MELBOURNE, Australia—Atomos today introduced Ninja TX GO, a new HDMI monitor-recorder that combines a brighter screen, advanced monitoring tools, professional codecs, camera control and cloud connectivity and is built for HDMI-based cameras.

With its 5-inch, 1,500-nit HDR touchscreen, Ninja TX GO offers a monitoring experience superior to built-in camera displays, Atomos said. It features professional tools such as EL Zone, waveform, vectorscope and focus peaking, giving content creators complete control over framing, exposure and color accuracy on-set, the company said.

Ninja TX GO records directly to CFexpress Type B or external USB-C SSD storage and supports Apple ProRes, ProRes RAW, Avid DNx and H.265/H.264 formats, providing flexibility across postproduction workflows. With RAW-capable HDMI inputs, it can record up to 6Kp30 RAW, Atomos said.

Like the company’s Ninja TX, Ninja TX GO offers integrated camera control, a free feature that allows direct adjustment of exposure settings, such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO on supported cameras from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony, Z CAM and other brands. This makes Ninja TX GO a complete on-camera companion for monitoring, recording and control, it said.

“With Ninja TX GO, we’re bringing the power and flexibility of our flagship Ninja TX to an even broader community of creators,” said Peter Barber, Atomos CEO. “It’s a lightweight, incredibly powerful monitor-recorder that delivers professional-grade monitoring, recording and control without compromise. It’s perfect for creators who want the best visual fidelity and workflow flexibility straight from their HDMI cameras”

Ninja TX GO includes built-in Wi-Fi for seamless camera-to-cloud operation, including 20GB of free ATOMOSphere cloud storage, enabling direct upload to ATOMOSphere, Frame.io, Dropbox and other services, or live streaming via NDI 6/HX3.

Ninja TX, launched earlier this year, adds even more advanced features, including SDI input/output, AirGlu wireless timecode and expanded 8Kp30 RAW recording capabilities for cinematic cameras, Atomos said.

Both models run on the next-generation AtomOS platform, providing faster performance, over-the-air updates and a more refined user experience. A robust locking cable system for HDMI and USB-C connections ensures reliability.

Ninja TX GO is available immediately from Atomos resellers worldwide and from the Atomos web store. Camera control will be a free-of-charge, over-the-air update for both Ninja TX GO and Ninja TX.

The Ninja TX Go is priced at $799 (USD), excluding local sales tax and VAT outside the U.S.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MUNICH—ARRI has introduced the Live Production Monitor LPM-1, a 10-inch onboard display and control interface for the cinematic ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System. Offering flexible connectivity and controls, the LPM-1 perfectly complements ARRI’s ALEXA 35 Live camera and Live Production System LPS-1, seamlessly integrating into professional live production environments, according to the company.

The ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System features a 4.6K Super 35 sensor that delivers unrivalled dynamic range for HDR, industry-leading color science, and exceptionally natural skin tones, ARRI said. Alongside the ALEXA 35 Live, LPS-1, and Skaarhoj RCP, the new LPM-1 monitor now becomes a core component of the ALEXA 35 Live - Multicam System, with benefits for operators, production teams, and even the talent in front of the camera.

The LPM-1 connects to the camera via an ARRI CoaXPress viewfinder cable, though an optional RS cable can provide additional power for maximum brightness. The 10-inch screen is an optimal size for live productions: big enough for accurate judging of focus, yet practical and unobtrusive on a tripod. Operators can be sure of a clear image at all times due to the high-bright display, wide viewing angle, accurate color rendition, and two sunhood options: a long sunhood for outdoor environments and a short, foldable sunhood for studios.

In addition to its touchscreen interface, the LPM-1 features tactile rotary knobs for easy adjustment of contrast, color, brightness, and peaking, allowing operators to tweak the monitor image to their needs without affecting the production image. Alongside the rotary knobs are four configurable user buttons that can be assigned to camera or monitor functions for personalized, on-the-fly control. Initial setup of camera and monitor settings can be achieved either with the touchscreen or with buttons on the monitor’s rear. Also on the rear are strong mechanical interfaces for battery plates, VESA mounts, and other accessories.

Further aiding the professional operator are three physical tally lights, positioned discreetly at the top of the monitor, which can supplement or replace the monitor overlay tally. A Tally IN connector facilitates external triggering, while a large camera number display enables easy identification of camera channels. For performers or presenters in front of the camera, the three-color talent tally is sufficiently bright to be clearly visible in all light conditions, even direct sunlight.

