Field testing the Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor

The following YouTube video includes three time lapse video clips that show the sky over Fairfax County, Virginia USA during the afternoon on 09 June 2026. Three photo sets were captured using a Fujifilm X-T3, 18-55mm kit lens, and Viltrox DC-A1 camera monitor. Each photo set was rendered to video using Apple "QuickTime Player"; each movie clip was edited using Apple "Photos." The final video was created using DaVinci Resolve.

09 June 2026 | Fairfax County, Virginia USA

The sky was overcast to mostly cloudy, covered by high level cirroform clouds at 25,000 feet. Notice the cirrocumulus clouds visible in all three video clips.

Source Credit: KDCA | National Weather Service.

Tech Tips

A "Viltrox DC-A1 2800 Nits 7-Inch Camera Monitor" enabled me to see the camera display clearly, even in direct afternoon sunlight. The monitor sells for $278.00 MSRP; I bought it on sale for $236.30 from B&H Photo. The DC-A1 comes with a snap-on/off Sun Hood, L-series/NP-F550 battery, HDMI Type-A cable, HDMI Type-A to Mini-HDMI cable, and USB-C power cable (USB-C to USB-A), among other accessories.

My Fujifilm X-T3 connects to the Viltrox DC-A1 via a micro-HDMI to full-size HDMI cable, not included with the monitor. (My Fujifilm X-T1 features a mini-HDMI connector, but HDMI Output works only during Playback.)

The Viltrox DC-A1 can be used to show the display of my Apple iPad mini 6 by connecting the iPad to a CalDigit SOHO Dock via a USB-C cable, then connecting the SOHO to the Viltrox DC-A1 via a full-size HDMI cable. Although the display size of the Apple iPad mini and Viltrox DC-A1 is similar, the DC-A1 is much brighter than the iPad (as shown below).

It's all about "nits."

"nits" is a quantitative measure of screen brightness. The following bulleted list shows the brightness (in nits) for many of the cameras and devices I own.

• Viltrox DC-A1 Camera Monitor = 2800 nits
• Apple iPad mini 6 = 500 nits
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ = 480 nits
• Fujifilm X-T3 = estimated 300-400 nits
• Fujifilm X-T1 = no official rating (seems to be dimmer than X-T3)
• Panasonic DMC-FZ300 = estimated 400-500 nits
• Canon EOS 5D Mark II = estimated 350-400 nits
• GoPro HERO4 Black action camera = There is no viewfinder screen on the back of the HERO4 Black, only a small "Camera Status Screen" on the front of the camera. (GoPro "Quik" app runs on Apple iPad mini 6, therefore 500 nits.)
• Skyflow (iOS app) = Runs on Apple iPad mini 6, therefore 500 nits.

In contrast with the Viltrox DC-A1, the highly rated Atomos Ninja 5.2" 4K HDMI Recording Monitor has a smaller screen, isn't as bright (1,000 nits), and sells for a higher price ($589.00 MSRP). Yes, the Atomos can record video, but so can my cameras.

Related Resources: Blog posts with label "Fujifilm X-T3" and "Fujifilm X-T1."

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

More Fisheye on the Sky

The following YouTube video -- including two "all sky" time lapse videos and a panoramic composite image -- shows the sky over Fairfax County, Virginia USA during the afternoon of 01 June 2026. A Fujifilm X-T1 plus Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens was used to capture the two "all sky" time lapse video clips. The panoramic composite image was captured using the "Camera" app on an iPad mini 6, set for "Pano" mode.

The entire dome of the sky is shown in the 190° circular field of view in the "all sky" time lapse videos: the zenith is located in the center of circle; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle. The sky was covered by low level cumuliform clouds and high level cirroform clouds. Notice the wind shear between the lower- and upper level clouds: the cumiliform clouds are streaming from north to south; the cirroform clouds are streaming from west to east.

01 June 2016 | Fairfax County, Virginia USA

The tree on the left side of the panoramic composite image is the same one shown in the second time lapse video clip.

Tech Tips

DaVinci Resolve was used to create the YouTube video. Not bad for my second video created using DaVinci, if I do say so myself.

Two short video clips and one composite panoramic image were used to create the movie. In order to avoid losing frames of content, "jump cuts" were used between the three media segments. Simple "fade out/in" transitions (one second) were used for the title- and credits screens, respectively. 

