About a month ago, the future of Panasonic's video production tools became clear when we got the first details of the brand new Varicam camera system, which consists of a 4K-capable s35 module, a 2/3 HD module, and an external recorder that is interchangeable between the two systems. While all of the official details will be released at NAB in just one week's time, the director of Panasonic's digital imaging division, Kunihiko Miyagi, has just divulged some new information and given us some new pictures at which to grovel. Check it all out below.
News and links from around the internet focussing on cameras, camera kit and more. Curated by @ukcameraman
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Saturday, 29 March 2014
NAB Show 2014: Cameras.
LAS VEGAS—Much of the camera buzz at the 2014 NAB Show will be about 4K imaging, although there's still a thriving market for conventional HD camcorders as well. - See more at: http://www.c2meworld.com/creation/nab-show-2014-cameras/#sthash.opT0Idq2.dpuf
http://www.c2meworld.com/creation/nab-show-2014-cameras/
http://www.c2meworld.com/creation/nab-show-2014-cameras/
Trying out the Canon C100 Autofocus…does it actually work? Can autofocus in video every truly work?
Trying out the Canon C100 Autofocus…does it actually work? Can autofocus in video every truly work?
I don't believe in autofocus for video. It can't work. I doubt it will ever work in the way I would want it to work.
That's a bold statement to open this post with. Let me explain. For my entire 25 year career it's been manual focus all the way for a reason. Manual focus works, well, it works as well as the person pulling focus, and 99.9% of the time that is me. My brain knows what I want to be in focus within my frame. My brain knows when to keep something in focus and something out, no matter what the composition. My brain knows exactly when I want to pull between certain things at a certain speed, changing speed, perhaps even going back. The options are infinite…simply down to what I see travelling down the optic nerve to the cerebral cortex where the decisions are made triggering impulses that travel down my spinal cord through the motor neurons for the appropriate muscles and releasing a chemical which then causes my muscles to react in a way that hopefully keeps my shots in focus…see EASY!!! 
Panasonic introduces the HX-A500 4K wearable camcorder
Panasonic introduces the HX-A500 4K wearable camcorder.
Panasonic has unveiled the world's first 4K 30/25p wearable camcorder, the HX-A500. Following in the dua-body footsteps of the HX-A100, the camera part of the new 4K-toting device can be worn on the head sans helmet thanks to head mount, while the main body – which now includes an LCD monitor for checking shots on the go – sits in an armband worn by the user.
News: Flovel to Introduce High-Sensitivity HD Camera at NAB 2014
News: Flovel to Introduce High-Sensitivity HD Camera at NAB 2014.
FLOVEL FZ-B3 camera has an unprecedented low-light sensitivity of 0.003 lux for color motion shooting. Employing 3 HbCMOS technology, its three CMOS color image sensor enables operators to capture high-fidelity color images with low noise at high sensitivity. The new compact camera records in 1080i (59.94Hz or 50Hz) and 720p (59.94Hz or 50Hz) HD-SDI formats.
TV Technology: Sinclair Chooses Cellular Newsgathering Without a Backpack
TV Technology: Sinclair Chooses Cellular Newsgathering Without a Backpack.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of more TV stations than any company in the country, is leveraging the benefits of video transmission over cellular IP networks while also expanding the reach of its newsgathering capabilities with the addition of JVC's GY-HM890 ProHD shoulder-mount camera. The camera's built-in streaming engine allows live HD transmission from the field. The company has ordered 70 of the cameras for its local news operations.
Monday, 24 March 2014
Sony PMW-F55 Cameras Capture New TV Series in 4K
Sony PMW-F55 Cameras Capture New TV Series in 4K.
He also wanted a camera with a relatively simple workflow that would be reliable enough for a two-month shoot. He said, "My research favoured the Sony PMW-F55 for this job, but at that time I was one of the first to purchase the F55. There was no time to try one out before placing a pre-order. I was impressed with the versatility of the camera. Having a choice of codecs, high sensitivity and low noise, and the compact lightweight size were factors, but the onboard compressed 4K option was also a huge draw card for me."
Get Shooting: How To Build Your Starter Videography Kit For Around $1000
Get Shooting: How To Build Your Starter Videography Kit For Around $1000.
No videography set is complete without a camera, just like no first-aid kit is complete without bandages. These three cameras range between the prices of $500-$700, and will be the bulk of your budget. Instead of jumping in head-first and buying a pro video camera, you can get nearly the same quality by investing in a digital SLR that can record video.
2014 NAB Show Preview: First Look at the Trends, Tools and Technologies
2014 NAB Show Preview: First Look at the Trends, Tools and Technologies.
It can't shoot 4K, but I suspect many camera buyers will still be lining up to get close and personal with the ARRIAMIRA. Touted as the ideal documentary camera, it's really a lighter, smaller sibling of ARRI's Alexa. The two share a sensor design, but the AMIRA maxes out at 2K (2048 pixels) and records using the Apple ProRes codec family to cards without any camera raw recording options. It starts at $39,999, but a fully optioned camera with accessories (no lens) can run you northwards of $60K. ARRI is taking a gamble without a 4K product by banking on the look championed by the Alexa to win over users from Sony and RED.
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Black Magic Camera Bursts Into Flames, Immediate Suspect is The Internal Battery - DIY Photography
Producer Forest Gibson was shooting a kickstarter campaign using a Black Magic 2.5K when the camera suddenly burst into flames. The crew immediatly left the location, but then came back using damp towels as (somewhat of ) protection.
