MELBOURNE—Atomos has announced that it is now offering support for Apple ProRes RAW plug-ins. 

The update lets camera manufacturers provide their own ProRes RAW processing pipeline to take advantage of the unique properties of their cameras, sensors, lenses, and more.

Canon is the first camera maker to deliver a ProRes RAW Plug-in, with the EOS R5, R5 C and R6 Mark II cameras outputting RAW to an Atomos monitor-recorder. Atomos has already enabled full ProRes RAW plug-in support for these cameras in the current release firmware for Ninja V, Ninja V+, and Shogun Connect.

ProRes RAW is widely regarded as the universal RAW video format. With the introduction of plug-ins, now every camera maker can provide their own unique processing, in a completely confidential way, by writing a single ProRes RAW plug-in that brings out the best quality and unique looks created by their own cameras, Atomos said. 

ProRes RAW plug-ins will be supported in Final Cut Pro as well as many third-party applications that have licensed the ProRes RAW SDK, such as nonlinear editors (NLEs) and color correction applications.

Users can simply install the camera vendor’s ProRes RAW plug-in and Final Cut Pro will automatically show all the new enhanced features of the supported camera. Using a ProRes RAW plug-in enables camera-specific adjustments such as custom white balancing, noise reduction, demosaicing, lens distortion correction, and more.

Atomos supports over 50 camera models recording ProRes RAW from the camera’s RAW output over SDI or HDMI, so is uniquely placed to record this new enhanced metadata standard.

“This new feature for the ProRes RAW ecosystem is absolutely going to change the way people think about recording ProRes RAW,” said Trevor Elbourne, Atomos CEO. “For the first time the filmmaker literally gets the best of all worlds: shoot in ProRes RAW with the option to immediately apply camera-specific processing, use standard processing, or customize individual parameters to their own taste. You have to ask yourself: why wouldn’t you shoot in ProRes RAW?”. 

“We are very proud to be working alongside Apple and Canon to bring this ProRes RAW innovation to market,” Elbourne added. “We were first to market with an 8K ProRes RAW compatible mirrorless camera - the Canon EOS R5 - and now we are making another huge advancement with the ProRes RAW format.”

The ProRes RAW plug-in model has been designed to work not only with macOS but also with Windows and Linux.

Confession—I had a one week loaner of the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. After tearfully returning it to Blackmagic, I ordered one.

Measuring 7x3.4x3.8 inches, the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K isn’t exactly a camera that can fit into your pocket, but at a $1,295 price point you also don’t need to dig deep. No piece of equipment is perfect, but the Pocket 4K is an ideal price/performance device that has applications ranging from low budget to high production value projects.

Since the original $995 Blackmagic Pocket Camera, BMD has been under consumer pressure to create a comparable device for the 4K world. Hence, I suppose, the Pocket nomenclature was retained. Actually, the camera felt to me much more like a small medium-format camera from still film photography days. But weighing under 13 ounces without battery or lens, the camera is exceptionally easy to handle and suitable for smaller gimbals.

THE DETAILS

Let’s just start with some specs. The camera brain centers around a 18.96 x 10mm four-thirds sensor with an active MFT mount. The mount is fixed but a whole host of adapters could allow the camera to be used with a wide variety of optics. The sensor is a dual ISO 400 and ISO 3200 and can record up to ISO 25,600. Recording to either a CFast or SD card, it can capture up to 4K DCI resolution with 13 stops of dynamic range. Depending upon the lens, it can operate in fully automatic or manual modes. It can record up to 60fps in 4K DCI or 120fps in a windowed HD format.

While there are no video inputs for recording from other devices, for audio it offers a mini-XLR with phantom power as well as a 3.5mm stereo input. Headphone output is also via a 3.5mm connector but playback can also be monitored through a built-in speaker. Audio is analog only. The built-in stereo mic system can also be selected via audio input menu.

A useful feature is a USB-C port which, with a compatible external drive (Blackmagic lists certified drives and memory cards on its website) can power both the drive and record all available video formats. This provides more recording time for example, for RAW files than a CFast card at a lower cost per gigabyte than the expensive CFast memory.

