Red Giant Universe is Here!

Plugin creators Red Giant Software have officially launched their new Universe community following a successful 8 week long public beta trial. In addition to the standard Universe launch, Red Giant have also unveiled Universe Premium Membership, a paid subscription that gets you access to more tools and features.

This from the official site…

What is Red Giant Universe?

Red Giant Universe is a community that gives members access to fast and powerful free tools for editing, filmmaking, visual effects and motion design. Every tool in the Universe library of effects and transitions is GPU-accelerated, both Mac and Windows compatible, and works across multiple host applications including: After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X and Motion. The Universe library of tools is continuously growing—new effects and transitions are added regularly, and existing tools are updated often, based on user feedback.

Universe membership is FREE and comes with 31 free plug-ins that are yours for life! More free tools will be added regularly.

—-

What is a Premium Membership?

We’re trying something new with Universe. While many of the Universe tools are free, there are a lot that are available as a part of Premium membership – paid for via monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscription plans. With premium membership, you get access to more tools and the absolute best Universe has to offer. Most of these are brand new tools and we wanted to offer them to you with the option of paying for them at a low initial fee. However, for those who want to just pay outright, and avoid subscription, we offer a pay-once-only lifetime option.

How much does Premium Membership cost?

Premium membership is available for $10 a month, $99 a year (that’s 20% off the monthly cost), and $399 for lifetime membership that never expires.

What included in Universe?

Universe 1.0 includes 50 plugins. Many of them are free, while some are available with a premium subscription. Here’s the breakdown:

• 31 Free Tools (22 Effects & 9 Transitions)


• 19 Premium Tools (12 Effects & 7 Transitions)

The Premium plug-ins, are available as a free 30-day, fully functional trial when you install Universe.  After 30 days, they will render with a red X watermark. If you choose not to purchase a Premium membership plan then you’ll remain a  Free Universe Member with access to the growing library of free Plugins.

What’s the Community part you mentioned?

One of the best things about Universe is that the tools will grow around your motion graphics, visual effects and editing needs. Through voting in Universe Labs, you will help choose what tools to make next. Also, Premium members are eligible for access to early betas, helping us choose what features to add or improve in a new tool.

I am totally sold! How do I join Red Giant Universe?

It’s easy. Head over to the Red Giant Universe page, and sign in with your Red Giant ID (or sign up, if you don’t already have one – its free). Once signed in, download and install Red Giant Link (just follow the on-screen instructions after signing in).

Why am I downloading Red Giant Link, and not Universe?

All Universe plug-ins (and many other Red Giant products) are downloaded, installed, and updated through Red Giant Link  – so you’ll need to download link to get access to the Universe library of tools. (Learn more about Red Giant Link)

OS Requirements:

• Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5


• Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.0 and later


• Windows 7 with Service Pack 1


• Windows 8 and 8.1

Host App Compatibility:

• Adobe After Effects CS5.5, CS6, CC


• Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, CC


• Apple FCPX


• Apple Motion 5

Red Giant Universe is Here!

DSLR Footage Workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe TV have recently uploaded this helpful video on recommended workflows when using DSLR footage in Adobe Premiere Pro…

Jason Levine walks you through the basics of importing footage from your DSLR directly into Adobe Premiere Pro, selecting clips, setting In/Out points, and building a sequence. Work with multiple formats/frame rates/frame sizes, all simultaneously, and learn how the Adobe Mercury Playback Engine can be modified to optimize playback performance, no matter what kind of machine you’re editing on.

DSLR Footage Workflow in Adobe Premiere Pro

CAME Camera Jib Review

Tom Antos puts the CAME camera jibs through its paces:

Best way to add production value to your videos and films is by moving the camera in a precise way. Dolly allows you to move the camera left and right, BUT a crane makes your videos look even more epic by smoothly moving the camera up and down.

You can buy these cranes here: 

 

CAME Camera Jib Review

Some Samsung Galaxy S5 Units Suffer Camera Failure

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is billed as having one of the best camera’s ever included in a smartphone, but it sounds like the flagship device may be suffering from teething problems. It has been confirmed that an unspecified number of Galaxy S5s have shipped with cameras that don’t work. Affected users are greeted by the error message “Warning: Camera Failed.” Your only option for getting the issue fixed is to contact Samsung’s customer service in order to get your phone replaced.

“We have discovered that the issue has been seen in a very limited portion of early production Galaxy S5 units,” a spokeswoman told Reuters, “and was caused by complications in the ROM (Read Only Memory) component which stores the information necessary to operate the camera.”

Some Samsung Galaxy S5 Units Suffer Camera Failure

Turbopack 9000: Power Your GoPro Camera For 12 Hours

The Turbopack 9000 was originally created to power B4 lens systems but it’s manufacturers, Fotodiox Pro, have now discovered a potentially even cooler use for the battery. It can power a GoPro for up to 12 hours, making the $70 device ideal for taking with you on longer journeys. Fotodiox Pro are now apparently running tests to see if they can power the Blackmagic Pocket Camera.

The Turbopack outputs any of three voltages – 12v, 16v, or 19v. Power up the Turbopack with the included AC charger, and the 4 LED meter lets you know how much run power is left. Simply connect the Turbopack to your lens with your choice of either a 6-pin or 12-pin connecting cable (sold separately). Then, depending on your specific lens, you’ll get powered fuctions like cruise zoom, quick zoom, iris return, and more.

The Turbopack 9000 does not have a “sleep” function, so your lens is fully powered at all times, ready to go at a moment’s notice. Also built in is a USB port that can be used to power your camera, or charge a phone or tablet, etc. The Turobopack is rated for 25Wh for extra long run times between charges.

The Turbopack 9000 Kit also includes a fitted case with velcro attachments so you can secure it anywhere on your camera setup. 

For more, head over to Fotodiox Pro.

Turbopack 9000: Power Your GoPro Camera For 12 Hours

3D-Printed Time-Lapse Motion Control System

3D Printing technology is opening up a world of opportunity for photographers and filmmakers who know have the chance to start “printing” custom parts or even entire rigs for a fraction of the price.

Looking to reduce the weight of his equipment while out photographing time-lapses, photographer Doug Urquhart 3D printed and put together a 3-axis modular time-lapse motion control rig that is apparently 50% lighter than his previous setup.

The system makes use of 72 inches of carbon fiber (for rails) in combination with a 3D printed Pylyamide–12 (nylon) 3-axis motion control system. The rig offers dolly, pan and tilt capabilities.

The process of creating the rig certainly wasn’t simple but if you happen to have access to a 3D printer and fancy having a go you can follow the instructions by heading over to Instructables at the link below.

You can check out some test-footage shot with the rig here.

3D Printed, Ultralight, 3-axis Modular Time-Lapse Motion Control System

3D-Printed Time-Lapse Motion Control System

$15k Drone Crash in Amazon Rainforest

The video above shows how aerial filmmaking with a drone can be a costly experience when things go wrong. Christ Newman and the team from CineChopper captured the moment when their $15,000 drone “went rouge” in the middle of the Amazon Rain Forrest while shooting for Animal Planet. The apparent cause was a broken remote control, luckily the guys had a backup!

$15k Drone Crash in Amazon Rainforest

Sigma to Announce 24mm f/1.4 Art Series Lens at Photokina

Sigma is on a bit of a roll right now, the critically acclaimed “Art” line has become a massively disruptive force in the lens business and is no doubt causing a painful headache for its competitors.  Having recently announced the 50mm f/1.4 , Sigma is now reportedly planning to add a 24mm f/1.4 to the Art series in October, which likely means the announcement may happen in September at Photokina in Germany.

Pricing is rumored to be higher than both the 50mm and 35mm Art lenses, which retail for $950 and $900, respectively.

(Photo Rumors)

Sigma to Announce 24mm f/1.4 Art Series Lens at Photokina

Panasonic GH4 Vs Canon 5D Mark III Vs Canon C100 Vs Panasonic GH3 Vs Canon 7D

The team at Hillbilly grip truck compare the Panasonic GH4 with the GH3, Canon 5D Mark III, Canon C100 and the Canon 7D:

C100 used canon 16-35, 24-105 and 70-200 2.8 isII. Color profile “default”

Gh3 used kit 12-35 and 35-100 Color profile “standard”.

