Ikegami has announced a further expansion to its range of on-camera viewfinders with the launch of the new VFE-P07D, a combined monocular OLED viewfinder augmented by a tiltable 3.5inch ultra-compact monitor display.

The viewfinder will be on display at Ikegami's Central Hall booth C3819 during the 2026 NAB Show from April 19 to 22 in Las Vegas,

"The VFE-P07D attaches easily to shoulder-mounting and studio-format cameras in the UNICAM XE series," comments Teri Zastrow, director of sales and marketing at Ikegami USA. "The viewfinder incorporates a Full HD resolution OLED screen in a monoscope configuration which allows accurate camera positioning and focusing across a wide range of lighting environments, from bright outdoors to low-illumination interiors. The OLED's quick response time is particularly useful when televising fast-moving subjects such as sports. Its high contrast range is another key advantage especially when capturing content in HDR mode. Hinge-mounted above the monoscope is a 3.5-inch LCD monitor for use in applications such as content capture from off-center shooting angles and monitoring positions further from the eyepiece."

At the core of the monocular display is a 0.7-inch 16 x 9 aspect ratio OLED with a fast response time, 200 cd/meter-squared brightness and integral magnifying lens. Located just above this unit is a 3.5-inch TFT LCD monitor with 450 cd/meter-squared brightness and 170 degree horizontal/vertical viewing angles. The monitor screen can face forwards or be adjusted laterally through 180 degrees. Tilt angle is adjustable through more than 120 degrees.

A tally light is mounted on the forward-facing side of the viewfinder. On-viewfinder controls include adjustable peak level, contrast, brightness, menu parameters, marker selection, zebra pattern on/off and tally brightness. An assignable pushbutton can also be accessed quickly from the viewfinder rear.

Supplementing the UNICAM XE digital camera to viewfinder interface is a BNC input to the 3.5-inch display which allows externally sourced HD/3G-SDI signals to be monitored when working in restricted space or on location. The OLED viewfinder and LCD monitor displays both have 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and 16.7 million color capability. Waveform, vectorscope and audio metering tools can accessed easily.

Ikegami's UNICAM XE series cameras compatible with the new viewfinder include the HDK-X500, UHK-X600, portable UHK-X700, plus the UHK-X700RF wireless camera. All incorporate 3-CMOS global-shutter imagers and fully conform to ITU-R BT.2020 standard high dynamic range.

The VFE-P07D will be demonstrated alongside Ikegami's recently announced VFE-P710AD and VFE-P711AD 7-inch OLED viewfinders plus the new Variable Neutral Density filter function for UHK-X700 and UHK-750 UNICAM XE portable and full studio cameras. Also on display will be additional cameras in the UNICAM-XE series, latest-generation compact/POV cameras, SDI and IP camera control equipment, and 9-inch to 31.1-inch broadcast picture monitors.

More information is available at https://www.ikegami.com.

MAHWAH, N.J.—Ikegami will feature its latest generation of broadcast-quality cameras, controllers and monitors during the 2026 NAB Show, April 18-22, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"High signal quality, versatility, ease of operation and futureproof continue to be major requirements when broadcast content creators are expanding or upgrading their infrastructure," said Alan Keil, senior engineering fellow at Ikegami USA.

"Among the latest-generation products we will demonstrate at NAB 2026 are our flagship UNICAM XE 3-CMOS ⅔-inch 4K-UHD cameras.”

The cameras share the same network camera control architecture, allowing crews to transition easily between the various models in the series.

A recent addition to Ikegami’s 4K lineup is the ultra-compact UHL-X40, which is optimized for robotic applications. Ikegami will also show other UNICAM XE cameras, including the studio/portable UHK-X700 and UHK-X750 full studio version as well as the studio/portable UHK-X600 and HDK-X500, which are HD models with upgrade paths to 4K-UHD.

IP connectivity continues to play a key role in broadcast production. The IPX-100 compact IP base station allows broadcast content creators to adopt SMPTE ST 2110 IP remote and studio operation while supporting the familiar workflow of baseband live production.

Each UNICAM XE or UNICAM HD camera can feed into an IPX-100 via up to 2 miles of conventional SMPTE-hybrid fiber cable. The IPX-100 powers the camera head so there is no operational difference compared to using a conventional fiber-cabled camera. An integral test signal generator allows system configuration before cameras or other sources are connected.

Support is also included for the video trunk channel. An HD-SDI video monitoring output allows a monitor to be connected directly to the IPX-100, facilitating initial setup. Remote setup and monitoring of the IPX-100 can be performed using Ikegami's XE WebView browser.

The company will also feature its OCP-500 slimline control panel. Shown as a prototype last year and now in production, the panel takes up minimal desk space while offering complete remote control of all camera functions, including full setup adjustment via an LCD touchscreen and associated rotary encoders. Ethernet interface, including power, is featured. Direct connection via RS-422 control cable is also available.

The company will also show its UHL-X40 two-piece box camera and two video monitors. The UHL-X40 consists of an ultra-compact, 2.4-pound camera head and separate CCU. It offers a built-in fiber extension system allowing a distance up to six miles between head and CCU using just a duplex fiber cable. Included in the fiber transmission system is an Ethernet trunk channel for control of the PTZ head or other external use.

The CCU provides simultaneous 2160p (4K) output, HD clean output and HD monitoring output with focus assist and other viewfinder-style indicators and markers for the remote operator.

Ikegami will also show the HLM-2460WA 24-inch video monitor, which reproduces more accurate dynamics of the source images thanks to a 1920 x 1200 pixel IPS LCD panel with 1,800:1 contrast ratio and 400 nits peak brightness. It is designed for use in broadcast environments, such as edit suites where a computer-friendly WUXGA display resolution is preferred, and for integration into monitor walls.

The company will also feature its HLM-1860WR, an AC- or battery-powered 1920 x 1080 pixel HD multiformat monitor with an 18.5-inch IPS LCD panel. It offers a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 500 nits peak brightness.

See Ikegami at 2026 NAB Show booth C3819.

More information is available on the company’s website.

RALEIGH, N.C.—SmallHD today released a major update for its PageOS software with new features such as Fleet Control, portrait mode, expanded camera control and downstream look up table (LUT) support on 4K production monitors.

The new features reduce setup time and improve consistency on set as well assist users efficiently manage complex monitoring workflows for a variety of production types.

“Our customers are working faster than ever, often across multiple cameras, monitors, and formats on the same set,” said Matt Eidenbock, product manager at SmallHD. “This PageOS update is about removing friction—from managing an entire fleet of monitors to supporting vertical content and camera control in one place. Crews can now spend less time configuring gear and more time focusing on the shot.”

The new Fleet Control capability enables users to manage all monitors at the same time over a network from a desktop app. Fleet Control makes it possible to update firmware and software across all monitors at once; quickly push pages, tools and LUTs to multiple monitors; organize monitors into groups; and maintain consistent color and configuration across the fleet.

Portrait mode presents menu layouts optimized for vertical shooting, eliminating landscape-locked workarounds.

Canon Camera Control is now available, which saves time and effort adjusting Canon camera settings directly for a SmallHD monitor. Canon control is available for the Canon C70, C80, C300mkIII, C400, and C500mkII.

Camera control via dials is now available for the Quantum and Ultra 10 series monitors. Users can assign specific settings to each dial, enabling tactile control for ISO, Shutter Speed/Angle, White Balance, Internal ND and other settings.

The new downstream LUTs feature on 4K production monitors shares graded looks from a 4K production monitor to every village monitor so the entire crew stays aligned on the creative intent without needing more gear.

Download the free update from the company’s website.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—In a notable example of Nikon’s push into video following its 2024 acquisition of RED Digital Cinema, Nikon has announced their first cinema camera made for filmmakers, the Nikon ZR.

"We aren't holding anything back – our first Nikon camera developed with RED has all the creative controls that filmmakers need, with features that have never been seen in this level of handheld cinema camera," said Fumiko Kawabata, senior vice president of marketing and planning, Nikon Inc. "The Nikon ZR is the camera that will challenge the established video market and will demonstrate Nikon's commitment to advancing the tools available to video production professionals."

The launch significantly heats up the competition between camera makers like Sony, Canon, ARRI and others who have long offered digital cinema cameras and highlights Nikon's intention of being a major player in the space.

More specifically, the ZR is an ultra-lightweight, relatively inexpensive full-frame camera priced at around $2,199 that features a number of tech synergies between Nikon’s expertise in optics and autofocus technologies and RED’s expertise in color science and cameras for cinematographers and high-end content producers.

It is the first camera in Nikon’s new Z Cinema series, a collection that Nikon said will meld the best technologies from both companies. Designed for emerging cinematographers and high-end content producers, the supremely capable Nikon ZR packs an unparalleled amount of professional video production features at a price that puts cinematic quality within reach for all types of filmmakers.

Nikon also stressed that the Nikon ZR offers a multitude of original and class-leading capture and workflow features never seen before in a camera at this price.

The new Nikon ZR can record up to 6K/60p (59.94p) and incorporates the new R3D NE1 RAW video file format with RED color science based on RED's popular R3D RAW codec, with 15+ stops2 of dynamic range.

This new codec uses color science and exposure standards of RED cameras to ensure accurate color matching, even for multi-cam shoots. The impressively huge 4 in. DCI-P3 LCD is bright enough to be used even in direct sunlight, while often eliminating the need for an external monitor.

Nikon also said it has class-leading audio capabilities such as 32-bit float audio from built-in and external microphones, plus OZO3 directional audio. The ZR also has 7.5 stops of built-in image stabilization (IBIS) and unlocks a whole new world of optical versatility, since the wide Nikon Z mount enables a large variety of lenses to be adapted using third-party lens adaptors.

The new ZR features a full-frame sensor for excellent depth of field and video quality and supports internal recording up to 12-bit RAW 6K/60p. This is the first camera to use the new 12-bit R3D NE RAW codec, a new RAW format which REDCODE RAW users will find familiar. By leveraging its broad 15+ stop dynamic range, it achieves well-balanced image quality from highlights to shadows. Support for Log3G10 and the REDWideGamutRGB gamut reproduces exposure standards and colors consistent with RED color science, with true RED color tonality, skin tone integrity and tonal roll-off – similar to the output of RED's cinema cameras such as the V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X. Two base ISO sensitivities are available, ISO 800 and ISO 64005, allowing users to choose the best option for a particular scene or situation such as bright daylight or low-light interior scenes. However, just like REDCODE RAW, ISO in R3D NE files is fully adjustable in post for maximum flexibility, Nikon reported.

Furthermore, users also have the option to shoot in N-RAW, ProRes RAW, and other formats to best suit their production and workflow. The camera also features a new view assist function which allows the user to store and select from up to ten LUTs in the camera. This will let the filmmaker preview the effect of the color grade in real time using the monitor. Three types of LUT data (17-point, 33-point, 65-point6) can be loaded into the camera. RED's Creative LUT Kit is available for free via the RED website here.

The ZR features a new Cinematic video mode, a user preset for those who want to easily enjoy the RED cinematic look with a faster workflow in less data-intensive non-RAW formats. Cinematic mode automatically adjusts the shutter angle to 180 degrees, changes the frame rate to 24 fps, and applies the RED Cine Bias Picture Control for gorgeous yet simple cinematic color. What's more, nine RED-curated cinematic Picture Controls based on RED creative LUTs will be available for free download via Nikon Imaging Cloud, expanding possibilities for more diverse imaging expression.

In announcing the camera, Nikon also touted its audio capabilities and the launch of a new ME-D10 is a 32-bit float shotgun microphone compatible with the new digital accessory shoe developed for the ZR.

Nikon is billing the ZR as the world's first cinema camera to support 32-bit float audio recording with both built-in and external microphones, as well as through the 3.5mm microphone jack. This unique ability enables the recording of clear, distortion-free sound from quiet to loud, without requiring on-location gain adjustment. It supports recording a wide range of sound sources, from interviews to live concerts, with maximum audio flexibility in post. The three high-performance mics built into the camera use Nokia's OZO Audio technology to realize cutting-edge audio recording.

The ZR is also the first Nikon camera to feature a digital accessory shoe, which enables two-way digital communication between the camera and compatible accessories, allowing for advanced functionality such as tally lamp and microphone LED control. Additionally, the camera can supply power directly to supported accessories, eliminating the need for separate batteries or cables. The newly designed rubber shoe cover provides excellent dust and drip resistance, ensuring reliable performance in a variety of shooting environments. Going forward, Nikon will collaborate with third-party accessory manufacturers to offer a wide range of solutions that meet the diverse needs of filmmakers.

Nikon also highlighted the impressive processing power of the EXPEED 7 image-processing engine installed in Nikon's flagship camera Z9 and AI technology that utilizes deep learning, enables more accurate subject detection and tracking for optimal image processing in accordance with the subject, scene and situation.

This makes capturing the intended subject with greater accuracy much easier, significantly expanding possibilities for film production. The camera also detects nine types of subjects automatically, including people, animals and vehicles. It even detects small faces occupying as little as 3% of the long side of the frame for precise focusing on distant human subjects. Users can also adjust AF speed and sensitivity to suit their creative style, enabling a slow rack for cinematic effect or fast-paced focus for action.

More information and specifications is available here.

DJI has launched the Osmo 360, the company’s first foray into 360 cameras. The Osmo 360 delivers the sharpest photos possible on the 360 camera market with 1-inch 360° imaging, according to DJI. It is the first 360 camera to shoot ultra-high-spec 8K/50fps 360° video, and is the only 360 camera that can shoot continuously for 100 minutes in 8K/30fps2.

“With the Osmo 360, DJI is challenging the status quo of the 360 camera market,” said Christina Zhang, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at DJI. “We are revolutionizing panoramic innovation by leveraging DJI’s long history of innovation in creative camera technology. With each technological breakthrough, from 1-inch 360° imaging with industry-first square HDR sensor, to outstanding low-light performance, we aim to change what’s possible in a 360 camera.”

Specially designed for 360° capture, the Osmo 360’s industry-first square HDR image sensor maintains the same 360° image field as a traditional 1-inch rectangular sensor, while eliminating the unused area of traditional rectangular sensors. This results in 25% more sensor utilization, as well as outstanding image quality and lower power consumption, all in an ultra-compact, lightweight camera body, the company said.

The Osmo 360 is also the first 360 camera to feature native 8K/30fps 360° panoramic video with large 2.4μm pixels, boasting an industry-best run time of 100 minutes at 8K/30fps. The large pixel size—double the industry standard size of 1.2μm—captures more picture details, less noise, better low-light performance, and higher dynamic range. Also supporting ultra-high-spec 8K/50fps 360° video, Osmo 360 sets a new standard for video resolution in 360 cameras.

With an impressive 13.5 stops of dynamic range, combined with the larger pixel size and f/1.9 aperture, which significantly increases the amount of light intake, the Osmo 360 captures crisp, vibrant footage—even in low-light settings or high-contrast scenes like sunrise and sunset, according to DJI.

Additional Creative Features:

• Invisible Selfie Stick: The Osmo Invisible Selfie Stick vanishes from 360° videos with no editing needed, providing third-person views typically captured by a cameraman.
• High Frame Rate Video: For those that want to capture split-second details at a high frame rate, the Osmo 360 can also shoot in 4K/100fps 360° video.
• Slow Motion: Capture video in up to 4x slow motion mode.
• 120 MP 360° Photo: To capture a single moment in time, users can take an ultra-clear 360° photo up to 120 megapixels, achieving razor-sharp detail for still images.
• Gesture and Voice Control: Start or stop recording with a simple palm gesture, or use voice control to go hands-free.
• HorizonSteady and RockSteady: With HorizonSteady enabled, the footage remains level no matter how the camera is rotated. In single-lens mode, RockSteady 3.0 effectively reduces shakes while retaining the dynamic impact of motion, delivering a more immersive first-person perspective.
• GyroFrame and Intelligent Tracking: DJI Mimo’s GyroFrame allows users to to adjust the 360° composition using motion control, while intelligent tracking makes it possible to lock onto and track people, vehicles, pets, and more.
• Multiplatform Editing Support: Edit videos with DJI Mimo or DJI Studio. DJI Studio offers a full suite of tools, and the Premiere plugin streamlines the workflow to create 360° videos.

Used as a single lens camera, it allows users to effortlessly switch between the front and rear lenses without stopping recording—perfect for capturing travel vlogs in one seamless take. Osmo 360 can be used as a first-person action camera with single-lens mode, offering crisp 5K/60fps flat videos with a sweeping 155° ultra-wide angle. Boost Video mode provides an even broader 170° field of view and smooth 4K/120fps video.