Recording formats include:

• CinemaDNG RAW with uncompressed, 3:1 or 4:1 ratios

• ProRes 422HQ

• ProRes422

• ProRes Lite

• ProRes Proxy

It can record straight Rec 709 video (called “Video” by BMD) or Log (called “Film”). The rear 1920x1080 resolution monitor can display either recorded signal or apply a LUT for Rec 709 viewing. Blackmagic also includes an “Extended Film” gamma, which achieves maximum dynamic range.

DaVinci Resolve Studio (a $299 value) comes bundled with the camera not only to make it even a greater bargain but also to facilitate working with the files. Resolve’s built-in Film or Extended Film LUTs make a good starting point for grading LOG footage shot in camera while Resolve 15 and greater takes advantage of BMD’s latest color science. I personally find that latest color science particularly pleasing to the eye, especially on flesh tones.

The camera is powered by Canon LP-E6 batteries and it is here that shooting the camera alone provides some weakness. It can deliver around an hour of 24p shooting but I find in real world applications I wouldn’t count on it beyond 50 minutes and even less for 60p. It could of course be operated via AC if available but most likely an operator would need an external power supply.

STILL CAMERA VIDEOGRAPHY

That leads me to a more general comment about mirrorless or still-camera style videography. Most likely operators will need a rig. While there are numerous third-party cages, bases, mounts, power supplies, battery plates, monitors, etc on the market, it does mean that your small pocket camera requires a kit that could cost several times the cost of the camera and may even be more cumbersome to shoot than conventional-format dedicated video camera. And because the Pocket Camera4K has no built-in ND, many shooters may need to opt for fixed or variable ND filters over the lens. I don’t like variable ND filters and the vast difference in price and quality of these filters may cause artifacting or color shifts.

Whenever my camera arrives, I personally intend to keep the kit to a minimum with some kind of external battery, but mostly use it on a small gimbal such as a Zhiyun Crane or DJI Ronin-S.

I tested the camera with the Panasonic Lumix Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4. This compact zoom offers internal stabilization and is lightweight. The Blackmagic folks expressed a preference to me of the Olympus zoom, but the only MFT lens I owned is the Panasonic/Leica.

Like all Blackmagic cameras, the touchscreen menu system is straightforward, fast and easy to move between setups. I find the ability to enter user metadata for scene and take info to be invaluable.

The USB-C connection to an external drive didn’t give me a problem but being a user accustomed to locking BNC connections, I am suspect of all non-locking connectors. Third-party cages can provide additional connection security. It did record CinemaDNG flawlessly to the external SSD but I never exceeded 60 seconds or so in a test take.

I have tended to shoot Blackmagic Cameras in the CinemaDNG 3:1 RAW format. CinemaDNG files are large but with this modest compression, 4K DCI or UHD footage to my eye barely shows artifacting. Blackmagic has indicated that they hope to bring their BMD RAW formats to the Pocket. Currently only available on the Ursa Mini 4.6K Pro, BMD RAW is a native format with files smaller than ProRes but with all of the flexibility of shooting and grading RAW files. Certainly the availability of BMD RAW will add even greater value to the Pocket.

The dual-ISO sensor of this camera makes it a low-light champion. Once over ISO 1250, the sensor switches to its native ISO 3200 mode. That means that an image shot at, say ISO 1500, is cleaner than an image shot at ISO 1000. This helps greatly in the positioning of this camera in the marketplace as I’ll describe.

The audio pre-amps are clean and recording through the built-in mics is well, what you would expect from any built-in microphone system. For street video and lightweight operation the built-in mics are decent enough.

I find the image from the camera and the Lumix lens pleasant. Manual focus is a bit tough to nail with this lens and despite the peaking features on the camera, so many of my test images seemed a bit soft. This could be the result of the lens but more extensive testing with an assortment of glass is called for in order to determine sharpness. And, as always, the acceptability of an image is based upon individual preferences, target project and often just the whim of a producer. For my application of web delivery, images from this camera-lens combo are perfectly acceptable (when I nailed focus).

CAN FIND A NICHE EVERYWHERE

But the real question here is target market and the usefulness of the camera to TV Technology readers.

I would not hesitate to use this camera for any level of web delivery. With an external battery to extend shooting time and a USB-C drive to extend recording times, it is an ideal reality-TV camera (whether for web or broadcast). Throw it on a gimbal with an appropriately lightweight lens and it can get the shot in tight spaces and easily follow the action. It can easily cut together with other cameras and be a B or C camera in a higher-budget shoot. I’d even send it out in the field with reporters for interviews or action-following formats.