Gh4 used the speedbooster with samyang 35 and 85 primes Color profile “standard” (i wish we’d tried out the cinema D profile. I’m betting that is the profile ready for release)

7d used 17-55 2.8 and 24-105 using standard profile with sharpness and contrast rolled off 2 clicks

5d used 24-105 and 85mm 1.8 with Lightform C profile

All the above lenses were used at f4 except for the “down the neck of the guitar” shot when everybody opened up as wide as they could…

Here’s a ‘studio’ test between the Panasonic GH4 and the Canon 5D Mark III:

All three cameras used the exact same lens at the same f-stop, but obviously the full frame 5d3 had to move physically closer to match framing and has a much shallower DOF relative to the image. To maintain exposure, we used a lightcraft workshop variable ND ii. Any slight variations in exposure are just due to the finicky nature of the variable ND.

Finally, they have  published a ‘pan and scan’ version of the GH4 shot in 4K to see how it plays in 1080p:

You Can read their full review and conclusions here.

Panasonic GH4 Vs Canon 5D Mark III Vs Canon C100 Vs Panasonic GH3 Vs Canon 7D

Tutorial: Three-point Lighting with Litepanels 1x1 LEDs

Doug Jenson of Vortex Media gives us a detailed tutorial on three-point lighting using Litepanel 1×1 LEDs:

The goal of three point lighting is to create the illusion of a three-dimensional subject in a two-dimensional image. While you can create dimension a number of different ways, there’s no doubt that using light and shadow is a powerful way to accomplish this, and three point lighting is the lighting technique most commonly used.

What are the three points of light we’re talking about?

• The Key Light – This is the main light used on your subject.


• The Fill Light – The purpose of this light is to fill in the shadows created by the key light, preventing them from getting too dark.


• The Back Light – This is used to separate the subject from the background.

Tutorial: Three-point Lighting with Litepanels 1x1 LEDs

Sony teases PS4 software update with new SHAREfactory video editor

Sony has provided some details of what to expect from its upcoming PlayStation 4 software update. The company has reportedly taken user feedback into account and is planning two significant upgrades for the v1.7 update – the ability to pre-load games and an all new video editing app called SHAREfactory.

SHAREfactory video editor

The SHAREfactory app will allow users to combine and personalize captured gameplay clips, making use of filters, transitions and themes, as well as the ability to add stickers and text to the upload.

The software will allow users to record picture-in-picture video commentary for their gameplay clips using the PlayStation Camera, a Kinect-like accessory sold separately to the console itself. Lastly, users will be able to add audio tracks to their videos, and even import original music. SHAREfactory videos can be shared on Facebook or transferred to USB external storage to be uploaded elsewhere.

The new update will make some other tweaks to the Share service, including the ability to change who you share clips with from the Share menu (rather than having to go into settings) and the option to turn of HDCP, allowing for video capture directly from the HDMI output.

While these are definitely welcome additions to Sony’s system, the company has made it clear that these improvements represent just a glimpse of what we can expect from the upcoming update, with more details to emerge as we approach the as-of-yet unannounced release date.

 

Sony teases PS4 software update with new SHAREfactory video editor

GoPro Hero4 Specs: Shoots 4K at 30 FSP

Some exciting GoPro Hero4 specs as well as a release date timeframe have appeared on a rumour website called DGISE.

The Hero4 will apparently shoot 4K at 30fps, 1080p at 120fps and 720p at 240fps. Multi-exposure HDR and WDR tone mapping, and electronic image stabilization (EIS) were all also mentioned in the original leak and appeared again today.

It’s also suggested that you’ll be able to shoot 13MP photos (one MP more than the current Hero3+ black edition), there is also talk of a “completely new lens for shooting in dark,”

If the rumour is correct we should see the GoPro Hero4 arrive in the Summer of 2014

The following is from the supposably leaked press release:

GoPro Hero 4 is really capable of recording video in 4K resolution at a speed of 30 frames per second, 1080p at 120fps and 720p at 240fps, which became possible with the advent of the new SoC Ambarella A9 chip (dual A9 ARM Core ® CortexTM-A9 processor 1 GHz and FPU acceleration ) for advanced applications, wireless connection, and streaming video in social media.

GoPro Hero 4 will also come with a 13-megapixel photosensor and a completely new lens for shooting in dark. Multi-Exposure and HDR WDR tone mapping, electronic image stabilization, also improved MCTF. Dual sensor interfaces 12-lane SLVDS/HiSPiTM/subLVDS, 4-lane, remote viewfinder playback which is extremely easy to use. You shouldn’t to have special technical knowledge or skills to do it. GoPro Hero cameras are amazing because they have a waterproof housing with a flat lens for shooting under water (up to 60m). Built-in Wi-Fi module, USB & HDMI – the only thing that brings it closer to homeliness. The camera has the ability to capture still images during video recording and perform encoding H.264/ BP / MP / HP Level 5.1 and MJPEG.

GoPro Hero 4 will hit shelves in the summer of 2014. Action Cameras of GoPro have become extremely popular as an excellent way to capture high-quality video at high speeds relative to the price that usually is $340.

 

GoPro Hero4 Specs: Shoots 4K at 30 FSP

Six Action Cams Put to the Test

When it comes to choosing an action cam there is no shortage of options if you care to look beyond the obvious brands like GoPro. To help you make a more informed decision based on your needs and performance of the cameras, Gizmodo has tested six different action cameras – all at the same time using the crazy camera rig in the video above.

Brent Rose took the cameras through some typical use cases including a dip in the ocean and a trail ride down the mountains of Santa Monica.

The cameras tested were:

The Ion Air Pro 3

• Field of View: up to 160°
• Storage: microSD
• Frame Rates: 1080p @ 30 and 60 fps; 720p @ 30, 60, and 120 fps
• Dimensions: 1.46 x 4.2 inches
• Weight (w/ battery): 5.01 ounces
• Battery: 1200 mAh Li-Po
• Price: $350

The Garmin VIRB Elite

• Field of View: 146, 130, 118 degrees (with digital IS)
• Storage:microSD
• Frame Rates:1080p @ 30 fps; 720p @ 30, 60fps; WVGA @ 120fps
• Dimensions:1.26 x 2.09 x 4.37 inches
• Weight (w/ battery):7.16 ounces

• Battery:2000 mAh li-ion
• Price:$400

The GoPro Hero 3+ Black

• Field of View: 170°, 127°, or 90°
• Storage: up to 64 GB microSD
• Frame Rates: 4K (16:9 and 17:9) @ 12, 12.5, 15fps; 2.7K (16:9 and 17:9) @ 30, 25, 24fps; 1440p (4:3) @ 48, 30, 25, 24fps; 1080p (16:9) @ 60, 50, 48, 25, 24fps; 960p (16:9) @ 100, 48fps; 720p (16:9) @ 120, 100, 60, 50fps; WVGA (16:9) @ 240fps, plus Protune and SuperView modes
• Dimensions: 2.30 x 1.55 x 0.08 inches
• Weight (w/ battery): 2.65 ounces
• Battery: 1180mAh li-ion
• Price: $400

The JVC Adixxion GC-XA2

• Field of View: 160° (with digital IS)
• Storage: SD (full-sized)
• Frame Rates: 1080p @ 30, 60 fps; 720p @ 30, 60, 120fps; WVGA @ 30fps
• Dimensions: 2.94 x 2.13 x 1.44 inches
• Weight (w/ battery): 4.76 ounces
• Battery: 1050 mAh li-ion
• Price: $300

The Sony Action Cam 2 (HDR-AS30V)

• Field of View: 170°, 120° (with digital IS)
• Storage: microSD
• Frame Rates: 1080p @ 30, 60 fps; 720p @ 30, 60, 120fps; VGA @ 30fps
• Dimensions: 3.23 x 0.96 x 1.85 inches
• Weight (w/ battery): 3.05 ounces
• Battery: 1240mAh li-ion
• Price: $270

The Drift Ghost-S

• Field of View: 170°, 127° or 90°
• Storage: microSD
• Frame Rates: 1080p @ 25, 30, 50, 60; 960p @ 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 fps; 720p @ 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, 120 fps; WVGA @ 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, 120, 200, 240 fps
• Dimensions: 4.1 x 2.05 x 1.3 inches
• Weight (w/ battery): 6.40 ounces
• Battery: 1700mAh li-ion
• Price: $400

Head on over to Gizmodo’s for a full breakdown and review of each camera, and to find out which of the six cams came out on top.

