Ki Pro mini ...who has used one...what do you think?

Shooter

Shooter

Veteran
Any one able to advise on experiences with the Ki Pro Mini? A little review maybe.

Can one record to a SD card and the Ki pro mini simultaneously?

Does the camera roll record on the KPM? (LANC?)

How is the playback functionality? eg going back three clips to review that one.

Compared to the nano flash??

Anything you want to say about it would be of value to me thanx.

BTW - waiting to see what fastforward bring out at NAB also. Largely I am trying to find a solution with non apple codecs preferably... although I have not ruled it out totally.
 
I have one.
Bought it for a camera car video assist project I'm doing.
So far so good.
easy to use. intuitive.
Shot a test chart with a DSLR and couldn't tell the difference between a live and recorded signal.
It's tiny, gets warm after a while. The playback is very straight forward.
I ran into some issues with a monitor I'm using- Manhattan LCD. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm using a particular DSLR, KPM and this monitor.
Have to test with another camera like Alexa. Will do next week. and will try the AF100 as well. The thing that made me buy it was small size, hard keyboard, 10bit prorez, easy playback and built in SDI<-> HDMI signal converter. The monitor I use has all the features I need for this project: peaking, false color, 1:1, adjustable aspect ratio for anamorphics but it's only HDMI so the KPM does the trick. Looks well built and solid. AJA support is second to none. That's a big plus in this industry.
The KPM has LANC but I haven't tested it.
It does have autoroll option with TC roll. in the menu.
I also had a request from customer for a couple of V-mount plates to sandwich it between camera and battery. I think I'll do that pretty soon...
 
Had a very fast test (really very fast one ;)

Yes you can record SD card and mini pro simultaneously triggered by pressing rec button on camera

Recorded Prores HQ and compared with AF in FCP side by side using crop/split screen
1) A little more obvious with noise in dark area from mini pro (I'm a little surprised, or should I not be?)
2) Banding more obvious with AF (more distinct in out of focus area)

More into Nano due to size and batteries/cards options.

Didn't compare with Nano, sorry
 
Yes there will be more noise because more info is being captured by the kiPro/proRes codec. This will also result with banding being less obvious on the KiPro because noise masks banding.

kohss said:
Had a very fast test (really very fast one ;)

Yes you can record SD card and mini pro simultaneously triggered by pressing rec button on camera

Recorded Prores HQ and compared with AF in FCP side by side using crop/split screen
1) A little more obvious with noise in dark area from mini pro (I'm a little surprised, or should I not be?)
2) Banding more obvious with AF (more distinct in out of focus area)

More into Nano due to size and batteries/cards options.

Didn't compare with Nano, sorry
Click to expand...
 
bgundu said:
Yes there will be more noise because more info is being captured by the kiPro/proRes codec. This will also result with banding being less obvious on the KiPro because noise masks banding.
Click to expand...

This is exactly true, and mirrors my experience with the NanoFlash and the HPG20.
 
Hey guys,

I am wondering if you can bring a HD-SDI signal into the KiPro Mini then get monitor that signal with an HDMI LCD monitor?

Thanks!
 
BollingerPro said:
Hey guys,

I am wondering if you can bring a HD-SDI signal into the KiPro Mini then get monitor that signal with an HDMI LCD monitor?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, you can, I shoot that way.

Playback functionality is easy.

Overall, a nice piece of gear, but there are some definite cons:
1. No cover over the card slot, which is on top, so it will be easy for dust/debris to fall in there. That's a big oversight, I feel, and makes me think twice about what environments I bring it into. I'll gaff tape it shut in bad environments, but not in OK ones because I don't want to trap any more heat than necessary (see #4 below).

2. It's heavy and the weight distribution is awkward once it's mounted on rails behind the AF100 with the mounting plates, battery plate and V-mount battery to power it and the AF100.

3. It's slow to turn on (40 seconds) and to shut down.

4. The internal fan is audible. There are settings to turn it down or off, but the KPM gets hot even with the fan on.

On the plus side, I think I found a way to get very smooth 1080/60fps slo-mo out of it (it's only supposed to record VFR in 720, which of course the AF100 doesn't offer). Have to test it some more, and if it works consistently I'll create a post.

I'm looking forward to an AF200 with 10-bit AVC-Intra onto P2 cards. Too soon? I don't think so. If Panasonic can make the HPX250, they can (and I bet they will) put P2 slots and AVC-Intra on an AF body and keep the price under $8000, and I'll happily buy it and sell my KPM.
 
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