Camera rumors for 2016?

Only Sony and Panasonic can really attack ARRI at its heights (Alexa65). Canon and Red can also target Alexa in ARRI's medium range (it has no low). That makes for five major competitors in the $20,000+ market, which ain't too bad because, by the NAB'16, a $20,000 camera will be sufficient for a big budget feature length film. IMO, this $15,000-$30,000 range will be the most interesting the next year due to it becoming the sweet spot for most productions. Canon fired the first salvo with C300 MKII but there should have plenty of competition there soon.

The sub-$10,000 niche is already crowded with FS5/7, Raven, URSA and URSA Mini but should see the 4K Nikon D5, 4K Canon 1D X MK II and maybe C200 (or C100 MKIII), updated Cion and so forth.
 
They can target ARRI in the higher end, but as we have seen, it's futile at best.

Do you see AJA releasing a new camera in 2016 (or ever)? If they just slapped a better sensor in the Cion and maybe added internal ND, it would be a huge deal. But I thought that the first Cion was a big flop and I'm not sure they can/will try again.
 
Giriki said:
They can target ARRI in the higher end, but as we have seen, it's futile at best.

Do you see AJA releasing a new camera in 2016 (or ever)? If they just slapped a better sensor in the Cion and maybe added internal ND, it would be a huge deal. But I thought that the first Cion was a big flop and I'm not sure they can/will try again.
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Plus, given the body-only prices of the competition, they need to knock a couple of grand off the Cion's price. At this point, though, unless the camera had a 6K global-shutter sensor with a usable (as opposed to theoretical) 15-stop dynamic range, I wouldn't even bother if I were AJA. The market's just getting too crowded.
 
AJA's success or lack thereof depends to a high degree on available off-the-shelf sensors. Black Magic Design had decided to invest major funds in co-developing their new 4.6K URSA/URSA Mini line with an existing large scale manufacturer/foundry. AJA may lack funds to do likewise.

On the other hand, once a camera is finished, an additional tweak may not cost much and sensors themselves are a fairly inexpensive portion of the overall package of electronics that comprise the professional camera.
 
I happen to like a lot of the design/ergonomics/function of the AJA..just seems like they got it to market with less than optimal components.
 
DLD said:
On the other hand, once a camera is finished, an additional tweak may not cost much and sensors themselves are a fairly inexpensive portion of the overall package of electronics that comprise the professional camera.
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AJA could possibly use the LTN4625A, the commodity version of the Ursa 4.6K's sensor. I'm guessing that calibrating/optimizing the sensor and refining the color science are major parts of camera development and that introducing a totally new sensor (not just a new generation of the original sensor, but one from a different manufacturer) means effectively starting from scratch.
 
It should be easier with CMOS, though, than with CCD. If Digital Bolex were to switch out their sensor, it would be a lot more work. With CMOS, a lot more is all on the chip itself, even the analog-to-digital converter. So what's coming off the chip is already to the 1's and 0's stage. With CCD, you need a few more parts around the sensor itself, to coax the output into a usable signal.
 
Tzedekh said:
AJA could possibly use the LTN4625A, the commodity version of the Ursa 4.6K's sensor. I'm guessing that calibrating/optimizing the sensor and refining the color science are major parts of camera development and that introducing a totally new sensor (not just a new generation of the original sensor, but one from a different manufacturer) means effectively starting from scratch.
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It'd start the calibration/color science/software from scratch for sure but the rest of the camera should be already in place.

It's tough for an independent though. Cion was first shown at the NAB'14 At that moment, there was no FS7 or FS5 or URSA Mini or DVX200. To offer something for $9,000 now, a product would need some ass-kicking specs. And that arguably means different electronics/hardware too. And that might mean the entire camera redesign. And that means that, for an independent with a single model lineup, the end of the road could well be near.
 
combatentropy said:
It should be easier with CMOS, though, than with CCD. If Digital Bolex were to switch out their sensor, it would be a lot more work. With CMOS, a lot more is all on the chip itself, even the analog-to-digital converter. So what's coming off the chip is already to the 1's and 0's stage. With CCD, you need a few more parts around the sensor itself, to coax the output into a usable signal.
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Funny you should mention Digital Bolex. I was thinking that I'd like to see them develop a Digital Cameflex (aka CM3, Camerette), an s35 >4K camera patterned (loosely) on the Eclair camera. A global-shutter capable sensor (e.g., the BAE/Fairchild LTN4625A), an m4/3 mount, 120 fps in 4K, a sub-$6K price.
 
Various sites report that Pentax will soon quit teasing about their new FF camera and will actually introduce it (Pentax currently is doing a lot of repair work on a bunch of recalled units for K3, which delayed the FF announcement). In crude terms, the camera is basically a knock-off of D810. Nikon, in turn, is allegedly working on an improved 810 model called 810S. The next step for Nikon, however, is to up their video quality, as Pentax won't go beyond the 1080p.

But Nikon might.
 
Giriki said:
They can target ARRI in the higher end, but as we have seen, it's futile at best.

Do you see AJA releasing a new camera in 2016 (or ever)? If they just slapped a better sensor in the Cion and maybe added internal ND, it would be a huge deal. But I thought that the first Cion was a big flop and I'm not sure they can/will try again.
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Aja's first attempt at making a camera was much more refined than its peers. It would be silly for AJA to give up and not launch the V2 version of Cion. May be they can give it another name as successful products get a Mark II batch and not otherwise.

Though we are quick to brand Cion as a failure, AJA had success in many parts of the Cion program. Hopefully they will analyse it threadbare and then move ahead to implement their learnings. Hopefully they will get a good sensor which has nice dynamic range and low light ability and will be a bit aggressive on the pricing. The industry needs healthy competition.
 
indiawilds said:
Aja's first attempt at making a camera was much more refined than its peers. It would be silly for AJA to give up and not launch the V2 version of Cion. May be they can give it another name as successful products get a Mark II batch and not otherwise.

Though we are quick to brand Cion as a failure, AJA had success in many parts of the Cion program. Hopefully they will analyse it threadbare and then move ahead to implement their learnings. Hopefully they will get a good sensor which has nice dynamic range and low light ability and will be a bit aggressive on the pricing. The industry needs healthy competition.
Click to expand...

I hope they will. I probably would have bought Cion if it had a better sensor. Ticks a lot of boxes for me.
 
david1pittman said:
I think black magic will make another camera with the form of a fs5 but same specs as mini usra.
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A camera with FS5 size and URSA Mini specs is --- the drum roll - URSA Mini.

Now, they could go for a less expensive, sub-$2,000 option in either a DSLR or camcorder style body. Will they? Who knows.
 
URSA Mini weighs 2.3 kg. 21 x 19.3 x 14.7 cm. (~ 6,000 cm3)

FS5 weighs 827g. 11.43 x 13.02 x 17.46. ( ~ 2,600 cm3)

OK, I am part of a problem ... one of many.
 
FWIW, PhotoPlus will be held a week from today in New York. Some announcements are expected. Some have already been made. Canon's come out with a couple of point-n-shoots, featuring a 1" Backside Illuminated sensor. Assuming it's Sony's, it's a sign that the 1" BSI sensor is now available to the third party manufacturers. The negative side, however, is that Canon P&S lack 4K because then they would be competing with RX100 IV and RX10II.
 
Canon just anounced a new mirrorless camera. It is featured in almost all of the sites I visit daily. I clicked on none of those articles. That's my level of excitement regarding Canon right now.
 
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