Video productions can quickly become very complicated. A startup has a new e-paper display designed to keep things organized on set.
As reported by CineD, the Barcelona-based startup, Offbit, has announced M1. It’s a small e-paper display designed to replace a traditional paper lens chart that filmmakers put on cameras.
The M1 works with an iOS app and lets cinematographers label camera setups, lenses, and settings, organized by crew with space for notes. An Android version of the companion app is in development.
“Camera departments still run on paper: lens charts, crew lists folded in a pocket, notes scribbled between takes. On crews of around 30 people that change every week, even names slip,” Offbit says.
The company hopes M1 will fully replace that old-school paper approach, delivering the same information in a cleaner, more compact, more consistent device that is readable in all conditions and has a long battery life. E-paper displays are typically very power efficient, and Offbit says the M1 runs “for weeks” on a single charge.
The M1 and its app already have a database of more than 2,500 lenses, although it also supports custom lenses. It works offline without an account and only needs a connection for app and firmware updates. The app sends entered information to the M1 device itself via Bluetooth.
The M1 machined aluminum device has a matte-black design and attaches to cameras via Velcro or, in the case of cameras without a flat enough surface, an optional backplate add-on. The M1 is 85 x 60 x 10 millimeters (3.35 x 2.36 x 0.39 inches) and weighs just 71 grams (2.5 ounces). The e-paper screen is 3.1 inches diagonally and has a 320 x 240 resolution. It has a Gorilla Glass panel.
The device also has three buttons along its top edge to switch between lens, crew, and “notes.” A long press on a central button opens up the “patch gallery,” which holds 25 custom images, like production logos or crew photos. A fourth button on the left edge controls pairing and settings.
“M1 saves prep time, but the real difference is on set: lenses, crew, notes and the shooting plan, all in one place. You stop looking for the paper that went missing,” says Bernat Eguiluz, a working cinematographer and founder of Offbit.
Pricing and Availability
The first batch of Offbit M1 devices, limited to 100 units, will be available to preorder on November 11 for €199. The first batch will begin shipping in December and will be available only to EU customers. Global release, including in the United Kingdom and United States, is expected in Spring 2027.
Image creditsOffbit
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