Complementing the LPM-1 and crucial to its real-world usage is the specially designed Monitor Yoke Support MYS-2, which provides sturdy support and flexible maneuverability. An integrated NATO rail allows operators to slide the monitor back and forth and adjust its position on multiple axes with just one hand.

The ARRI Live Production Monitor LPM-1 will be available to order in October 2025 with different accessory options.

RALEIGH, N.C.—SmallHD has launched its durable, bright Ultra 7 monitor, the new flagship in its Smart 7 Series.

The Ultra 7 is powered by the same technology that drives SmallHD’s 4K production monitors. It integrates with Teradek’s Bolt 6 wireless platform and is engineered to perform in any production environment, the company said.

“When we set out to design our next generation of ultrabright handhelds, we knew we had to create a monitor that was a major leap forward,” said Greg Smokler, SmallHD vice president of cine products. “Ultra 7 combines the processing power of our 4K production monitors with a rugged chassis and heat-management system built to withstand the harshest production conditions.”

Ultra 7’s color-accurate touch screen can display up to 2300 nits full-screen luminance. The monitor provides the I/O needed to meet the dynamic needs of cinematic productions, including 6G-SDI inputs for ingest and passthrough of up to 4Kp30 video signals, enabling critically accurate focus and detail when zoomed in pixel-to-pixel. Dual 2-pin power connectors enable users to output power for accessories, SmallHD’s PageOS software can be controlled flexibly via touchscreen or joystick. Large tactile buttons enable customization and function access, the company said.

The Ultra 7 is SmallHD’s first IP-Certified monitor at IP53, defined by protection against ingress of liquids and fine particles. A sealed heat management system allows the Ultra 7 to operate in temperatures ranging from 0 to 40 degrees Celsius (32 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit). The machined chassis is strengthened by a new design that includes raised edges protecting the front-glass of the display and shock-absorbing silicone bumpers that help with tumbles and impacts, it said.

The new monitor incorporates a reimagined quick-release sunhood, which is sold separately. The sunhood clips securely in the front of the monitor with hidden magnets rather than requiring tools or screws, making it fast to convert to a three- or four-sided hood. The new sunhood is constructed with an anti-reflective felt underside that protects the monitor glass when the hood closes and transforms into a durable cover, it said.

The Ultra 7 can be purchased with a fully integrated Teradek Bolt 6 transmitter or receiver inside a chassis that’s the same size as the standard model. The monitor with an integrated Bolt 6 will offer a new rugged antenna cap to reduce damage. It will be available with Bolt 6 750 and 1500 models. Ultra 7 RX kits will ship with handles, a padded strap and a Wooden Camera Micro Battery Plate (GM, VM, or B-mount), it said.

The monitor offers integrated Ethernet and 5-pin USB port that enables PageOS-integrated camera control options anchored to every page for ARRI, RED and Sony VENICE camera. TX and RX models will support wireless camera control via 6GHz spectrum, it said.

SmallHD has priced the Ultra 7 at $2,999.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LOS ANGELES—Most, if not all, of my shoots require monitoring multiple cameras at the same time and SmallHD OS5’s addition of multi-view in late 2022 streamlined huge aspects of my work for both myself and my AC (assistant cameraperson) and video village techs. 

Prior to OS5 we relied on third party devices that require their own power, mounting hardware and cable support and thus were adding additional failure points to a critical part of the set infrastructure that most department heads rely on to do their best work: "video village," where monitors and playback have been set up for the director and other members of the production team.

Having integrated multi-view means as many as four cameras can be viewed on the same SmallHD monitor, which saves time and removes the need for additional (sometimes heavily used) camera feed splitter rental equipment. 

4K Cine 13 For Mobility
I became an early adopter of the Cine 24 High Bright monitor from SmallHD and only recently added a SmallHD 4K Cine 13 for the added mobility in the field. Monitors and the accompanying technology have never been an area where I like to cut corners — you should have a great deal of confidence in the image you’re capturing and thus I’m quick to jump on the latest and greatest tech when it comes to monitors especially. 