Osmo 360 features 105GB of built-in storage and weighs 183g. The advanced stacked design allows the camera to pack two large 1-inch 360 imaging lens modules into one, ultra-compact body. In extreme conditions, the Osmo 360 can record for more than 1.5 hours in freezing conditions as low as -20° C (-4° F).

The battery can record continuously for 100 minutes at 8K/30fps resolution, which can be extended for another 180 minutes with the Osmo 360 Battery Extension Rod. The Osmo 360 can reach 50% power in just 12 minutes, according to DJI.

Osmo 360’s magnetic quick release design works with Osmo Action series accessories, while also featuring a 1/4" thread hole for easy compatibility with traditional gear. Osmo 360 also offers the OsmoAudio Direct Microphone Connection3, allowing users to connect Osmo 360 directly to two DJI microphone transmitters without a receiver, capturing studio-quality sound.

TV Tech sister brand TechRadar has a review.

Sony announced the latest addition to its Cinema Line family, the FX2. The camera, designed as an entry-level product in the broader Cinema Line range, will be available for preorders on May 29 priced at $2,699 for the body only.

“The FX2 was created based on user feedback and is engineered with unique features to support filmmaking, a new eyepiece and improved usability for versatile production needs,“ Jun Yoon, head of digital imaging at Sony Australia and New Zealand, said. “The FX2 is intended to continue the Cinema Line’s goal of preserving authentic emotion in every shot and empower creators across all areas of content production.”

Like other Cinema Line cameras, the FX2 comes with a full-frame sensor that delivers stunning imagery and bokeh effects. The new camera is equipped with a 33.0 effective megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R sensor and up to 15-plus stops of wide latitude using S-Log3, capturing impressive detail in both highlights and shadows, Sony said.

The camera is equipped with Dual Base ISO for S-Log 3 of 800 and 4,000, enabling optimal image quality across varied lighting conditions. The FX2 ISO sensitivity for video can be expanded up to 102,400, making it ideal for low-light environments. The camera also supports multiple recording formats for flexible post-production workflows and records in 4:2:2 10-bit All-Intra and supports formats like XAVC S-I DCI 4K at 24.00 p, among others, Sony said.

The FX2 benefits from an extended shooting capability, with up to 13 hours of continuous recording in 4K 60p[2], due to its internal cooling fan and effective heat dissipation structure. The FX2 also offers variable frame rate settings, allowing up to 60 fps in 4K (for a maximum 2.5 times slow-motion effect) and up to 120 fps in Full HD (for up to 5 times slow motion). It supports Log shooting in Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO modes, offering versatile workflows for different production needs. To further the cinematic expression of the camera, creatives can import up to 16 user LUTs for on-camera preview for video, enabling precise color monitoring on set.

Sony noted that filmmakers can also easily and quickly create in-camera cinematic looks, with S-Cinetone set as the default, along with a range of Picture Profile and Creative Look presets. A desqueeze display function is available, supporting both 1.3 times and 2.0 times anamorphic lenses for accurate framing.

The FX2 features the same compact, flat-top design as Sony’s Cinema Line FX3 and FX30 cameras, ensuring familiarity and compatibility across setups. Built-in mounting points (UNC 1/4-20 x3) support a cageless configuration and ability to mount on a tripod, offering greater flexibility for rigging, Sony said.

A top handle (model XLR-H1) enhances mobility and control, especially during handheld or dynamic shooting. Its lightweight, portable build—measuring 129.7 x 77.8 x 103.7 millimeters and weighing around 679 grams—makes it ideal for solo operators or small crew productions.

The camera also offers advanced focus features designed for precision and creativity. Its new Real-time Recognition AF delivers fast and reliable performance, with improved accuracy for human subjects, although its intelligent subject recognition extends to animals, birds, vehicles and insects, with an Auto mode available for effortless detection, Sony rsaid.

The Sony FX2 is available for pre-order in two configurations. There is a body-only option for $2,699.99 and a second SKU that includes the XLR handle for $3,099.99.

For more information about Cinema Line visit here.

A YouTube video on the camera is available below.

MIAMI—WPLG, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned station, has purchased four complete Ikegami HDK-X500 camera systems, including a BSX-1000 base station and OCP-300 operating control panel, for its new production studio on the northern outskirts of the city.

“Ikegami cameras have performed well for us from our transition from analog to digital, SD to HD and even with our second generation of HD cameras,” said WPLG director of engineering Darren Alline.

“Upgrading to HDK-X500 models gives us extra facilities, including the ability to help eliminate moiré on LED walls and to capture content in high dynamic range," Alline added. "We produce a wide variety of local news, weather reports and sports coverage, on-air and online. High signal quality, versatility, ease of operation and long service life are essential features for this activity, together with the efficient and effective post-sale support for which Ikegami is renowned.”

The Ikegami HDK-X500 features three 2/3-inch CMOS sensors with a global shutter pixel architecture that allows it to capture natural images even under challenging situations. Still frame replay of fast-moving objects is free from geometric distortion, and there are no flash bands when shooting under strobe lights or flashes from still cameras, Ikegami said.

The camera also includes automatic optical vignetting correction of OVC-compatible B4 bayonet mount zoom lenses. Back focus of RBF-compatible lenses can be adjusted locally or remotely. Optimal control of ambient lighting, studio or outdoor, is supported by a neutral-density and color-compensation dual filter system, it said.

The HDK-X500 relies on a digital processor that provides 16-axis color correction, which allows precise scene matching and the ability to create special effects. HLG high dynamic range is fully supported, enabling detailed image reproduction across the entire dynamic range from bright highlights through to deep shadows, it said.

The camera delivers 1000 TVL resolution, 62dB typical signal-to-noise ratio and F11 sensitivity. It is also capable of 2x high-frame-rate capture, the company said.

The BSX-100 is a 3G fiber base station housed in a 3U high half-rack-width low-mass unit. It offers a coherent upgrade path for broadcasters and production companies as they progress from SDI to IP, from standard to high dynamic range and from an HD to an HD/4K dual-format workflow, it said.

In its standard form, the base station provides 3G-SDI/HD-SDI HD output. An optional 4K output software key allows use of HD cameras in a variety of configurations, which include simultaneous production in HD and 4K resolutions. The unit also is available with 12G-SDI/3G-SDI quad link interfaces. This approach allows 3G camera systems to be integrated into 4K environments easily and cost-effectively.

The OCP-300 control panel supports conventional one-by-one ICCP (RS-422) control, Arcnet-based control and Ethernet-based control.

See Ikegami at 2025 NAB Show booth N1539.

More information is available on the company’s website.

GARBSEN, Germany—Dream Chip Technologies, which specializes in miniature and point-of-view cameras, is launching its latest innovation, the AtomTwo camera, at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6-9.

In a self-contained package just 29mm x 29mm x 33mm, the new AtomTwo offers stunning HDR quality with a huge dynamic range, the company said. The integral 4.5mm lens provides a 90˚ field of view, perfect for body-worn ref cams as well as fixed POV uses. Weighing only 55g, including lens and stereo microphone, it is also perfect for mounting on a miniature drone, giving broadcasters viewpoints which have been impossible in the past.

Dream Chip says the AtomTwo is the smallest camera with a global shutter available on the market today, where it is vital in high-value productions like sports, where a rolling shutter creates very visible distortions and disturbances. The global shutter capture in the AtomTwo delivers clean, sharp images, they said.

The excellent color reproduction, global shutter and wide colour gamut make it simple to match to box cameras in major productions. Being able to cut freely between the AtomTwo and system cameras frees directors from creative restrictions and delivers higher production values to the viewer.

“During the development programme of the AtomTwo we had experienced users come in and really put the camera through its paces,” said Dr.-Ing. Jan Peter Berns, CSO / CFO at Dream Chip. “They found they could match it to a system camera so well that it was hard for even an expert shader to tell which was which.”

The new AtomTwo camera will be demonstrated at NAB, alongside the range of Atom cameras.

Dream Chip Technologies will be in Booth N1807 in the North Hall of the LVCC.

For more information, visit atom-camera.com.

MAHWAH, N.J.—Ikegami will launch the ultra-compact UHL-X40 4K-UHD/HD 3-CMOS camera. Also on show will be the established UHK-X600 camera and HQLM-3125X monitor and show its UHK-X600 camera and HQLM-3125X monitor during the 2024 NAB Show New York, Oct. 9-10, at the Javits Center in New York City.

The UHL-X40 is box style UHD camera measuring 4.7 x 5 x 4.4 inches and weighing 2.4 pounds. It is designed for applications requiring an inconspicuous camera with uncompromised UHD performance. The head is powered locally with 12 volts DC (just 23 watts) and connects with the compact CCU-X40 via up to 6.2 miles of duplex single-mode fiber carrying uncompressed RGB raw pixel data. Included with the fiber link is a 1G Ethernet trunk for external data, such as pan/tilt/zoom control, the company said.

Incorporating three high-quality 2/3-inch UHD sensors with a global shutter pixel architecture, the camera captures natural images even when shooting LED screens and is clear of geometric distortion during still frame replay. The global shutter imagers also minimize artifacts when televising flash/strobe-illuminated stage environments. The UHL-X40 achieves F10 sensitivity at 2160p59.94 and a signal-to-noise ratio of 62 dB in HD. HDR and BT.2020 color reproduction are available as standard, it said.

The CCU-X40 can output two formats simultaneously, such as 2160p UHD and 1080i HD. Selectable output signal resolutions and scanning rates include:

• 3840 x 2160 at 59.94p and 50p
• 1920 x 1080 at 59.94p and 50p
• 1920 x 1080 at 59.94i and 50i
• 1280 x 720 at 59.94p and 50p
• 1920 x 1080 at 29.97psF and 25psF

A supplementary HD monitor output from the CCU includes information such as menu, characters and markers. Focus assist can be enabled via this output, providing viewfinder video to a remotely located robotics operator, it said.

Features also include automatic vignetting correction and F-stop ramping zoom lens compensation, minimizing dark corners and overall loss of light when the lens is in telephoto mode and the iris is open. An optional tally light can be attached to the upper front of the camera head, it said.

The UHL-X40 can be operated from any Ikegami OCP and MCP physical or virtual control panel. At NAB NY, Ikegami will use the new OCP-500, a compact, but full-function control panel with joystick control of iris and master black, it said.

See Ikegami at 2024 NAB Show booth 1027.

More information is available on the company’s website.

STOCKHOLM—Spring Media, an international full-service sports agency offering production and streaming services, marketing and rights management, has inked a deal with Pixellot, an AI-automated video and data solutions provider for sports, to produce Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ highest level professional ice hockey league.

The multi-year agreement gives Spring Media the exclusive rights to produce and distribute all games from the top Men’s Dutch ice hockey league over the next five seasons using Pixellot’s AI-automated multi-camera production technology. Spring Media will present the games on its OTT platform powered by Staylive, Pixellot said.

The deal also gives all league clubs access to the Pixellot system for their own purposes so they can stream youth games and games of teams at other levels, it said.

"The Eredivisie has been eagerly awaiting a broadcast partner that can take us to that next level in showcasing all the hard work and talent of our elite players, coaches and teams," said Theo van Gerwen, CEO of the IJshockey Federation "Pixellot and Spring Media represent that ideal combination of innovative technology and an engaging fan-focused streaming platform that will finally give our supporters the wall-to-wall live coverage they crave."

Spring Media offers a glass-to-glass solution to rightsholders across all sports tiers. It has advised several leagues across the Nordics and is expanding into other territories, it said.

"We are excited to be partnering with Pixellot on this long-term growth endeavor, showcasing a league that we deem undervalued and with great potential,” said Maxime Devillaz, head of marketing and communications at Spring Media. “We pride ourselves in being production agnostic, always working with the most fitting solution on the market for our clients’ needs, and we’re confident that this partnership with Pixellot will be a key component to the growth of Dutch ice hockey.”

More information is available on the Pixellot and Spring Media websites.

SYDNEY—Sony is launching the HDC-P50A, a compact and lightweight multi-purpose camera with a 2/3-inch 3-chip 4K image sensor that features global shutter function and offers high flexibility in terms of installation.

In addition to the camera, Sony also announced two 16.5-inch 4K TRIMASTER HX monitors for live production.

The HDC-P50A and a prototype of the new BVM-HX1710N monitor will be on display Sept. 13-16 in Sony’s booth at International Broadcasting Convention’s IBC2024, in Amsterdam.

The new HDC-P50A camera inherits the features and performance of the existing multi-purpose camera Sony HDC-P50, Sony reported. In addition to SDI outputs from the camera body, it also supports IP transmission using SMPTE ST 2110, which is increasingly adopted in the broadcasting and live production industry. Furthermore, it can be connected to a camera control unit, enabling flexible operation even in shooting environments where the camera is distant from the control room. It also comes with the variable ND filter unit HKC-VND50 (optional). With its compact and lightweight design, it can be utilized in various scenarios such as shooting in hard-to-reach locations, aerial shots from helicopters, and capturing content with cranes or wire cams, Sony explained. 

With its built-in IP transmission features, the HDC-P50A joins Sony’s ever widening Networked Live ecosystem. It can be connected to the camera control network adapter CNA-2 to enable centralised monitoring and remote operations, the company reported. 

The HDC-P50A is equipped with the same 2/3-inch 3-chip 4K image sensor and prism as the HDC-3500 and HDC-5500 cameras, delivering the same colour reproduction performance. This makes it easy to integrate into existing systems.

“We’re seeing an increasing demand for high-quality video production in events such as sports and live performances, as well as a growing need for automation and IP compatibility in live production. With the release of this camera, Sony aims to meet the ever-diversifying needs of the video production industry”, says Anthony Kable, CCS group manager, Sony Australia.

With the optional license HZC-SFP5A, the HDC-P50A can directly output in IP using SMPTE ST 2110. This enables standalone camera compatibility with AMWA NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications). It allows for direct IP output without the need for additional hardware and supports IP Tally, making it suitable as a compact camera in IP based studios. Additionally, by connecting to the IP camera extension adapter HDCE-TX50 or the camera control units HDCU-5000 and HDCU-5500, the camera delivers IP input/output and high frame rate output, Sony reported. 

This camera is compatible with the camera control units HDCU-5000 and HDCU-5500, as well as the IP camera extension adapter HDCE-TX50. The camera control units and IP extension adapter allow for long-distance connections of up to 10km using single-mode fiber, making it possible to utilize them in shooting locations that are far away from the relay vehicle system, for example in golf broadcasts. When connected to the camera control unit, it enables slow-motion shooting at up to 4 times the speed in 4K and up to 8 times the speed in HD.

The compact and lightweight design offers high flexibility in installation, making it suitable for shooting in hard-to-reach or elevated locations. It can be used for simple shooting with a remote pan-tilt unit, as well as capturing various angles in sports and live events, among other scenes.

The HDC-P50A is equipped with the same 2/3-inch 3-chip 4K image sensor and prism as the multi-format HDC-5500 and HDC-3500 system cameras, covering a wide colour gamut including BT.2020 and S-Gamut3".  It allows for easy color matching when adding to existing camera systems, Sony reported. 

In addition, Sony launched a new pair of professional shading monitors, BVM-HX1710 and BVM-HX1710N. They combine True Black Reproduction, High Dynamic Range, and a Peak Luminance of 3,000 Nits, for live production and critical image viewing and evaluation applications.

Unique to the BVM-HX1710N is SMPTE 2110 IP support, which adds Networked Live compatibility to complement Sony’s ecosystem. Both models provide SDI and HDMI interfaces. The new offerings employ Sony’s latest dual-cell technology, adopted from the company’s flagship BVM-HX3110 critical grading monitor. They also feature accurate color reproduction, deep blacks ideal for shading, high dynamic range, a wide viewing angle, and a peak luminance of 3,000 nits. The monitors are planned to be available in mid-2025, Sony reported. 

“Building on the breakthroughs established with Sony’s recent color grading monitor, the BVM-HX3110, our latest monitors work effortlessly alongside our larger lineup providing a similar user experience, panel and menu structure, while easily color matching and integrating with Sony’s professional monitor ecosystem to ensure consistency,” said Anthony Kable, CCS Group Manager, Sony Australia. “Designed with live productions in mind, the BVM-HX1710 and BVM-HX1710N offer comprehensive monitoring solutions in a standard 6U height perfect for rack mounting. The monitors offer a standard tool kit of powerful on-board features, as well as a range of options for increased versatility and future planning.”

