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SWIT has introduced the K7, a 7-inch on-camera monitor with a 2,800-nit touchscreen, an all-metal body, and SDI and HDMI connections with built-in conversion between the two. It also adds a screenshot overlay tool that helps crews match an earlier framing on the live image. Let’s take a look at what it offers.
We have previously covered several SWIT monitors, including the K15 and K21 field monitors and the BM-U326MD mini-LED 4K monitor. SWIT also makes camera power products, such as the OMNI V-mount batteries. The company positions the K7 for documentary and location work, studio and live production, and cinema and commercial shoots.
The K7 uses an optically bonded 1920 x 1080 Full HD touch panel rated at 2,800 nits. It has 3G/HD-SDI and HDMI 2.0 inputs, each with a loop output, and the HDMI input accepts signals up to 4K60p. Power comes from two hot-swappable NP-F slots, a 2-pin LEMO input, or USB-C PD. According to SWIT, the bare unit measures 187 x 121 x 32mm (7.36 x 4.76 x 1.26in) and weighs 575g (20.3oz), and a 4GB SD card is included in the box.
The K7 has an all-metal housing with rubber guards on the corners to protect it against impact during rigging and handling. Next to the touchscreen, there is a scroll/enter control: turning it selects, pressing it confirms, and a long press exits a menu. Two function keys and a touch lock complete the physical controls.
SWIT has assigned several gestures to the touchscreen. A double tap opens the main menu, and a swipe up from the bottom edge opens the Quick Tools. A vertical swipe on the left side of the screen changes the backlight, a vertical swipe on the right side changes the volume, and a two-finger pinch zooms in or out of the image. For vertical rigs, the on-screen display can be rotated or flipped.
Both the SDI and the HDMI side have an input and a loop output. The built-in cross conversion sends an SDI input signal out over HDMI and an HDMI input signal out over SDI. According to SWIT, this lets the K7 work with both professional SDI cameras and compact HDMI camera setups in mixed-signal workflows. LUTs can also be applied to the outputs, so a downstream display receives the same viewing look as the K7 screen.
The two NP-F slots on the back support hot-swap operation, so one battery can be changed while the other keeps the monitor running, and the screen shows the battery level. For external power, the K7 accepts 7-34V DC through a 2-pin LEMO connector and 9-20V through USB-C PD.
SWIT offers a D-tap to 2-pin LEMO cable and an AC to 2-pin LEMO adapter for these inputs. For V-mount users, the company also lists the KA-F20S, a plate that mounts a V-mount battery and supplies a regulated 8.4V to the NP-F slot.
The K7 has built-in DeLog LUTs, and user LUTs can be imported from the SD card. The included card also stores firmware updates and captured still images. For exposure, there are zebra stripes with a setting range from -7 to +109 IRE, false color in an ARRI mode or a Spectrum mode, a waveform, a vectorscope, and a histogram. Focus peaking, a zoom-in function, and a monochrome view are available for focus checks, and grids, scale markers, and safe-area guides help with framing.
The K7 can also capture the current frame and save it to the SD card. Users can then browse the captured images, select one, and place it over the live camera image with adjustable transparency. SWIT describes this as a tool to match a camera move, put a subject back into an earlier position, or recreate a framing from a previous setup.
The anamorphic menu has presets for 1.25x, 1.33x, 1.5x, 1.6x, 1.8x, and 2.0x lenses. A user mode sets a custom ratio from 0.5x to 2x, with separate width and height values. For audio, the K7 shows meters for four channels and has a 3.5mm audio output.
The panel resolution is 1920 x 1080. A 4K60p signal on the HDMI input is therefore shown at Full HD on the K7 screen. On the SDI side, the specifications list 3G/HD-SDI only, with no 6G-SDI or 12G-SDI support. The monitor cage and sunhood are not included and are available as a separate kit.
According to SWIT, the K7 is available now for €599, including the 4GB SD card. The MA-K7CAGE monitor cage and sunhood kit is priced at €329 and weighs 275g (9.7oz). The D-tap to 2-pin LEMO cable (PA-D2L2) is €35, and the AC to 2-pin LEMO adapter (PA-ACL2) is €45. SWIT has not published a price for the KA-F20S plate, and US dollar and British pound pricing have not been announced yet. For more information, please visit the SWIT website.
Would you use a screenshot overlay to match framings between takes, or do you handle continuity a different way on set? Let us know in the comments below!
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A camera was put in my hands at 16, and I’ve been taking photographs ever since. Before moving to Vienna, I worked as a photographer on film sets, telling stories as they unfolded behind the scenes. Since then, I’ve focused on immersive theater, both as a photographer and an actor. I am the photographer for the award-winning Nesterval ensemble, documenting the energy and atmosphere of their performances. I’m a teller of stories. Stories hold my interest. I’ll take on any project with a story to tell.