Both monitors have a gorgeous UHD 4K 10-bit display that I depend on for every shot and I often turn to the multitude of built-in exposure tools like Waveform and False color to make sure my shadows and highlights are landing where I need them. The streamlined exterior design of the Cine 13 and Cine 24 gives us plenty of mounting points alongside the variety of 12G and HDMI inputs and outputs. 

Several of my most recent shows have required me to utilize multi-view on projects like “Dimension 20” and “Game Charger” for College Humor and also the “Informer” series for VICE. We tend to use a combination of both Teradek 6 Bolt wireless and wired inputs into the back of our SmallHD monitors and we rely on wireless for movement heavy handheld, gimbal or Steadicam shots and stationary cameras are often fine utilizing 12G BNC cables. 

It's the Ecosystem
The multi-view feature on the SmallHD 4K production monitors is excellent, but it is the overall SmallHD and Teradek ecosystem that keeps me coming back to this hardware again and again. Having integrated distance markings in the form of RT Overlays with the Teradek RT has been a huge hit with my assistant camera team and lately I’ve also been impressed by the newly released EL Zone exposure tool and how useful it is for making tricky exposure calculations on the fly. 

For me, I’ll be using multi-view long into the future as production schedules become truncated and we’re gently pushed to capture more shots faster. More shots means more cameras and SmallHD’s production monitors alongside their accompanying digital toolset is helping keep my job as a DP as stress free as possible. 

For more information visit https://smallhd.com/

MELBOURNE, Australia—Atomos has added Camera-to-Cloud (C2C) function to its Zato CONNECT, a lightweight, battery-operated 5-inch monitor-recorder.

Zato CONNECT makes virtually any HDMI camera or webcam C2C-capable. Powered by Frame.io, Camera to Cloud accelerates content creation by reducing how long it takes to go from acquisition to post-production, it said.

C2C eliminates the time formerly needed to ship hard drives and copy files between devices. Zato hero files are uploaded directly to the cloud from the camera so that editors and remote stakeholders, such as producers, directors and clients, can begin working on material immediately, it said.

With the new update, Zato can upload a copy of the fixed bitrate H.264 file recorded to an SD card directly to Frame.io, it said.

“Unlike our other networked CONNECT devices, Zato doesn’t record ProRes or DNx, so there is no hero file relinking in this workflow,” said Paul Scurrell, Atomos senior vice president. “This solution is designed for getting edited content super-fast to social media platforms, where the HD H.264 quality is more than acceptable.”

The company will show Zato CONNECT with Camera to Cloud to the public for the first time Feb. 24-25 at BSC Expo, Battersea Evolution, London.

“With Zato CONNECT, shooting directly to the cloud is now affordable for virtually every budget,” said Michael Cioni, senior director of global innovation at Frame.io. Zato is the fastest way to speed up capture, edit and delivery to social media in the market.” 

More information is available on the company’s website.

MELBOURNE—Atomos has announced its new Shinobi 7 monitor, which has the more expansive screen real estate of a seven-inch screen and the lightweight monitor-only function of the original Atomos Shinobi. 

With a calibrated peak brightness of 2200Nits, the Shinobi 7 can be used in the brightest of environments without the need for a sun hood or for conversion of Log inputs for HDR monitoring, the company reported.

The touch screen of the Shinobi 7 is designed to give users fast access to the most crucial camera features and improve their control of the camera. 

The monitor also supports HDR in the field with 10+ stops of dynamic range in real time from Log/PQ/HLG signals and HDR monitoring features. 

In addition to Log to HDR conversions, users can use custom 3D LUT to feed downstream to other devices or live feeds. They can load up to eight custom LUTs at any time via the SD card slot. 

More information can be found here. 

WEITERSTADT, Germany—Lynx Technik has announced a new portable multiformat and multistandard waveform monitor, the WFM 1801. 

The WFM 1801, which comes with a built-in vectorscope and audio monitoring, is designed to monitor, evaluate, measure and display the levels of an incoming video signal (up to 3G SDI) and provide technicians and engineers with a versatile hand-held diagnostic tool for multiple formats and applications.

Features include a 5-inch integrated LCD touch-screen display that provides a monochrome waveform, vector and audio monitoring for up to 16 channels. The integrated vectorscope measures the chrominance of a video signal, including hue and saturation. The device is also capable of SDI error detection and SDI cable length measurements.

In launching the product, Lynx Technik noted that the WFM 1801 has several benefits for production workflows by providing an accurate way to calibrate signals from video equipment, compare incoming video signals and general signal analysis. 

