DIY Video Camera LCD Monitor

I'm back in full project mode again and have been planning to work on my filmmaking. There is still a lot of gear that I need to collect, purchase, and/or build before I dive into the deep end. I've been wanting to add an external field monitor to my equipment, due to the lack of (or maybe to the benefit of?) a flip out LCD viewfinder on my camera. This helps show exactly what the camera sees, fine tune focusing, and removes your eye from the internal view finder when tracking, dollying, or other large movement scenes.

I started off pricing out various high quality, light weight, portable LCD monitors, and found some great options. However at the last minute I remembered I had an old Insignia IS-PD040922 portable DVD player laying around. I got it a few years ago as an Xmas gift, and the DVD player broke after just a few hours of usage. Best Buy refused to fix it, so it's just been sitting around. I pulled it apart, fixed it up, and modified it to mount on my camera's MA-100 microphone adapter plate.

It works very well for this application, even if the resolution sucks by comparison to newer screens. It's an excellent option until I get serious about my filmmaking. By then I'll have the experience of using this screen, and know more about the specs I want in my next screen. I'm excited to put this new setup to work.