Using iPhone as External Monitor on Feiyu MG Stabiliser + Sony a6300

The Feiyu MG stabiliser is great for shooting smooth video with my Sony a6300, however the gimbal blocks the view of the Sony’s LCD screen making it difficult to see what you’re shooting (see photos below).

Another disadvantage of using the Feiyu MG with the Sony a6300 is that you have to have the left side of the camera pressed up against the gimbal to balance it (it doesn’t work the other way round), meaning you can’t access the HDMI port to plug in an external monitor.

The LCD screen on the Sony is also pretty small, doesn’t fully articulate and is rendered almost useless if you’re shooting outdoors.

I found a solution to all of this when I realised that I could actually use my iPhone 6 as a wireless external monitor with the Sony PlayMemories app and the Smart Remote Control function on the camera.

To attach the iPhone to the Feiyu MG, I used multiple GoPro connectors, from a handlebar mount on the MG to a sticky mount on the back of an iPhone case. Connecting it in this way meant I could angle the iPhone screen in many different ways as I was holding the stabiliser.

Video below!

• It solves problem of Feiyu blocking the Sony’s screen
• The iPhone screen is bigger and brighter than Sony’s LCD display
• The iPhone is lighter than most external monitors
• No cables needed
• There’s a surprisingly fast wifi connection between Sony and iPhone
• Using multiple GoPro connectors allows you to angle the iPhone screen

Disadvantages:

• The battery life on both the iPhone and Sony drains quicker than normal when using the wifi connection
• You can’t shoot log footage using the Sony Playmemories app (please solve this Sony!)
• There’s also no quick way to switch between 4K and 1080 using the Sony PlayMemories app (again, please solve this Sony!)