> my logic was the ninja is safer but is it worth the extra bulk? Building on the earlier suggestion, the Ninja is honestly overkill if you arent doing external recording. Ive been using the Portkeys LH5P II 5.5 Inch 2200nit Touchscreen Monitor for several months now and the performance is solid. It stays well under your $500 limit and it's much better for those outdoor ceremonies. 2200 nits makes a huge difference. No complaints so far. The camera control is reliable too. Changing ISO or aperture without reaching for the camera body is just faster. Honestly, for weddings, that efficiency is worth more than the brand name. Few quick tips for the rig:

• Use smaller NPF-550 batteries. Keeps the weight down so your arms dont die by the reception.
• Grab a SmallRig Swivel and Tilt Monitor Mount 2905B. Dont use the cheap ones that come in the box because they always sag after an hour of movement. Basically, if you dont need ProRes, save the weight and go with the Portkeys... works well for my workflow.

Wait, real quick... before you spend the cash, are you actually planning to record Prores externally or is this just for framing? Tbh most people buy the Ninja for recording and then realize it makes the rig way too heavy for an 8-hour wedding day. In my experience over the years, the Portkeys ecosystem is better for Canon shooters because of the wireless control. Being able to tap the screen to change your settings without touching the body is a lifesaver when you're on a gimbal.

• Portkeys LH5P II 5.5-inch 2200nit Touchscreen Monitor - this is the gold standard for Canon control and it's super bright.
• SmallHD Action 5 5-inch 2000nit HDMI Monitor - another solid, reliable choice if you want something simple and rugged. I always tell people to prioritize brightness and build quality. You dont want a plastic screen snapping if someone bumps into you on the dance floor...

I have shot weddings with both setups. For events, brightness and weight are your main bottlenecks. The Atomos Ninja 5.2-inch 1000nit HDR Monitor is a classic, but it only puts out 1000 nits. Indoors it is fine, but outdoor daylight will wash it out instantly. Plus, once you add an NP-F970 battery and an SSD, the rig gets heavy, and you dont really need ProRes external recording for standard wedding deliverables. Instead, look at the Portkeys LH5P II 5.5-inch 2200nit Monitor. The 2200 nits peak brightness means you dont need a sunhood in direct sunlight. More importantly, the integrated wireless module lets you control focus points and record triggering directly on the screen for the Canon EOS R6 system. The power draw is also lower, drawing about 13W compared to the Ninja which pulls up to 19W when recording, saving you battery swaps. Let me know if you need help with the menu setup for the camera control, it can be a bit finicky at first. TL;DR: Go with the Portkeys LH5P II 5.5-inch 2200nit Monitor because the 2200 nits daylight visibility and wireless Canon control are way more practical for live event work than the heavy recording capabilities of the Ninja.