The all new Hollyland Mars 300 Pro Enhanced edition was just recently released as a follow up to their original Mars 300. If you’re searching for a wireless video system to use on set, that doesn’t break the bank, the Mars 300 Pro ($469) is a good option. We compare it to our $4000 Teradek system side-by-side, so you can see the latency and how it performs out in the field. Film Jams is bringing you our exclusive Hollyland Mars 300 Pro Enhanced review. We were lucky to receive one of the first models off the assembly lines from China! Ready to get wirelessly weird?!
Hollyland has made some big strides in the wireless video marketplace in the last couple years. Teradek has been the reigning king, the industry standard, but with prices a fraction of the cost of Teradek, Hollyland has appealed to a lot of filmmakers and video creators. Let’s dig deeper and see if Hollyland is ready for Hollywood!
- If you’re looking to buy the Hollyland Mars 300 Pro [Enhanced]:
- AMAZON: https://amzn.to/34AEcnw
Hollyland Mars 300 Pro Enhanced Review
WIRELESS VIDEO APP
One of the features that stood out most on the Hollyland is its ability to transmit wireless video not only through HDMI ports, but also to mobile devices through its app. This is something even the Teradek 1000 in our tests does not do. It’s great to have the ability for different departments on set to take a look at what the camera is seeing through their iPhone or Android devices quickly without having to drag a monitor around set.
Size
The Hollyland Mars 300 Pro is a bit smaller and lighter than the Teradek, which also makes it easier to rig up on lighter camera build setups. The Teradek seemed to have more durable construction, but we did like the smaller size of the Mars 300 Pro especially when attaching to our DSLRs and monitors in the field.
Hollyland VS Teradek 1000
The Hollyland may be a fraction of the cost of the Teradek, but it actually packs some features the Teradek doesn’t. One of the these features is something that we at Film Jams found really useful: the ability to stream to up to 2 Mobile Devices in addition to the Mars Receiver.
This is useful for example if you’d like your makeup artist or props person to get a quick look at something on monitor, without moving the entire video village. They can simply login to their Smartphone or Tablet and get a quick look at what’s happening. We found ourselves using this feature quite a bit. Going back to the Teradek for another shoot, it was something that I wish we had!
Also if you’re social distancing on-set, the old video villages with crew and clients huddled around may be going the way of dinosaurs. Having the ability to tap into the camera’s feed with the app is pretty powerful…though maybe a bit lonely.
Latency
Hollyland Mars Pro 300 Enhanced latency VS the Teradek 1000. The Teradek is rated at .001 seconds of latency while the Mars 300 Pro is rated at .08 seconds. We didn’t really notice the difference in latency unless we were doing quick pans or fast action. At .08 seconds we were able to pull focus and it was perfectly functional for our director’s monitor as well. We did notice a big improvement compared to the older Mars 300 (NOT Pro) – which had a latency of .1 seconds. Those extra .2 seconds make a big difference!
Transmitting Distance
For longer distances, the Teradek 1000 definitely held with up a stronger feed. The Hollyland, though claming over 300 feet of transmittion, seemed to operate best around 120 feet or less in our tests. Most times, we’re not transmitting that far on set, but if you do plan to use the Hollyland Mars 300 Pro for longer distances, make sure to test it out first.
Final Thoughts: Hollyland Mars Pro 300 Enhanced
Overall there aren’t too many option for wireless video monitoring under $500, and the Hollyland Mars Pro 300 Enhanced brings some nice features that even more expensive brands like Teradek don’t offer in their lower end models – like wireless streaming to mobile devices.
If you’re looking for one of the best budget wireless video systems in 2021, we think the Hollyland is one of the best current options. Is it the most affordable wireless video system out there for filmmakers? Let us know what you think down in the comments. And don’t forget to catch Film Jams on YouTube, with new videos every week!
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— GEAR USED IN THIS VIDEO —
WIRELESS VIDEO SYSTEM
- Hollyland Mars 300 Pro Enhanced:
- AMAZON: https://amzn.to/34AEcnw
- ADORAMA: https://adorama.rfvk.net/2OzYA
CAMERA & LENSES (to film)
- Canon C200 – https://amzn.to/2Xm83Ny
- Sigma 18-35mm 1.8 – https://amzn.to/2RXMuh9
AUDIO GEAR
- RODE Wireless GO – https://amzn.to/2FaqmuF
Other equipment we use to film:
CAMERAS
- Canon C100 – https://amzn.to/2u04CMm
- Canon C300 – https://amzn.to/2TbymjT
- Sony A7III – https://amzn.to/2TAoYqK
- Canon EOS R – https://amzn.to/2QaPZlK
LENSES
- Canon 24-105mm – https://amzn.to/2ILo9tp (main interview)
- Canon 100mm macro – https://amzn.to/2KsZuaF (product shots & CUs)
TRIPODS
- Sachtler – https://amzn.to/2KTXbfH
MICS
- Sennheiser MKE600 – https://amzn.to/2ILulBP
- Sennheiser 416 – https://amzn.to/2INrtQy
LIGHTS
- Litepanel Astra 6x – https://amzn.to/2KUBYCB
- Kino Flo Diva LED – https://amzn.to/2BuunZp
PHOTO GEAR
- Profoto Beauty Dish – https://amzn.to/2zgfjPV
- Profoto D2 500 Strobe Kit – https://amzn.to/2J28AZx
- Canon 5D mkIII – https://amzn.to/2KRE3zl
- Profoto Air Remote – https://amzn.to/2MU7MZa
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Filmed on location at: https://www.LitewaveMedia.com in St. Petersburg, FL