When bundled with the company’s PTG 1802 test pattern generator it provides an extensive testing and monitoring solution that fits in the palm of a hand.

As a portable device, the WFM 1801 is suitable for on-site productions and shoots, for remote or at-home productions or other situations where transporting large pieces of equipment might be difficult. 

Lynx Technik is a provider of modular signal processing interfaces and the WFM 1801 is part of the vendor’s Testor series product. 

For more information, visit www.lynx-technik.com. 

NEUSS, Germany—Ikegami has introduced the ULE-315, the latest addition to its ULE series of professional monitors.

The new 31.5-inch monitor provides two 425M-A 3G/HD SDI inputs, Y/Pb/Pr analog component inputs (3x BNC) and a 3G/HD-SDI active loop-through output. HDMI, DVI and VGA inputs are also available, as well as an audio input and RS-422 (RJ45) control interface, the company said.

The monitor's integral encoder is compatible with all commonly used video signal formats from 480i and 480p to 2048x1080p, it said.

"The ULE-315 is a highly versatile Grade III monitor offering SDI connectivity plus a wide range of production-related capabilities at a cost-effective price," said Michael Lätzsch, manager of the Broadcast & Professional Video Division at Ikegami Electronics in Europe.

“We are confident that it will meet the requirements of broadcasters, post-production companies and playout service providers, the majority of whom have a strong investment in SDI infrastructure,” he said.

The ULE-315 can be color-calibrated with measuring probes from Ikegami-recognized manufacturers, the company said.

The display is a 1920x1080-pixel IPS-type AHVA panel delivering Full-HD resolution within +/- 178-degree viewing angles, it said.

The monitor weighs 26.45 lbs. and is 29.3x19.7x6.3 inches. It can be used on a desktop or attached to VESA wall mounts. The ULE-315 operates from 100 to 240 volts AC mains and has a 50 watt rated power consumption, Ikegami said.

More information is available on the Ikegami website.

CARY, N.C.—SmallHD is introducing its new reference-grade monitor, the OLED 22 4K production monitor, which the company says carries advanced OLED features.

SmallHD has crafted the OLED 22 around the Small4K Video Processing Architecture, which provides input/output options with eight 12G-SDI and two HDMI 2.0 ports that enable 4K signal processing. The monitor’s chassis includes 36 individual 1/4-20-inch mounting points along the top and sides and weighs in at 9.3 lbs. It also features a removable handle and feet.

The screen measures 21.6 inches, features a >1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with an absolute black point, 10-bit color depth, 3840x2160 resolution, 350nit brightness level and 100% P3/135% Rec 709 color gamuts for true-to-life color reproduction, per SmallHD. The company also says the monitor has no image degradation at any viewing angle.

The monitor’s power options include two hot-swappable power inputs—one three-pin XLR and a slide-on Dual Battery Plate that can be attached via a built-in Smart Rail on the rear side of the monitor. A pair of two-pin locking accessory outputs add power flexibility for additional devices.

In addition, OLED 22 is Teradek Bolt 4K compatible.

SmallHD has also announced a new internal toolset, PageOS4 software, which gives users access an array of curated exposure tools and workflows for enhanced production functionality.

The SmallHD OLED 22 4K production monitor will begin shipping in August, and is currently being offered with a limited-time price of $11,999.

For more information, visit www.smallhd.com.  

HAYWARD, Calif.—Wohler Technologies has introduced the budget-priced iVAM1-1 16-channel audio/video monitor. 

The iVAM1-1 can monitor and meter up to 16 channels of 3G-SDI audio and video, as well as two channels of analog audio in a compact 1u format. A single 2.4-inch touchscreen, incorporating design philosophies from previous iAM Series products, allows operators to toggle between video, meters and menus, the company said.

An HDMI output provides for additional monitoring of the currently monitored video source. Analog XLR, headphone and selected 3G-SDI outputs are also included as standard. Options are available for monitoring AES3, MADI64, SMPTE ST 2110 and ST 2022, it said.

Front panel controls provide access to main volume, balance and auxiliary controls to supplement those available via the touchscreen. Individual audio channels can be summed, soloed or muted by a touch or mechanical control, the company said.

A front-mounted USB port is provided for software updates and a network interface allows for remote management. APIs allow for easy integration with third-party controllers, it said.

