Portkeys HD7H Monitor for $99 Introduced – 7-Inch, 8-bit Panel for Little Money

Accessory News

by Jose PradaMay 21^st, 2024

Portkeys has announced the new Portkeys HD7H monitor, an affordable option for those looking for a compact, lightweight, budget-friendly monitor. For under $100, the monitor features a 1280×720 resolution, enough for creators on a budget who do not need a high-end solution for their productions.

Portkeys is a Chinese manufacturer specializing in monitors and viewfinders. Not long ago, we featured their Portkeys BM7 II DS. This time, the brand releases the Portkeys HD7H, an affordable monitor with another target customer in mind, or for those who want to add a second monitor without breaking the bank.

Portkeys HD7H, fitting basic monitoring needs

The HD7H features a 7” display with a resolution of 1280×720 that covers 75% of the Rec.709 color space and has a 1000:1 contrast ratio. With a maximum brightness of 1,000nits, these features give us a clue about the purpose of this monitor. We are not looking for a super precise monitoring scenario under bright sunlight and with details in mind. These features aim more at a standard production scenario where we need feedback about our shots in broad strokes. 

However, the Portkeys HD7H still delivers and gives us the advantages of monitors in this price range. With a compact size, made of ABS and PC, and weighing 278g/9.8oz, the monitor could fit any run-and-gun setup without adding too much to our current setup. It has a 178° viewing angle thanks to a frosted screen with anti-glare coating, and it also has a decent amount of ports, including one full-size HDMI video input up to DCI 4K at 24p, UHD 4K at 30p, or 1080p at up to 60p video signals. We also find an AV input port that doubles as a 3.5 audio input, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB Type-A port for firmware upgrades, and a DC 7-24V power input with a 5.5mm barrel connector to power the monitor externally.

Regarding powering, the unit has a Sony NP-F-style battery plate, and according to the brand, an NP-F750 battery can power the monitor for up to 10 hours at full brightness. 

The Portkeys HD7H has an internal speaker and the usual control buttons we find on most monitors. We also have three 1/4″-20 mounting points to attach to your camera, gimbal, etc. 

Plenty of functions for the buck 

Finally, the monitor has many of the functions we can find in more expensive monitors: 

• Peaking with a new algorithm that is more precise than ever when focusing manually
• Picture zoom
• Anamorphic image de-squeeze with all the standard ratios (1.33x, 1.5x, 2.0x) and the possibility to enter a custom aspect ratio from 0.25 to 4.0x
• Exposure assist tools, including Luma Histogram and False Color
• Grids, Cross Hair, Check Field, Guides, and Clip Guides
• Vertical and Horizontal image flip, Display flip, and OSD flip modes
• Contrast, Sharpness, Tint, Chroma, Colour Temperature, Brightness, and Backlight image adjustment settings
• Function setting

Price and availability 

The Portkeys HD7H is now available for $99 and it includes a sunshade, a pair of side rubber covers to protect the monitor, a monitor mount, full-size HDMI and full-size to micro-HDMI cables, and one AV cable.

What do you think about the new Portkeys HD7H monitor? Have you previously used monitors at this price on your productions? Please share your experience with us in the comments below!