The Best Action Camera: Spring 2014 Edition

Six Action Cams Put to the Test

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs Canon 5D Mark III

Lightworks Films has recently posted a test between the Blackmagic Produciton Camera 4K and the Canon 5D Mark III:

Video Description:

Basically I found what you’d probably expect:
- the 5d looks great right out of the camera, though it is a bit muddy with the 8 bit, 4:2:0 weak codec
- a bit of sharpening in post, 33% to be exact, made both the BPC and the 5d look better
- the BPC resolves details much better than the 5d, as of course you’d expect with 4x the resolution
- the grain on the BPC is much “finer” and “filmick” while the grain from the 5d is “muddy” and “blocky” – this is the difference between the resolutions (5d @ 1080p and BPC @ 2160p), the in-camera noise reduction Canon implements that BPC doesn’t, and finally the codecs, which are vastly different.

Settings:

- Lens = 50mm f1.4 @ f1.8

- ISO 400

- natural light

- note the different post production settings in each shot in the video

Blackmagic Production Camera 4K vs Canon 5D Mark III

Panasonic GH4 vs Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

Amadeusz Andrzejewski tests the Panasonic GH4 against the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera over a wide range of features like noise, dynamic range, and rolling shutter.

Panasonic GH4 vs Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

ARRI Launch Virtual AMIRA Camera Simulator

ARRI has released the first version of the AMIRA camera simulator, and it’s worth checking out you intend to use this camera any time soon. After a short while on the sim it becomes clear that the AMIRA is very different from previous ARRI cameras like the ALEXA in terms of menu layout and hardware switches. Some of the features on the sim don’t seem to be working right now but it’s definitely worth a play. You can get to the AMIRA simulator via the link below

The ARRI AMIRA Camera Simulator; SUP 1.0 — Arri

In case you’re not familiar with the features of the AMIRA, here’s a recap:

ARRI Launch Virtual AMIRA Camera Simulator

Pentax Introduce 70MM Medium Format Video Camera: 645Z

Pentax has just introduced the first sub-$10,000 medium format camera capable of shooting HD video – perfect if you want that 70MM look in your productions. The 645Z Camera gives filmmakers the first affordable way of capturing images close to that of 65mm film. 

Here are the highlight specs:

• 51.4MP CMOS Sensor – 43.8 x 32.8 mm


• Prime III Image Processor


• Anti-Alias Filter-Less Design


• 3.2″ 1037K Dot Tiltable Air-Gapless LCD


• 1920 x 1080 — 60i/30p/24p Video Capture (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (MOV))


• 1280 x 720 — 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p


• ISO Sensitivity Range of 100 – 204,800


• Dual Slot SD/SDHC/SDXC


• SAFOX II TTL 27 Point Autofocus System


• 3 fps Continuous Shooting


• Weather Sealed Magnesium Alloy Body


• Pentax Flucard and Eye-Fi Compatible


• PENTAX 645AF2, 645AF and 645A mount lenses PENTAX 67 medium format lenses useable with adapter


• Availability: June


• Price: $8,500 Body Only

While most filmmakers looking to drop $8k on a video camera will probably look do a dedicated video camera like the C100 or C300, this could be an interesting choice if you love the 65mm look. While it will have a much bigger field of view than a full frame camera like the Canon 5D MK III, it’s not going to give you quite the same look as IMAX as that is a much bigger image area.

The 645Z makes use of a Sony CMOS sensor that apparently gives far better low-light performance than previous Medium Format cameras that used CCD sensors.

Pentax Introduce 70MM Medium Format Video Camera: 645Z

Canon 7D Mark II Reportedly Delayed Due to Dual-Pixel Sensor Issues

Released back in 2009, the Canon 7D is now long overdue for refresh. Canon have not made any official announcement, but this hasn’t stopped the rumour mill churning away with plausible speculation.

 

The Northlight Images is reporting that the Canon 7D Mark II will feature a higher end version of the dual pixel sensor Canon used in the 70D. A slightly less powerful version of the tech is also rumored to appear in the 700D (Rebel T5i) and 100D (Rebel SL1) replacements. However, it seems some manufacturing issues with the dual pixel design of the 70D sensor has delayed production of the 7D Mark II and other successors, forcing Canon to push back release dates until late summer or possibly even early fall.

Beyond the new sensor technology in the camera, the below specs are just some of what has been rumored to make an appearance in the 7D successor:

• 20MP APS-C Sensor


• ISO 100-12800 (expandable to 25600)


• 1/8000 – 30s, Bulb, X=1/250


• 150,000 shutter life


• Silent shutter mode, similar to 5DMIII


• 19-point phase autofocus


• 8fps


• 15 Raw / 126 JPEG Buffer


• 3.0″ 1040k LCD, touch screen


• Optional WiFi


• Magnesium Alloy body


• Battery capacity 850 shots


• 148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5 mm


• Weight 910g

Canon 7D Mark II Reportedly Delayed Due to Dual-Pixel Sensor Issues

Yanobox is back with Nodes Plugin Version 2

Nodes is a high end motion graphics plugin that has been used on major effects driven films, such as The Avengers, Planet of the Apes, and Ender’s Game. Now it’s creator, Yanobox, has just released Nodes 2. The latest version supports Final Cut Pro X, After Effects, Motion, and Premiere Pro on Mac OSX Mountain Lion or Maverick Version 10.8 or 10.9(no windows support). It’s priced at $299 you can download a free trial on the official site (link below).

In Nodes 2 you can now import your own custom 3D models and sequences, combine text, graphics and images in your 3D animations, and control how nodes, connections, and text are animated. As Nodes 2 natively supports the After Effects Camera, it is integrated with other AE-compatible plugins.

Nodes 2 is the result of a complete rewrite of the original plugin from the ground up and provides a rendering engine that can support 50,000 particles and unique font acceleration. Point clouds are now created from primitives, footage, and 3D models, allowing for infinite possibilities.

Yanobox offers several tutorials on how to use Nodes 2 — The video below demonstrates how to get started using After Effects.

Nodes 2 — Yanobox

Yanobox is back with Nodes Plugin Version 2

Sony A7s VS Canon 5D Mark III: Low Light Test

Den Lennie tests how well the A7S performs in low light from 6400 ISO onwards:

I used a Zeiss ZF2 25mm lens set to f2 and with no illumination in the room other than the window light and a tiny streak of hallway light. What we experienced was quite staggering. This scene is almost no light.

Sony A7s VS Canon 5D Mark III: Low Light Test

Redrock Micro announce Retroflex rig for Blackmagic Pocket Camera

Cutting edge Digital Cameras with a vintage twist seem to be a strong theme right now, the Digital Bolex  and Bellami hd 1 cameras are both great examples of a trend back to vintage pistol grip style shooters. If you happen to own a Blackmagic Pocket Camera and want to give it a vintage twist you should probably check out the Retroflex mod rig from Redrock Micro.

This simple rig blends sophisticated ’60s retro style with the modern flexibility of digital filmmaking. The Retroflex comes with 3 modules: the pistol grip with run/stop button, viewfinder, and protective cage. Currently the Retroflex is exclusively for the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, however they do have plans to fashion the rig to fit other pocket cameras as well. The price is set at $495 and will begin shipping in about 2 months. Here are a few features:

• Retro styling and design.


• Fantastic ergonomics for street or verite style shooting.


• The cage protects the camera and adds mounting and cold shoe options.


• Handgrip with run/stop trigger (removable).


• wireLock accessory to secure cables (not included).


