NAB 2019 rumors (and releases)

Finally, an announcement of a S35 4K Alexa. I'm glad that Large Format wont become the auto default of productions, I still like working in S35 and using all the classic glass. I wonder if they'll actually pull off the same DR. Even if they don't, it'll be insanely popular due to the color science, but I do hope that everything will move forward at once. It's surprising that they managed to get by this long without one, because all the LF releases were beginning to look a bit like a desperate sideshow because of how badly they're lagging behind. I don't care too much about finishing in 4K, but I really hate the idea of shooting in HD. Bit of a shame for Panasonic, though, really thought the V35 would make a bigger splash. Between Arri and Sony it doesn't feel like they have a clear place anymore, they should make a cheaper LT to compete with the next C300.
 
IanTheM said:
Finally, an announcement of a S35 4K Alexa. I'm glad that Large Format wont become the auto default of productions, I still like working in S35 and using all the classic glass. I wonder if they'll actually pull off the same DR. Even if they don't, it'll be insanely popular due to the color science, but I do hope that everything will move forward at once. It's surprising that they managed to get by this long without one, because all the LF releases were beginning to look a bit like a desperate sideshow because of how badly they're lagging behind. I don't care too much about finishing in 4K, but I really hate the idea of shooting in HD. Bit of a shame for Panasonic, though, really thought the V35 would make a bigger splash. Between Arri and Sony it doesn't feel like they have a clear place anymore, they should make a cheaper LT to compete with the next C300.
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I think internal ProRes RAW should be a part of added to Panasonic's cinema line, and it doesn't seem like a huge stretch since Panasonic has already implemented ProRes in the Varicam line, albeit only at 2K resoluion. While I personally don't mind shooting with my Shogun Inferno I've heard a number of people here and elsewhere complain about external recorders. For cinema work, many people want easy to edit internal RAW and I think adding internal ProRes RAW across their cinema line would make Panasonic's offerings more competitive. This would be especially true in comparison to Sony whose mid-tier and high end offerings rely on relatively expensive proprietary recorders.
 
IanTheM said:
Yeah, shooting in HD is fine if you have a good enough proper enough production that you don't need to do any reframing or really mess with the exposure. On any indie production this is rarely the case.
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Sounds like how we’ve historically shot “video”, up until recently. ; )

Look, I get it and I’m sure I’ve had plenty of shots cropped tighter and possibly stabilized and exposure tweaked and it’s great that we have those abilities, but I just see it so much on the forums and hear it from producers, that it seems the prevailing attitude now reads like nothing can be shot correctly in the field anymore and the basics-shooting 101-, like framing and exposure have to be done in post.
 
If your exposure truly sucks, then having the files in RAW are still not going to allow fixing everything! Garbage in will equal slightly polished garbage out. Just like it works with still cameras and RAW now, you have to at least get close.

But with RAW Lazy in equals decent out (generally).
 
Greg_E said:
If your exposure truly sucks, then having the files in RAW are still not going to allow fixing everything! Garbage in will equal slightly polished garbage out. Just like it works with still cameras and RAW now, you have to at least get close.

But with RAW Lazy in equals decent out (generally).
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Yes, but some varieties of garbage polish better than others. This early test from 6 years ago still make me envious of F55 owners.

 
Gary T said:
Yes, but some varieties of garbage polish better than others. This early test from 6 years ago still make me envious of F55 owners.

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There's nothing impressive there. This is how linear RAW works, most of the digital bits are distributed to highlights, not very efficient and requires high bitdepth (14bit or 16bit) to preserve full tonal range. That's why ARRI and Canon went with log RAW.

F55's highlight latitude is around 6 stops above neutral grey, while Alexa does at least 7.5 stops.
 
There are chicken/egg arguments for actually shooting like that (ETTR) with RAW cameras. (I think both sides have valid points.)
 
Run&Gun said:
Sounds like how we’ve historically shot “video”, up until recently. ; )

Look, I get it and I’m sure I’ve had plenty of shots cropped tighter and possibly stabilized and exposure tweaked and it’s great that we have those abilities, but I just see it so much on the forums and hear it from producers, that it seems the prevailing attitude now reads like nothing can be shot correctly in the field anymore and the basics-shooting 101-, like framing and exposure have to be done in post.
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You can get every setup in a day shot perfectly, and then suddenly the light changes or the day's ending and you're losing light, or the editor wants to turn a medium into a closeup, and suddenly you're glad you had the 4K. It's not something to rely on for every shot or setup, but it does account for a lot of production realities.
 
If you expose correctly in the shade, then must step into bright light, being able to recover blown highlights with raw is super helpful (live/verite/doc). Some cameras don't have auto ISO, and even if they do, being able to recover with raw is (to me) the primary advantage of raw.
 
I think it's still a few months away from being released. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Aputure had had a 1.2K HMI equivalent LED on offer in the next year or two. It is amazing how quickly this technology is progressing.
 
Aputure is crushing it this year. I'm very tempted by the new 300d mkII. If it's TLCI color values are better than the original version then I'll definitely pick one up. If it's TLCI scores are the same as the original then I'll probably pick up an original on sale now that the new model is coming out.
 
Not so long ago, all my lights were Arri, now they are nearly all Aputure. Those little MCs will be in my kit bag before summer is out, as will that RGB panel if it's half as good as Ted says it is.
 
I'll probably snag a 300D II at some point to add to my collection of 120D IIs. Aputure is really killing it.
 
Liam Hall said:
Not so long ago, all my lights were Arri, now they are nearly all Aputure. Those little MCs will be in my kit bag before summer is out, as will that RGB panel if it's half as good as Ted says it is.
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I started on the low end and worked up to the Aputure LS1 + LS1/2 (plus their smaller plastic LED panels (HR762W etc.)). Really dig point light sources: have 2 for green screen- cheap Savage- green bias so great for GS haha; did surgery to install quiet fans to make usable for video, and a Fiilex P360EX- fantastic design, tiny, great TLCI/CRI, variable color, only issue is not much lumens though fine for close work & travel. The LS 120D II and 300D II look pretty good- light quality seems high enough, build quality is fair for price, would be nice to see lights with design+build quality approaching Fiilex (the Apple of lights IMO: small, sexy, high quality).

Point sources are so much more versatile than panels- good to see decent designs coming out with more power and high CRI/TLCI (better continuous spectrum and especially with decent R9 (important for skin tones)). And quiet fans! haha


Ikea has sold these for a while (have a couple- used for background/mood (RGB)): https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20353289/
 
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