Related Resources

• Field testing an X-T1 for time lapsing - after action report - a blog post by Walter Sanford
• More quick-and-dirty video editing using QuickTime Player - another blog post by Walter Sanford
• DaVinci Resolve Instruction Manual (PDF)

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Field testing an X-T1 for time lapsing - after action report

I own three Fujifilm X Series cameras (featuring an APS-C sensor): an X-T1; X-T3; and X-T5. The camera body is slightly bigger and heavier from the X-T1 to the X-T3 to the X-T5. To some extent that's a moot point when the camera is used for time lapsing, since it is mounted on a tripod. But it's worth noting because for me part of the appeal of the X-T1 was it's smaller and lighter than my Canon 5D Mark II full-frame sensor camera.

The X-T1 = 16.3 MP (number of effective pixels). The X-T3 = 26.1 MP. And the X-T5 = 40.2 MP. In some ways, the X-T3 is the Goldilocks of my Fujifilm cameras -- it takes photos that are neither too small nor too big -- they're just the right size for time lapsing.

Why try the X-T1 for time lapsing?

So why did I decide to field test the X-T1 for creating time lapses? Because I would rather not have to change lenses every time I want to shoot either an "all sky" time lapse or "wide angle" time lapse. You might be asking yourself "Isn't interchangeable lenses one of the more compelling reasons to buy a better camera?" Yes, it is. But every time you remove a lens from the camera body is an opportunity for dust to settle on the camera sensor. And that's not good. So I prefer to change lenses only when necessary, under controlled conditions.

My tentative plan was to be able to use my X-T1 with the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens for "all sky" time lapses and use my X-T3 with the 18-55mm kit lens for "wide angle" time lapses. My plan probably would work if I set the X-T1 to shoot JPEG only, but I prefer to shoot both JPEG plus RAW images. Although I don't always use the RAW files, I like to have them in case I need them.

Strike 1. The write speed is too slow!

In the end, the slower write speed of the X-T1 processor doomed my plan. A five (5) second interval is probably sufficient time for the camera to save both JPEG and RAW files to a memory card. In my experience a five (5) second interval for "sky lapses" makes time seem to pass too quickly, so that's a no go.

I prefer using a two (2) second interval for "sky lapses." I set the X-T1 for a three (3) second interval as a compromise to enable the camera to write files to the memory card. But it was immediately evident the X-T1 struggled to write files that quickly. (It's worth noting the X-T3 can save compressed RAW files (RAW RECORDING > COMPRESSED); the X-T1 cannot.)

Strike 2. The X-T1 LCD is too difficult to see outside!

The X-T1 LCD screen doesn't have an official rating for brightness (in nits) but it might be the dimmest screen of all the cameras I own. I had to remove the camera from the tripod and go to a shady place in order to test exposure and make the settings for "INTERVAL TIMER SHOOTING" and I still struggled to see the screen. 

Strike 3. You're out!

I bought a new Viltrox DC-A1 field monitor with a brightness rating of 2,800 nits. HDMI out from the X-T1 is Playback only, so no joy there. (The X-T3 works beautifully with the Viltrox. More about that in an upcoming blog post.)

What are the take-aways?

A sample size of one proves nothing but as a result of my field test I'm fairly confident in saying the X-T1 is not the best tool in my camera toolbox for time lapsing.

That being said, the X-T1 is still a very useful camera for simple still photography and videography (although I don't shoot enough video to be sure about the latter).

Related Resources 

• More quick-and-dirty video editing using QuickTime Player - a blog post by Walter Sanford
• Blog posts with label "Fujifilm X-T3."
• Why I LOVE the Fujifilm X-T3 Camera (10:14) - a YouTube video by pal2tech (Chris Lee)

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

More quick-and-dirty video editing using QuickTime Player

Two time series of photos were taken during the afternoon on 01 June 2026 using my Fujifilm X-T1 camera and a Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens. Apple "QuickTime Player" was used to render JPEG images from each photo set into a time lapse video. Both videos were edited using Apple "Photos."