Standard features of the new models include real-time onboard scopes, multi-screen modes, interlace, and tetrahedral LUT (Look Up Table) processing.

Available optional enhancement tools for these models include the following licenses, among others:

• BVML-F10: Fast response license
• BVML-H10: HDR-SDR conversion output license
• BVML-S10: Signal conversion output license
• BVML-T10: 3D LUT output license
• BVML-JD10: JPEG XS decoder license (for the BVM-HX1710N)
• BVML-SN10: SNMP license (for the BVM-HX1710N)
• A black electronic device with knobs

An optional new monitor control unit for multi-monitor control, the BVMK-R10, is also expected to be released in late 2024. It features illuminated buttons and a small menu screen to accommodate use in trucks and studios. In addition, a new stand kit, protection panel, mounting brackets, and an extension cable, planned for mid- 2025, will enable seamless integration with the latest monitors.

For further Sony professional and broadcast and production product information, visit pro.sony.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Canon has launched the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II, two full-frame mirrorless cameras for professional still photography and video production.

The EOS R1 is designed to meet the needs of professionals who shoot sports and news as well as those involved in high-end video production. The EOS R5 Mark II features improved video focused features for advanced creators and a real-time multi-recognition tracking system for those who focus on still photography, the company said.

Canon’s EOS 1 high-performance, reliable and weather-resistant camera. It offers a back-illuminated stacked 24.2 megapixel full-frame sensor and new processing system for extremely fast reading; increased read-out speed, reducing rolling shutter distortions; still-image shooting speeds up to 40fps; cross-type AF imaging sensor for more positive focus on subjects with linear detail; and video capture up to 4K with 6K RAW available as an option, it said.

The EOS R5 Mark II offers the fundamental elements in one package for sports and wildlife photographers, journalists and producers, video producers and visual creators. Key features include: 

• Back-illuminated stacked 45 megapixel full-frame sensor and new processing system for extremely fast reading.
• More advanced and powerful AF system when compared to previous EOS R camera models, such as Eye Control AF and new subject tracking technologies.
• Cinema EOS video features such as custom picture color profile, including Canon Log 2; false color waveform monitor; four-channel audio with 24-bit LPCM; and pre-recording up to five seconds.

Canon is offering accessories for the EOS R5 Mark II, including the LP-E6P, a new, more powerful battery when compared to predecessors; and three optional battery grips: the BG-R20 supporting vertical operation; the BG-R20EP with Ethernet port; and the CF-R20EP with cooling fan and Ethernet port, it said.

Both cameras offer new DIGIC Accelerator, an addition to the DIGIC X processor, that assists with deep learning processing, which helps to analyze large volumes of data quickly and supports the Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system, it said.

The Canon EOS R1 camera is expected to be available in the fall for an estimated retail price of $6,299. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II camera is expected to be available in August for an estimated retail price of $4,299 for the camera body only. The EOS R5 Mark II camera kit, which will include the RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens, will have an estimated retail price of $5,399.00. The estimated retail prices for the optional battery grips are:

• BG-R20– $560
• BG-R20EP – $750
• CF-R20EP – $600

More information is available on the company’s website.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Canon U.S.A. Inc. has made several new product announcements with the unveiling of the new Canon EOS C400 cinema camera, a new RF-Mount CINE-SERVO and firmware updates with enhanced features for Cinema EOS Cameras and Pro Camcorders.

The Canon EOS C400 cinema camera features a native RF-mount and full-frame, back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor and is designed with the film and live production markets in mind. 

Canon is announced the company’s first MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF, and an RF-mount version of the popular and award-winning CINE-SERVO 17-120mm cinema lens.

In addition, the company announced a variety of firmware updates for key models in its Cinema EOS and professional camcorder line of cameras, including the EOS C500 Mark II, EOS C300 Mark III, EOS C70, EOS R5 C cameras and the XA75/70, XA65/60 and VIXIA HF G70 camcorders. 

“Canon is proud to provide filmmakers and videographers with a variety of tools to capture high-quality and visually stunning images,” said Brian Mahar, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The new camera and lens strengthen Canon’s already impressive lineup of cinema products.” 

For the first time in the cinema EOS system, the Canon EOS C400 camera features a newly developed 6K full-frame, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, with triple-base ISO, allowing the camera to deliver stunning imagery in a wide range of lighting conditions.  The base ISOs of 800, 3200, and 12,800 maximize the full dynamic range of the camera.

An additional benefit of the EOS C400 camera’s sensor is the support for the next generation of Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus, Dual Pixel AF II.  The back-illuminated stacked positioning offers better light-capturing efficiency, which widens the area of the sensor that can be used for autofocusing. The sensor also empowers faster readout speed, as well as better 4K image quality from 6K oversampling.

The EOS C400 camera records in 6K full-frame up to 60p in 12-bit Cinema RAW Light.  By changing the sensor mode, the camera can record 4K RAW up to 120fps and 2K RAW up to 180fps. This is all recorded in Canon’s latest iteration of Cinema RAW Light, which provides three different recording modes to choose from depending on your file size preference and workflow. 

Other recording options include the Canon-developed, industry standard XF-AVC codec which can be recorded in 10-bit 4:2:2 with oversampling from the 6K sensor, helping to create rich detail and smooth imagery, at frame rates up to 120P, without the need for cropping the image from the sensor. Canon is also introducing two new recording codecs into the EOS C400 camera, XF-AVC S and XF-HEVC S. These formats feature an easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, while recording in the familiar MP4 format and preserving metadata.

All of these options are recorded to the camera’s CFexpress slot with sub-recording and proxy options available to the SD Card slot, which allows for simultaneous recording even when shooting RAW. 

For live productions, the EOS C400 camera body features a dedicated 12-pin lens terminal for broadcast and cine-servo lenses, a variety of output and input interfaces including mini-XLR audio inputs, DIN connectors for time code, genlock and return video, 12G-SDI and 3G-SDI monitor outputs, a full-size HDMI output, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, Ethernet and much more. The camera also features SRT protocol for IP streaming of video and audio. For shooting scenarios where the camera will be controlled remotely, you can use the Ethernet port or Wi-Fi connectivity to enable remote control, including support for the Canon Multi-Camera Control app, browser remotes, or the Canon RC-IP100 or RC-IP1000 controllers via use of the included XC protocol, the company reported. 

The EOS C400 camera can also provide frame-by-frame metadata in real-time and post-production to support virtual production workflows. Ready for 180-degree VR shooting, the EOS C400 camera has built-in compatibility with the Canon RF5.2mm F2.8 L dual fisheye lens. 

In terms of the new CINE-SERVO 17-120mm Cinema Lens, the company said that it builds upon the legacy of the company’s CINE-SERVO line, with the added benefit of a native RF mount. The additional pins of the RF mount increase communication with RF-mount cameras such as the EOS C400, enabling auto focus, distortion correction and metadata output for virtual productions. The lens comes in either RF or PL mount configurations, with the PL mount version supporting ZEISS eXtended Data and ARIA (Automatic Restoration of Illumination Attenuation).

The lens’ new e-Xs V servo drive unit helps to improve its focus and iris speed, enables focus breathing compensation, and includes a USB-C connector for copying drive unit configurations.

In addition, Canon is also introducing the newly developed MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF. This adapter opens up a broad range of PL mount lenses to the EOS C400 camera. The adapter maintains compatibility for Cooke i/Technology metadata communication between camera and lens and includes locking plates to help achieve maximum mount strength.  To learn more about these new products and Canon’s array of cinema solutions, please visit here.

Canon said that the Canon Cinema EOS C400 Full-Frame RF Mount Camera is scheduled to be available in September 2024 for an estimated retail price of $7,999.00. The CINE-SERVO 17-120mm will be available in October 2024 for an estimated retail price of $23,850.00. The MOUNT ADAPTER PL-RF will be available in September 2024 for an estimated retail price of $1,599.00. 

More information, including accessory prices and availability, is available here. 

In terms of the firmware updates, Canon said they will be available through a free download at the end of June 2024.

Highlights for each of the Canon products include:

• EOS C500 Mark II/ EOS C300 Mark III Cameras. “Sensor Mode” will be saved to an assignable button on the camera body to quickly change between Full-frame, Super 35mm and Super 16mm crop modes. The Focus Guide box will have two size options: Standard and Large (approximately two times larger than standard). Camera LCD screen will display a playback marker in Media Mode. 
• For the EOS C300 Mark III camera: Cinema RAW Light HQ/ST/LT recording modes will be added. Auto ISO/Gain functions that can be operated from the camera menu, an assignable button, or with a compatible remote-control unit will be added. 
• EOS C70/EOS R5 C Cameras: Same Focus Guide and playback marker enhancements as the C500 Mark II and C300 Mark III cameras will be added. Option of assigning functions to the select dial on the back of the camera, including AF subject selection, shutter, iris, ISO/gain, and white balance mode will be added.
• For the EOS R5 C camera, the following will be added: Ability to adjust the thickness of the AF frame, making it easier to see in certain lighting conditions. Ability to reset the AF position by pushing the joystick or set buttons. When shooting RAW VR content with Canon’s dual fisheye lens, you will be able to record both the peripheral illumination and chromatic aberration data. This will help with processing footage into smoother and even more amazing VR content than before the firmware update. New features from the March 2024 R5 firmware update.
• XA75/70 and XA65/60 Camcorders: Option to view the date and time in the on-screen display (OSD) while recording will be added. White balance will be able to be changed while recording.

To download the firmware updates once available, or for more information regarding the firmware updates and all of Canon’s professional video products and solutions, please visit usa.canon.com.

Touted by Blackmagic as “The world’s smallest Ultra HD broadcast camera”, the Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 has a 4096 x 2160 sensor that comprises most of the unit’s miniscule bulk. Featuring an active micro four-thirds mount, HDMI and 12G-SDI outputs, this AC or DC micro camera will fit almost anywhere and still deliver stunning ultra-high-definition images. Used in both live, location, or studio productions the Micro Studio Camera will more than pull its weight.

Features
The 3.3 x 2.6 x 2.74 inch, eleven-ounce camera truly fits in the palm of your hand. Using the same 17.78 x 10mm CMOS low light sensor as Blackmagic’s Studio Camera 4K Plus G2, this micro four-thirds camera accepts the active MFT mount (which allows remote lens adjustment) and may be adapted to accept other lenses. 

Most importantly, this tiny camera still outputs 10-bit 4:2:2 images to a switcher or other source using its 12G-SDI or HDMI cables. Remote functionality allows control of its internal color corrector (or RAW capabilities if using a USB connection), tally light and talkback, and a thirteen stop Dynamic Range.

The “magic” is contained in the low light sensor with ISO capabilities from 100 to 25,600 with a dual native 400 ISO (0db gain) and 3200 ISO (+18db gain). Video may be output and/or recorded at: 23.98, 24, 29.97, 30, 59.94, and 60 fps in 3840 x 2160 in ProRes or DNxHD and the same frame rates in high definition’s 1920 x 1080. RAW recording also uses the same frame rates at 26 to 190 megabytes per second.

The front of the camera features a tiny red/green tally light above the lens mount. Flanking the tally light are two microphones—one on the left and one on the right. Facing the camera on the left are the menu button, up and down toggle buttons, the set, and power button. On the same side, directly behind is the full-size HDMI camera out, USB-C expansion slot for recording to an external drive or addition zoom and focus capabilities. On the bottom is a twelve-volt DC power adapter input.

On the right side is the 3.5mm microphone audio input, the 12G-SDI camera video and audio output and the 12G-SDI camera control and genlock input. The rear of the camera has space for an optional battery.

In Use
Wanting to add a fourth camera to our university’s TV Studio, I looked forward to the arrival of the Blackmagic Micro Studio camera. Using an Olympus 12 – 40mm F2.8 Zuiko Digital lens, the addition of this glass instantly tripled the weight of combo.

The first test was to attach the Micro Studio Camera to our Roland V-60 HD switcher. Using an HDMI cable from the camera to the switcher, I immediately had an image as input five on the switcher. Across the top of the monitor screen was displayed all of the pertinent information. 

Pressing the menu button brought up: Record (Codec, Resolution, Dynamic Range, Framerate, Time-lapse, Detail Sharpening, Drop Frame, Color); Monitor (Clean Feed – this switched off the displayed information of the HDMI feed, Display 3D Lut, Zebra); Audio (Ch1 and Ch2 Source and Level); Storage (Media 1, Format Media); Setup (Name, Language, Software, Hardware); LUTS (Gen 5 Film to Extended Video, to Rec 2020 Hybrid, to Rec 2020 PQ, to Video); Presets (Create, Update, Report); and Slate (Slate for, Reel Number, Scene Number). Having total control of the image was just like using the remote paint system of our three-studio camera.

The three other cameras in our studio had 1080p 2/3 inch CMOS sensors with remote paint and iris capabilities. I needed to adjust the settings on the Micro camera to better match our older $75,000 studio cameras. 

Another reason new technology is so exciting is that I can match a palm-sized camera’s image with a twenty plus pound, pedestal mounted camera from ten years ago, and no one can tell the difference—we now had four matching cameras. Obviously, the Blackmagic camera could do much more at a fraction of the price.

My students needed to complete a live, in-studio interview project. With the traditional interview set-up – camera one was on the Interviewer, camera two on a wide two shot, and camera three focused on the Interviewee—everything was covered. 

We added the Micro as a fourth camera mounted on the top of the set looking down on the action as well as the three cameras in action—we now had a more modern approach/view of a traditional studio with a bird’s eye view shot of the studio in action. Most TV studios always switch to an overview shot like this before going to commercial. The students appreciated their cameos as we showed a functioning TV studio in action.

The next scenario was to have the Micro G2 operate on a remote shoot at a basketball game. The purpose was to record the action of the entire game in a wide shot for both archival and training purposes. Not having a battery wasn’t an issue because the camera was mounted on a tripod high in the bleachers next to an AC source. Using the internal stereo microphones as our audio feed and recording to a Blackmagic approved SSD via the USC-C output, the 59.98fps Ultra HD event looked flawless.

We didn’t even scratch the surface of what the Micro G2 camera could do – RAW recording for editing, color correcting using the LUTS, etc. We really got used to having this tiny friend at our disposal and we’re looking forward to adding a few to our arsenal. 

Application
Any situation where a 4K camera is necessary including live studio or location shoots.

Key Features
Portability, AC or DC operation, live or recording capable, high quality sensor, great price, and the Blackmagic Design name you can trust.  

Price
Blackmagic Design Micro Studio Camera 4K G2 – MSRP - $995.00

Contact
Blackmagic Design
2875 Bayview Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Phone: 408 954-0500  

Website: www.blackmagicdesign.com/ 

NEUSS, Germany—A leading Iberian public service television network has acquired 27 Ikegami UHK-X700 4K-UHD HDR camera systems, the company said. 

The project sale was completed Feb. 1, with the third and final installment. The first two totaling 18 were for cameras to be used for mobile production applications controlled from OB trucks. The third phase, consisting of nine, was for cameras to be used for studio productions at the broadcaster’s headquarters.

“Ikegami UHK-X700 cameras were acknowledged by the network’s operational and technical team as offering the highest quality at the most competitive price of the various solutions evaluated,” said Michael Laetzsch, broadcast and professional video division manager at Ikegami Europe.

“Each of the 27 camera chains includes a VFL-701D 7-inch studio viewfinder, BSX-100U base station and OCP-300 operation control panel. We also supplied eight VFL201D 2-inch monocular viewfinders and three Ikegami MCP master control panels.”

Designed for use in studio or outdoor applications, the Ikegami UHK-X700 incorporates three 2/3-inch CMOS 4K sensors with a global shutter that provides freedom from rolling-shutter distortion and flash-banding artifacts, the company said.

At the core of the UHK-X700 electronics is an ASIC chip that encapsulates a wide range of high-grade video processing functions into ultra-compact component dimensions. High frame-rate shooting at up to 2x speed in 4K or up to 8x speed in HD can be performed via the BSX-100 base station, it said. 

Measuring about 13.5 x 9.5 x 5.75 inches (40 x 243 x 149 mm) and weighing 11 pounds (5 kg), the UHK-X700 comes with a B4 lens mount and has an optical sensitivity of F11 when operating at 4K/50p. It is designed for use at -4 to 113 degrees F (-20 to +45 degrees C) operating temperature and 30% to 90% non-condensing humidity. The camera is uniformly balanced and has a low center of gravity, the company said.

