ATOMOS Ninja V Monitor

Product Information

Three years after launching the original Ninja V, Atomos has announced its successor is on the way in the form of the Ninja V+. The new device features roughly the same form factor as the original Ninja V, but uses a new ’stealth grey bezel’ and an updated chipset to record the highest quality video possible. There is not a feature a CO or CA would want that this monitor doesn't provide right out of the box! False colour exposure representation, yep! Every kind of scope and graph, yep! Zebras, yep (albeit with some limitations on configuration of the zebra range, but that's not such an issue if you use false colour as well). If you would want it on a monitor, the Ninja V has it! At the bottom of the Ninja V is the AtomXpand port which is partly hidden under the battery compartment. This accepts a whole range of Atomos expansion modules and supports up to 4K 60p and 12-channels digital 24-bit 96KHz audio.The first modules to be released are the AtomX Sync and AtomX SDI.

A point worth highlighting is that if you’re coming to the Ninja V thinking that it will give your camera a huge video quality boost it won’t. If you record from an 8-bit camera, then the footage you’re shooting will be 8-bit, if your camera is limited to 4K 30fps, that will still be the maximum you can record at. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test. Experience RAW filming when paired with cameras like the Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II. Enjoy maximum dynamic range, colour accuracy and detail. With extra information contained within the RAW footage, you can easily manipulate the footage in post-production. First let me say that this is an amazing product! I have NO regrets investing in the Ninja V, it has put my Sony A7iii on steroids. Not only that but my work flow is so much better. I'm usually a gorilla style type of shooter so if you know, it is very important to be in complete focus and to be able to know what's going on when you're running and gunning. I haven't even tapped into all of the features yet but am excited to do so!

Capture Apple ProRes RAW video with the Ninja V, and experience complete control over the video image. Benefiting from the ability to capture RAW video allows you to edit and colour grade footage without compromising the quality of the footage you have captured. Included in the codec arsenal is the ability to record video inputs using the10-bit H.265 (HEVC) codec for high quality compressed recordings with small file sizes, which is perfect for the world we now live in, where streaming and sharing online has dramatically increased. Ninja V receives the option for H.265 codec upgrade, Ninja V+ - is built for Apple ProRes RAW 8K productions, and Ninja Stream - 4Kp60 HDR for a high-quality social distancing production environment.

You can also get rid of all the menu items apart from timecode and audio meters while shooting so you can concentrate on the composition.The Atomos Ninja V, like most camera kit, requires a few additional accessories. There’s a link cable between the camera and the monitor, battery and storage media for starters. Primarily the big upside of using the Atomos Ninja V is all that addition screen size. OK, camera screens are getting bigger but not 5.2-inches.

The Ninja does some processing and enables a greater range of codecs, but that isn’t going to greatly improve the video quality or give you huge amounts of additional scope when it comes to grading. However, it does record at 4:2:2 rather than 4:2:0, so there may be a marginal improvement in the colour data, although I can’t see too much of a difference.Those features include the monitor; it’s bigger and brighter with a toolset that will help you ensure exposure and focus are right. So, then the Atomos Ninja V is all about workflow and performance. It offers you access to great features that will help you maximise your camera’s potential. What is the budget for your production? If it is a very small budget project, you may not have the scope for a lengthy post production process that includes editing, grading or effects. In this case H.265 may be well suited to your project, as when recording in either Rec.709 or Log with a LUT ‘baked in’, the files are unlikely to require color grading. When you record to the Ninja V, there are lots of different high-quality codecs such as Apple ProRes and Avid DNxHD you can choose from. This is ideal for the cameras like the Canon EOS R, Panasonic S1 and Fujifilm X-T4 which can output a 4:2:2 10-bit signal over HDMI. This is perfect for shooting Log and you can really see the difference between 8-bit and 10-bit footage. Some cameras, like the Sony A7R IV output at 4:2:2 in 8-bit, which is still an improvement over the internal 4:2:0 8-bit footage and a boost for Log shooters.

Supports very large SSDs! I routinely attach 8TB Samsung QVO 870 SSDs to the monitor, and it works perfectly. On the surface, you would think that there is little difference, and when it comes to core quality, there is very little difference. However, with the Atomos Ninja V, you have a few more file options. I’ve already covered LUTs, but again it’s a major advantage and with the options, you can either preview the footage with the LUT applied or baked it in.The Atomos Ninja V is an essential add-on for owners of the latest generation of mirrorless cameras who want to get the best video their camera can manage. It opens up higher-quality formats, with more color data, and offers tools like waveforms that many stills-first cameras omit. Specifically, in addition to the 30 cameras the Ninja V supported, the Ninja V+ adds the ability to continuously record 8K/30p and 4K/120p footage in Apple ProRes RAW for compatible camera systems. The Ninja V+ will also feature 10-bit HEVC codec out of the box (no need for a paid upgrade as with the Ninja V).