Small Rig Video Monitor. For content creators, a persistent challenge when filming with a smartphone has been the inability to monitor one’s shot when utilizing the superior rear-facing camera. While front cameras offer convenience, their image quality pales in comparison to the back lens. The Small Rig Wireless Video Monitor Kit, an affordable $65 solution, perfectly addresses this issue by transforming your smartphone into a professional video rig.

This kit enables users to harness the high quality of their phone’s rear camera without sacrificing control over composition, exposure, or autofocus. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices, it functions as a dedicated wireless second display, mirroring your smartphone’s camera feed. The kit is comprehensive, including an awesome vlog-style handle and a cell phone holder, making it a complete package at its price point.

Connection is remarkably simple, typically taking around 30 seconds by scanning a QR code and activating screen mirroring. A strong magnet on the back allows secure attachment to MagSafe-compatible phones or cases, with an additional magnet for flexible positioning. While the monitor is not exceptionally bright for outdoor use and has a slight latency, it vastly outperforms cumbersome selfie mirrors and expensive smartwatches as a monitoring solution.

For journalists, this kit is invaluable. It ensures sharper, more professional footage by leveraging the rear camera, provides real-time monitoring for precise framing during self-recorded segments, and facilitates high-quality vertical content for social media. Crucially, it allows remote monitoring, enabling the phone to be positioned up to ten feet away for wider shots while the journalist monitors from a closer distance, thereby streamlining workflow and enhancing production quality.