• Removable viewfinder aids in outdoor screen visibility.

Redrock Micro announce Retroflex rig for Blackmagic Pocket Camera

Blackmagic Design firmware updates for Cinema Camera and Pocket Camera

Blackmagic Design was certainly one of the big stars at NAB this year with the announcement of not one but two new cameras. However the company is under fire from some existing customers of Cinema Camera and Pocket Camera, who say Blackmagic has stopped supporting these systems. Thankfully it seems that this is not the case following an update on the Blackmagic Forum by Kristian Lam of the Technical Support Team.  We’ve copied his post below…

I know there are some concerns that we are no longer supporting the Blackmagic Cinema Camera or Pocket Cinema Camera. I just want to assure you that this is not the case. Let me give you some background information about the development and why it is taking longer than expected.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera was our very first foray into cameras and since then, we have shipped 3 more cameras, the Pocket Cinema Camera, Production 4K and the Studio Camera.

The original 2.5K camera had fundamental architectural differences in firmware compared to the other cameras which doubled the effort when trying to do any bug fixes or add new features to the cameras. As such, we knew we had to re-architect the firmware so as to bring it up to speed with the current cameras. This is not simple and taking longer than we thought. However, we are close now, close enough that beta versions have been seeded to some users for the past few months.

We should be able to see an update, as I’d mentioned in my post, to the 2.5K camera and Pocket Cinema Camera soon with the features below:

1. New debayering for shooting directly to ProRes or DNxHD on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera EF and MFT

2. Improved MFT lens support on the Pocket Cinema Camera

3. Compressed RAW support on the Production Camera 4K

4. Autofocus support for EF lenses on Blackmagic Cinema Camera EF and Production Camera 4K

What is also in this release are also certain hooks that are required for audio level metering and histogram display. It won’t be visible as yet but will allow us to quickly followup with an update to add these 2 tools we know you guys are asking for.

Let me also answer some other questions I’ve been asked below:

• Formatting of media

Yes, we want to do this. A large part of the work has been completed so I don’t believe this will be a big effort to implement. However, it is very unlikely that we will support deleting of clips directly in camera due to the risk of media fragmentation.

• Time Remaining indicator

Yes, this is going to happen. It’s probably in the next update or an update after.

• Black Sun effect

This is a fundamental characteristic of CMOS sensors. Some sensors have additional circuitry to try and overcome this and this was available in the Pocket Cinema Camera. Unfortunately, it is not in the 2.5K sensor. Also, black sun correct circuitry is also not an on/off switch and with some sensors, it may result in other unwanted artefacts so we have to be really careful about it. Another method of overcoming the black sun effect is via image processing after the image has been acquired and passed on from the sensor. This is basically running an algorithm to try and detect what looks like the black sun and just clipping the black areas. Again, this could result in false positives and if you have a pattern in the image that is similar to the black sun, it could mistakenly be “corrected” as well. As you can see, this is a tricky situation. We are not ignoring it, but working to see what is the best way to address this.

Original thread on the BM Forum here

Blackmagic Design firmware updates for Cinema Camera and Pocket Camera

AJA CION - 4K at 120 fps: Overview

AJA is the new kid in town when it comes to camera making and with competitors Blackmagic having a healthy head start AJA have everything to prove. Here we take a look at the new AJA CION 4K to see how it stacks up. The estimated retail price of the CION is $8,995

Key technical specs:

22.5mm x 11.9mm Super 35mm sensor with a global shutter

12-stop Dynamic Range

Lens Mount: PL (positive lock), replaceable

Optical Low Pass Filter (OLPF) and IR Cut Filter (combined)

Removable Storage: AJA Pak media (proprietary SSD)

Output:

4x 3G-SDI (main), 2x 3G-SDI (Monitor) (AJA RAW 4K at 120 fps)

2x HDMI

Thunderbolt (limited to 4K at 30 fps)

Audio Input

2x 3-pin balanced XLR connectors with dedicated line/mic/48v phantom

Audio Output

1x 3.5mm Headphone Jack

Inputs

1x Reference Input (BNC)

1x LTC (BNC for Timecode)

2x 2.5mm LANC connectors

1x LAN RJ45 connector 1 Gbps

Weight

7.4 lbs / 3.4 kg (with top handle attached)

Power

AC Range: 100-240 VAC 50/60Hz

DC Range: 12-18Vdc, 5A maximum, 4-pin XLR or 2-pin input connectors

Power: 38-42W typical, 45-47W maximum

(Note: does not include power draw from 2-pin output connector)

Recording modes:

4K (4096×2160), Ultra HD (3840×2160), 2K (2048×1080) (2K limited to 60p)

Progressive 23.98 to 120 fps

Apple ProRes 4444 or Apple ProRes 422 to 30 fps

Apple ProRes 422 to 60 fps

SDI output support for 119.88/120 fps (SDI 1-4 Raw) (2K limited to 60p)

1080 HD (1920×1080) progressive 23.98 to 60

Apple ProRes 4444 or Apple ProRes 422 to 30 fps

Apple ProRes 422 to 60 fps

SDI output up to 60p

For more detailed specifications, click here.

The media card used in the CION is a proprietary AJA card:

CION uses AJA’s proven SSD-based Pak storage. The robust high speed compact storage mounts directly in-camera … Choose from generous 256GB or 512GB capacities and by utilizing the AJA Pak Dock (sold separately) you can transfer your footage over high-speed Thunderbolt™or USB3.

One of the cool features of the CION is that it can be completely network controlled, like a CCTV camera:

CION also offers powerful network-based control. Via the LAN connection, a web-browser UI allows for remote configuration of the camera. Your CION is completely controllable whether it’s on a crane, jib or car mount from virtually any web browser.

The AJA comes with a list of accessories to make rigging easier. For the current list, click here.

AJA CION - 4K at 120 fps: Overview

The Axiom Beta: World's most affordable 4K Camera

Apertus are probably one of the most interesting camera manufacturers around at the moment. Firstly they are creating a completely open source 4K camera which is very cool in it’s own right. Secondly the entire project is being Crowdfunded and best of all they are offering beta versions of the Axiom 4K at “cost”, making it the cheapest 4K camera on the market. The Camera body alone is going to sell for around $450, If you want the extra IO modules it’s around $760. Both of these cameras require the additional purchase of one of three sensors (see the table below). These range from $1800 to $500,  the first Axiom cameras will use an $890 Truesense KAC12040 chip. So all in you can pick up a working Axiom 4K body with IO modules and a sensor for around $1650!

Sebastian Pichelhofer apertus association Chairman and Product Manager said…

It looks like the Axiom Beta is about to become the cheapest 4K camera in existence, not that our primary goal is being the cheapest but for our main target audience for this prototype stage: early adopters and developers we are happy to go that extra mile.

Axiom Beta’s features include:

• HDMI Full HD (4:4:4) output at up to 60 FPS


• 4K raw output via experimental HDMI formats


• Capture full resolution, full bitdepth raw still images to MicroSD card


• Remote control of all camera functions from smartphone, tablet, laptop


• Power management and monitoring (e.g. voltage, current, temperature)


• Highly customizable via modular I/O addons (e.g. SDI)


• Accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope e.g. for image stabilization


• Different lens mount options (e.g. Nikon F-mount, EF and M4/3)


• Wide input voltage range (5-40V)


• Very lightweight and compact ~110x60x50mm


• Embedded Linux (e.g. Raspian, ArchLinux)


• LUTs, matrix color conversion, FPN compensation, false color display, overlays, dead pixel compensation


• Using Microzed board (instead of Zedboard used in Axiom Alpha)

Apertus Press Release:

What will the Axiom Beta cost?

Backers who support the Axiom Beta development in the crowd funding campaign with a minimum amount of 350 EUR / 485 USD or more will receive the Axiom Beta (including all the necessary I/O modules) for manufacturing costs only (i.e. material and assembly), at approximately 550 EUR / $760 USD (without image sensor, see table below).

