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Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

 

Blackmagic Design Studio Cameras Get Price Drops

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Blackmagic Studio Camera

Blackmagic Design has dropped the prices on its Studio Camera HD and Studio Camera 4K models. The HD model will reduce in price by $300 and the Ultra HD model will reduce in price by $500.

The HD Blackmagic Studio Camera model is now $1,695 and the Ultra HD Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K model is now $2,495.

Blackmagic notes that the reason for the price drop is based on customer feedback regarding the lack of use of the fiber connection. Blackmagic has removed the connection from the cameras and made it an aftermarket accessory that can simply be plugged into the camera.

Personally, I think the biggest detraction from the studio cameras is the lack of lens options. Sure there are plenty of Micro Four Thirds cameras in the world and you can buy an adapter for virtually any other lens mount. However, many users would like to put studio B4 lenses on these cameras and that is just a clunky option.

If Blackmagic had built these cameras with a 2/3″ sensor and a native B4 lens mount, I don’t think they could make them fast enough. Sometimes, a bigger sensor is not always the best option.

4K Video – Is it worth it?

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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFmpJNvd4k&w=700&showinfo=0&rel=0]

Here’s a great video from Linus Tech Tips that gives some insight to the 1080p/4K debate and some practical considerations for shooting, editing and exporting in one over the other. It pays particular attention to online video use (and specifically with regard to YouTube videos) and how they use the Panasonic GH4 and Sony FS700 as 4K shooting options.

I have been a proponent of shooting 4K and editing in a 1080p timeline to afford additional reframing options (or even 1080p footage in a 720p timeline if you are limited to HD cameras). The above video, however, makes the additional argument for 4K exports even if you are working in a 1080p timeline. That’s a new consideration for me but, given how YouTube treats 4K files, is certainly worth considering and testing in the future.

For those of you who shoot video, what format do you prefer to shoot, edit and export?

[YouTube via Reddit]

Yuneec Officially Launches Typhoon Q500 4K Drone

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Yuneec Q500 4K

We saw the Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K quadcopter teased back at NAB 2015 and now it has officially launched with units expected to start shipping over the next few days.

The Typhoon Q500 4K builds off its 1080p predecessor with a new camera that shoots 4K video. It will also capture 1080p video at up to 120fps. Still images are 16MP and can be saved as JPEG or DNG RAW files – even while recording video. The built-in camera is stabilized by a 3-axis gimbal, which can be controlled remotely from the ST10+ ground station transmitter. [Read more…]

Sony’s A7R II Works with Atomos Shogun for 4K ProRes Video Capture

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Sony-A7R-II-Atomos-Shogun-4K

While Canon is busy locking down its video product line with no 4K options in its DSLRs and spotty support for clean HDMI-output, Sony is throwing the kitchen sink into its cameras with each release cycle.

The latest evidence of Sony’s bold digital imaging market moves is in the new A7R II, which sports a 42.4MP full frame image sensor with internal 4K video capture using the Sony XAVC-S codec at 100Mbps. While this is solid performance for a camera as small as the A7R II, Sony leaves room for users to go a little more professional by enabling uncompressed HDMI output of the sensor’s 4K signal. [Read more…]