The entire dome of the sky is shown in the 190° circular field of view: the zenith is located in the center of the image; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle. The sky was covered by low level cumuliform clouds and high level cirroform clouds. Notice the wind shear between the lower- and upper clouds.

The "Scene 1" time lapse video was created from 133 photos: first image = 2:43 PM; last image = 3:05 PM. 22 minutes of actual recording time resulted in approximately eight (8) seconds of "raw" time lapse video, given the recording settings I used. Notice the video seems to go into "turbo boost" soon after the start of the clip. I'm not sure how/why that happened.

Scene 1

The "Scene 2" time lapse video was created from 209 photos: first image = 3:07 PM; last image = 3:28 PM. 21 minutes of actual recording time resulted in approximately seven (7) seconds of "raw" time lapse video.

Scene 2

Panorama Photos

The following panoramic composite images were taken using the "Camera" app on my Apple iPad mini 6, set for "Pano" mode. The iPad was mounted on a tripod located in the shade of the tree shown at the top of Scene 2.

 01 JUN 2026. 3:36 PM. Panoramic view. (15009 x 3822 pixels.)

The tree on the left side of the next image is the same one shown in the video.

01 JUN 2026. 3:40 PM. Panoramic view. (15722 x 3734 pixels.)

Tech Tips

The music track for both videos is "Fog Mist" by TrackTribe, available from the YouTube Studio Audio Library.

I plan to use "DaVinci Resolve" to create a movie that includes both video clips featured in this blog post. In the meantime, I wanted to share the preliminary results from the first field test using my Fujifilm X-T1 to capture time lapses. Technical details plus my analysis of the take-aways from the field test will be the topic of a future blog post.

Related Resources

• Quick-and-dirty video editing using QuickTime - a blog post by Walter Sanford
• Blog posts with label "Fujifilm X-T3."

Post update: I think I figured out why Scene 1 seems to go into "turbo boost." I was concerned a three (3) second interval between shots might not be sufficient time for the older camera to write both JPEG and RAW files to a relatively older memory card. Turns out my concern was justified. I looked at the EXIF info for the first 26 photos in Scene 1 and discovered an instance when the time interval between shots is five (5) seconds. (If it weren't such a tedious process then I would have checked all of the photos.) That might have happened more than once, but as I said, I didn't check all 133 photos -- once is enough to cause the noticeable glitch in the time lapse.

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

DaVinci debut

The following video features two time lapse video clips that show the sky over Fairfax County, Virginia USA during the afternoon on 13 May 2026. This is my first video produced using "DaVinci Resolve."

The video looks best when viewed in full-screen mode.

The entire dome of the sky is shown in the 190° circular field of view: the zenith is located in the center of the image; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle. The clouds are moving from southwest to northeast across the sky.

Related Resource: Fisheye on the Sky - a blog post by Walter Sanford

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All right reserved.

Post update: Two of my friends have been telling me to flip the upside-down tree in Scene 2. (Apparently an upside-down tree caused them to feel cognitive dissonance.) So I flipped the scene.

Scene 2 flipped vertically.

Then my friends suggested both clips should be flipped so the atmosphere appears to flow in the same direction in both clips. So I did.

Both scenes flipped vertically.

Which version do you prefer?

Quick-and-dirty video editing using QuickTime

Simple video editing is as easy as drag-and-drop using Apple "QuickTime Player," as shown in the following example.

"Fisheye on the Sky" | 13 May 2026 | Fairfax County, Virginia USA

The entire dome of the sky is shown in the 190° circular field of view: the zenith is located in the center of the image; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle.

The video was created by following these simple steps.

1. Open the first video clip using Apple "QuickTime Player."
2. Drag-and-drop the next video clip on top of the open "QuickTime Player" window.
3. Repeat as often as necessary to add more video clips.
4. Click the "Done" button on the video timeline.
5. Drag-and-drop a music track on top of the open "QuickTime Player" window.
6. Click the "Done" button on the video timeline.
7. Save the edited movie using a new filename.

Video segments are separated by a "jump cut" -- smooth transitions aren't supported by QuickTime. So far I haven't experimented with adding a title screen at the beginning of the movie and a credits screen at the end, but I know it is possible.

How to combine video clips

Source Credit: Google AI.

How to add music to a video

Source Credit: Google AI.

