Today Atomos announces the second iteration of their Shinobi 5-inch HDMI monitor. According to the company’s CEO Jeromy Young, the new Shinobi II has been redesigned from scratch, and it now offers a brighter display as well as camera control in an even slimmer package. The device is available now for $349.Launched at the beginning of 2019, the original Atomos Shinobi has proven to be a very popular on-camera monitoring solution for videographers and content creators working with mirrorless or even small cinema cameras. This was Atomos’ first monitor-only device, sitting next to their popular Ninja and Shogun monitor-recorders.Now, 5 years later, it’s about time for an update. So let’s take a closer look at the slimmer, brighter, and more capable Atomos Shinobi II!Atomos Shinobi II – what’s new?The Atomos Shinobi II still features a 5.2-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display, but can now reach a maximum brightness of 1,500 cd/m2. This represents a 50% improvement over the original Shinobi. Just like its predecessor, the Shinobi II is a HDMI-only device featuring a single HDMI input that supports 4K video signals at up to 30fps. The HDMI input port has been moved to the back of the device and, again, there is now HDMI out.Atomos Shinobi II. Image credit: AtomosOn the back of the device, we can also find the traditional Sony NP-F battery slot next to a new USB-C port. The latter supports Power Delivery in and out, so it can be used to power the monitor, but can also supply power to other accessories or even your camera. But that’s not all.Atomos Shinobi II. Image credit: AtomosIndeed, the new USB-C port also serves for camera control. According to Atomos, the most popular Canon, Panasonic, and Sony mirrorless camera models are already supported upon launch, and so are Z CAM E2 bodies – although these require an optional serial cable. Additionally, support for FUJIFILM, Nikon, OM System, and SIGMA camera models will arrive at a later date via firmware updates.Camera control on UI on Atomos Shinobi II. Image credit: AtomosThe camera control UI looks pretty intuitive and allows you to access fundamental settings such as iris, shutter speed/angle, ISO, white balance, and run/stop. On top of that, the Shinobi II still offers the wide range of monitoring tools (like histogram, false color, zebra, focus peaking and zoom) that you would expect from an Atomos device.Size, weight, and designWhile the overall design looks similar to that of the original Shinobi, the polycarbonate body is now 10.7mm thinner (151 x 91.5 x 20.8mm / 5.9 x 3.6 x 0.8”), although slightly heavier (210g/7.4 oz.).Atomos Shinobi II. Image credit: AtomosOn the sides of the monitor we can still find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a LANC remote interface, as well as a SD card slot for loading LUTs and performing firmware updates. A small, but welcome design improvement is that of the HDMI and USB-C ports, that now come with a locking connector.Atomos Shinobi II. Image credit: AtomosFinally, while the original Shinobi features two 1/4”-20 mounting points placed at the top and bottom of the device, the top thread is now gone on the Shinobi II. This is quite a pity, as having mounting points both at the top and bottom of a monitor can help you move faster between different camera setups.Price and availabilityThe new Atomos Shinobi II is now available to purchase from B&H and CVP. Its official retail price is set at $349. The product is shipping now.For more information, please visit Atomos’ website.Have you ever used the original Atomos Shinobi? Do you think these new features are worth the upgrade? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