The UHK-X700/BSX-100 combination allows cameras to be securely linked up to 1.86 miles (3,000 meters) from its operating location, including power to the camera head. Simultaneous output in HD SDR and UHD HDR video formats is optionally supported, including mixed sources. 4K-UHD video is available as a 12G-SDI feed directly from the camera head, enabling the UHK-X700 to be integrated into a wireless system, it said.

Ikegami’s OCP-300 controller supports Ikegami’s conventional one-by-one ICCP and Arcnet based control systems. It also supports Ethernet-based control. 

More information is available on the company’s website.

BURBANK, Calif., and GENEVA, Switzerland—New details have emerged about the Big Sky camera system used at the Sphere in Las Vegas to capture images that immerse audiences in a visual environment up, over and around them with a 160,000-square-foot 16K x 16K display.

Designed by the Sphere Studios team, which develops original content for the Sphere, the camera system relies on a first-of-its-kind 18K sensor manufactured by STMicroelectronics (ST) to capture video at the scale and fidelity needed for the Sphere’s display.

The sensor—said to be the world’s largest cinema camera sensor in commercial use—works with the sharpest cinematic lenses to capture detailed, large-format images, Sphere Studios said.

“Big Sky significantly advances cinematic camera technology with each element representing a leap in design and manufacturing innovation,” said Deanan DaSilva, lead architect of Big Sky at Sphere Studios. “The sensor on any camera is critical to image quality, but given the size and resolution of Sphere’s display, Big Sky’s sensor had to go beyond any existing capability. ST, working closely with Sphere Studios, leveraged their extensive expertise to manufacture a groundbreaking sensor that not only expands the possibilities for immersive content at Sphere, but also across the entertainment industry.”

Big Sky’s 316-megapixel sensor is almost 7X larger and 40X higher resolution than the full-frame sensors found in high-end commercial cameras. The die, which measures 9.92cm x 8.31cm (82.4 cm2), is twice as large as a wallet-sized photograph, and only four full die fit on a 300mm wafer. The system is also capable of capturing images at 120 fps and transferring data at 60 gigabytes per second, Sphere Studios said.

“ST has been on the cutting edge of imaging technology, IP and tools to create unique solutions with advanced features and performance for almost 25 years,” said Alexandre Balmefrezol, executive vice president and Imaging Sub-Group general manager at STMicroelectronics. “Building a custom sensor of this size, resolution and speed with low noise, high dynamic range and seemingly impossible yield requirements, presented a truly novel challenge for ST – one that we successfully met from the very first wafer out of our 12-inch (300mm) wafer fab in Crolles, France.”

Big Sky also allows filmmakers to capture large-format images from a single camera without having to stitch content together from multiple cameras, avoiding issues such as near distance limitations and seams between images. Sphere Studios has filed for 10 patents in association with Big Sky’s technology, it said.

Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard from Earth,” currently showing at Sphere as part of The Sphere Experience, is the first cinematic production to use Big Sky.

More information is available on the entertainment venue’s website.

MUNICH—ARRI has launched TRINITY Live, an upgrade for its TRINITY Gen. 1 body-mounted camera stabilizer system.

TRINITY Live, one of the company’s specialist tools designed to bring a cinematic aesthetic to broadcast, consists of new hardware, wiring and connectivity. The upgrade kit optimizes TRINITY Live for live productions and improves functionality with the ARRI Multicam System as well as third-party broadcast camera applications, the company said.

The upgraded solution complements ARRI’s Camera Control Panel (CCP) Live and Tally System Gen. 2, both announced at the 2023 NAB Show. It provides a method to integrate stabilized ARRI cameras into live, multicamera broadcast environments, it said.

TRINITY Live allows mounting a wireless video link at the bottom of the system rather than attaching it to the camera. Attaching a transmitter at the bottom of the center post allows it to function as a counterweight when balancing the rig and reduces weight by 8.8 pounds (4 kilograms), ARRI said.

This transmitter positioning also enables the wireless signal to be more stable because the antenna rotates within a smaller radius and fluctuates less in height than when attached to the back of the camera, it said.

Enhanced connectivity is at the heart of the TRINITY Live upgrade. It offers four new 4G video lines and a 10-Gbit shielded Ethernet line facilitating the new wireless video link position. The connectors for these new video lines necessitate a completely new center post, post connection, top stage junction box and wiring loom, all of which are included in the upgrade kit, it said.

TRINITY Live offers a total of five 4G video lines. The four new lines feed the wireless video link with up to four quad-link signals (four 3G signals) or with two video lines when Dual SDI (two 6G signals) are needed, it said.

The fifth video line serves as a playback line for return video transmitted wirelessly from an OB van to the unit. This signal allows an operator to see the program image on a second monitor. The additional internal 10-Gbit Ethernet line provides the OB van with full camera control and communication, it said.

“At ARRI, we love to maximize our customer’s return on investment, so we’re pleased that the TRINITY Live upgrade extends the life and functionality of TRINITY Gen.1,” said Curt Schaller, ARRI product manager of camera stabilizer systems. 

“For operators who want to expand into broadcast applications with TRINITY Live but don’t already own a TRINITY Gen. 1, the best place to buy a used rig is the ARRI Certified Pre-Owned program. However, if one is found elsewhere, it can be taken to any local ARRI service center where all the checks will be made to make sure the equipment is in good working order for the upgrade before purchase.”

Two other upgrade options are also available: the ARRI Master Grip Trinity upgrade, offering simultaneous control of a zoom lens and the stabilizer’s tilt axis via a common LBUS controller; and the 24 V upgrade for TRINITY Live that provides dependable 24 V camera power when needed. TRINITY Gen. 1 rigs previously upgraded to 24 V must be fitted with this upgrade as part of the TRINITY Live conversion.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SHENZHEN, China—DJI has unveiled the Ronin 4D-8K, a new iteration of the company's Ronin 4D professional cinema camera platform. 

The all-in-one 8K cinema camera integrates DJI’s 4-axis stabilization and other technologies into a comprehensive cinematography solution. The Ronin 4D cinema camera offers flexibility to solo cinematographers and a wide range of possibilities for coordinated shooting, the company said. 

"Empowering creators with cutting-edge technology has always been at the heart of DJI's mission,” said Paul Pan, DJI senior product line manager. “The Ronin 4D-8K stands as a testament to our dedication to delivering unparalleled imaging solutions and providing creators with the tools they need to bring their visions to life with exceptional clarity and brilliance.”

The DJI Ronin 4D-8K offers a suite of features that cater to the diverse needs of cinematographers. With full-frame 8K/60fps and 4K/120fps capabilities, the camera ensures exceptional image quality, providing filmmakers with versatility in capturing the demands of the scene. The 800/4000 Dual-Native ISO enhances performance across various lighting conditions, complemented by a maximum of 14.7 stops of dynamic range, offering cinematic depth and rich color grades in any scenario, the company said.

The Ronin 4D-8K offers built-in 9-stop physical ND filters for precise exposure control, DL/E/L/PL/M interchangeable lens mounts for creative freedom, autofocus on manual lenses and Automated Manual Focus (AMF) for quick and accurate focusing with a LiDAR focusing system. Its seamless transition to Flex Form without tools allows for on-the-go adjustments, highlighting the camera's versatility, it said. 

The Ronin 4D-8K leverages the company’s DJI Cinema Color Science (DCCS), which delivers accurate, aesthetically pleasing skin tones, even in complex lighting conditions. The DCCS color engine relies on a new algorithm that enables smooth yet detailed images, high bit-width internal color and tone processing for natural transitions. It also leverages multiple high-precision LUT processing modules for precise color adjustments in diverse lighting conditions, it said.

Complementing DCCS is the CineCore image processing platform, developed by DJI to deliver high-quality digital intermediates for post-production, DJI said.

The new camera platform joins DJI’s Inspire 3 and Zenmuse X7 as being officially Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) certified, it said.

The Ronin 4D-8K combo includes the Ronin 4D Main Body, a Zenmuse X9-8K Gimbal Camera, a DJI DL PZ 17-28mm T3.0 ASPH lens, a PROSSD 1TB, a PROSSD Mount, hand grips, a top handle, a high-bright main monitor, a TB50 intelligent battery, a LiDAR range finder and a DJI Ronin 4D RAW license key for $12,838.

The Zenmuse X9-8K gimbal camera is also available for purchase and retails for $3,599. It includes a Zenmuse X9-8K gimbal camera protector case, an X9 gimbal base cap and a DL mount body cap.

More information is available on the company’s website.

 WEST SUSSEX, U.K.—Videosys Broadcast has announced that it will be showcasing a variety of innovations in wireless and camera control technology at IBC2023 with a range of products that are designed to streamline broadcast workflows and reduce rig times.

The manufacturer and supplier of quality camera control systems, RF links and camera backs to outside broadcast providers said that the innovative solutions on display at its IBC booth (stand 11.B47) are designed to help transform the industry's operation with pioneering wireless workflow chains, revolutionary camera control solutions, and small camera advancements.

At IBC 2023, Videosys also said it will unveil new RCP panels that are specifically intended to control Media Edge Slomo cameras. Designed to set new standards in camera control, these panels integrate seamlessly into existing OB infrastructures and are fully compatible with various protocols for enhanced and multi camera manufacturers. 

Videosys will also be showing is flagship Epsilon 4K Camera Control solution, an easy to operate, all-in-one solution that boasts a seamless wireless workflow chain. This agnostic solution simplifies Radio Camera installation by allowing multiple camera set-ups to be matched quickly and effectively, with minimum input from operators and vision mixers. Together with the AEON web interface, it offers an unparalleled user experience and enables efficient wireless camera control and RF over fiber capabilities.

In addition to new products, the company will be showing the Videosys classic modular system that offers a comprehensive and integrated solution for video transmission, camera control and RF over fiber. This powerful solution allows media professionals to effortlessly transmit high-quality video signals while simultaneously controlling cameras remotely, making it ideal for live events, sports coverage, and various other broadcasting applications.

To meet future requirements for wireless camera control, Videosys said it has been working on additional groundbreaking developments that will be unveiled at IBC. These include Sony FX9 Ethernet control and RXSME profile upload that enable efficient camera management, and integration of RXSME Ethernet with Panasonic/GV and TSL Tally 3.0. In addition, the AEON web interface and Black Magic control additions ensure a comprehensive range of options for camera control, while transmitter control via an IDU base unit streamlines operations and enhances efficiency, particularly at live events. 

“Our Camera Control Upgrade Kit, which is also being shown for the first time at IBC 2023, is another exciting addition to our range because it allows broadcaster to unlock future possibilities and take full control of their camera operation,” says Colin Tomlin, Managing Director of VideoSys Broadcast. “By offering Ethernet control capabilities for new and old camera manufacturers, the upgrade kit brings new dimensions to motion control, providing limitless possibilities for creative shots.”

Videosys Broadcast will complete its IBC line up with a control system for small cameras that incorporates paint control, pan, and tilt functionalities. This innovation enables broadcasters to have greater control over their camera shots while maintaining a compact and mobile setup.

For a full demonstration of the latest innovations from Videosys Broadcast please visit IBC stand 11.B47 or www.videosys.tv

Artificial intelligence video technology company Pixellot has unveiled its latest AI-automated camera, the Pixellot Show 3.

According to the company, the S3’s development has been based on eight years of field experience and collaborative customer feedback. It has been specifically designed to address the current challenges of sports organizations looking to livestream games easily and cost-effectively, making it ideal for sports leagues and federations, educational organisations, and broadcasters, said Pixellot.

The 12K three-camera, 3.5 kilo (7.7 lb) array includes a 50 per cent boost in resolution that improves the AI visual tracking algorithms, significantly upgrading ball and player tracking, resulting in a smoother and more refined video output, added the company.

The camera system can be operated under varying conditions for 19 different sports, including full pitches or small courts, indoors and outdoors, from distance, or close to the pitch.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Pixellot Show S3 to the market, creating a new standard for sports streaming as part of our end-to-end sports video and data solution,” said Alon Werber, CEO of Pixellot. “The S3’s superior image quality and improved AI capabilities enable sports streaming with unparalleled precision and clarity. We also made sure to significantly simplify the system installation process making it easier for sports organizations to scale at a faster and more cost-effective pace.”

“The Pixellot Show S3 represents another milestone in automated sports technology,” added Gal Oz, co-founder and CTO of Pixellot. “Together with our open platform which integrates video, data, and monetization capabilities, the S3 empowers sports organizations and coaches to capture and share games at a whole new level of quality. The S3 provides multiple capturing modes to cater to the needs of the viewers and the coaching staff and runs on Linux OS for advanced security and privacy.”

TORRANCE, Calif.—Marshall Electronics has introduced the CV420Ne, an NDI|HX3 version of its ultra-wide, 100-degree-angle-of-view, streaming POV camera and will show the new camera at InfoComm 2023 in Orlando, Fla., June 10-16. 

The CV420Ne offers robotic pan, tilt and zoom movement at HD resolutions digitally within the larger 4K UHD sensor space, the company said.

The camera allows users to maintain access to ultra-wide angles along with usable digitally zoomed and lateral maneuvers within the sensor. It uses the new NDI|HX3 codecs with access to NDI5.5 tools, USB 3.0 connectivity with Barco certification and traditional HDMI workflow for a range of AV applications, it said.

The CV420Ne uses a 1/1.8-inch 4K sensor with 9 1/2 megapixels, capable of 4K UHD resolution up to 60fps with support for HD resolutions. The camera’s 4.5mm lens features delivers high-quality video with no spherical distortion. The CV420Ne’s digital pan, tilt and zoom comes with more than 250 presets that are savable and selectable from any number of command sources, including IR remote, NDI|Tools, camera control software, web browser GUI, OBS plugins, vMix and other compatible soft codecs and devices, it said.

With the latest NDI|HX3 codec, the camera can be incorporated seamlessly into various streaming and production workflows. The CV420Ne is suitable for professional proAV and broadcast applications, including AV streaming, remote contribution, podcasting, video collaboration and a range of proAV and UCC installations that require an ultra-high-quality networkable video source, it said.

The NDI|HX3 format requires slightly higher bandwidth than NDI|HX2 but much less than needed for Full-NDI|HB. NDI|HX3 delivers similar low latency as Full-NDI at less than 100ms end-to-end and has video quality performance closer to premium Full-NDI where video quality is not lost from camera source when sent over network, it said.

The new camera is 4.5 inches long and comes with rear protection wings to avoid cable disconnect drops. It has a 3.5mm audio input (line/mic) embedded on all available outputs and can be controlled via included remote control, NDI|Tools and USB. The CV420Ne also comes with a front-facing tally light for live streaming.

More information is available on the company’s website.

See Marshall at InfoComm 2023 booth 4107.

LAS VEGAS—Blackmagic Design showcased a host of new products and software updates on the first day of the 2023 NAB Show, including the ATEM Television Studio 4K8, updates to DaVinci Resolve and the ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K.

“Recently we launched the new ATEM Television Studio HD range, and customers have been very happy with them,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO in announcing the ATEM Television Studio 4K8. “However we’ve also been working on a 4K model. The ATEM Television Studio 4K8 is exciting as it has 10 independent 12G-SDI outputs which can be used for external recording. That’s great for when customers want a high quality solution for multi-cam editing as all outputs are in sync and have matching timecode with full audio mapping.”

The company said that the ATEM Television Studio 4K8 would be priced $4,595 when it becomes available in July. The new live production switcher combines all the broadcast features of the ATEM Television Studio HD with additional support for Ultra HD standards up to 2160p60.