The iVAM1 is scheduled to ship in July, the Wohler said. 

More information is available on the company’s website.  

CYPRESS, Calif.—Eizo has released the ColorEdge Prominence CG3146 reference monitor for post-production and color grading workflows.

The 31.1-inch 4K DCI (4096 x 2160) HDR reference monitor is the successor to the company’s ColorEdge Prominence CG3145 HDR reference monitor. 

The CG3146 correctly displays very bright and dark areas on screen without sacrificing the integrity of either. The monitor achieves 1000 cd/m2 (typical) high brightness and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for true HDR display.

The new monitor offers a built-in calibration sensor. The monitor leverages Eizo’s experience in hardware calibration solutions, which ensures the screen remains color-accurate over time and streamlines color management, allowing users to focus on the creative process.

With Eizo’s ColorNavigator 7 color management software, users can regularly calibrate and quality control the monitor quickly and reliably. All color modes can be calibrated at once. Regular recalibration intervals can be set up, and ColorNavigator 7 can be used to maintain quality control of multiple monitors with a single software application.

The new monitor supports hybrid log-gamma (HLG) and PQ (perceptual quantization) curves. The optimized gamma curves render images in a manner that appears truer to how the human eye perceives images when compared to standard dynamic range.

The ColorEdge Prominence CG3146 has a temperature sensor for accurate temperature measurement inside the monitor, as well as for estimating the temperature of the surrounding environment.

With this temperature sensing and estimation technology, the monitor adjusts in real-time, so gradations, color, brightness and other characteristics continue to be displayed accurately. Artificial intelligence is used in the estimation algorithm to calculate more accurate correction. 

The company’s digital uniformity equalizer (DUE) technology also is employed to counterbalance the influence of temperature fluctuation on color temperature and brightness.

Features include:

• Single-Link 12G/6G/3G/HD-SDI and Dual- or Quad-Link 3G/HD-SDI 
• VPID support for SDI connections 
• HDMI and DisplayPort inputs 
• 99% reproduction of DCI-P3 
• 3D LUT for individual color adjustment on an RGB cubic table 
• 10-bit simultaneous display from a 24-bit LUT for smooth color gradations 
• Quick adjustment of monitor settings via front bezel dial 
• Light-shielding hood included 
• Five-year manufacturer’s warranty 

More information is available on the company’s website. 

CHIBA, Japan—Sony gave Inter BEE 2019 attendees a sneak peek at the prototype for its new 24-inch LCD professional picture monitor designed for 4K HDR productions. Sony bills the portable monitor that features high-grade picture quality and accurate color reproduction as a new tool for on-set monitoring, non-linear video editing, studio wall monitoring and rack-mount monitoring.

The monitor has UHD resolution (3840x2160 pixels) and an all-white luminance of 1,000 cd/m2. It also features wide color gamut for color verification and color reproduction. In addition, it offers a wide viewing angle, 12G-SDI input and HDMI connection.

More details will be released at a later date. For more information, visit pro.sony.

Fremont, CA - November 28, 2018 - Blackmagic Design today announced that Living As One, LLC, a global leader in multisite and live streaming solutions for houses of worship and corporations, has developed their popular Multisite Platform around the Blackmagic Design DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K and DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K. The products provide high quality capture and playback for Living As One’s flagship turnkey streaming solution designed to reliably live stream UltraHD video content to remote locations and to the web.

Texas based Living As One, LLC is focused on improving communications within and between geographically broad organizations. The company was founded in 2014 to fill a void in the professional video market for a highly resilient live streaming solution and now serves a growing number of multi location non profit and for profit organizations around the world.

“The Living As One Multisite Platform delivers reliable, high quality video with zero loss to remote locations, and one of the ways that we make sure that happens is with the DeckLinks,” said Paul Martel, CEO of Living As One. “Our Encoders and Decoders ensure that 100% of video content is successfully transmitted throughout the entire streaming path, from the broadcast location, to our cloud transcoder, to any location in the world, even in the case of a complete internet outage. The DeckLinks have been reliable and affordable, allowing high quality capture and playout of professional video signals in a compact system.”

The Blackmagic Design DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K provides realtime video capture for the Multisite Encoder, while the DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K is used for live/DVR playback with the Multisite Decoder. With this system, Living As One is able to provide flawless streaming of one UltraHD broadcast or two 1080p60 feeds with guaranteed synchronization at playback sites.

