Canon Accessory Mount.

What is nice about this monitor hinge is that it has an angled design that does not block the input/output ports of the SmallHD Smart 5 series monitors. As you can tell, you can only adjust the tilt angle of your monitor via a screw, but you can’t rotate it. However, that 15mm rod design should safely lock your monitor into place, even with two heavy Sony NP-F style batteries or a V-Lock battery attached at the back of your monitor to power it, which can get quite heavy.

Price and availability

All four Wooden Camera Monitor Hinge models for the SmallHD Smart 5 series monitors are now available for $85 each.

For more information, please visit Wooden Camera’s website here.

What do you think about these monitor hinges? Did you get yourself a Smart 5 series monitor? What is your preferred way to mount it to your camera? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!