Could This New E-Paper Display Finally Replace Your Paper Lens Charts On Set?
Despite living in a technical age in pretty much every other aspect of production, many camera departments still run on paper, with lens charts, crew lists, and notes scribbled between takes and folded into back pockets to pass around between shots. And while there’s something to be said for clinging on to analog workflows, there’s also (perhaps sadly) something undeniably more efficient and easie
Despite living in a technical age in pretty much every other aspect of production, many camera departments still run on paper, with lens charts, crew lists, and notes scribbled between takes and folded into back pockets to pass around between shots.
And while there’s something to be said for clinging on to analog workflows, there’s also (perhaps sadly) something undeniably more efficient and easier about digital ones. And that’s what OFFSET, a hardware company founded in Barcelona in October 2025 by Bernat Eguiluz, a working cinematographer, has built for modern camera departments.
The OFFBIT M1 is an e-paper display that can replace the paper lens charts on your sets. Let’s check it out.
The OFFBIT M1
As mentioned above, while many camera departments still run on paper, moving everything to a digital workflow, of course, makes sense. That’s what the M1 aims to do: replace paper with a compact, matte-black device with an e-paper screen that can run for weeks on a single charge and stay readable in direct sunlight.
The OFFBIT M1 will work with a free app (iOS now, Android reportedly in development) and send content directly to the M1 via Bluetooth. The app should be robust too, with a database of more than 2,500 lenses, support for custom lenses, and offline use without an account.
What’s neat about the M1 is that it will feature just three buttons across the top, allowing crews to easily switch between LENS, CREW, and NOTES. Users can long-press the center button to open a patch gallery that holds up to 25 custom images, such as production logos or crew photos. A fourth button, on the left edge, will handle pairing and settings.
Price and Availability
Overall, the M1 will be compact and easy to use, measuring just 85 × 60 × 10 mm and weighing 71 g. It will feature a 3.1-inch, 320 × 240 e-paper screen behind Gorilla Glass with a matte finish.
Here are some more of the OFFBIT M1’s key features:
- Price: €199, VAT included. M1 Backplate: €35.
- Batch 01: 100 units, limit of 3 per person.
- Pre-orders: 11 November 2026 at 11:11 CET, at offbitdevices.com, paid in full at checkout.
- Shipping: Spain and the rest of the EU, in December 2026.
- Other markets: the UK, the US and the rest of the world are planned for spring 2027.
- App: free on the App Store (iOS); Android in development.
The OFFBIT M1 is available on the company’s website, where it is set to retail for €199 (roughly $222.51 USD). You can find more info on the full price and availability here.