Other new products and updates include: 

• ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K ($8,995, available in June) – a new Ultra HD model of the ATEM Constellation family with 40 x 12G-SDI standards converted inputs with support for standards up to Ultra HD 2160p60. 
• DaVinci Resolve 18.5 (free update, beta available now) – a major new update which adds new AI tools, over 150 feature upgrades such as Resolve FX relight, speech to text editing, automatic subtitling, AI audio classification, Universal Scene Description file support, new menus on the Cut page that let customers work faster while allowing more time for being creative, and Fusion USD support for faster workflows. Additionally, Content creators can now upload videos directly to TikTok, and a new option for vertical aspect ratio output makes creating content for social media even easier.
• Blackmagic Camera 8.1 (free update, available now) – an update which adds support for vertical aspect ratio video to Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras, allowing users to create cinematic vertical video for platforms such as TikTok.
• Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF ($6,385, available now) – a new model of the world’s most advanced digital film camera which adds a high performance optical low pass filter to the 12K Super 35 image sensor. The OLPF reduces artifacts such as moire and aliasing, while preserving the color and critical image detail Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K is renowned for. 
• URSA Mini Pro 12K Added to Netflix Approved Camera List – the camera was recently added to the Netflix Approved Camera List. Officially titled “Cameras and Image Capture: Requirements and Best Practices”, the list highlights the capture requirements necessary to be qualified as an approved camera by the streamer, including dynamic range, resolution, codec, workflow compatibility and more.
• DeckLink IP ($345, available in June) – a new family of PCIe cards that capture and playback 10-bit uncompressed, broadcast quality video directly into 2110 IP based broadcast systems. 
• Blackmagic 2110 IP Converter 3x3G ($595, available in June) – a new rack mount converter which converts 3G-SDI devices to 2110 IP broadcast systems. 

A video of CEO Grant Petty discussing the new products is available here,

Los Angeles—Sony Electronics is bringing the PTZ camera into the cinematic realm with today’s launch of the ILME-FR7, an E-mount interchangeable lens camera with a full-frame image sensor and built-in pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) functionality. This latest edition to its Cinema line brings versatile remote control and cinematic features to advance creative possibilities in studio, live production and filmmaking settings, the company said.

“The cinematic look and feel is rapidly becoming the norm in broadcasting and live production as it opens up new ways to tell a narrative,” said Yang Cheng, Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Sony Electronics Inc. “In parallel, over the last 2 years, we’ve seen a steep rise in content created remotely or in small locations where access is difficult. At Sony, we are always listening to our customers. We are thrilled to announce the FR7 that combines the flexibility of a standard PTZ camera with stunning visuals through advanced cinematic features.”

Here is a video of the new PTZ camera in action:

The FR7 features a back-illuminated 35mm full-frame CMOS image sensor Exmor R with approximately 10.3 effective megapixels and wide 15+ stop latitude (Sony’s S-Log 3 recording) in a pan tilt zoom (PTZ) camera for the first time. In addition to wide dynamic range, low noise, and cinematic full frame bokeh, this amazing sensor also delivers high sensitivity that allows ISO to be expanded up to 409,600 (custom mode when shooting in low light.

The FR7 features Sony’s E-mount and can mount a wide range of E-mount lenses, including the G Master series with stunning resolution and bokeh effect, the company said. A choice of focal lengths ranging from 12 mm to 1200 mm gives users comprehensive creative control.

A number of Cinema Line features are built into the camera to deliver a cinematic look and feel including:

• The Sensitivity setting allows ISO to be expanded up to 409,600 when shooting in low light.
• A 15+ stop latitude allows smooth highlights and low noise levels.
• A number of preset scene files are included including S-Cinetone for natural mid-tones that are essential to healthy-looking skin color, plus soft colors and gorgeous highlights. Since the target look can be created while shooting, time can be saved in post-production. In the Cine EI mode, base sensitivity can be set to either ISO 800 or ISO 12800 to match lighting conditions and to minimize noise while maintaining a consistent look. This mode is ideal for post-production, as it allows the use of Sony’s original S-Log3 gamma, wide S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine color spaces.
• Shooting up to 120fps 4K (QFHD) and 240 fps FHD slow-motion is possible, again creating that emotional possibility offered by a cinematic look.

With a new dedicated web application, pan, tilt, zoom, focus, record, playback, and all camera settings can be intuitively controlled from a tablet or computer web browser, allowing multiple people to monitor FR7 footage remotely simultaneously. Multi camera monitoring is also enabled, allowing multiple cameras to be viewed remotely on one device. 

With its integrated remotely controllable pan/tilt mechanism, the FR7 can be mounted on a tripod, on a ceiling with the dedicated CIB-PCM1, or in other locations with limited access so that subjects can be unobtrusively followed and recorded from unique viewpoints. It's also compatible with Sony’s RM-IP500 remote controller for multi-camera production, expanding creative potential while reducing the need for dedicated staff in production studios and other shooting situations. A single RM-IP500 unit can remotely control up to 100 PTZ cameras and provide precious joystick-controlled pan, tilt, and zoom operation. 

The supplied infrared remote controller will also support the FR7’s simple operation.

The new FR7 will be available in November 2022 for approximately $9699.99 USD and $12,399.99 CAD. The FR7K, which includes the FR7 and SELP28135G lens, will be available for $12,199.99 USD and $15,699.99CAD while the CIB-PCM1 ceiling bracket will be available for $119.99 USD and $159.99 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony's authorized dealers throughout North America. 

The FR7 will be showcased for the first time on Sony’s booth at IBC 2022 in Amsterdam, Sept. 9-12.

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics has announced that some of its latest HDR capture and monitoring technologies were used in the production of the second season of Netflix’ “Sweet Magnolias."

The Sony gear used on the production included the  BVM-HX310, PVM-X series of monitors and VENICE camera. 

Netflix’s “Sweet Magnolias” is a dramatic romance tale set in the South about three lifelong friends navigating their personal and professional priorities and relationships alongside one another. 

With a cast lead by JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley, the storylines of each character help set the tone and look of the show, which often features the traditional light and bright exteriors typical of romance narratives, while incorporating shadows, darkness and contrast, uncharacteristic of the genre, all of which are amplified through the use of HDR imagery, Sony reported. 

From a behind-the-scenes perspective, Sweet Magnolias features the technical talents of Tyler Blackwell, digital imaging technician (DIT), whose credits include “One Night in Miami…,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” and “Women of the Movement,” among others and Brian Johnson, director of photography, a Gemini Award nominee, a two-time Golden Sheaf award winner and recipient of two Leos, whose resume includes “The Killing,” and “You Me Her,” to name a few.  As a Cinematographer, Johnson uses his camera and lighting to execute the creative vision of the series, helping to determine the look of the show, emphasize the aesthetic and create emotional connections to the characters, while Blackwell assists Johnson in ensuring that his vision is maintained and the look is flawless, accurate and engineered to seamlessly make it through the post-production process.

Season 1 of Sweet Magnolias has been a popular title on the streaming platform, and Season 2 was released on February 4, 2022. Its stunning images are captured by Johnson using Sony’s VENICE full-frame digital cinema camera, while Blackwell monitors the series using a combination of Sony’s PVM-X2400 and BVM-HX310 4K HDR monitors.

As HDR comes to the forefront of productions, Blackwell explained its appeal by explaining:  “on Sweet Magnolias, we’re delivering a show in SDR and HDR. My hyper-critical eyes are on every frame and having HDR monitoring on-set has been very helpful in pushing a different standardized look. We use Dolby Vision, which I think is the pinnacle of HDR and provides the best viewing experience for our devoted fans.”

Another important aspect in delivering and providing that top-notch viewing experience to the audience is having the right tools.  

Blackwell prides himself on being proficient in the latest cutting-edge technologies, including 12G, 4K and HDR, which help contribute to his success and marketability as an in-demand DIT, and he understands that using superior solutions help him achieve a first-class result and reputation.  “After some trial and error using other equipment, as well as a good deal of research and development, I found my way to the Sony 4K HDR monitors,” he said.

“On Sweet Magnolias, we use three PVM-X2400s and one BVM-HX310, with the X2400s on my cart and the main cart, while the HX310 is on the HDR cart, which is in our command center – the DIT tent.”  Johnson added, “The DIT tent is pretty impressive.  It has an array of Sony monitors and it truly offers the best visual representation of what we’re going to ultimately end up with.”

The BVM-HX310 is also used for QCing dailies.  Blackwell explained, “We use the BVM-HX310 to make sure the team is comparing my stills to what they’re viewing in their environment and ensure everything is lined up and accurate to what Brian and I have created.”

For Blackwell, he zeroed in on the Sony PVM-X2400 after standardizing on the BVM-HX310 in 2020.  Blackwell chose Sony over the competition due to the company’s “critical” and “priceless” support and dedicated resources.  He also cited the monitors’ dynamic contrast drive feature, which helps ensure content is matching to the HX310, as well as the proper viewing environments. 

Since Blackwell already owns two BVM-HX310s, he recognizes the benefits of working with a primarily Sony workflow.  He said, “The fact that the HX310 and X2400 are an extremely color accurate match and work well together is very important.  We even had a scenario where Brian and the crew were shooting on the rooftop of a building and we brought the HX310 up so that Brian could view what was being shot in real time.  Because of the size and the weight of my cart, and the facility having no elevator, rolling my cart in wasn’t an option.  This is where the X2400 really shined.  I was three floors down, operating the cart and relaying between Brian and myself to ensure he could match what he was looking at with what he wanted to see.  I had one of the X2400 monitors in HDR mode and the other in SDR mode.  Brian was monitoring upstairs in SDR on the HX310 but I was still able to have the environment that we typically have, where the HX310 is usually in HDR and the X2400 are typically in SDR mode on the cart.”

Accommodating an HDR viewing environment is also important to Johnson, despite the understanding that he’ll primarily be viewing content on the SDR monitors and many of the show’s viewers will be consuming Sweet Magnolias in SDR.  He realizes there are certain situations where having an HDR vantage point helps enable his creativity and ensures the best viewing experience.  He explained, “In scenarios where there’s a wider field of view or where there are multiple windows looking out, we’ll put that up on the HDR monitor to see the perceptual effect of the bright windows.  Even if they’re not clipping, in HDR they can be so bright which allows us to gain perceptual information beyond any waveform information, so we can adapt our strategy to mitigate the brightness.  When looking at an SDR image, you don’t always have that same insight.”

But the Sony workflow and color matching weren’t the only reasons why Blackwell selected the PVM-X2400.  He stated, “Not only are the Sony monitors industry standard, they’re also requested by clients.  As someone who is a service provider, I need to listen to my clients and understand the market demands and that’s always been Sony.”

Johnson added, “I haven’t monitored in HDR on-set before, but I found it really comforting and handy to be able to, particularly when we’re getting close to a place that we feel good about the lighting in SDR. Once I check the HDR monitor, we can bring the highlights down more, if needed, or flag elements to address in post.  Using the monitors allows me to know I’m in a good place with the HDR deliverable, which is invaluable.”

Additional features that Blackwell called out included the monitors’ “fantastic” multiple channel setups.  “It’s pretty incredible,” he said. “I haven’t gotten a chance to use all 30, but to be able to quickly move through different configurations on the monitor is awesome.  Then I use the quadrant view to set an HDR and SDR next to each other.”

Another benefit of using Sony monitors on the set of Sweet Magnolias is the seamless collaboration and streamlined workflow they provide with the Sony VENICE camera employed by Johnson.  In addition to the impact of the lens, Johnson uses a LUT that he deems “idiosyncratic” and “absolutely key” to creating a distinctive look for the show, which is well represented by the monitors.

But that isn’t the only advantage to shooting with VENICE.  Johnson, who first used the camera to capture Sweet Magnolias in 5.7K, 16:9, remarked he was “really happy with VENICE’s representation of contrast and color.”  He initially gravitated toward the camera due to its ability to meet Netflix’s delivery requirements and its “super awesome” large format sensor.

Johnson noted, “I knew that on this project, we were going to want to limit the depth of field as much as possible on stage, so I was really keen to go with a large format sensor.  It worked out that the VENICE was our best candidate and aligned with our budget.  I had obviously read a lot about the VENICE and some of my colleagues had shot on it and had really great experiences.  I was curious and excited to work with VENICE, and it’s proven to be an awesome camera.  It won’t be the last time I use it, for sure.”

Additional benefits of VENICE that Johnson mentioned include its size and the quick and easy accessibility of settings.  He added, “This is a real cinema camera.  My team changes the ISO a lot and we love the internal ND function, which we use constantly, and that all of the functions are right there for the assistants.  Additionally, the camera’s small and light enough that we’ve built it on the Ronin very successfully, which has been great.”

From Blackwell’s DIT perspective, he also appreciates the VENICE.  He explained, “To be able to work with a piece of technology that can see more color than the human eye is pretty inspiring.  To know that we have as much as what we can perceive on set to work with is incredible.  In addition, from a technical standpoint, the ISOs we’re using enable us to make sure that we’re maintaining shadows or maintaining highlights depending upon the scene and the lighting environment that we’re in.”

Blackwell also pointed to the use of ART files, a technology that provides bit-level accuracy when utilizing a 3D LUT for on-set monitoring and improves image integrity for critical viewing applications.  He found that ART extensions provide the camera operators and assistants with insight, even when Blackwell’s not on-set due to COVID restrictions.  He explained, “Being able to leave Brian and leave the department with a camera that’s outputting the show LUT in an ART was critical for Brian to be able to continue doing his job without someone like me there keeping an eye on things.”

In addition, Blackwell values Sony’s SxS cards, especially their dual record functionality.  He described the benefits saying, “We used dual record on Sweet Magnolias, recording to AXS and SxS media to make sure that we have a backup because it doesn’t matter what camera system you’re working with, accidents happen.  Cards can get pulled out while you’re recording or there’s a power loss or a file corruption.  Being able to have two separate versions of your media recording at the same time is a great safety net.”

As Blackwell and Johnson look to the future, they recognize using state-of-the-art equipment, including Sony’s HDR monitors and VENICE camera, helps usher in a future where HDR is the expectation while solidifying the show’s legacy.  Johnson concluded, “I can only assume that one day, all monitors will be HDR, and keeping an eye toward that, we’re increasing the shelf life of Sweet Magnolias through our use of cutting-edge technology.”

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.—Vislink today announced it will highlight its new Mobile Viewpoint Stellar Cam designed for artificial intelligence (A.I.) powered live sports production at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 23-27.

The new camera is the latest in Vislink’s line of cameras designed for automatic coverage of sports. Durable and weatherproofed, Stellar Cam supports ultra-high resolution, high frame rates and zooming capabilities to capture action as it happens on the field of play, the company said.

“The launch of Stellar Cam affirms our leadership position in incorporating AI-powered technology to facilitate more cost-effective news and sports productions, and we look forward to sharing all of its benefits with NAB attendees,” said Vislink CEO Mickey Miller.

“Stellar Cam represents the latest in a long line of A.I. solutions brought to market by our Mobile Viewpoint brand," he continued. "It is a key component of IQ Sports Producer, our platform for capturing live sporting events without the need for onsite staff. IQ Sports Producer is perfect for mid- and lower-tier games and matches, and enables over-the-top (OTT) media providers, media right holders and production companies to capture sporting events on a limited budget.”

IQ Sports Producer was designed to produce live streams of sports like football, rugby, basketball, hockey and handball. Recently, it was deployed to cover other sports like horse jumping and velodrome cycling. Support for more sports is being added, the company said.

A single panoramic camera captures the whole pitch, arena or track in extremely high resolution. AI is used to create a virtual camera that tracks the action of the ball and the players, creating a software cut-out of the action from the panoramic view, it said.

IQ Sports Producer can zoom, provide highlights, graphics and scoreboards, replicating an actual professional production. It also is compatible with popular performance analytics tools. By capturing and recording the entire panorama, no action is ever missed, and new content streams can be created, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

See Vislink at NAB Show booth C7508.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.—Vislink has launched the Mobile Viewpoint Stellar Cam, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered camera for live sports production, the company announced today.

Designed for automatic coverage of demanding sports, the new durable and weatherproofed camera offers ultra-high resolution, high frame rates and zooming capabilities to capture action in real time on the field of play, the company said.

“This announcement affirms our leadership position in incorporating AI-powered technology to facilitate more cost-effective news and sports productions,” said Vislink CEO Mickey Miller. 

“Stellar Cam represents the latest in a long line of AI solutions brought to market by our Mobile Viewpoint brand. It is a key component of IQ Sports Producer, our platform for capturing live sporting events without the need for onsite staff," he continued. "IQ Sports Producer is perfect for mid and lower-tier games and matches, and enables over-the-top (OTT) media providers, media right holders and production companies to capture sporting events on a limited budget.” 

IQ Sports Producer was designed to produce live streams of football, rugby, basketball, hockey and handball. Recently, it was deployed to cover sports such as horse jumping and velodrome cycling, with support for more sports being added.

A single panoramic camera captures the whole pitch, arena or track in extremely high resolution. AI is used to create a virtual camera that tracks the action of the ball and the players, creating a software cut-out of the action from the panoramic view. IQ Sports Producer can zoom, provide highlights, graphics and scoreboards, replicating an actual professional production.