Multisite Encoders, available in Single Channel and Dual Channel models, capture professional audio and video through HDMI and SDI and use either h.264 or h.265 (HEVC) codecs to efficiently compress one or two channels of video and up to 16 channels of perfectly synchronized audio. Feeds are then live streamed to the Living As One content delivery network, with the encoders automatically resending content that may be lost during transmission through a patented method, regardless of the duration of any network interruption.

The Multisite Decoder, which is designed with volunteer operators in mind, includes a simple to use video player that runs on dedicated hardware and allows playback and pausing of live video. Regardless of whether the video is playing or paused, Multisite Decoder’s advanced algorithms will continue to buffer live video ahead of time to a local SSD to prevent interruptions in playback. Living As One used the DeckLink SDK along with the DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K to create the Decoder application providing these zero content loss playback capabilities.

One of the features most useful to Living As One is the DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K and Mini Monitor 4Ks ability to support 16 channels of audio and any standard video format.

“By providing 16 channels of audio, the remote viewing experience can be way more immersive because audio from any element of an event can be streamed and played in remote locations in whatever way works for those venues. For example, Crossroads Church in Cincinnati Ohio broadcasts their band’s instruments and click track on individual audio channels so that the band’s at their remote campus can sync and play together. Other churches send audio from audience microphones to give an ‘in the room’ experience to viewer’s at remote venues. And some like the Global Leadership Summit send audio from multiple real time language translations which can be distributed locally at the remote venues with RF headsets or even a phone app. We were able to build these capabilities into our platform through the DeckLink’s easy to use SDK, which is another huge advantage from using Blackmagic Design,” Martel said.

“The Multisite Platform allows our church customers in particular to connect and share their messages across the globe, and the ease of use and reliability that the DeckLinks give us makes that possible,” he continued. “With the introduction of the DeckLink product line Blackmagic removed the price barrier for developers to obtain high quality video capture and playout devices, and that allowed us at Living As One to focus on creating our resilient streaming platform. In effect, Blackmagic Design has helped us change the way organizations around the globe broadcast.”

About DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K and DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K

DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K and DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K both models support all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p30. They are low profile 4 lane generation 2 PCI Express cards that include 6G-SDI and HDMI 2.0a connections. This means the high quality connections support broadcast quality 10-bit YUV and 12-bit RGB video, along with the latest Rec. 2020 color and support for high dynamic range (HDR) formats and HDR metadata. Both DeckLink Mini 4K models are fully compatible with the Blackmagic Desktop Video SDK, making them perfect for OEMs or developers that are building custom playback or recording solutions.

For more information about Living As One, please visit https://livingasone.com/.

Press Photography

Product photos of DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K, DeckLink Mini Recorder 4K and all 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

NEW YORK—When I consolidated my business as a New York City-based DP two years ago, one of my initial investments was in a Panasonic VariCam LT, which I’ve since used to shoot a wide variety of fashion projects, commercials, music videos, narrative work and other branded content.

My work has expanded to the extent that I recently added another camera, the VariCam 35. Shooting in 4K and 2K with two of the best cinema cameras on the market, certainly with the best looks and color rendition, I realized I needed to step up from a seven-inch OLED monitor, which just wasn’t proving big enough to handle low-light shooting, and wasn’t giving me enough information to make critical decisions.

SPOTTING NUANCES

When I had the opportunity to demo Panasonic’s BT-LH1770 16.5-inch FHD LCD monitor, my first impression was that the colors were amazing and you can really see your blacks, with an overall higher-quality color rendition that would significantly help me out on set. I decided that the bigger Panasonic monitor would let me see the true colors of the set much better, as well as the nuances in the shot. And the LH1770 would make it easier for directors and gaffers to judge color and lighting.

Since I purchased the LH1770 last summer, I’ve used the monitor on fashion shoots for companies such as Bloomingdale’s and Peter Thomas Roth and several music videos. I will shortly have it on set on high-profile assignments for EA Sports, shooting an internal video about the gaming giant’s new facility in San Francisco and, in New York, shooting promotional video for one of the company’s new NFL titles.