Let’s keep the perspective when looking at this camera. I have heard far too many niggling comments of “it feels too plastic-ky” or it doesn’t offer ProRes 4444 or why doesn’t it have video inputs. The fact here is that for $1,295 including DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blackmagic has delivered a camera which can find a niche everywhere from individual web shooter to broadcast production to ENG to promos to big-screen cinema. It is lightweight, versatile, can be used alone or with a massive kit that dwarfs the camera, shot on gimbal, tripod, monopod or handheld and with a dual-ISO sensor for all kinds of lighting conditions, to popular formats and with 13 stops of dynamic range.

It is a tool well-worth considering for just about any content creator.

Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

www.blackmagicdesign.com

$1295

Pros: Compact and lightweight. Dual-ISO Micro four-thirds sensor. Sharp built-in screen. Records to SFast, SD or USB-C devices. Powerful but simple menu system

Cons: Internal battery insufficient. Most likely requires a rig. No video input. Mini audio XLR input.

Summary: A remarkable value in a camera with application across the spectrum of production, equally at home with the solo web creator, a broadcast outlet or a cinematic shoot.

NEWARK, N.J.—Director of Photography Joe Callahan has completed principal photography on a feature-length documentary on wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in India.

Using a Panasonic AU-EVA1 5.7 cinema camera, Callahan did most of the shooting in jungles, deserts and cities like Jodhpur, Delhi and Agra. The documentary profiles the work of Wildlife SOS, a worldwide organization dedicated to preserving India’s natural heritage, forest and wildlife.

“The EVA1 proved itself to be insanely reliable,” Callahan said. “India beat the hell out of the cameras: We shot 12 hours a day in 120 degree heat. There was constant ash in the air, to the extent that we couldn’t see any blue sky.”

The heat was so intense that at one point a metal plate on the build-out burned Callahan’s face. But despite the temperature, there were no camera failures, he added.

From the outset, Callahan understood shooting the documentary –which has a working title of “Where the Wild Things Aren’t”—would be “incredibly taxing,” he said. “What I look for in a camera is reliability, usability and image quality. The EVA1 is one of the top cameras I’ve ever evaluated in terms of color science and dynamic range, and I chose it over much more expensive options.”

Callahan shot in 4K and recorded ProRes HQ externally on an Atomos Shogun Inferno and used the EVA1’s SD cards as an internal backup. Lenses included Tamron 24-70 and 70-200 G2 zooms, as well as a set of primes.

Typically, the DP shot at ISO800, but occasionally used ISO2500, which allowed Callahan to use smaller LED lights, saving money.

The DP praised the versatile form factor of the camera, which he could rig up on car rigs and gimbals in India or break down quickly for handheld work to get shots while tracking tiger poachers.

While Callahan purchased the EVA1 cameras specifically for the wildlife project, he has used them subsequently on a number of commercials, including spots for GEICO, Alfa Romeo, Tide, Black & Decker, LensCrafters and Alaska Airlines.

"The EVA1 is beautifully complemented by vintage lenses, and I’ve used a range of them—Leica Rs, Super-Takumar and older Zeiss models, for instance,” he noted. “The images consistently look great,” he said.

Examples of Callahan’s EVA1 work are available online. More information on Wildlife SOS is available on the organization’s website and additional information on the Au-EVA1 is available on the Panasonic website. 

WAYNE, NJ (Oct. 9, 2018) – Following the successful launch of the GY-HC900 2/3-inch broadcast camcorder at the 2018 NAB Show, JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, has expanded its CONNECTED CAM product line to include the new 500 Series of streaming handheld camcorders. The three new cameras – the GY‑HC500 base model, GY‑HC550 with advanced streaming and graphics, and GY-HC500SPC sports production camera – will be introduced at NAB Show New York (Booth N333), which runs Oct. 17-18 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.

Connectivity remains at the core of JVC’s IP-based production solutions, and CONNECTED CAM models are designed to optimize both image processing and IP performance. Designed for live IP production and high-quality 4K acquisition, the new 500 Series cameras can record to SSD (solid state drive) media in a wide variety of formats, including 10-bit ProRes 422 at 4K resolution and 50/60p frame rates. A number of other codecs and recording formats are also available including H.264 and MPEG-2, ensuring a wide range of workflows can be supported.