It is also compatible with popular performance analytics tools. By capturing and recording the entire panorama, no action is ever missed, and new content streams can be created, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

See Vislink in Booth 309 at the NCAA 2022 Convention Trade Show, Jan. 20-21, in Indianapolis.

NEWARK, N.J.—Panasonic System Solutions Company of North American has added the new AW-HE145 full-HD integrated pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera to its professional pan/tilt/zoom camera line-up. 

This camera delivers broadcast-quality images, with flexible operation and compatibility with an array of Panasonic software solutions including the PTZ Control Center and AI-driven Auto Tracking, the company said. 

Designed to capture content in low-light situations, the HE145 is equipped with a large 1-inch MOS sensor and optical 20x zoom to achieve superb high sensitivity (F9/2000) shooting even in dark scenes, the company reported. 

The new camera also delivers smooth "on-air" moves and supports HDR for capturing images with a high dynamic range. The camera's 75.1-degree horizontal wide angle lens – one of the widest in its class -- allows production staff to capture full shots in large spaces, including theaters, stadiums, lecture and symphony halls, and sanctuaries, and is invaluable for studios with limited spaces.

For video streaming applications, the HE145 supports RTMP to allow direct upload of video to live-streaming services such as YouTube and Facebook Live. In addition, Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) is supported to maintain stability while transmitting high-quality video, even on unstable networks. Outputs include 3G-SDI, HDMI and IP for the flexibility to integrate with a variety of workflow infrastructures.

"The new HE145 camera is part of our growing and comprehensive line of PTZ camera solutions,” said Jim Jensen, category owner, Remote Systems, Panasonic. “It offers inventive features and the ability to perform exceptionally well in poorly-lit conditions. The HE145 is supported by our comprehensive PTZ camera ecosystem, which includes a wide range of software solutions, advanced robotic and prompter systems, and camera controllers."

The AW-HE145 will be available in both black and white in October at a suggested list price of $10,500.

More information about Panasonic professional video products is available here.  

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Canon U.S.A. has announced the new XF605 4K UHD professional camcorder and the new 8K resolution 10×16 KAS S portable zoom lens for 8K broadcast cameras that feature a 1.25-inch sensor. 

The new XF-series professional camcorder is billed as offering broadcast-quality features in a compact and lightweight body. 

It has a 1.0-inch CMOS sensor and the ability to record 4K/60p/4:2:2/10-bit/HDR video to dual on-board SD card slots. Equipped with Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF1, the XF605 achieves high-speed and high-accuracy focusing, and is the first XF-series model to include Eye Detection AF, as well as improved face and head detection, enabling more accurate and stable tracking of subjects. The new camcorder also includes new video transmission functionality, making it an ideal tool for broadcast journalists. 

Featuring a Canon L-Series lens with 15x zoom, 3-ring operation, a 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, and a DIGIC DV7 image processor, the XF605 allows for the capture of in-camera HDR video. Users also have the ability to leverage a high frame rate of up to 120 FPS when opting for Full HD recording. Canon Log 3 recording is also available, to provide additional color latitude.

Weighing more than 21 ounces less than the XF705, (which is more than a 25% reduction), the XF605’s compact body is also 10% shorter in both length and height and it provides professionals with a more intuitive user experience.

Using the newly released CTM2 mobile app for iOS, the XF605 can connect and transfer recorded video data via cable3 or wirelessly to compatible iOS devices and transfer proxy footage, audio, and metadata to servers at broadcast stations or other locations.  

The camcorder also features built-in Wi-Fi/Ethernet connectivity for Browser Remote, IP streaming, and FTP transfer. It is the first XF-series model to feature USB Video Class, allowing use as a webcam without the need for a third party HDMI to USB adapter.   

The Canon XF605 4K UHD Professional Camcorder is scheduled to available in mid-October 2021 for an estimated retail price of $4499.00*. 

The 8K resolution 10×16 KAS S is a new portable zoom lens for 8K broadcast cameras that feature a 1.25-inch sensor and is designed to tap into the growing demand for ultra-high-resolution video production equipment, especially in such fields as sports broadcasting and documentary filmmaking. 

The lens features a fast constant aperture of f/2.8 across the entire zoom range that spans 16mm at the wide end to 160mm at the telephoto end, a zoom magnification of 10x. 

This combination of aperture speed and zoom range is ideal for events such as sports and live broadcasting, which often involve frequent changes in focal length, the company said. 

The Canon 10×16 KAS S lens is equipped with lens elements such as fluorite, UD lenses, Hi-UD lenses1 and wide-diameter aspherical lenses that help to reduce chromatic aberrations, spherical aberrations and other effects that could diminish image quality. 

The lens also features a high-performance digital drive unit powered by the high-resolution 16-bit absolute value encoder digital drive unit that has a proven track record of use with 2/3-inch 4K broadcast zoom lenses. This makes possible high-precision position detection, which is vital for productions that incorporate virtual imaging systems. 

The Canon 10×16 KAS S 8K UHD portable zoom lens is scheduled to be available in late October 2021.

For more information about the new lens and camcorder visit usa.canon.com/provideo.

TORRANCE, Calif.—Marshall Electronics will introduce the CV420-30X 12G-SDI camera at the 2021 NAB Show, Oct. 9-13, in Las Vegas.

The new camera, which offers simultaneous 12G-SDI, HDMI and IP (HEVC/SRT) outputs, is well-suited to a variety of broadcast and professional AV workflows, it said.

Using a high-performance Sony Exmor-R sensor to capture 4K UHD video at up to 3840x2146 60fps, the camera offers a 30x optical zoom range. The CV420-30X is designed for ease of use, making it valuable for uses in live broadcast, house of worship, sports, news, reality TV and other applications, the company said.

The camera’s 30x optical zoom lens offers an extended zoom range from 4.6mm to 135mm, starting at just under a 70-degree horizontal angle of view to 3 degrees while maintaining image crispness from ultra-wide to ultra-long telephoto shots. The camera also offers exceptional low-light sensitivity, it said.

“The CV420-30X is suitable for use in networked UHD and HD workflows with one-cable to camera ease of setup while leaving the 12GSDI output available to plug into video switching or uncompressed video capture.  This new model represents best-in-class within our 30X zoom block camera range, and we are excited to showcase this at NAB, along with our other new camera and monitor products from Marshall,” said Tod Musgrave, director of cameras at Marshall Electronics.

In addition to the SRT protocol, the camera supports DHCP, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, IPv4, NTP, RTSP, TCP, MPEG-TS, RTMP and RTMPS. A single Ethernet cable to the camera provides up to UHD video, audio, control and power (PoE+).

The Marshall VS-PTC-IP broadcast-style controller is an easy setup command source for the CV420-30X with one cable IP (Ethernet) plugin. It can also be controlled via Video Management Software (VMS), OBS Studio Plugins/Docks, Software GUI (web browser) and a variety of other command sources using Marshall Electronics’ open-source command structure. 

See Marshall Industries at the 2021 NAB Show in booth C5636.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MELBOURNE—Video over IP specialist BirdDog has moved into the box camera category with the launch of its new PF120 high bandwidth NDI camera. 

The camera has a 20x zoom. It supports up to 1080p60 and uses a Sony Exmor R Back illuminated image sensor.

PF120 also houses BirdDog’s custom silicon NDI implementation to produce broadcast quality images and features simultaneous NDI and HDMI output. There is a USB UVC connector allowing for use with Zoom, Teams, Meet, Webex, BlueJeans, Barco ClickShare, and any application that supports USB UVC. 

“PF120 really is built ready for productions,” said Dan Miall, BirdDog co-founder and CEO. “The flexibility of the camera and connectors makes it perfect for many applications including live-streaming, video conferencing, educational facilities, medical installations, live sports, house of worship and so much more.”

PF120 also features BirdDog’s Color Matrix tools which can be controlled remotely by Cam Control, a free application that can be downloaded from BirdDog’s website.

BEAVERTON, Oregon—Apantac is launching a new PTZ camera for professional video and streaming applications that has NDI integrated into the camera.

The addition of NDI, which is a Vizrt brand, means that the new 1080P PTZ camera will be recognizable as a source by other NDI-enabled applications and devices connected to a standard Ethernet local area network, making it easier to share and stream content.

“NDI has changed the way content is accessed, created and distributed, making video accessible over IP,” commented Thomas Tang, president of Apantac. “We are really excited about our first NDI product launch as our PTZ camera allows users to deliver live video over IP to any compatible system or software on the network, using a single cable for all the video, audio and control.”

NDI is a brand of the Vizrt Group and a royalty-free technology that allows video and audio sources to be shared bi-directionally across a network, eliminating the need for costly direct connections, expensive cable runs, and infrastructure upgrades. 

Apantac’s AP-1080P-PTZ-20x (NDI) is designed for capturing video up to 1080P and offers 3G SDI, HDMI, USB 3.0, and HD video over IP decoding. 

The company noted that the variety of the formats this camera supports makes it ideal for house of worship, educational and corporate applications. By incorporating NDI, it communicates using the NDI protocol and allows bi-directional distribution and access of live video over existing IP LAN infrastructure. It also seamlessly integrates with most video conferencing and other software applications.

“NDI-enabled devices like Apantac’s new PTZ NDI Camera exponentially increase the video sources available for storytellers creating efficiencies and opportunities that did not previously exist,” said Michael Kornet, vice president of NDI. “We’ve known and admired the team at Apantac for a number of years and recognize that this is a significant moment for AV and broadcast customers that want to work with this respected brand as they come on board with their new NDI camera.”

The latest generation of Blackmagic Design’s URSA Mini Pro line is the 80 megapixels per frame URSA Mini Pro 12K. Shooting in 12,288x6480 (17:9) in up to 60 frames per second, this is another Blackmagic Design first. So, what’s it like to shoot in 12K RAW? That’s what I’d like to discuss in this review.

FEATURES

Blackmagic Design’s URSA Mini Pro 12K ships with a PL mount and offers an EF, B4 and F mount as options. Because all of my lenses are EF mount, I asked for an EF mount, a VLock Battery Plate, URSA Viewfinder and URSA Mini Shoulder Kit.

The URSA Mini Pro 12K is a professional camera with a Super 35mm sensor utilizing 12-bit RAW files, 14 stops of dynamic range, behind the lens selectable ND filters, controls for ISO, shutter, white balance, iris, focus, audio channel 1/3 and 2/4 adjustments and menu controls all on the side facing the operator.

Behind the 4-inch LCD monitor are more controls including two CFast and two SD slots in addition to a USB-C input (not for recording to an SSD drive). The back houses the SDI out, in and reference/timecode in connections; and a USB-C input for recording to an external SSD drive.

Recording formats come in two compression categories: Constant Bitrate and Constant Quality. Constant Bitrate allows four modes of RAW shooting in 12K (12,288x6480) 5:1 (578 MB/s), 8:1 (361 MB/s), 12:1 (241 MB/s), 18:1 (160 MB/s). While these data rates are based on 24 frames per second, higher data rates are required for higher frame rates. If you prefer, you may shoot in 8K, 6K or 4K all with the same four modes of shooting with lesser file sizes.

Constant Quality uses a range of capturing speeds with 12K’s Q0 (241 - 578 MB/s), Q1 (144 - 361MB/s), Q3 (96 - 241 MB/s), Q5 (72 - 160MB/s) with lower megabytes per second in 8K, 6K and 4K. These data rates are also dependent on the frames per second selection.

The optional viewfinder has zoom, display and peak buttons (which are user assignable to other functions as well) on top of the housing containing an extremely sharp 1920x1080 Organic LED display with a built-in digital focus chart.

Blackmagic Design’s URSA Mini Pro 12K shoots in 12,228x6480 (17:9) and 11,520x6480 (16:9) up to 60fps; 12,288x5112 (12K 2.4:1) up to 75fps; 8192x4320 (8K) and 6144x3240 (6K Super 16) up to 120fps; and 4096x2160 (4K), 3840x2160 (UHD) and 2560x2136 (4K Anamorphic) up to 240fps—you have a multitude of options.

The camera comes loaded with Blackmagic Camera Setup 7.0, RAW 2.0 Beta 2 software and requires a minimum of Mojave 10.14 or Catalina 10.15, Windows 10 64-bit, Abobe CC 2019, Avid Media Composer 2018, and DaVinci Resolve 16.3 Beta.

IN USE

Using a camera that is capable of shooting in 12K requires you to at least try it out. Creating a short comedy entitled “Cats and Mouse” about two over-the-hill bounty hunters trying to capture a woman with superpowers. Using editing effects to display her abilities, capturing the story in 12K was my choice.

The optional external URSA Viewfinder is worth every penny when shooting outdoors. The organic LED display was crystal clean and the zoom and peak buttons on the top made critical focusing that much better. Since my workflow ended with a 1920x1080 output, I chose to shoot in 12K RAW, 12:1 Constant Bitrate and 24fps. The glass up front was Rokinon Cinema Series T 1.5 Primes, and the files were saved to a SanDisk 2TB SSD Drive. Although not an officially recommended drive for this camera, it functioned perfectly in the misty morning to the brilliant F16 sunshine in the afternoon.

Not believing we would need the larger files 5:1 or 8:1 created—especially for a 1080p output—12:1 proved to be a viable choice. Thirty-five minutes of footage netted about 750 GB of footage. The stills that illustrate this article were from the color graded 12K RAW footage.

In the post process, I needed to download DaVinci Resolve 16.3 Beta to read the 12K RAW image. At no time did my footage bog down because of its size, and the LUTs (Look Up Tables) available in DaVinci Resolve made color grading simple.

The greatest part of shooting in 12K is the ability to “zoom in” or enlarge the frame digitally without losing quality. With our longest lens being an 85mm and zooming in 4X in DaVinci Resolve’s Inspector, this was still the sharpest footage I’ve seen. In my mindset and as I tell my students, if you shoot on 35mm film even a DVD looks phenomenal because you started with such a high-quality source. I used to mention VHS, but no one understands that anymore! Now I can say I shot my project in IMAX quality for a 1080p output.

Lastly, one of the really great things about the URSA Mini Pro 12K is that you actually get a pull-out LCD capacitive touchscreen with the camera body at its $9,995 price. The menu options that are displayed on the 4-inch monitor are critical if you want to change shooting modes and quality settings. Our university’s high end, leading manufacturer 35.5-megapixel sensor 8K digital camera body was almost three times the price and we didn't get a monitor—we paid just for the body. The optional monitor for that camera, which you really need (and it's laid out almost exactly like the URSA Mini Pro 12K’s) in order to set the camera's parameters, costs almost $5,000 more. Why would you pay all that extra money for a name camera, when the URSA Mini Pro 12K gives you all that with an 80-pixel sensor, a 4-inch monitor and 12K shooting at less than a third of the price? 

Also, other cameras have expensive licensing and proprietary software to color grade, but the URSA Mini Pro 12K includes a full version of DaVinci Resolve Studio. Since the other cameras’ LUTs are available in DaVinci Resolve, you can take advantage of the URSA Mini Pro 12K’s advanced color science and workflow to achieve a similar “look.” This is useful in case you want to match cameras or achieve a certain look without the extra cost that comes with more expensive cameras. Keep in mind, however, that obtaining the same look as another camera cannot be accomplished solely with a LUT, as each look is created specifically for each camera’s specific sensor.

The bottom line, in my opinion, for ease of use, quality and cost I prefer using Blackmagic Design.

For more information, visit www.blackmagicdesign.com. 

Chuck Gloman is an associate professor of the TV/Film Department at DeSales University. He may be reached chuck.gloman@desales.edu. 

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Canon has unveiled a pair of new products that focus on capturing high resolution content in the form of the EOS C70 4K digital cinema camera and the CJ20ex5B series of  4K UHD broadcast portable zoom lenses.

The EOS C70 is Canon’s first-ever RF mount cinema EOS camera designed with a small form-factor, weighing 2.6 lbs. It features a slim, motorized, 10-stop ND filter unit with 6mm depth that enables users to control the exposure while keeping the desired depth-of-field, per Canon. There are 13 customizable buttons that allow users to select from more than 80 functions that can be assigned based on personal preference.

