OFFBIT M1 Announced – E-Paper Display for Lens Charts, Crew Lists and Notes, Three-Week Battery

Accessory News

by Nino LeitnerToday

Subscribe to News - Accessories

Barcelona-based startup OFFBIT has announced the M1, a small e-paper display for the camera department that replaces the paper lens chart on the camera body. It also holds the crew list, notes and a gallery of custom images, and everything is set up in a free iOS app. The first batch is limited to 100 units, and pre-orders open on November 11. Let’s take a look at what it offers.

Most camera departments still tape a printed lens chart to the camera or keep it in the AC’s pouch, next to a folded crew list and handwritten notes. The OFFBIT M1 puts that information on one small screen that mounts on the camera body or beside a monitor. OFFBIT founder Bernat Eguiluz, a working cinematographer, started the company in Barcelona in October 2025, and the M1 is its first product. According to OFFBIT, the M1 began as a prototype and was refined on productions with the help of focus pullers and 2nd ACs. Camera assistants are the main users.

E-paper is not new to filmmaking gear; we saw an E-Ink status screen on the Insta360 Mic Pro earlier this year. The M1 is, however, a dedicated reference display with no camera or recording function. It shows lens data, the crew list and notes, and the content comes from a free iPhone app over Bluetooth.

Three pages: lens, crew and notes

Three buttons along the top edge switch between the LENS, CREW and NOTES pages. OFFBIT’s press images show the LENS page as a grid of focal lengths, each with its T-stop and close-focus distance, plus the name of the lens set at the bottom. The CREW page lists names, roles and departments, and according to the OFFBIT website, the app can scan a call sheet to fill it in. NOTES is a free-form page for shot lists, radio channels or equipment lists, and the app can also scan a shooting plan into it.

A long press on the center button opens the patch gallery. It holds up to 25 custom images, such as production logos or crew photos. The app converts any image from the phone gallery to a bitmap and sends it to the M1, where the user switches between patches on the device itself. A fourth button on the left side handles pairing and settings.

Screen, housing and battery

The M1 has a 3.1-inch, 320 x 240 pixel black-and-white e-paper screen behind matte Gorilla Glass with an anti-reflective finish. According to the company, it stays readable in direct sunlight. The housing is CNC-machined from 6061 aluminum with a black anodized finish, and the device measures 85 x 60 x 10mm (3.35 x 2.36 x 0.39in) and weighs 71g (2.5oz). OFFBIT rates the 450mAh battery at up to three weeks on a single charge, and the M1 charges via USB-C. It connects to the phone over Bluetooth 5.0 LE.

Set up in the app, not on the device

All content is prepared in the free OFFBIT app and sent to the M1 over Bluetooth. The app includes a database of more than 2,500 lenses and supports custom lenses, which are stored locally. It does not need an account, and it works offline. According to OFFBIT, a connection is necessary only for app and firmware updates, and firmware updates are wireless and free. The company says a project takes minutes to build, and after that the device stays on the camera until something changes.

At launch, the app is available only for iOS on the App Store. An Android version is in development, but OFFBIT gives no release date. OFFBIT also states on its website that it does not sell user data and that there is no subscription.

Mounting and the M1 Backplate

The M1 has a flat back and attaches with Velcro. The box contains the device, eight Velcro loop strips and a welcome card. OFFBIT does not include a USB-C cable, and the website lists the charging input as 5V / 1A.

For camera bodies without a flat surface, OFFBIT offers the M1 Backplate (M1-BP) for €35. It is an aluminum plate with two 1/4″-20 threads and a locking 3/8″-16 point. The M1 attaches to the plate with Velcro, and the plate then mounts to a cage, a magic arm or a monitor.

“M1 saves prep time, but the real difference is on set: lenses, crew, notes and the shooting plan, all in one place. You stop looking for the paper that went missing,” says Bernat.

Current limitations

The M1 is a first product from a new company, and the first batch is small. The app is iOS only, so crews on Android phones cannot use the M1 yet. The screen is black and white at 320 x 240 pixels, which suits text and simple graphics, and patches are converted to a bitmap image. The three-week battery figure is a manufacturer claim. Shipping is limited to Spain and the rest of the EU at first, and the UK, the US and other markets are planned for spring 2027. OFFBIT has not announced US dollar or British pound prices.

Price and availability

The OFFBIT M1 costs €199 including VAT, and the M1 Backplate costs €35. Batch 01 is limited to 100 units, with a maximum of three per person. Pre-orders open on November 11, 2026, at 11:11 CET on the OFFBIT website, with full payment at checkout. Batch 01 ships to Spain and the rest of the EU in December 2026. At the time of writing, B&H and CVP do not list the M1. For more information, visit OFFBIT’s press page.

Would a small e-paper display replace the paper lens chart on your camera, or does tape and paper still do the job? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!