Blackmagic Cinema Camera pushed back a few weeks, new footage shown

Blackmagic Cinema Camera delayed, new footage shown

Unfortunately, there's a delay for cinéastes anxiously awaiting their 12-bit RAW Blackmagic Cinema Cameras, but the news isn't all bad. The camera is "in the final stages of Thunderbolt certification and internal testing" and manufacturing will follow as soon as that's done -- probably in the second week of August, according to the company. It will still hit the market with the $2,995 price tag, Canon lens mount, 15.6 x 8 mm sensor and built-in SSD recorder intact. In more positive news, the company has identified the cause of aliasing noticed by some viewers and blames it on the workflow used. It's posted a few new videos to back up the claim, which can be viewed at the source link below. Considering the company might soon have similar competition, it's probably best to work out any bugs before shipping a boatload out to finicky cinema clients.

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Blackmagic Cinema Camera pushed back a few weeks, new footage shown originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way

Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way

Canon reported its Q1 2012 earnings this week, and things certainly appear to have gone better than the last time we checked in when it replaced the company president. While revenue declined slightly, net profit reached 61.54 billion yen ($766 million), up 11 percent from a year ago. There's no executive moves to report, however on the earnings call executive VP and CFO Toshizo Tanaka noted a unit sales increase of 30 percent for SLR cameras including the new EOS 5D Mark III as well as the cheaper T3i, Mark II and 60D models, combined with strong sales for WiFi-connected point-and-shoots. As far as new products, while its new cinema cameras got a glancing mention the plan this year includes compact cameras "offering the image qualities that approaches SLR cameras", with improved design and network connectivity features. All the numbers and earnings call talk are in black and white at the links below, although we prefer to spend our time speculating about the future of mirrorless cameras.

Canon reports slightly higher profits in Q1, teases new compact cameras on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blackmagic Cinema Camera packs ‘feature film’ 2.5K quality, touchscreen for $2,995

Blackmagic Cinema Camera announced with 'feature film' 2.5K quality, touchscreen UI for $2,995

While Canon, Sony and Red have already stolen the show with new camera announcements here at NAB 2012, Blackmagic Design is trying to carve out a niche for its new Cinema Camera. Priced at $2,995, where the company sees this as differing from the competition is its ability to capture film quality video on its 2.5K sensor and output it to CinemaDNG RAW, ProRes and DNxHD file formats. That camera housing can take Canon or Zeiss lenses on the front, contains a built-in SSD within and has a capacitive touchscreen display for control and metadata entry. Once you've captured the video, the included copy of DaVinci Resolve can take care of all color correction needs, while the video can be pulled from the SSD over a variety of high speed ports including BNC SDI and Thunderbolt. Check out a few in-person pics in our gallery below and more specs in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Blackmagic Cinema Camera packs 'feature film' 2.5K quality, touchscreen for $2,995

Blackmagic Cinema Camera packs 'feature film' 2.5K quality, touchscreen for $2,995 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon Cinema EOS C500 camera hands-on (video)

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The familiar EOS-1D C isn't the only Canon camera to make its public debut ahead of NAB. The Cinema EOS series welcomes a third model to the collection this week, with looks that nearly match last year's C300. Unlike that model, which you can already pick up through e-tailers and at specialty shops, the C500 has a long way to go before it gets a shipping nod -- it may not even make it to market in 2012. The $30,000 price tag may pose an even greater barrier to entry than its to-be-announced availability date, however, and may in need of some tweaking before it's ready to compete with already established models, like the much less expensive RED Scarlet. Like the 1D C, the C500 can shoot 4K video -- the most apparent upgrade from the $16,000 C300. To that end, boosting its price tag may be the only way for Canon to avoid cannibalizing that less-abled flavor, since many cinematographers would otherwise pay little attention to the C300, due in part to its 1080p-limited shooting capabilities.