All three 500 Series cameras also include dual SDHC/SDXC media card slots with redundant, relay, backup, and proxy recording modes. Users can choose economical SD memory for excellent results or SSD for uncompromised production quality recording – or record to SSD in 4K while simultaneously recording HD or proxy files to SD media. Any or all clips can be uploaded via Auto FTP during production.

For reliable 1080p streaming performance up to 20 Mbps, the 500 Series features SMPTE 2022 forward error correction. When paired with any ProHD Bridge product, all models provide bi-directional live streaming with low latency (less than 500ms) and return video and IFB. The GY-HC550 also includes dual external antennas with built-in wireless LAN, integrated GPS, and Zixi™ error correction with automatic repeat request (ARQ).

The 500 Series cameras are built around a new 1-inch 4K CMOS imager and integrated 20x zoom lens with three-ring control and built-in ND filters. When shooting in HD, lossless 40x dynamic zoom is possible. The cameras can achieve up to 12 stops of dynamic range with high sensitivity and low noise. Users can record HDR footage in the HLG (hybrid log gamma) mode or 10-bit J-Log mode, which expands dynamic range by 800 percent with film-like latitude. Plus, the cameras record in a variety of native 4K UHD and HD file formats, and support 120 fps slow-motion HD recording. The GY-HC550 adds MPEG-2 and MXF recording as well.

“No other competing 1-inch camcorder in this category comes close to our connectivity. The new 500 Series delivers a complete production-over-IP workflow solution in a compact form factor,” said Joe D’Amico, vice president, JVC Professional Video. “With the GY‑HM550, stations can deliver live coverage of breaking news in the field without a satellite or microwave truck, and then provide single-camera live coverage of regional sporting events complete with graphics without a mobile production unit. For coaches, the GY‑HM500SPC provides stunning 4K/60p images with DV Sport and XOS Digital compatibility for more critical video analysis.”

Both the GY-HC550 and GY-HM500SPC include integrated lower-third and full-screen titling options for recorded or streamed video output without an external CG. The GY‑HC500SPC also offers professionally designed, high-resolution score overlays for a number of sports, and users can add logos or icons to customize graphics. Camera operators can update scores using a Wi-Fi connected smartphone or tablet, or receive real-time data automatically in venues where a Sportzcast Scorebot is integrated with the scoreboard.

Other 500 Series features include a four-inch, high resolution LCD screen for menu navigation, LCOS viewfinder, dual XLR inputs, 3G-SDI and HDMI video outputs, M.2 drive slot for external SSD recording and future enhancements, and IPX2 water resistant rating for operation in inclement weather. The cameras are expected to ship in January 2019, with MSRP starting at $3,900 for the GY-HC500.

Model                MSRP

GY-HC500        $3,900
GY-HC500SPC  $4,400
GY-HC550         $5,500

ABOUT JVC PROFESSIONAL VIDEO
Headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Professional Video is a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVCKENWOOD Corporation. The company is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional video equipment, as well as D-ILA front projection systems. For more information, visit JVC’s website at http://pro.jvc.com or call (800) 582‑5825.

# # #

LONDON—The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) last week announced a new SMPTE technical specification building the Interoperable Master Format (IMF) that promises to make it possible to automate the content supply chain, enable new workflow efficiencies and reduce QC and archive storage.

The technical specification, SMPTE TSP 2121:2018 IMF Application DPP (ProRes), will do so while maintaining the quality of the original asset, DPP said.

The new spec, the first "SMPTE Technical Specification" (TSP) to be created, will support mastering and international exchange of content. TSPs are designed to constrain standards to new workflows and international interoperability, SMPTE said.

[Read: IMF: Unleashing The Benefits Of File-Based Content]

“Specifications are part of SMPTE’s new future” said SMPTE Standards Vice President Bruce Devlin. “With IMF Application DPP (ProRes) we are starting a new chapter in SMPTE’s activities to encourage global interoperability, and to foster the emergence of new and stable technologies.”

DPP worked with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) and the IMF User Group to create the spec.

DPP will launch a compliance testing program for IMF for broadcast and online tools. The goal is to assure buyers and sellers that DPP-tested tools and IMF packages will be interoperable and can be exchanged around the world, according to DPP.

Release of the technical specification comes on the heels of on the release of “The Business Benefits of IMF” pamphlet for DPP members from the broadcast, supplier and distributor communities.

The new technical specification is available online.