EOS C70 features Canon’s Super 35mm DGO sensor, which extends the high dynamic range and lowers noise level by reading out two different gains for each photodiode. This results in an image with up to 16-plus stops of total dynamic range in up to 4K/60p or 2K/120p. It also has Canon’s DIGIC DV7 image processor to help create HDR images while offering choices between Canon Log 2 and 3, in addition to PQ and HLG gamma functionality. The C70 also can record 4K DCI or UHD up to 120fps and 2K DCI or Hd up to 180fps.

Additional features for the C70 include support for XF-AVC format or Long GOP 10-bit 4:2:2/4:2:0 MP4/HEVC with an MP4 file format. There’s also a new direct touch menu system, coordinated electronic image stabilization, two built-in Mini XLR inputs, time-code input/output terminal, custom picture processing, dual-SD card slots, built-in stereo mic and support for optional Canon RC-V100 remote control. The camera also works with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R 0.71x optical adapter.

A new addition to Canon’s UHDx series of 4K UHD broadcast portable zoom lenses, the CJ20ex5B is designed to be used with broadcast cameras that have 2/3-inch sensors. The lens has a built-in 2x extender that can expand the zoom range up to 200mm, with Canon’s optical design technology and coatings helping to maintain high-level 4K UHD performance across the zoom range.

The CJ20ex5B lens features an improved inner focusing system for greater resolution in the periphery areas of the screen, per Canon. The lens also supports the wide color gamut approved by ITU-R BT.2020 UHD broadcasting standard. Additional features include a quick power-on button, an on-board display for rapid setting adjustments and the lens is compatible with Canon’s G-Series zoom and focus controllers.

Canon plans to release the EOS C70 camera in November at a price of $5,499. The CJ20ex5B lens is expected to be released in early 2021. For more information, visit usa.canon.com. 

MAHWAH, N.J.—Ikegami recently launched the UHL-F4000 4K/HD 3-CMOS multipurpose separate optics two-piece camera, and the BSX-100 3G fiber base station.

The UHL-F4000 features a compact, lightweight and low power consuming camera head (optical block), which makes it especially well-suited for helicopter camera applications, the company said.

The camera, the successor to the HDL-F3000, is equipped with Global Shutter CMOS sensors that capture images clear from geometric distortion during still frame analysis and free from flash band effects. It is also able to output 4K and cutout HD images while offering the low-light capability of the F3000, said Ikegami.

The 3.3-pound (1.5kg) camera head has an image sharpening function to boost an object’s edge level when zoomed in upon. The feature is useful, for instance, when zooming in on a car license plate, it said.

Variable contrast control allows users to reproduce clear images with the right contrast, even when visibility is impeded by fog and smoke. The camera’s remote control panel offers a variable control so operators can adapt the camera in real time to optimum noise reduction for night shoots with high gain, the company said.

The UHL-F4000 is equipped with a digital zoom from 1.1x to 10x in increments of 0.1x and exhibits a smooth, natural zoom. Combined with the optical zoom, overall zooming appears more natural, it said.

The focus assist function is achieved by placing the edge components of the 4K image on the HD MON OUT signal, making it possible to critically focus 4K images using an HD monitor. It also can output an up-down reversed image making the camera suited for instances when it must be set upside down, it said.

An optical fiber connection between the camera and CCU allows the pair to be separated by up to 6.2 miles (10km), it said.

Ikegami’s new BSX-100 3G fiber base station is a 3U-high half-rack-sized unit that’s easy to integrate into mobile production vehicles and other places where space is limited, Ikegami said.

It is compatible with Unicam HD system cameras, including the HDK-99 and HDK-73. It offers full support for Hybrid Log-Gamma HDR conforming to ITU-R BT.2100.

The BSX-100 can transport separate video, audio and metadata as independent IP multicast streams via its optional plug-in MoIP module for integration into a SMPTE ST 2110 workflow. The option supports uncompressed HD IP output in 10GbE with low latency. Redundancy is achieved using a second SFP interface based on SMPTE ST 2022-7, it said.

An optional built-in HD-to-4K upconverter board enables 4K output support. With the board installed, 12G SDI or 3G Quad Link or 4K MoIP output are available, making it possible for Unicam HD cameras to operate in a 4K workflow. It is also designed to work with future native 4K camera models, Ikegami said.

More information is available on the Ikegami website. 

WOODBURY, N.Y.—Hitachi Kokusai is ready to release its latest in 8K technology, the SK-UHD8060B dockable 8K UHDTV camera. Built off Hitachi’s previous 8K models, this new camera adds an organic photoconductive CMOS image sensor for capturing 8K video with expanded dynamic range.

Incorporating organic photoconductive film (OPF) into a CMOS sensor enables a higher saturation charge than silicon photodiodes, increasing dynamic range, per Hitachi. The company says that the SK-UHD8060B model offers greater than 400% dynamic range.

The 8K video is delivered with 7680x4320 resolution. It conforms to global standards like UHD-2, ITU-R BT.2020 color specification, ITU-R BT.2100 for HDR and Japan’s ARIB specification.

Additional features include support for PL mount lenses, as well as the ability to output multiple TV standards, including 8K, 4K/UHD, 1080p, 1080i and 720p. The camera head can be paired with a dockable recorder that uses a visually lossless codec.

For more information, visit www.hitachikokusai.us. 

NEWARK, N.J.—Panasonic has begun shipping its AW-UE4 compact 4K pan/tilt/zoom camera with 111-degree field of view and HDMI, LAN and USB video output interfaces.

Equally adept at shooting small and large areas, the AW-UE4 supports single-cable video transmission, camera control and power, leveraging Power over Ethernet (PoE). It can also be used as a USB camera and powered from a computer, said Panasonic.

The camera offers Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) compatibility for video to be uploaded directly to live-streaming services, it said.

Supporting 3840x2160/30p 4K video output and wide range of other resolutions, the camera includes a wide-angle lens to capture every part of large spaces while transmitting even from the smallest installation space, the company said.

A digital zoom provides 4x magnification, and expanded images can be manipulated for pan and tilt-like effects to capture images from various angles.

The camera is available in black or white finishes and has a suggested list price of $1,200.

More information is available on the Panasonic website.

NEWARK, N.J.—Bringing the story of individuals whose lives were cut short by family or friends in Investigation Discovery’s true-crime series “Betrayed” is the job of director and director of photography Yoram Astrakhan. To help him do this, he has chosen to use Panasonic’s AU-EVA1 cinema cameras, as well as some other Panasonic equipment.

Now in its fourth season, “Betrayed” is a fast-paced production, often shooting two episodes over eight day periods that feature both interviews with real people involved in the crimes and scripted recreations. Because of the demands on production, Astrakhan felt that EVA1 cameras would be ideal for keeping up with the speed at which they needed to get things done.

Two EVA1s and two camera operators are used for both interviews and recreations. The team captures 10-bit 422 FHD (1920x1080) V-Log files in 23.98 fps, and the production crew frequently uses the camera’s dual native ISO to help capture clearer images in different lighting situations. Astrakhan also praises the camera’s 14 stops of latitude and ability to work with a wide range of lenses.

However, there was one big reason he went with the EVA1, the color palette, “especially in the way skin tones are rendered and how beautifully they hold up in very dark or bright scenes,” he said.

In addition to the EVA1 camera, Astrakhan also utilizes Panasonic’s BT-LH2170 21.5-inch FHD monitor and the BT-LH910 9-inch field monitor for production.

BOULDER, Colo.—When the Buffaloes of the University of Colorado take the field, Panasonic cameras are part of the team that brings the action to fans via the scoreboards. BuffVision, the school’s production team that handles the athletic department’s video content, recently acquired four Panasonic AK-UC3000 4K/HD cameras to assist with this purpose.

The cameras are set up at the university’s Folsom Field for football games, Coors Event Center for volleyball and Prentup Field for soccer. In the winter, they will also be placed at the CU Events Center for the school’s basketball games and Kittredge Field for lacrosse. The AK-UC3000s are also used to support live, linear broadcasts of soccer and lacrosse games on Pac-12 television networks, as well as for live streams on www.cubuffs.com.

When BuffVision acquired the AK-UC3000s, they made it a one-for-one transition with the previous Panasonic P2 HD camcorders it previously had in stock.

The cameras support the current standard of production used by BuffVision—SMPTE fiber and 720p production—but will be capable to transition with the school as it upgrades to 1080p production within the next year and 1080p HDR further down the road.

FREMONT, Calif.—Blackmagic dipped its toes into the ocean waters this summer, as the company recently announced that its Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks and URSA Mini Pro cameras were part of the production of the Science Channel’s limited series “Legends of the Deep.”

Echo Bay Media was one of the production companies for the series that follows Celine and Fabien Cousteau, the grandchildren of Jacques Cousteau, as they dive underwater to explore shipwrecks, strange scientific occurrences and natural anomalies from the sea. To capture these underwater expeditions—which were shot in Belize, Bermuda, Nova Scotia and Cyprus—Echo Bay selected two Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks.

The Blackmagic camera was used inside compact submersibles that would often feature only one camera operator and the two hosts. The camera’s low light capabilities and dynamic range were also key in helping to control the lighting in difficult underwater conditions. The captured footage was then edited with in post-production using Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve Studio, where it could assist with any needed noise reduction. The Pocket Cinema Camera 4Ks were also used for vehicle shots of the Cousteau siblings.

Echo Bay also utilized the URSA Mini Pro camera during production, with members of the production crediting the camera’s durability, color capabilities and portability as key benefits.

“Legends of the Deep” premiered on the Science Channel in June

WAYNE, N.J.—JVC’s GY-HM250 is now on Facebook, as the company announced a recent upgrade to the 4KCAM handheld camcorders that includes Facebook Live as a menu choice for streamlined connectivity. JVC claims that this free upgrade makes GY-HM250 the first full integrated camera with Facebook Live.

The GY-HM250 connects to Facebook Live by pairing the camera with a Facebook account, allowing for any pages setup in Facebook to appear in the viewfinder. Live streaming is initiated by clicking on the user’s timeline. While streaming, video can also be recorded to dual SD memory cards.

In an effort to boost security for live video content, Facebook now requires all streaming video to use secure RTMPS protocol. The new upgrade covers this security protocol in all GY-HM250 models, including the base model, the GY-HM250SP and GY-HM250HW.

The GY-HM250 camera from JVC is designed for single-camera production, offering features like built-in streaming, built-in graphics and XLR audio connections. Featuring a 1/2.3-inch BSI 4K CMOS imager, the camera can record in 4K/30p and 4K/24p.

Charlotte, N.C. — Charlotte-based Elevation Church now has 19 campuses around North Carolina, all with very high production values. Each of the locations has its own worship band, and services are streamed from Elevation’s broadcast location to its satellite locations and the internet during worship experiences each weekend.

About four years ago, one of the technical volunteers at the main broadcast campus where sermons originate, got tired of wearing the large bulky double muff can-style headsets for tech team communication. So he bought a Point Source Audio CM-i3 in-ear headset with his own money. Its innovative lightweight design goes behind the head, as opposed to over the top of the head. A lightweight frame goes over his ears and it has small earbuds, a head strap around the back, and a mic that’s a little larger than a lavalier-style mic.

Other techs took notice and now 15 volunteers at Elevation have all purchased their own set.

Jared Olson is production director at Elevation’s Ballantyne Campus. Olson says, “I wear mine for 8-10 hours a day every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve had the same headset for four years with no problems. Any production I do, I do with this headset. I wear glasses and any muff-style headset gives me a headache.” Olson continues, “Most of the techs have custom in-ear molds and you can easily replace the stock or standard earbuds with your in-ear molds. It’s even more comfortable, and also provides an added measure of isolation.”

During those 8-10 hours a day, Olson says he wears the headset listening to rehearsals, front-of-house mixes or the streaming mix, as well as for conducting party line communication with camera operators, graphics, the stage, the band—the full production team. As production manager, he says the team has to know he is always available, so that’s why he wears the headsets the entire day. “Even between services we often take cameras outside to shoot interviews and video,” he says. Through it all, Olson is wearing his CM-i3 headset.

Elevation volunteer Mike Mitchell was the first member of the team to buy the CM-i3 back in 2016. “When I first used the CM-i3 headset, it was transformational,” says Mitchell. “The ability to hear better and protect my hearing at the same time has improved the way I approach my role in the production process.”

The headsets feature the company’s EM-3 in-earphones which can be switched with earphones of the user’s choice. The flexibility also extends the serviceability and lifetime of the product. The headset has a boom moving coil dynamic element with a cardioid pattern and a frequency response of 300 to 10,000 Hz. The earphones feature a single-driver ported design and come with three sizes of ear tips, a windscreen with an o-ring, and a custom storage case.

The newer CM-i5 in-ear headset is a back-electret condenser design offering a noise-canceling cardioid pattern and expanded frequency response of 100 to 10,000 Hz. The earphones feature an improved single-driver ported custom-molded style, universal design that can also be easily switched with the user’s personal earbuds.

Volunteers and staff now using the CM-i3 and CM-i5 in-ear headsets at Elevation Church say using them has made a huge difference in the ease and comfort of the production process and has been well worth the personal investment.

Point Source Audio will be showcasing the CM-i3 and CMi-5 in-ear headsets at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas, April 6-11, booth C2357. To learn more about Point Source Audio products, please visit www.point-sourceaudio.com.

###

About Elevation Church
Elevation Church is a multi-site church pastored by Steven Furtick, based in Matthews, North Carolina.Elevation has 19 locations, with 9 in the Charlotte area, as well as locations in Raleigh; Greensboro; Winston-Salem; Roanoke Virginia; Melbourne Florida; and the Greater Toronto Area. From 2007 through 2010, Elevation was cited by Outreach Magazine as one of the Top 100 fastest growing churches in the United States. www.elevationchurch.org

About Point Source Audio
Point Source Audio (@PSA_audio) manufactures and distributes worldwide their SERIES8, EMBRACE, and CONFIDENCE collection of miniature microphones — a unique line of headset, earworn and earmounted microphones known for their robust bendable boom and waterproof features. The company also holds two patents for the EMBRACE concealable microphone as well as the patent for the world’s first modular in-ear comms headset that is supporting the hearing health for audio, lighting and camera techs using headsets everywhere from sports to space. Founded in 2004, Point Source Audio is headquartered in Petaluma, California. For more information call (415) 226-1122 or visit www.point-sourceaudio.com. Follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PSA_audio.

MUNICH—ARRI has announced a new addition to its large-format camera series, the Alexa Mini LF, which combines the compact size of the Alexa Mini with the large format Alexa LF sensor. Among the new features are three internal motorized FSND filters, 12 V power input, extra power outputs, a new Codex Compact Drive and a new MVF-2 high-contrast HD viewfinder.

The Alexa Mini LF is compatible with almost all Alexa Mini accessories, but it offers certain enhancements that include extra connectors, like regulated 12 V and 24 V accessory power; a six-pin audio connector; built-in microphones; and improved Wi-Fi. The camera features six user buttons on its operating side, while the camera and viewfinder each have their own lock button. User access to the recording media and VF and TC connectors has been made easier, per ARRI.

Internal recording of MXF/ARRIRAW or MXF/Apple ProRes in a variety of formats and aspect ratios are capable with the Alexa Mini LF. The camera also features the Compact Drive recording media from ARRI technology partner Codex. With that comes a 1 TB drive and a USB-C Compact Drive Reader that can be used on Mac of Windows computers. There is also the Compact Drive Adapter for use in any dock that accepts SXR Capture Drives.

Another element from Codex is High Density Encoding, which uses loss-less encoding to reduce ARRIRAW files sizes by around 40 percent during download or later in the workflow.

The new MVF-2 viewfinder offers the same high-contrast HD OLED display, color science and ARRICAM eyepiece as the EVF-2 viewfinder. The MVF-2 features a 4-inch flip out monitor that can display the image or camera control menu. The viewfinder is able to be used on either side of the camera and connects via a CoaXPress VF cable that can reach up to 10m for remote camera operations. Additional features include a refined user interface, a built-in eyepiece lens heater and a built-in headphones connector.

The Alexa Mini LF is built with a carbon body that allows it to withstand temperature ranges of -4 degrees to 113 degrees fahrenheit.

ARRI will begin to ship the new Alexa Mini LF cameras in mid-2019.

SAN DIEGO—Sony’s newest camera is looking to make the point that bigger isn’t always better. The RX0 II is the latest addition to the company’s line of compact cameras, measuring in at 59x40.5x35mm and weighing 132 grams; small enough to fit into a pocket, according to Sony. Despite its miniature stature, the RX0 II is designed to be a highly durable camera capable of high-quality image capturing, including internal 4K recording.