It's been a few months since we've last seen Canon's first Cinema EOS model, but the C500 has a look and feel that seems to be only subtly different from the C300. It is noticeably heavier, likely due to the additional cooling gear on board to accommodate 4K shooting. Both flavors include dual CF card slots, which you'll only be able to use for snapping 1080p video -- 4K is fed to an external recorder through the dual 3G-SDI ports, which for obvious reasons you won't find on the C300. There's also a larger grip on board, now a permanent fixture on the C500, which should aid with bare-bones handheld shoots -- but if you're dropping 30 grand on a digital body, some sticks and a dolly shouldn't be far behind. Like its sibling, this year's model ships with either a Canon EOS or industry standard PL mount, so if you have a need for both, you'll need two cameras. Overall, you're looking at the same sleek, albeit slightly unconventional body design, with a price tag that's likely to make amateurs weep and pros run for the rental house. As always, there's a hands-on video waiting just past the break.

Continue reading Canon Cinema EOS C500 camera hands-on (video)

Canon Cinema EOS C500 camera hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon Cinema EOS-1D C 4K camera hands-on (video)

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It's been but half a year since Canon first entered the motion picture market, and the company is already back with its second and third professional video rigs. The Cinema EOS-1D C marks the most drastic departure from the C300, which launched last November at an elaborate Hollywood event at Paramount Studios. It was at this spectacle that we were first introduced to the 1D C, which was then but a glass-protected prototype. Now, far sooner than expected, the (relatively) compact camera is making its return to the spotlight, in more polished form. Like the 1D series bodies that bear similar monikers and appearances, including the yet-to-ship EOS- 1D X, the C model is a very capable still shooter, offering the same core functionality of the $6,800 X. It also brings 4K capture to the table, however, prompting Canon to price the camera far above its less-abled counterpart. At $15,000, we don't expect to see red C logos popping up in many a photojournalist's gear bag, but for deep-pocketed professionals with a need to capture 4K clips, this may be a worthwhile acquisition.

We took a closer look at the 1D C at Canon's pre-NAB event in Las Vegas. As the pictures and spec sheet imply, it's the 1D X's clone in nearly every way. In fact, beyond the headphone jack and C logo, there's not much distinguishing the pair externally. You'll need to hop into the menu before you'll really notice a difference, in the form of several unique 4K shooting modes, including 8-bit 4:2:2 24fps captures to a CF card or 8-bit 4:2:2 clips in an uncompressed format over HDMI. Otherwise, the C looks and feels just like the X -- a model pro snapper that we've already managed to fondle on three continents under Canon's watchful eye, but still has yet to ship. Both cameras are gorgeous externally, with slight design tweaks yet no drastic overhaul, dating back to the very first EOS-1D. If you haven't had a chance to gawk at either model, you'll at very least be able to check out the 1D C at Canon's booth this week at NAB . We're hoping to see both cameras hit the market sometime in 2012, and who knows -- this Cinema EOS could even be the first next-gen 1D to ship. Take a closer look in the gallery below, and in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Canon Cinema EOS-1D C 4K camera hands-on (video)

Canon Cinema EOS-1D C 4K camera hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony to launch NEX-FS700E 4K cinema camera for $9,000 at NAB?

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What would you pay for the ability to capture cinema quality 4K video? $36,000? $18,000? Try $9,000. That's the expected price of Sony's rumored NEX-FS700E, which could launch at NAB next month with a June ship date. EOSHD reports that the camera will pipe 4K video to a dedicated external recorder over 3G HD-SDI. It will reportedly use the same NEX E-mount as its predecessor, the FS100, and may include a trio of neutral density filters to increase versatility. We haven't been able to track down an image of the rumored cinema cam (the model in that image above looks identical to the FS100), but we wouldn't be surprised to see another detail or two leak out before the broadcast community's annual Vegas gathering kicks off in a little over two weeks. For its part, Canon is also expected to announce a 4K EOS-format DSLR at NAB, as a less-expensive alternative to the $16,000 C300, while RED's Scarlet already has 4K capabilities, and a $9,000 price tag.

[Thanks, Andrew]

Sony to launch NEX-FS700E 4K cinema camera for $9,000 at NAB? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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