A REAL WORKHORSE

As I’ve worked with the monitor, I’ve realized the benefits of having it on a multicamera shoot, especially with the LH1770’s standard 3G-SDI (x2), HDMI and analog composite inputs, which in practical terms for me means it can handle up to four channels of HD-SDI and I don’t need to bring an additional powered accessory on set.

I typically can’t afford a DIT, so being able to accurately color calibrate with the monitor is big. I can dial in a look/LUT on either of my VariCams, then make a grade in the monitor based on what I’m shooting. There’s a consistency in the camera, screen and output. Also, with the monitor’s 1920 x 1080 resolution, input images are displayed without resizing. True-to-life gradation is achieved by the LH1770’s 10-bit processing.

With its solid metal housing, the monitor can take abuse and withstand the rigors of traveling. The LH1770 is proving itself as a workhorse for the price, and simply a great tool to have on set.

Nick Dabas is a director of photography based in New York. He can be reached atphoto@nickdabas.com.

For more information visithttp://business.panasonic.com/products-professionalvideoor call 877-803-8492.

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NEW YORK—HD camera and production equipment provider Ikegami has lined up some of its latest camera and monitor technology for CCW 2015.

One highlight will be Ikegami’s recent collaboration with ARRI to create the HDK-97ARRI camera. A broadcast style production camera with digital camera characteristics, the HDK-97ARRI can employ a large format sensor in multiple camera operation. Centered around ARRI’s Super 35mm CMOS sensor with associated support circuitry, the camera provides shallow depth of focus, HDR as a standard feature, and progressive frame rates like 23.98p. Meanwhile, Ikegami technology provides broadcast-grade distribution via fiber transmission, using up to 2 km SMPTE hybrid fiber/copper camera cable. Able to operate at 1080/59.94p, outputs from the half-rack BS-98 station include 4K, 1080p and 1080i.

HC-HD300

Ikegami will also have its HC-HD300, a docking style camera for the studio or field. Among its features is the newly developed 1/3-inch 3-CMOS optical block design. It can work with a camera control system consisting of the FA-300 Fiber Adapter and BSF-300 Base Station, utilizing OpticalCon DUO connectors for its fiber camera cable connection.

A number of Ikegami’s monitors will also be on display, including the HEM-2570 25-inch full HD OLED Grade-1 master monitor, HLM-1705WR 17-inch HDTV/SDTV Multi-format LED backlit monitor, and HLM-905WR 9-inch HDTV/SDTV Multi-format LCD color monitor.

Ikegami will be located at booth 933 at CCW 2015, which will take place from Nov. 11-12 in New York. For more information, visit www.ccwexpo.com.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS—Video Clarity will introduce several new additions to its RTM video monitoring line of products at the 2015 IBC Show.

Video Clarity RTM 3G The RTM 3G Portable is a smaller, lighter, rackmountable version of the company’s RTM 3G real-time monitoring device. This new, portable 2RU version incorporates SSD technology, saving space and offering higher reliability. RTM 3G is used for short or long-term quality monitoring of live and prerecorded 3 Gbps content to detect subtle or intermittent errors. With RTM 3G, users can test the quality of any delivered service they deploy — either from broadcast interfaces or IP networks. In doing so, they will be able to understand service and product performance levels and perfect program delivery before or during content delivery.

RTM 3G features DMOS, a full-resolution, full-reference-quality human perceptual measurement performed in real time. DMOS allows users to view a channel's quality without the complexity of setting up one or more recordings first. When video or audio runs outside of preset quality measurement thresholds, RTM 3G will automatically record the unacceptable clips and log the quality scores. RTM 3G also enables multiple audio and video measurements in one system at the same time, and users get a high degree of accuracy because recordings are in the uncompressed domain.
Video Clarity will also debut its newly engineered RTM Manager, the central management appliance for the company's RTM real-time audio and video monitoring solutions. The interface of RTM Manager has been completely redesigned, which means higher speed and added operational scheduling functions. The upgrades to RTM Manager make it even easier to control groups of RTM systems.

The RTM Manager Server is a key new feature that replaces the FTP function and takes the load off of the network to make RTM Manager faster and more scalable. The server leaves an installation package in each RTM system so that the RTM unit will recognize and share information with an RTM Manager automatically. Also, the new version offers the option to "delete oldest" logs or to stop recording, as opposed to saving all logs from a previous session as the last version did.

Video Clarity will be in Stand 2.C57. The IBC Show takes place in Amsterdam, Sept. 11-15.