But rest assured, no matter what hardware options you choose, you will only pay for the materials, assembly and shipping. Naturally, if we manage to attract more backers than initially planned, the cost of production per unit will be reduced and everyone will get to pay less. The main focus of this campaign is to find early adopters and get the hardware into the hands of hackers and developers. Once our product matures, you can expect the Axiom camera to grow in complexity along with its feature set and price. For this reason, it is unlikely that future Axiom models will be as affordable as what we are offering in the Axiom Beta crowd funding campaign.

Upgrade Path

If you decide to upgrade your Axiom Beta to a successive product (e.g., say, the Axiom Gamma, if we continue using the greek alphabet naming scheme), the main (and most expensive) component, the sensor, can very likely be reused. The Microzed is also an independent product and can be utilized for other projects or resold again.

Image Sensor Choice

In the beginning, we will create an Axiom Beta using the Truesense KAC12040, as we would like to gain experience with another image sensor than the one featured in the Axiom Alpha. Once this is working, we’ll start adding additional image sensor options based upon what the majority of people in our community are interested in. This sensor may come from Cmosis, Truesense or a different manufacturer, as long as they provide datasheets and use compatible interfaces. Please cast your vote below to give us an idea of which options would be preferred.

The following prices are indicative of these image sensors in single quantities. In higher volumes, their cost is slightly reduced. Add the approximately 550 EUR / $760 USD base cost of the Axiom Beta to the cost of the image sensor to get an idea of the total price. Another possibility might be purchasing engineering grade sensors (containing defects as they did not pass quality assurance) at further reduced prices for developers.

When will the crowd funding campaign start

Soon, so stay tuned, as we will share further details about the Axiom Beta once we have finished the EU Horizon 2020 grant application. At present, we need all of our eyes, minds and energy focused on completing the documents for this program.

See Apertus for more information.

The Axiom Beta: World's most affordable 4K Camera

Schneider announces Xenon FF-Prime Lenses

Schneider Optics has announced a new family of prime lenses specially designed and built for digital cinematography with full-frame sensor HDSLR and other professional cameras. Built in Germany by Schneider-Kreuznach, the new Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon FF-Prime Lenses are the latest addition to the company’s line of high-end optics.

The first focal lengths being introduced in the Xenon FF-Prime series are 25mm T2.1, 35mm T2.1, 50mm T2.1, 75mm T2.1, and 100mm T2.1. They are available in changeable Nikon F, Canon EOS or PL mounts.

Because they are purpose built for digital cinematography with today’s HDSLR and other cameras, the new Xenon full-frame lenses are designed for 4K resolution (4096 × 2304 pixels). They elegantly cover the full 45mm image circle that’s usable on Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D800 cameras.

Each compact 3.3-pound lens offers all new optical and mechanical design for outstanding operation and performance as well as rugged reliability. The circular 14-blade aperture is specially engineered for a smooth and consistent bokeh. The precision constant volume focusing design ensures that breathing is minimized. And with a 300-degree barrell rotation, the manual focus markings offer dead-on accuracy and repeatability. Additionally all lenses are color-matched for consistency.

Engineered for compatibility with industry standard cine-style accessories like follow focus rigs and matteboxes, the Xenon FF-Primes feature identical external dimensions and positioning of focus and gear rings in each focal length. Operators will appreciate using the oversized focus and distance scales that are readable on both sides of the lens. To accommodate filters and other accessories, each lens has a 100mm front diameter and a standard 95mm thread.

The new Schneider Xenon FF-Prime lenses will be available in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Xenon FF Price List

Schneider announces Xenon FF-Prime Lenses

Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 11 (free update)

Blackmagic Design has announced DaVinci Resolve 11, a major upgrade with over 100 new editing and color grading features. This new update includes major improvements in online editing plus context sensitive trimming, onset file cloning, photographer style color grading tools and an amazing new collaborative workflow that allows multiple users to work simultaneously on the same timeline.

Quick Upgrade Highlights:

• A timeline capable of mixing formats, frame rates, resolutions


• A host of standard trimming tools with intuitive hovering for different types of trimming without changing tools (like Avid’s Smart Tool)


• Tons of standard video and audio transitions


• The ability to mix audio


• Re-sizing and re-timing of video


• Apply OFX plugins


• Keyframe everything from the timeline


• Add creative titles

The new DaVinci Resolve 11 has over 70 new editing features based on feedback from professional editors. With DaVinci Resolve 11, editors now have dual monitor support and familiar professional tools like dynamic JKL trimming, audio crossfades and fully customizable keyboard shortcuts for faster editing. Trimming tools are context sensitive, which means DaVinci Resolve automatically knows whether editors want to ripple, roll, slip, slide, extend or shorten edits, based on the position of the mouse. This makes editing super fast because time is not wasted switching tools and clips can be trimmed on multiple tracks simultaneously in the same direction, or asymmetrically.

DaVinci Resolve 11 features a new spline curve keyframe editor integrated into the edit timeline that positions keyframes directly under each clip and in context with the clip. Editors can now also add and animate open FX plugins directly in the timeline as well as use plug-ins for transitions.

The new collaborative workflow tools in DaVinci Resolve 11 allows an editor and multiple colorists to work on different workstations, sharing the same timeline and working in tandem as they complete shots. An example is a colorist could be color grading or tracking windows while another colorist fine tunes grades that are all immediately updated as the editor edits. Each user can see the timeline update so they are all working on the same job at the same time. Sharing the same timeline makes it much easier for creative teams to stay in sync and work faster on large complex jobs such as feature films and television programming.

One of the most exciting advantages of the enhanced editing features in DaVinci Resolve 11 is the dramatically better round trip collaboration with Apple Final Cut Pro X. This is possible because more of the features in each application are compatible so projects can be moved back and forward easily. A powerful example of this integration is when a Final Cut Pro X customer might be shooting an independent film but then wants to move their edit to a large Hollywood post production facility for color grading and finishing. This is an exciting workflow that makes it possible to allow independent filmmakers to integrate with the largest post production facilities.

Color correction features have also been upgraded in DaVinci Resolve 11, including all new RAW image and color grading controls that are designed for photographers who are moving into cinematography. The new camera RAW palette features highlight and shadow recovery, mid tone detail, color boost, saturation, lift, gain and contrast. DaVinci Resolve 11 solves the single frame limitations of photo enhancement systems and gives photographers advanced control over RAW images so they can pull the maximum detail from high dynamic range footage in real time.

Adding to DaVinci Resolve’s powerful on set tools, DaVinci Resolve 11 can now securely back up and save digital camera files. The new DaVinci Resolve clone tool copies media drives, memory cards and camera packs to multiple destinations simultaneously. All copies are checksum verified, that means users get exact bit for bit digital copies of their source media. The new clone tool is included in the free DaVinci Resolve Lite and can be installed on a laptop for on set use.

DaVinci Resolve 11 also features a unique and powerful automatic color chart color balancing tool that works on all types of footage including video, RAW and even film. The new color match tool automatically gives a primary base grade by analyzing shots containing standard color chip charts even if they were shot in different lighting conditions with different exposure and color temperatures.

DaVinci Resolve 11 also adds optimizations to OpenCL image processing which allows improved rendering speeds on the new Apple MacPro systems. The MacPro features dual GPU’s so is the ideal solution for customers looking for an “off the shelf” solution that easily handles the high processing speeds when working on Ultra HD work in the deepest YRGB 32 bit float processing quality.

“This is a massive update and we are really excited about DaVinci Resolve 11”, said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design, “Since we added the new editing tools into DaVinci Resolve we have had some great feedback from editors working on high end feature film and television programming jobs. We have rolled this great advice into DaVinci Resolve and now it’s a fantastic full featured online editor. Of course we continue to add wonderful color correction and on set tools into this release as well. This is the best version of DaVinci Resolve we have ever released and we are going to provide this update to all DaVinci Resolve customers free of charge. This means the cost of switching to the worlds most exciting online editor will be zero!”

Availability and Price

The update to DaVinci Resolve 11 will be available in June for download from the Blackmagic Design web site free of charge for all current DaVinci Resolve customers.

Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 11 (free update)

Blackmagic announce URSA Professional Camera

Blackmagic Design has just added it’s most expensive camera to date to a rapidly expanding line up, the URSA. The camera features a changeable sensor design, allowing the user to swap out the Canon EF lens mount and 4K Super 35 image sensor for a similar sensor with a PL lens mount. Later in the year a broadcast B4 mount will be available, as well as a sensor-less HDMI input mount, allowing the user to connect any other camera to the URSA for dedicated ProRes recording and monitoring.

The URSA features no less than three touch screens for control and monitoring – including a massive 10-inch flip-out screen. The URSA also has two XLR inputs and VU meters for pro audio recording.  It will be available in July and sell for $5,995 (~£3,609) for the EF mount body.

From the Press Release:

NAB 2014, Las Vegas, USA – April 7, 2014 - Blackmagic Design today announced Blackmagic URSA, a new high end digital film camera designed to revolutionize workflow on set. Built to handle the ergonomics of large film crews as well as single person use, URSA has multiple accessories built in, including a massive 10 inch fold out on set monitor, large user upgradable Super 35 global shutter 4K image sensor and internal dual RAW and Apple ProRes recorders.

Because the sensor and lens mount assembly can be changed, customers can choose EF or PL lens mounts, or even a broadcast video sensor with B4 mount, then upgrade the camera in the future. The Blackmagic URSA EF model will retail for $5,995.

Blackmagic URSA will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2014 booth at #SL219.

Blackmagic URSA is designed to be used on high end feature films, commercials, episodic television production, documentaries, electronic news gathering, music videos and more. When used on jobs with a large crew, customers can easily dress the camera with high quality cinema lenses, rails, follow focus, matte boxes and more. With built in scopes for exposure, focus and audio levels, built in dual recorders and the large 10 inch fold out on set monitor, customers can dramatically reduce on set equipment because it’s all built into the camera.

The Blackmagic URSA features a larger professional size that has the space for powerful cooling that allows higher frame rates while keeping the chassis cool and the fan quiet. The sleek futuristic machined aluminum design is incredibly strong and has been designed for large film crews while being able to be field upgraded to new sensors by the user. Each area of the camera has been divided into separate DOP, camera assistant and audio engineer work stations. The DOP station features a large 10 inch fold out on set monitor and separate 5 inch screen for settings, camera status and scopes. The camera assist station features a separate screen for camera settings, status and scopes and an audio station features audio meters, controls and audio connections.

Blackmagic URSA is a true professional digital film camera with a 4K sensor, global shutter and a wide 12 stops of dynamic range. The wide dynamic range is superior to regular video cameras or even high end broadcast cameras and results in dramatically better images that look like true digital film. The large Super 35 size sensor allows for creative shallow depth of field shooting and high resolution Ultra HD, 12 bit lossless compressed Cinema DNG RAW and Apple ProRes™ allow for easy post production workflow with minimum storage requirements.

The Blackmagic URSA features a modular camera turret that can be simply replaced by removing 4 simple bolts! The camera turret includes the sensor, lens mount and lens control connections and can be upgraded in the future when new types of sensors are developed. There are currently 4 models to choose from, URSA PL supports PL mount lenses and URSA EF supports EF mount lenses from Canon, Zeiss and more. Both of these models include the large Super 35 sized global shutter digital film sensor. The URSA Broadcast B4 model, available late 2014, features a broadcast video Ultra HD sensor and B4 lens mount used in broadcast. The URSA HDMI model has no sensor and its lens mount is replaced by a “cheese plate” of mounting points and a HDMI input, allowing any third party camera to get the benefit of the URSA camera body features.

“Our goal when developing the URSA was to build a camera that had all the cooling capacity for higher frame rates, and a large on set monitor as well as built in scopes so you had everything you need built into the camera itself. The problem with spending so much money building in such incredible accessories is that they become outdated as sensor technology moves on. So we designed the ability to upgrade the sensor so customers can simply bolt on a new sensor and turret assembly in the future!”, said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design, “We think this is a revolution and this upgradable design means we have been able to put a lot more effort into the design of the camera body itself and the quality of the screens, recorders, cooling system and processing power than would normally be offered. The result is one of the most amazing television products I have ever seen!”

Blackmagic URSA PL and URSA EF Key Features

• Large high resolution 4K Super 35 mm sized sensor with superior handing of image detail.


• Professional global shutter for smooth pans and image motion.


• Wide 12 stops of dynamic range allows capture of increased details for feature film look.


• Compatible with extremely high quality PL or EF mount lenses.


• User upgradable design allows customers to upgrade and change the sensor and lens mount.


• Built in dual CFast 2.0 card recorders allow unlimited duration recording in high quality.


• Open file formats compatible with popular NLE software, such as Apple ProRes and compressed CinemaDNG 12 bit RAW. No custom file formats.


• Support for ProRes HQ, ProRes 422, ProRes LT, ProRes Proxy recording at resolutions up to Ultra HD.


• Features all standard connections, including dual XLR mic/line audio inputs with phantom power, 6G-SDI output for monitoring with camera status graphic overlay and separate XLR 4 pin power output for viewfinder power, 6G-SDI monitoring input, headphone jack, LANC remote control and standard 4 pin 12V DC power connection.


• Built in stereo microphones for recording sound.


• 3 separate built in LCD monitors for camera settings and metadata entry. Large 10 inch screen folds out for full resolution HD monitoring with wide viewing angle and high brightness.


• Supports Ultra HD and 1080 HD resolution capture in 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30 up to 60 fps.


• Features liquid cooling system allowing higher frame rates when future sensors support this feature.


• Supports quick release tripod mounts and adding V-Mount and Anton/Bauer mount battery plates.


• Includes full copy of DaVinci Resolve software color grading and editing software.

Availability and Price

Blackmagic URSA will be available in June/July from US$5,995 from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.

Source: Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic announce URSA Professional Camera

AJA enters camera market with 4K Cion

AJA is breaking into the camera market with The Cion, an exciting 4K APS-C professional camera priced at just $9,000. This is AJA’s first camera, the company being known primarily as a manufacturer of video interface and conversion products. The camera accepts lenses with a PL mount and records to a single  SSD drive (‘Pak’ storage modules come in either a 256GB or 512GB configurations). The camera is constructed out of magnesium and with its integrated suede shoulder pad, it’s intended for flexible use in the field.

The Cion’s sensor offers 120 frames-per-second at full 4K resolution, as well a range of other ProRes resolutions. The camera is also armed with a global shutter. Look out for The AJA Cion this Summer with prices starting at $8,995 (£5,413).

The Press Release: 

AJA Video Systems today announced CION, an entirely new professional camera. CION features an ergonomic design and is capable of shooting at 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD resolutions. AJA pioneered lens-to-post Apple ProRes workflows with the introduction of the Ki Pro product line in 2009; CION builds on this achievement by offering in-camera recording directly to the Apple ProRes family of codecs – including 12-bit 444 – for pristine image capture. ProRes codecs are well established in many post-production environments and offer wide compatibility with editing, color correction and finishing applications. CION enables today’s growing demand for high frame rate support and offers the ability to output 4K raw data at up to 120 fps via 4x 3G-SDI outputs. CION can record directly to AJA Pak SSD media at up to 60 frames per second.

“CION represents a new direction for AJA. Bringing this sophisticated camera to market underscores our passion to support filmmakers, broadcasters and content creators,” said Nick Rashby, President, AJA Video Systems. “We are incredibly proud of CION. We believe that the thoughtfully considered design, along with a powerful feature set, will make it extremely useful and versatile for productions worldwide.”

CION embraces a familiar and tested camera form and ergonomic layout. It includes a built-in shoulder mount and standard connectors in logical positions. CION features a PL lens mount for compatibility with industry-standard lenses. When recording in HD or 2K, the image is oversampled from the full 4K sensor, retaining focal length as well as providing a vibrant and detailed image. A built-in filter combines an optical low pass filter (OLPF) to eliminate unwanted aliasing and moiré with an infrared (IR) cut filter to produce appropriate colors. Additionally, a back focus adjustment means the sharpest image possible can be produced. Also included are several 3G-SDI and HDMI outputs, which are all simultaneously active and supply signal to a variety of 4K/Ultra HD and 2K/HD monitors. A power output connector is conveniently placed at the front of the unit to make electronic viewfinders easy to use. Professional audio inputs round out an unmatched amount of connectivity.