Related Resource: "Fisheye on the Sky" - a blog post by Walter Sanford.

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.

Fisheye on the Sky

Two time series of photos were taken during the afternoon on 13 May 2026 using my Fujifilm X-T3 camera and a Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens. Apple "QuickTime Player" was used to render JPEG images from each photo set into a time lapse video. Both videos were edited using Apple "Photos."

The camera was mounted on a tripod with the lens facing the zenith. The entire dome of the sky is shown in the circular field of view; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle.

The "Scene 1" time lapse video was created from 398 photos: first image = 1:38 PM; last image = 1:58 PM. 20 minutes of actual recording time resulted in ~13 seconds of "raw" time lapse video, given the recording settings I used.

The "Scene 2" time lapse video was created from 424 photos: first image = 2:02 PM; last image = 2:23 PM. 21 minutes of actual recording time resulted in ~14 seconds of "raw" time lapse video.

Low-, middle- and high level clouds were moving across the sky from the south-southwest to north-northeast. A southerly wind was steady at ~15-20 mph, gusting to ~25-30 mph.

Source Credit: KDCA | National Weather Service.

Panorama Photos

The following panoramic composite images were taken using the "Camera" app on my Apple iPad mini 6, set for "Pano" mode. The iPad was mounted on a tripod located in the shade of the tree shown on the left side of the first panoramic image (below).

13 May 2026. 2:34 PM. Panoramic view. (16352 x 3900 pixels.)

13 May 2026. 2:39 PM. Panoramic view. (14762 x 3598 pixels.)

13 May 2026. 2:42 PM. Panoramic view. (11480 x 3824 pixels.)

Camera Settings

The camera was set for manual exposure and manual focus. The Meike lens features a "clickless" aperture ring. The Aperture was set for the f/8 mark on the aperture ring. The manual focus ring was set near the 3 ft mark. The Shutter Speed was set for 1/2,500 s. 

The camera was set to record FINE+RAW, in L 3:2 format (6240 x 4160 pixels). A three (3) second interval was used to allow sufficient time for the camera to save the photo files to a memory card.

Tech Tips

The Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens, mounted on a Fujifilm X-T3 camera with an APS-C sensor, produces an image that nearly fills a square with the dimensions of 4160 x 4160 pixels. I set the camera to record images using a 3:2 aspect ratio (6240 x 4160 pixels), so the entire field of view is recorded with black "bars" on both sides of the image.

Warning: 16:9 format (6240 x 3512 pixels) results in an image that is cropped at the top and bottom for this camera/lens combination. Since 4K video has an aspect ratio of 16:9 the top and bottom of the photos will be cropped so that the "all sky" field of view is lost, as shown in the following video.

"Fisheye on the Sky" (0:35) - a YouTube video by Walter Sanford

It's worth noting the two time lapse clips with a 3:2 aspect ratio look fine in the Apple "iMovie" timeline, but they are cropped when the project is exported in 4K.

You might be wondering "How is Apple "QuickTime Player" able to create videos with a 3:2 aspect ratio?" (like the two videos at the beginning of this blog post). "QuickTime" features an "Actual Size..." setting for Resolution (shown below) that enables the creation of time lapse videos with a 3:2 aspect ratio.

Resolution: Actual Size...

What's Next?

I need to learn how to create videos using a 3:2 aspect ratio so that I can add titles, transitions, credits, and a music track as easily as I can using Apple "iMovie." Advice from readers of my blog is invited and welcome. I look forward to seeing your suggestions.

Related Resources

• Circular fisheye lens - a blog post by Walter Sanford (Hey, that's me!)
• Sky Arch - another one of my blog posts, documenting my failed attempt to use a GoPro HERO4 Black action camera to create an all sky video
• How to make a timelapse with iMovie (7:17) - a YouTube video by Matthew Vandeputte [Note: Matthew demonstrates how to use Apple "QuickTime" to make a time lapse video, beginning at the ~4:50 s mark.]
• Blog posts with label "Fujifilm X-T3."

Post update: With the aid of Google AI, I was able to figure out how to add a music track to a QuickTime movie.

Scene 1 time lapse video (with music track)

How? Follow these simple directions. Thanks, Google!

Source Credit: Google AI.

Copyright © 2026 by Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.