The Next Generation Atomos Shinobi II HDR Monitor
Atomos has just released their next generation 5" HDR monitor - the Shinobi II. With this monitor, Atomos appear to have made significant strides in technology, not the least of which being camera control! This is an excellent upgrade for a monitor at this price point, made possible with the addition of a USB-C connection. According to the Shinobi 2 page on the Atomos website, at launch, the monitor "will be able to control most Canon, Panasonic, and Sony mirrorless cameras over USB-C, and all Z CAM E2 series models (LANC cable required, purchased separately). Cameras from Fujifilm, Nikon, OM System and SIGMA will be supported with future firmware updates". Camera control can be done using on-screen sliders, allowing the user to adjust white balance, lens aperture, shutter speed/angle and ISO, with a red edge display on the monitor indicating that the camera is recording.
The new Shinobi II will be 30% slimmer and 50% brighter than its predecessor, with a 10-bit, 1500nit HDR/SDR display - perfect for video and photography. Capable of running all day on a single battery, the Shinobi II offers numerous professional monitoring features, including advanced histograms, waveforms and videoscopes. Atomos have even crammed in a multi-tool Analysis View to summarize the essential information at a glance, and a selfie Mirror Mode for vloggers.
Wait... there's more!
Another fantastic feature added to the new Shinobi is locking cables! The monitor is supplied with a special bracket for a secure grip on connected HDMI and USB-C cables. Add separately purchased Atomos locking cables and you have what Atomos claims to be the "most robust capture cable system available today"! Don't worry though, the unit is still compatible with standard non-locking cables.
In addition to slimming down the Shinobi II, the monitor weighs just 210 grams, displays 10+ stops of dynamic range, and can be calibrated using an X-Rite/Calibrite probe, or the Atomos Calibrator app.
I have personally used Atomos monitors and monitor/recorders for many years now, with the Shinobi 7 currently getting the most use. To date, I've been impressed with the Shinobi series, and believe the Shinobi II will be no exception. According to Atomos, the Shinobi 2 is already shipping, with a very reasonable price of $349 USD.
Summary of Features
1500 Nits
• Sharp, 1500 nit, high-brightness screen
Long Battery Life
• Runs all day off a single battery
4K Monitoring
• Monitor HDMI signals up to 4Kp30
Analysis Mode
• Monitor using the waveform, histogram & vectorscope tools simultaneously
Built-In LUT
• Preview your look & store up to 8 LUTs
Frame Guides
• Frame shots with confidence, for social media or cinematic productions
Camera Control
• Control Canon, Panasonic, Sony over USB-C and Z CAM cameras over LANC. (more vendors to be supported with future firmware releases)
USB-C PD
• Power Shinobi II via USB-C PD. Power/charge your camera too.