CION features an uncomplicated user interface that can be easily managed from the operator-side. The camera’s menu parameters are also remotely configurable via a web interface and can be accessed through any web browser via a LAN connection. CION’s sleek chassis is formed of magnesium, which is lightweight yet extremely strong. Integrated steel rosettes allow for mounting of industry-standard accessories such as handgrips and handle extensions directly to the camera body. The open approach to design also includes integrated cheese plates with standard tapped holes. These cheese plates are fitted to both the top and the bottom of the chassis to provide easy mounting of accessories from both AJA and third parties.

CION is the culmination of years of development; AJA has used a considered process to create a production camera with a feature set and form factor that offers the user a wide variety of options both in the field and the studio. CION is an elegant union of great design and functionality, an engineered aesthetic that AJA is proud to describe as “Science of the Beautiful”.

CION Features:

• Sensor: 4K APS-C sized CMOS sensor with an electronic global shutter. 12-stops of dynamic range.


• Recording Formats and Resolutions: Apple ProRes 4444, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple ProRes 422, ProRes 422 (LT) and Apple ProRes (Proxy); 4K (4096×2160), Ultra HD (3840×2160), 2K (2048×1080), HD (1920×1080). 2K and HD are hardware scaled from the full 4K sensor for high-quality over-sampled images and retention of field-of-view.


• Media: Record to AJA Pak SSD media available in 256GB and 512GB capacities. Transfer via Thunderbolt™ or USB3 with optional AJA Pak Dock; Complete 10-bit and 12-bit workflow from HD to 4K.


• Raw Support: Output AJA Raw via 3G-SDI at up to 4K 120 fps or via Thunderbolt™ at up to 4K 30 fps.


• Lens Mount: Industry standard PL mount


• Connectors:

4x 3G-SDI/HD-SDI outputs (4K/Ultra HD/2K/HD)

2x 3G/HD-SDI monitor outputs with overlay support

1x HDMI output offering support for 4K and Ultra HD or scaled 2K/HD

1x HDMI output for 2K/HD

2x mic/line/48v XLR analog audio inputs

2x LANC control ports

1x LTC input connector

1x reference connector

1x USB connector

1x 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN connection

1x Mini TRS headphone jack

1x 4-pin XLR power connector

1x input power connector for attaching third-party battery plates

1x output power connector

1x Thunderbolt™ connector

• Optical Low Pass Filter and IR cut filter: An integrated OLPF (Optical Low Pass Filter) reduces unwanted moiré effects while still retaining vital image detail. The infrared (IR) cut filter produces high quality colors within the image by blocking unwanted light wavelengths.


• Back Focus Adjustment: The mechanical calibration
 of the distance between lens and sensor allows finely tuned adjustments to ensure 
the sharpest image quality possible.


• Industrial design: Lightweight magnesium chassis, built-in confidence monitor, standard playback controls and connectors placed to optimize functionality. Integrated “cheese plates” fitted to both the top and the bottom of the chassis provide easy mounting of accessories.  All CION accessory connection points use open standards, including 15mm rods, 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 threaded holes, and M6 hirth-tooth rosettes.


• User interface: Via operator side panel display, control knob and buttons or via LAN connection using a web-browser; no software installation required.

Pricing and Availability

CION will be available Summer 2014 via a worldwide network of AJA resellers at a US MSRP of $8,995. AJA Pak SSD media is available at a US MSRP of $695 (256GB) and $1295 (512GB). AJA Pak Dock is available at a US MSRP of $395. Optional CION accessories will also be available when the camera ships. For more information about AJA products please visit www.aja.com.

Source: AJA Video Systems

AJA enters camera market with 4K Cion

Sony A7s specs and price

Sony has announced the world’s first “affordable” 4K camera with a full frame sensor, the Sony A7s. As you can see in the specs below the mirrorless shooter will capture 1080p at 50mbps, making the A7s a broadcast spec camera. Full HD (1920×1080) video can be recorded at a 60p frame rate; for the ultra-high, 120fps shooting mode, you’ll have to lower the resolution to 1280×720. As far as codecs are concerned, in addition to AVCHD and MP4, Sony has adopted the XAVC S format, which allows for full HD recording at a 50 mbps data rate with lower compression. If you want to capture 4K you’ll need an external recorder. Atomos have built a device specifically for the Sony A7s, the Atomos Shogun, for $2,000. If you want to purchase the Shogun and the A7s together the price is $5,000 (making the A7s, around $3,000 alone).

The A7s’ 12.2 megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor is paired with Sony’s BIONZ X image processor, giving the camera an enormous sensitivity range of ISO 50 – 409600, meaning the camera can shoot 4K video in almost complete darkness (although we question how good this will look at the top end of that ISO).

A7s Spec Highlights:

Still resolution: 12.2 megapixels
Video resolution in-camera: 1080p60 and 720p120 (120 fps in 720p but only in APS-C crop mode) 8-bit 4:2:0
Video resolution using an external recorder via HDMI: UHDp30 (That’s 3840×2160); Clean HDMI 8-bit 4:2:2
Incredible ISO range: 50-409,600 (200-102400 for video)
Codec: XAVC-S at 50 Mbps (AVCHD 28 Mbps, MP4 too); Audio LPCM and AC-3
Gamma: S-Log2 gamma
Create your own picture profiles: Yes!
Synchronous recording: Yes!!
XLR: Possible with an adapter
Timecode: Yes!
Cropping or line skipping: No! The entire sensor is used. Full pixel read-out without pixel binning
Other important features: Audio Level Display, Audio Rec Level, Dual video recording, video levels, etc.
Media: SDHC, SDXC and Memory Stick
One important difference in the construction compared to the Sony A7 and A7r:The A7s has a stainless steel E-mount, specifically designed to withstand the load of heavier lenses.

Here’s the official launch video:

Here’s the official reel:

And some more detail on the $2,000 Shogun external recorder for the Sony A7s:

The Shogun is currently the only 4K HDMI recording solution that can take full advantage of the new A7S’s full 35mm ultra-sensitive 12 mega pixel ?video sensor, clean HDMI out, 120 fps HD and custom HDMI timecode and start/stop trigger. The Atomos Shogun is the world’s first 4K HDMI and 12G SDI monitor recorder and deck. With clean HDMI out direct to 4K ProRes onto single SSDs or RAIDed HDDs … this combination at under $5K is the most compelling video solution on the market today. Like the Samurai and Ninja Blade, Shogun allows the recording of pristine, 422 10-bit images straight from the camera sensor captured using 4K/HD ProRes, Uncompressed RAW Cinema DNG or Avid DNxHD codecs. Waveform and monitor assist tools such as luma parade, vectorscope and tri-level focus peaking offer a very comprehensive test and shot setup tool kit.

Sony A7s specs and price

Sony set to announce World's First (affordable) Full Frame 4K Camera A7s

Sunday Night, April 6th, at 2PM Pacific, 5PM Eastern and 10PM London time, Sony will hold its annual NAB Press Event. The rumor sites are  reporting that the company will announce an “A7s” 4K full frame video/still camera. Ok so it’s not the world’s first full frame 4K camera, that title belongs to the Canon 1Dc, but it’s could be the first affordable 4K camera with a full frame sensor. The big test will be how it stacks up against the Panasonic GH4.

Sony set to announce World's First (affordable) Full Frame 4K Camera A7s

Avid MediaCentral Announced at NAB 2014

Avid have announced a new collaborative cloud based editing platform called Avid MediaCentral. With the slogan ‘Avid Everywhere’ the company took to the stage at NAB to make the announcement (see the clip above).

Avid MediaCentral is effectively a modular platform that supports all of the company’s tools and services (including cloud services). Said Avid president and CEO Louis Hernandez, Jr., “By getting on the Avid MediaCentral platform today, broadcast, video, and audio customers can strategically address both their current and future needs, with complete choice over how, when, and where they deploy and scale their solutions.”

