ikan Introduces its Most Sophisticated Director’s Monitor

The new 7-inch MR7 is ikan's most advanced small monitor yet. Several outstanding new features, modified versions of many familiar ones, and a heavy-duty plastic body with a rubberized coating bring the monitor to a solid weight of 2 pounds, about double that of previous 7-inch models.

H.264 Recording

One outstanding feature is H.264 recording. Per a one-time adjustment of a setting to "auto," the monitor will record whatever a connected camera records, and will do so in edit-friendly Quicktime H.264, at a resolution of 1280 x 720. The footage gets stored onto 4GB of internal memory, or you can alternatively save to an optional SD card up to 32GB in capacity.
The timecode of the camera recording automatically gets copied to the monitor recording, and the two different files can forever be in sync. You can unload the monitor’s recording to a computer and from there stream it to the web or begin editing. You’ll only be able to edit at 1280 x 720, since that's what the monitor records in, but after editing you can sync up the timecode from the camera’s higher-resolution recording and apply all your cuts to the higher resolution footage. One way of unloading to a computer is by SD card.

2K Resolution Support

Another outstanding feature is support for 2K resolution, which the MR7 accepts by 3G SDI input. Although the resolution of the monitor itself is 1024 x 600, much lower in contrast to the 2048 x 1080 that makes up 2K, a 1:1 Pixel-to-Pixel feature, familiar from other ikan models, will show about a quarter portion of a higher resolution image, pixel-for-pixel, for accurate monitoring purposes. Though you can't move as freely to another portion, say from the face of a subject to the body as you could in previous ikan monitors, the MR7 does support up to 2K in the selected portion, and you can get to another portion by an additional few steps. Also, the portions you select will not only be in up to 2K but at a brightness of 400 nit, new for small ikan monitors, and at a contrast ratio of 800:1, meaning your blacks will be blacker, as opposed to grayer, and colors will be significantly more vivid.

Precise Picture and Sound Measurements

For measuring and monitoring picture and sound, the MR7 offers four exceptional and precise features. Waveform displays brightness values for the different parts of an image. RGB Parade does the same but for the presence of red, green and blue. With Vectorscope you can check on skin tones, hue and tint, and also monitor white balance. And for audio measurements, UV Meter lets you monitor up to 16 channels of audio on screen.

Modified and Versatile Focus Assist

Among the rest of the features are Peaking and Video Range Check, both modified with more versatility over their capabilities in previous ikan models, and both of which help adjust focus. Peaking highlights subjects with bright outlines to indicate how well focused the subjects are. Monitors normally provide two colors of outlines to choose from, but the MR7 offers a choice between red, green and blue. It additionally lets you select up to 48 increments of thickness for the outline. Video Range Check, previously known as Clip Guide, reveals overexposed or underexposed areas by flashing vivid colors on parts of subjects. Although Video Range Check works only for camera signals input by SDI, it does let you choose between black, blue, green and red as the flashing color, as opposed to the usual one color.

Physical Features

As for hardware, the MR7 is equipped with SDI, Composite and HDMI connections. There’s both an input and an output for SDI and Composite and just an input for HDMI. But linked to the HDMI input is an SDI conversion-out that can transfer an HDMI signal to an SDI monitor up to 300 ft away, which is the farthest that SDI can carry a signal. Both the SDI and Composite connections are on BNC connectors. The four 1/4"-20 threaded mounts on the MR7 (one on each side of the monitor) are reinforced to prevent you from screwing in too deep and unintentionally destroying the circuit boards under the mounts.

 The MR7 is due out by end of June, and many ikan accessories are expected to follow shortly after. A very attractive one already known about is a Dragonfly Support Rig with sporty looking black and yellow handles.
Screen Size     7" (17.8 cm)
Resolution     1024 x 600
Brightness     400 nit
Contrast Ratio     800 to 1
Horizontal Viewing Angle     170°
Vertical Viewing Angle     170°
Operating  Voltage     DC 12 - 24V
Recording     H.264 codec, Quicktime MOV format, at 1280 x 780
Memory     4 GB internal and support for up to 32 GB SD card
Inputs     HD-SDI x 1
HDMI x 1
Composite on BNC x 1
RJ45 x 1 (for Tally)
USB x 1
Outputs     HD-SDI x 1
SDI conversion-out x 1
Composite on BNC x 1
3.5 mm audio out x 1
Mount Type     1/4"-20 screw holes x 4
Weight     1.98 lb (898.1 g)