The RX0 II features a 1.0-type stacked 15.3 megapixel Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and a BIONZ X image processing engine. It also features a Zeiss Tessar T* 24mmiii F4.0 fixed wide-angle lens with a shortened minimum focusing distance of 20cm. The camera body is waterproof/dustproof, shockproof and crushproof, and features an adjustable LCD screen that tilts upward 180 degrees and downward 90 degrees.

The RX0 II offers 4K 30p internal movie recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. The recently introduced Sony Imaging Edge mobile applications allows footage capture to be transferred to a smartphone, edited and shared across social networks. There is also an in-body electronic stabilization feature and a Movie Edit add-on application for when footage is exported. Movie Edit add-on also provides Intelligent Framing, which keeps a selected subject in the center of the frame and image distortion is corrected in a final edit.

Additional features include Super Slow Motion recording at up to 1,000 fps, uncompressed 4K HDMI output and simultaneous proxy movie recording. Picture Profile, S-Log2 and Time Code/User Bit functions can also be used.

Up to five RX0 II cameras can be controlled wirelessly using the Sony Imaging Edge Mobile application, and between five and 50 cameras will be able to be controlled through an access point. The camera is also compatible with the Camera Control Box CCB-WD1, which enables up to 100 cameras to be connected and controlled in a wired multi-camera setup.

Sony will release the RX0 II in April, at a price tag of $700.

WOODBURY, N.Y.—A new entry to Hitachi’s lineup of cameras has been unveiled, with the SK-HD1800 studio and field camera now available for customers. This new model features the CMOS imaging technology present in the Z-HD5500 camera and a motorized, four-position filter wheel.

The SK-HD1800’s global shutter, progressive-scan, CMOS imagers are able to adapt to a range of LED lighting conditions. The camera also supports HDR specifications, including HLG and HPQ, which is compatible with the HDR10 open standard.

Users can pair the SK-HD1800 with a CCU from Hitachi’s CU-HD1300 series to create a flexible camera system that supports a variety of production infrastructures and output requirements. There is support for SMPTE fiber and digital triax connectivity, and can be combined with a dedicated fiber or triax CCU or with the dual-cable CU-HD1300 FT for deployment flexibility.

An optional 4K output module for the CU-HD1300 can transform natively-acquired 1080p video from the SK-HD1800 to 4K/UHD resolution and outputs the result over single-link 12Gbps SDI or quad-link 3G-SDI connectivity. A SMPTE ST 2110 option for the CU-HD1300, meanwhile, allows for seamless integration of the SK-HD1800 camera into next-gen IP-based production workflows. Both the 4K and SMPTE ST 2110 transport options support SK-HD1800’s HDR capabilities.

In addition, CU-HD1300 has a firmware option that enables users to optimize to acquire HDR and SDR video simultaneously with a single camera.

Now available, Hitachi will also display the SK-HD1800 model at its booth, C4409, during the 2019 NAB Show.

Beijing, China – January 16, 2019 - Blackmagic Design today announced that Shiyan based Shiyan Daily Media Group built a new 4K OB van using URSA Broadcast and URSA Mini Pro cameras, as well as a number of other Blackmagic Design products to provide a 12G-SDI 4K workflow. The new van continues the Shivan Media Group’s move from traditional print coverage to becoming a full digital media organization.

Designed by Wuhan Vijita Technology, the OB van uses a number of different Blackmagic Design cameras, including URSA Broadcast cameras, URSA Mini Pro and Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K. For switching, routing and conversions, they use Blackmagic Design ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, Smart Videohub 20 x 20 and a variety of Mini Converters.

Shiyan Daily Media Group is one of the first print newspapers in China to have transferred to digital media. Its Shiyan Evening News won the “China’s Leading Digital Media Brand” award in 2012 and has more than one million followers on WeChat. The majority of whom are from Shiyan, a prefectural level city with a population of less than four million. According to new media big data analytics platform GS Data, Shiyan Evening News’s WeChat holds first place position among WeChat accounts of prefectural newspapers in China and has been one of the top 10 popular newspaper WeChat accounts in the country for many years.

“We have been doing well with new media because we started it off very early. Now that the time for commercial use of 5G has been confirmed and it will be much easier to get Ultra HD sources from the mobile Internet, we set our ‘mobile and video first’ strategy and founded a dedicated video team in 2017,” said Zhiguo Gan, deputy managing editor, multimedia division, Shiyan Daily Media Group.

At first, the video team created streaming content for Shiyan Daily’s new media platforms with smartphones and other simple devices, but these tools were not suitable for critical events that required multicam production, so they decided to procure equipment for professional live productions.

Speaking of their standard of choosing new solutions, Gan said: “The new solution must be reliable, have advantages over what our competitors are using, be future proof, able to get new functionalities with updates and be easy to use and maintain. Also, its supplier should provide professional support in a timely manner.”

The six camera 4K OB van designed by Wuhan Vijita Technology around Blackmagic Design’s 12G-SDI products won the contract. It includes two URSA Broadcast cameras and one URSA Mini Pro, each equipped with a Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter, which is connected to a Studio Fiber Camera Converter housed in the van using a SMPTE fiber cable that supports bidirectional transmission of video, audio, talkback, Tally and camera control.

Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K is directly connected to the van with the fiber connection. All four camera feeds and two wireless feeds go into the Smart Videohub 20 x 20 router, which assigns and distributes the feeds to the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K switcher and a backup switcher, monitors and a streaming device.

Looking back on the process of choosing products, the head of the video team Zhenyu Zhang said: “We saw how Blackmagic Design’s 4K OB van live streamed an intangible culture heritage event in Jingzhou. Also we visited Wuhan TV’s first HD broadcast studio, which was completely built with Blackmagic Design products, where most of Wuhan TV’s live shows are produced. This gave us confidence in the reliability of Blackmagic Design’s products.”

“In terms of advantages, when most new media and even broadcasters are still using HD products, every Blackmagic product in the van, including the camera, video router and switcher, supports 4K. But the costs are still lower than that of other HD solutions. Even compared with other 4K products, Blackmagic Design could save by one third, which can be used for future upgrades, such as adding 5G transmission devices.”

Zhang noted that the versatility of each Blackmagic product brings an overall advantage to the system. “It reduces the complexity of the system, making the van smaller, easy to use and maintain. For example, on the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, each input includes a re-synchronizer and format converter, so we don’t need extra devices because the switcher can take in any feed in any format, be it 720p from a drone, a non broadcast standard output from a computer, or any frame rate,” he said. “Also, both the URSA Broadcast and URSA Mini Pro can be used as a studio camera with a B4 mount or as a film camera with an EF or PL mount, which eliminates the need for more cameras.”

“This allows us to keep the crew small and that means lower operation costs. There are seven members in the crew, so there’d be profit if our van goes to some small or medium events; a common large OB van has to be taken care of by a much larger crew, which means much higher costs and there’d be no profit if it goes to these small or medium events.

The smaller van gives us more flexibility. Our van is a Mercedes Sprinter, enough to house all the equipment. So we can go to many places that large OB vans can’t go to, making us more competitive. Plus, all the products in the van are from Blackmagic Design, meaning the compatibility between each component is better than that of solutions consisting of various brands,” he said.

Before the van, most of the video team members had only used small video cameras and DSLRs and had rarely used broadcast equipment for multicam productions. Just a few days after the van was delivered, they started streaming with it.

“Blackmagic products offer intuitive UIs and are easy to master. We can find the functions very easily and quickly without scouring through menus. Less than a week after the first training, we did our first multicam live streaming for a high school military training with the van and went on live producing many other more complex events in the following two months, such as the China (Shiyan) Auto Products Expo, where there were separate venues and more screens for IMAG,“ he revealed.

It took less than three months to design, build up and deliver the OB van to Shiyan Daily Media Group. Gan pointed out that this not only proved Shiyan Daily’s efficiency but also their resolution to develop the video business. “This also means Blackmagic Design’s products and service are both reliable. Besides efficient van modification and delivery, Blackmagic Design’s authorized reseller Wuhan Vijita Technology always responds immediately when we need service and technical support and even sends experts to Shiyan to help and train our crew.”

Gan also shared his thoughts of the value of the OB van for new media development. “To adapt to media convergence trends, new media are actively exploring ways of increasing production value. Shiyan Daily Media Group started early and acted quickly and this has brought us a dramatic increase in advertising income, making us a model for many counterparts to learn from. In the past, we shared our experience in doing new media. Now that we have had our own 4K OB van, we will also share professional multicam production how-tos with our counterparts. We believe Blackmagic Design’s products will help more media like us, leading to a healthy and prosperous media industry,” he concluded.

Press Photography

Product photos of URSA Broadcast cameras, URSA Mini Pro, Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K, ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, Smart Videohub 20 x 20 and other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

NEWARK, N.J—Panasonic this week began delivery of its new AW-UE 150 4K/60 pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera and the AW-RP 150 remote controller.

The new PTZ camera offers UHD 60p output, a wide horizontal viewing angle of 75.1 degrees, 20x optical zoom and 32x intelligent zoom in HD mode. Applications for the camera include reality TV production as well as use in stadiums, lecture halls, churches and other venues.

The UE150 relies on a 1-inch MOS sensor and supports various 4K interfaces, including 12G-SDI, HDMI, optical fiber and IP connectivity. The camera outputs 4K and HD at the same time and achieves smooth video moves –even when rapid movement is required. Images shot in 4K can be output full frame while simultaneously outputting cropped parts of images.

The camera offers high dynamic range (HDR) support and has an optical image stabilizer for automatic correction of vibrations. The camera’s Night Mode offers infrared shooting. Pan and tilt operation speeds vary from a minimum of 0.08 degrees/second to 180 degrees/second.

The AW-RP150 camera controller relies on a 7-inch LCD touchscreen to display a GUI for monitoring and menu setting. A joystick with a seesaw lever for zoom and focus control offers single-hand operation. An SDI input to the LCD panel for camera monitoring is provided.

The panel is outfitted with frequently used buttons. Menu, camera switching function and indicators are assigned to the touch panel. Focus is quickly aligned to the area on the screen that is touched. A Focus in Red function assists with aligning focus by framing in red the area of the image to be focused.

Scene files, system settings files and other camera settings can be saved on the RP150 SD card and then copied to multiple cameras.

More information is available on the Panasonic website.

Ronkonkoma, NY – December 5, 2018 –Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, is thrilled to announce its latest Art lenses – the ultra-wide-angle landscape stunner 14-24mm F2.8 and the macro master 70mm F2.8 – have been honored with four prestigious awards this fall. At the 2018 Photo Plus Expo, the Lucie Technical Awards named the Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art this year’s Best Wide Angle Zoom Lens and the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro Art this year’s Best Special Purpose Lens. Digital Photo also included both lenses in its 2018 Editors’ Choice Awards as the best photographic gear of the year.

“The Sigma family is excited to see our latest Art lenses receive well-deserved recognition from the industry. Our company strives to facilitate photographers’ artistic expression by crafting products that stand out with exceptional quality, tremendous value and push the envelope on innovation,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president, Sigma Corporation of America. “We love seeing so much amazing content created by Sigma shooters and we feel proud that our gear enables them to unleash their creativity to the fullest.”

About Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art

Designed for 50-megapixel plus cameras, the 14-24mm F2.8 DG HSM Art achieves the legendary Art lens sharpness with three FLD glass elements, three SLD glass elements, and three aspherical lens elements, including one 80mm high precision molded glass aspherical element. With near zero distortion (less than 1%) and minimal transverse chromatic aberration, flare and ghosting, the Sigma 14-24mm offers constant F2.8 brightness throughout the zoom range and delivers optimal image quality at every focal length and shooting distance. The high-speed, high-accuracy autofocus allows photographers to capture incredible, in-the-moment images that set a new standard in the era of outstanding high-resolution. Outdoor shooters will appreciate the dust- and splash-proof construction with special sealing at the mount connection, manual focus ring, zoom ring and cover connection. With the growing popularity in multi-camera VR videography, a new Front Conversion Service is available to convert to a round hood for these specialized applications. It is available in Nikon, Canon and Sigma camera mounts for $1,299.00.

About Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO Art

As the first Macro lens to join the Sigma Art line, the 70mm F2.8 DG MACRO Art prioritizes optical performance at every focus distance. Crafted with an extended, floating, two-group focus mechanism to minimize aberration, it produces optimal resolution and clarity. Featuring a new coreless DC motor, the lens is equipped with extremely smooth autofocus performance. Additionally, it integrates a focus-by-wire system for comfortable and precise focusing. It ships in Canon, Sigma and Sony E camera mounts for $569.00.

About Sigma Corporation

Craftsmanship. Precision. Dedication. Since 1961, Sigma has been devoted to the pursuit of advancing photographic technology. Unique to the industry, the family-owned business produces its high-quality, award-winning cine and camera lenses, DSLR and mirrorless cameras, flashes, filters and accessories from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Aizu, Japan.

In 2012, the company introduced the Sigma Global Vision with three distinct lens lines: Art, Contemporary and Sport. Designed for industry camera mount systems including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony and Sigma, each lens is handcrafted and tested in Japan to ensure a high-performance, premium product that is purpose-built to last. In 2016, Sigma entered into the world of cinematography lens production. Embodying the core optical DNA that has defined the Sigma benchmark of excellence, the cine lenses meet the needs of advanced 6k and 8k cinema production.

Sigma continues its tradition of imaging excellence with the mirrorless sd Quattro, sd Quattro H and the compact dp Quattro camera line. Leveraging the ultra-high resolution Foveon sensor, the Sigma Quattro cameras are designed to produce the highest quality image with every shot.

For information about Sigma, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com or follow the company on Sigma Blog, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

####

Edison, NJ – November 19, 2018 – The new Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light offers photographers and videographers a professional, portable LED light system with powerful output for 99.00 USD. With a wide array of settings to create different moods, atmospheres, color backgrounds and special lighting effects, the easy-to-use light allows photographers to control and fine-tune the light source focus to capture the perfect shot every time. The free companion app allows users to fully control all aspects of the light, including color, brightness and saturation, for a fast and efficient workflow.

Experiment with Numerous Lighting Options
Equipped with 320 professional-grade LED lamps, the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light provides 99 levels of cool white, warm white and RGB light to create the right ambience for your photo or video shoot. For further customization, you can adjust hue and saturation, brightness level and the exact color temperature you want to achieve in the 3200K-5600K range. With so many lighting options from just one device, the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light makes experimenting like a pro easy.

Maximum Control Gives Way to Endless Lighting Combinations
Created with a flexible and versatile design, the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light can be used unmounted, mounted to your camera or tripod, or stacked with additional lights. With endless lighting adjustments, controlling the appropriate levels is effortless with the option to select your preferences manually or from your smart device via Bluetooth with the free downloadable app. With the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light, you can change the whole look of your shoot directly from your phone!

What's Included:

• Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light
• Battery
• Battery charger/adapter
• Swivel head mounting adapter
• Diffusing filter
• Carrying case
• Downloadable app

Technical Specifications:

• LEDs: 144 3200K LEDs, 144 5600K LEDs, 32 RGB LEDs
• Color temperature: 3200K-5600K
• Average lifespan: 50,000 hours
• Lumens: 2304 lm
• CRI: 95+
• Output power: 20W
• Dimensions: 9.96” x 3.4” x 2.36” (25.3 x 8.7 x 6cm)
• Weight: 13.6 oz. (387g) without battery

Photographers and videographers can purchase the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light from Amazon for 99.99 USD.

Request a Media Review Kit
Members of the media are invited to review the Polaroid RGB LED camera and camcorder light. To request a media review kit, please contact Samantha Bryton at samantha@zazilmediagroup.com.

The Polaroid Brand
Polaroid is one of the world’s most trusted, respected and recognizable brands, with a rich 80-year history built primarily on Polaroid instant cameras and film. The company’s complete range of products was designed to deliver the fun, instant gratification and creative freedom for which the brand has long stood. Today, the Polaroid Classic Border Logo, rooted in the instant photo sharing that Polaroid pioneered, is the mark of genuine Polaroid branded products. For more information, visit Polaroid.com.

Polaroid, Polaroid & Pixel, Polaroid Color Spectrum and Polaroid Classic Border Logo are trademarks of PLR IP Holdings, LLC, used under license.

Press Contact for Polaroid Photo Accessories
Samantha Bryton
Zazil Media Group
(e) samantha@zazilmediagroup.com
(c) +1.617.817.6559

####