Avid also reorganized its products into “suites, ” all of which can operate on MediaCentral. They are the artists suite, which includes Avid’s Media Composer editing system and ProTools audio post system; a media suite, which includes management tools such as an ingest module called Director; and a storage suite.

Avid’s Interplay Sphere has also been renamed Media Composer Cloud, and the company additionally introduced some new subscription licensing options.

In storage, Avid is introducing 4K support across the ISIS line.

Avid MediaCentral Announced at NAB 2014

D4s Short Film DEDICATED Goes Live (with In-Depth BTS)

Nikon ambassador Corey Rich has posted the final version of DEDICATED, a short film created exclusively on the new Nikon D4s. Accompanying the film is a 14-minute behind the scenes look at what went into the production. Commissioned by Nikon, Rich along with photographers Dave Black, Robert Beck andGeorge Karbus all took part in the creation of the film — each photographer having the then unreleased Nikon D4s in hand.

D4s Short Film DEDICATED Goes Live (with In-Depth BTS)

How to turn your iPhone into a Microscope

A new lens attachment for smartphones claims to let users take “micro” images on mobile devices for the first time ever.  The Micro Phone Lens, currently being crowd funded on Kickstarter, allows you to capture images at 150x magnification for just $29. The picture below show how the images compare to a professional microscope costing over $2,000

Prototype Micro Lens on the left, and a $2,224 microscope on the right

It attaches to any smartphone or tablet via an adhesive backing and — using the slides provided in combination with a quality light source — it effectively turns any mobile device into a mini-laboratory on the go.

Grains of mixed pollen

The $50,000 goal on the Kickstarter has already been funded, but he’s hoping to gain even more initial funding with the 15 remaining days. A $29 pledge will get you the lens and a carrying case while a $39 pledge earns you the same, plus the addition of a portable LED light so you can better use the microscope in any environment.

Kickstarter Campaign Here

How to turn your iPhone into a Microscope

Adobe Creative Cloud: Major updates coming to video apps

Adobe has announced plans to roll out a “significant update” across all its video apps in its Creative Cloud (CC) digital design software.

Full details are yet to be confirmed but Adobe said that some “milestone features” expected to ship in the coming months include major updates to Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe After Effects CC, “designed to make everyday tasks easier and faster [and] enabling video professionals to create videos, TV shows, films and commercials more efficiently”.

The software updates will be revealed at NAB 2014 show in Las Vegas later this month along with new features for Adobe Anywhere.

Adobe named the key features coming to the digital design software. The first are timesaving editorial features in Premiere Pro CC, including Live Text Templates, which let users edit text in After Effects CC compositions directly in Premiere Pro, and Autosave, which enables Creative Cloud to automatically backup projects.

Adobe said there will also be a new Masking and tracking feature in the video app updates that provides accurate masks to follow subjects and blur out faces and logos, which the firm said is crucial for newsroom editing.

Updates to After Effects CC include Keying effects to provide better keying results with compressed footage, and Typekit integration with Premiere Pro CC and After Effects CC to provide users with access to a growing library of fonts that’s worth £18,000 and can be used on the desktop.

“Broadcasters, filmmakers, corporate publishers and video professionals today are expected to relentlessly keep up with new formats, frame rates and distribution methods,” said Adobe VP of product development Steve Warner.

“Customers who have switched to Adobe Creative Cloud from alternative offerings tell us that Adobe apps and solutions give them a significant advantage. And with hundreds of new features and enhancements added with regular releases over the past 12 months, we continue [...] faster workflows for video pros.”

Adobe will demonstrate its new video products for the first time at NAB at its booth numbered SL3910 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre between 7-10 April. The applications will ship “in the coming months”, Adobe said.

Adobe last announced updates to its CC digital hub across its Creative Suite (CS) in January, including integration of 3D printing capabilities in Photoshop.

In what Adobe said showed that “the rate of innovation is not slowing down”, the update brought 20 new features to Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign, and some more to Muse, which will arrive in late 2014, all with access to new Type Kit fonts across all of the firm’s software products.

The main features added to Photoshop included a perspective warp effect that allows users to easily manipulate images, along with a smart objects linking tool that makes it easier for designers to be able to work on multiple projects at the same time.

Here’s a good rundown of what Adobe Anywhere will allow creatives to accomplish:

Adobe Creative Cloud: Major updates coming to video apps

Adidas Packs 6 Cameras Into World Cup ‘Brazuca’ Soccer Ball

Adidas have created a special version of their World Cup ‘Brazuca’ Soccer Ball, packed with 6 action cameras. Obviously it’s been created as an advertising stunt but we’re looking forward to seeing the results. The teaser video above shows the ball (the most spherical to date) being created and setting of on it’s global adventure.

In the weeks leading up to the Brazilian World Cup the ball is traveling to Spain, Germany, England, Russia, Japan, the USA, Mexico and more, recording interviews, tweeting out selfies  and (soon) providing 360-degree interactive images.

All of the ball’s adventures will be uploaded to the Adidas Football YouTube channel and you can follow the ball specifically on the Brazuca Journey website or Twitter.

Adidas Packs 6 Cameras Into World Cup ‘Brazuca’ Soccer Ball

Canon announce software upgrade for C500

Canon has announced a software upgrade for the EOS C500 digital cinema  camera . The new Cinema RAW Development 1.3 software, currently under development, will deliver enhanced shooting workflows, including the on-set playback and confirmation of 4K raw video. The software upgrade will also support greater workflow efficiencies for 4K raw data by enabling real-time playback with playback speeds of up to 24 frames per second.

Canon Press Release

Canon Announces Free Software Upgrade for the EOS C500 Camera that Delivers Greatly Enhanced Efficiency with Intel® Iris™ Pro Graphics-PoweredPCS

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 2, 2014 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, shared today that its parent company, Canon Inc., announced a software upgrade for the EOS C500 digital cinema camera (launched in October 2012), part of Canon’s Cinema EOS System lineup of professional digital cinematography products, that will enable users to more efficiently on-set production workflows. The Company plans to offer the free-of-charge Cinema RAW Development software upgrade* starting in October 2014.

The new Cinema RAW Development 1.3 software, currently under development, will deliver enhanced shooting workflows, including the on-set playback and confirmation of 4K RAW video, when using the EOS C500 camera.

Through collaboration with Intel, Cinema RAW Development 1.3 will deliver improved performance using a beta version of the Intel Media SDK 2014 Professional Camera Pack, making possible faster development of 4K Cinema RAW data when using a PC equipped with Intel Iris Pro graphics. Canon’s software upgrade will support greater workflow efficiencies for 4K RAW data by enabling real-time playback with playback speeds of up to 24 frames per second (fps). To date, previewing 4K RAW video footage on a notebookPC and other compact computer devices had been difficult because of the slow fps rate and the need for tremendous processing power, which was only available with aworkstation PC. Now, with a combination of upgrades to Canon’s Cinema RAW Development 1.3 software, compatible with the Intel Media SDK 2014 Professional Camera Pack, and a PC with Intel Iris Pro graphics, Canon users will be able to more quickly preview their 4K video footage while on a shoot.

Executive quote from Intel

“Through our close collaboration with Canon, Intel is excited to be able to deliver highly accelerated 4K playback performance on a mobile PC with Intel Iris Pro graphics,” said Christos Georgiopoulos, vice president, Software and Services Group general manager, Developer Relations Division, Intel Corporation.

About Cinema RAW Development

Cinema RAW Development software enables 4K Cinema RAW footage shot with the EOS C500 camera that has been exported to and recorded by an external recorder to be converted into DPX and other standard file formats and output for image previewing and editing.

Demonstration at 2014 NAB Show

Canon will demonstrate a trial version of Cinema RAW Development 1.3 using an Intel Iris Pro graphics-powered PC at the Canon NAB 2014 exhibit, Central Hall Booth No. C-4325 from Monday, April 7 through Thursday, April 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2013† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2014. In 2013, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the tenth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past three years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visitingwww.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.

 

Canon announce software upgrade for C500