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
News Shooter | Chinese KineMAX 6K RAW cinema camera development announced
The second big camera announcement of the day from Kinefinity is their development of a brand new 6K camera. Details are fairly scarce at the moment but this is what we have:
The KineMAX 6K is a Super35 CMOS camera which can record a maximum resolution of a whopping 5760×3240 pixels at up to 30fps. Put another way that is nine times the resolution of HD or 2K. This is combined with a claimed dynamic range of 14 f-stops and 12-bit colour depth. By utilising pixel binning techniques the camera can also record 3K with a claimed 16 f-stop dynamic range and 14-bit colour depth. If true this is pretty staggering and quite an achievement for any company, let alone a Chinese one.
Saturday, 8 March 2014
RedShark News - Are cameras getting a bit too "DIY" these days?
If there is one word that I think sums up the thinking behind modern camera design it is modularity. When the Red One was released into the world it was seen as a revolution. It was conceived as an infinitely configurable camera, with a number of add on modules available for it. Since then many cinema style cameras have followed suit. Add on recorders have become normal, with Sony's latest cameras being designed to take additional modules that blend in seamlessly with the body design. Arri's Alexa has taken things further and designed so that the sensor is field replaceable, and the recording media type is also upgradeable. However modularity in video cameras is not a new idea.
Friday, 7 March 2014
ARRI Group: AMIRA | The new documentary-style camera
Featuring the same sensor and exceptional image quality as the ARRI ALEXA, AMIRA records superior HD 1080 or 2K pictures that are suitable for any distribution format. With a dynamic range of more than 14 stops, low noise levels, subtle highlight handling, natural color rendering, breathtaking skin tones and speeds of up to 200 fps, AMIRA will deliver stunning, life-like images.
http://www.arri.com/amira/
http://www.arri.com/amira/
Panasonic VariCam 35 4K Camera Specs and Details:
Panasonic have unveiled a lot of details about their 4K camera/recorder, the VariCam 35. The Panasonic VariCam 35 incorporates a newly-developed super 35mm MOS image sensor and the company's AVC-ULTRA family of video codecs.
Thursday, 6 March 2014
If You Want to Rig Up Any Model of GoPro, Check Out the New Mount from Wide Open Camera « No Film School
Wide Open Camera, who is no stranger to GoPro mounts and cages, has designed a new version with the help of Snake River Prototyping. Besides being cheaper and more modular, this mount is capable of mounting any of theGoPro cameras released in the last few years, from the HD Hero to the camera released last fall, the HERO3+. Click through for more on pricing and what the mount can do for you.
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Kinefinity Gets Serious with New 6K KineMAX & 4K KineMINI RAW Cameras « No Film School
No that's not a typo. RED DRAGON is about to get some company as far as 6K is concerned. Chinese camera maker Kinefinity, who has so far produced two cinema cameras, the KineRAW S35 and KineRAW-MINI, has just announced that they are working on a brand new 6K camera, the KineMAX 6K, and a 4K version of the MINI. Check out specs and pricing for both models below.
The 12 Most Desired Final Cut Pro X Features | Filmmaker Magazine
Final Cut Pro X (FCP X) was announced in April of 2011 and released in June of the same year. In the nearly three years since its release I have slowly increased the amount of work I do with it. As of this writing I am in the early stages of editing a feature-length documentary using Final Cut Pro X. I agree with the post-production masses that say Apple should have handled the launch of FCP X much better than it did. I could go on and on about what I wish they would have done differently. I won't. That is not the purpose of this article. It is also not a point-for-point comparison of editing apps. And I'm not here to debate whether it's a pro tool or not either. Many people have been cutting great things with FCP X just like with Avid, Premiere and previous versions of FCP. What I do want to do here is look at where FCP X currently is and what I hope Apple does to continue to grow it and make it better.
Monday, 3 March 2014
Panasonic Announces Pair of New VariCams
Panasonic has finally announced the 4K VariCam that they've been teasing at NAB with prototypes. The new VariCam 35 will offer 4K Raw with frame rates that support up to 120 fps. But that wasn't enough, because they also announced a 2/3″ VariCam HS, which can shoot 1080p at 240fps. Yikes.
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Nikon Formally Announces Its D4S Flagship HD-SLR Camera
Nikon Formally Announces Its D4S Flagship HD-SLR Camera.
Photographers, the day you've been waiting for is here. Nikon has released its new top of the line follow up to the D4, the D4S. In fact, Nikon is marketing the camera not just as a DSLR, but an HD-SLR. It promises a host of new features and insane 409,600 ISO rating. However, if you want the best, you're going to want to take your black card out. Let's take a look.
Canon 5D Mark III vs Canon 6D: a sensible buyer's guide.
Canon 5D Mark III vs Canon 6D: a sensible buyer's guide.
DSLR Video Shooter has posted an interesting comparison video at their youtube channel. Two cameras compared are Canon's DSLRs: 5D Mk III and 6D. 5D Mk III currently costs $3,399.00 at B&H, while 6D costs $1,899.00, so almost half the 5D price. What's the point of comparing two cameras that differ so much in price? It goes without looking into specs and feature lists that 5D Mk III is far superior in almost every aspect, and yet, there's a point in that! And the conclusions drawn at the end of the video are more than reasonable.
http://www.motionvfx.com/mblog/canon_5d_mark_iii_vs_canon_6d_a_sensible_buyers_guide_,p3129.html
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