In 2025, camera monitors became “viewing devices” and “control devices”

When discussing the best camera monitors and transmitters , it was a year in which each company gave a different answer to the question of how to restructure the workflow on set, going beyond the mere competition of higher brightness and resolution.

Monitors are no longer just peripheral devices for checking images. Their role is expanding dramatically, encompassing camera control, integrated management of multiple cameras, recording and transmission, and even cloud integration and post-production connections. This change is not limited to high-end production sites, but has also spread to entry-level cameras and production areas using smartphones.

This year’s PRONEWS AWARD in the Camera Monitor/Video Transmission category selected products that, in keeping with this trend, demonstrate a clear design concept and the ability to implement products that actually function in the field.

Reconstruction and subtraction: two answers presented by ATOMOS

Atomos marked a clear turning point in the monitor/recorder category in 2025.

In response to a situation where the very purpose of external recorders is being questioned once again, the Ninja TX has shown a direction of innovation, with a design premised on high-speed recording, high-speed transfer, and network connectivity. Meanwhile , in a market where functionality is becoming increasingly sophisticated, the Shinobi GO has taken an approach that clarifies its essential value as a high-brightness monitor by deliberately limiting its functions.

These two models embody in different ways the two ideas that the Atomos brand presented in 2025: “reconstruction” and “subtraction.”

Atomos “Ninja TX”

Atomos “Shinobi GO”

Control as a Weapon – The Power of Portkeys

Portkeys is the product that most concretely and practically embodies the trend of “camera control.”

The LS7P evolves the monitor from a simple display device into a terminal that aggregates the operations of the entire shooting system. For compatible cameras, focus control and setting changes can be made using touch operation via a wireless connection, bringing practical efficiency improvements to multi-camera operations and single-person operations.

The PT5 III was also praised for its low price and lightweight design, yet for having just the right amount of functionality required in the field, raising the bar for cost performance.

Portkeys “LS7P”

Portkeys “PT5 III”

The fusion of wireless and recording – Accsoon’s practical solution

The integration of wireless transmission and monitoring is also an area of ​​maturity in 2025.

The Accsoon CineView M7 Pro is designed with built-in transmission and reception functions, simplifying the need for external devices and complicated wiring that was previously required, and presenting a practical option as a “smart monitor” that also takes into consideration recording and cloud connectivity. While assuming cable-free operation, its ability to handle everything from sharing to backing up after shooting makes it a highly field-oriented product.

　 　　

A different approach to high-end audio: SmallHD sets a stable standard

SmallHD has further improved its level of perfection as a high-end monitor with its new 10-inch monitor, the Ultra 10 .

Without embarking on a flashy feature race, the company has consistently maintained its stance of steadily improving display quality, operability, and reliability, once again demonstrating its position as a high-end benchmark that emphasizes “reliable usability.”

　 　　

Smartphones are no longer a “substitute”

Another trend worth noting this year is the maturation of production solutions that are based on smartphones.

Products like the Accsoon SeeMo 4K HDMI Adapter (Android compatible) and Hollyland Vcore have shown how smartphones can be used not just as simple monitors, but as production and recording devices that can be used on location. Vcore in particular allows for ProRes recording, albeit with certain conditions, making it practical to connect it to a workflow that extends all the way to post-production.

Accsoon “SeeMo 4K HDMI Adapter”

Hollyland “Vcore”

An attempt to dissolve category boundaries

Furthermore, although strictly speaking it goes beyond the scope of the monitor category, the Blackmagic Camera ProDock is also an essential part of talking about trends in 2025.

The idea of ​​incorporating an iPhone as part of a professional shooting system equipped with genlock and timecode is an attempt to intentionally blur the boundaries between camera, monitor, and peripheral devices, and is very thought-provoking when considering future production environments.

The above are the nominated products in the camera monitor/video transmission category.

PRONEWS AWARD 2025: Best Camera Monitor and Video Transmission Devices Gold Award

The Gold Award winner for 2025 the Atomos Ninja TX.

As RAW recording inside cameras becomes more commonplace, we believe that the combination of CFexpress Type B compatibility and a high-brightness panel used in this camera offers great practical value in today’s production environment, which assumes high resolution and large amounts of data.

What was particularly praised was the departure from the long-standing SATA-based design and the move to a new architecture that anticipates future expansion. Although it is not a product that satisfies all needs, it was awarded the Gold Award for its significance in clearly indicating the next direction for the monitor-recorder market, which had been feeling stagnant.

PRONEWS AWARD 2025: Best Camera Monitor and Video Transmission Devices Silver Award

The Silver Award went to Portkeys’ “LS7P.”

The LS7P offers a clear approach to the high-end monitor market, where SmallHD has long set the standard, by providing wireless camera control. The ability to control focus and other functions via touchscreen touchscreens without cables with compatible Sony and Canon cinema cameras is highly practical for today’s production environments, where one-man operation is the norm.

Additionally, the fact that it supports REC operations and basic settings for ARRI cameras, albeit in a limited way, shows the manufacturer’s determination to challenge the conventional competitive landscape. Its unique exposure management tool, “Log Stops,” and its implementation, which aims to elevate the monitor from a simple image confirmation device to the center of operation, were recognized in the Silver Award.

Among the best monitors and transmission devices in 2025, not only was it just a competition of specifications, but a year in which a variety of answers were given to the essential question of how to increase freedom and efficiency on-site. The products selected in this category mark that turning point.