In yet another series of industry firsts, OWNZONES Media Network, the OTT EntTech company, is leading the charge to revolutionize cloud-based distribution of content by consistently introducing cost and time saving measures for its clients.

In the world of digital distribution, the biggest challenge for studios and rights holders is prepping content to comply with today’s digital format distribution standards. Until now, sending the content to such platforms as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu has been extremely inefficient and incredibly costly. Taking a disruptive stance, OWNZONES has now cracked the code by unveiling ProRes IMF support to its Post Production suite of features in the cloud for IMF (Interoperable Master Format).

“Today’s legacy industry platforms are offering antiquated processes that are too expensive and time consuming,” said Dan Goman, CEO of OWNZONES. “We are radically disrupting the marketplace by creating new ways to distribute content without it continuing to break the bank. After years of research with a talented tech team at OWNZONES, we are pleased to be far ahead of all other companies offering digital distribution. We continue to roll out new innovations on a consistent basis, offering our clients bleeding-edge, yet cost-efficient, solutions to the growing challenge of keeping up with rapidly expanding OTT industry global platform needs.”

With today’s announcement, two new features – Cloud ProRes Previewer & ProRes Based IMF Packaging – will become a first for the industry as they bring a post-production solution for ProRes video editing of IMF packages in the cloud. Now customers with entire libraries of content mastered in ProRes format can leverage the power of IMF without incurring massive conversion costs. Customers will continue to have the option to convert to J2K-based IMF packages, if needed.

By utilizing the OWNZONES Connect™ cloud solution, which incorporates OWNZONES’ proprietary parallel scaling technology, ProRes files are simply “wrapped” in IMF-specific packaging, ready for distribution. The process happens entirely in the cloud, in record time and at a fraction of potential competing solutions.

The new cloud-based ProRes features, the first introduction of its kind, will be part of the offering behind OWNZONES Connect™, a state-of-the-art digital supply chain in the cloud.

“We recognize that there’s a majority of the industry that uses ProRes as their mastering format, and converting it to a different format creates a lot of challenges,” said Aaron Sloman, Chief Technology Officer at OWNZONES. “By using our new features, companies that are ProRes based can move to IMF without the re-transcoding of their files, which can be very costly and time consuming, especially for large media libraries.”

Sloman added: “ProRes video storage and localized versioning long needed a component-based standard among the studios and media companies, and our new product launch accomplishes this as well. Using IMF as the standard, the industry becomes more efficient. We have already seen demand from our customers who realize the cost savings and are confident they won’t lose quality and time, especially for large media libraries.”

As the post-production processing continues to migrate to the cloud, OWNZONES is taking a leadership position in introducing many cloud-based features with its proprietary platform, OWNZONES Connect™. With years of research invested in the platform, OWNZONES Connect™ is designed to conform and distribute digital content in the most efficient and streamlined way possible to all devices. It also acts as a post house in the cloud with state-of-the-art features in editing, conversion and encoding, motion graphics, sound mixing and editing.

More specifically, OWNZONES Connect™ features an array of capabilities that work in conjunction with each other to create the ultimate post house in the cloud for IMF. This includes the Cloud IMF transcoder, the Native Cloud CPL Builder, Cloud-based CPL Source Previewer, Cloud-based IMF Playback, Supplemental Packager and Elastic Parallel Transcoding.

OWNZONES is a pioneering technological force that’s transforming the over-the-top (OTT) industry with groundbreaking innovations, from digital supply chain solutions to unique, customizable video apps. Their solutions help media companies and services deliver high-quality video content to their consumers globally, at scale and at a fraction of the standard cost. OWNZONES’ philosophy is to always go beyond the current market needs and prepare for tomorrow’s transformational technologies. With this mindset, their proprietary technology enables clients to transform, deliver and monetize their video content libraries like never before.

For more information please visit www.ownzones.com.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Hybrik has covered all its bases for the transcoding of Apple ProRes operating points, announcing that its cloud-based media processing now supports encoding and decoding for the format.

Hybrik’s transcoding pipeline allows for the transcoding of ProRes content directly from an Amazon AWS S3 storage object without creating an intermediate file. This new capability will enable more ProRes-based workflows in the cloud.

Based on Amazon’s AWS cloud platform, Hybrik’s service provides transcoding, quality control, accelerated file transfer, large-scale storage, and streaming to deliver optimized video.