This must be a first where you are made to update your equipments firmware before a set date or it will be forced to stop working, what happens if someone is on holiday and can’t update before the 1st of September ?

DJI will be releasing a new firmware update this week to further enhance flight safety and performance of the DJI Spark.

The new firmware update enhances Spark’s battery management system to optimise power supply during flight. In addition, the new firmware has added support to fully integrate Spark with the DJI Goggles, optimised the PalmLaunch function for better stability after takeoff, improved the accuracy of controls under the QuickShot Dronie mode and enhanced the compatibility of the remote controller when syncing up with new firmware updates.

When prompted on the DJI GO 4 App, users with internet connectivity will be able to download the new firmware to update their aircraft’s and battery’s firmware. The aircraft and battery firmware updates can also be done via the DJI Assistant 2 desktop software. If the firmware of either the aircraft or the battery is not updated by September 1, Spark will not be able to take off. DJI decided on the option of a mandatory firmware update in order to maximise flight safety and product reliability which we consider as top priorities.

The update comes after DJI released new features for its Spark in early August to deliver a more powerful combination of video and photo improvements including a new gesture to start and stop video recording and enhanced QuickShot video features for more cinematic control.

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

Barry Green’s take on Panasonic’s EVA-1 “The EVA1’s 5.7K Super-35 sensor has almost twice as many photosites as 4K,” noted Mitch Gross, PMEC Cinema Product Manager. “That means the 4K videos recorded in the camera will be crystal clear with rich color information. The EVA1 also inherits the unique Dual Native ISO sensor technology from our Cinema VariCam line, allowing it to shoot in bright sunlight or night exteriors without compromising the image quality. And the 14 stops of Dynamic Range capture a huge scope of exposure detail.”

The newly-designed EVA1 sensor is Super-35 sized (24.60mm x 12.97mm) with 5.7K resolution.
With an active resolution of 5720 x 3016, the EVA1 delivers more than 17.25 million photosites, nearly double the 8.8 million for 4K DCI (4096 x 2160). By starting at a higher native resolution, the 5.7K sensor yields a higher resolving image when down-sampled to 4K, UHD, 2K, or even 720p. Additionally, the increased color information results in a finer, more accurate finished image.

A key feature of the VariCam cameras, Dual Native ISO utilizes a process that allows the sensor to be read in a fundamentally different way, extracting more information without degrading the image. This results in a camera that can switch from a standard sensitivity to a high sensitivity with almost no increase in noise or other artifacts. Dual Native ISO has allowed cinematographers a greater variety of artistic choices as well as the ability to use less light on set, saving time and money. The EVA1’s Dual Native ISOs are 800 and 2,500, which will allow cinematographers to shoot in almost any lighting environment.

The EVA1 delivers 14-stops of Dynamic Range, enabling fine gradation in exposure from bright to dark. The ability to capture accurate colors and rich skin tones is a must for any filmmaker. The EVA1 features full V-Log/V-Gamut capture to best utilize high dynamic range and broad colors. V-Log has log curve characteristics that is HDR ready and V-Gamut delivers a color space that will cover BT.2020.

Weighing only 2.65-lbs (1.2Kg, body-only) with a compact form factor (6.69” H x 5.31” W x 5.23” D) and a removable handgrip, the EVA1 can be used for efficient handheld shooting applications. Because of its compact form factor, it can also be mounted on a drone, gimbal rig or jib arm for complex yet smooth camera moves. There will also be numerous mounting points and Panasonic is currently working with top accessory makers to allow further customization with the EVA1.

The included adjustable handgrip offers several controls, including Menu, REC start/stop, Iris and Two User Buttons. The EVA1’s LCD screen is a 3.5” touch panel for menu selections, expand (image zoom) positioning and playback controls. The LCD has an adjustable backlight control, including a Power LCD mode for bright viewing conditions.

For lensing, the camera utilizes a native EF-mount, giving shooters access to the broad EF lens ecosystem, including dozens of cinema-style prime and zoom lenses from numerous manufacturers. Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) within the camera will counterbalance camera shake and blurring, enabling smooth movement for handheld shooting. There will also be full Iris Control, One-Push Auto Focus, and Lens Data.

Behind the lens mount, an integrated ND filter wheel in 2, 4, and 6 stops allows for precise exposure control. The EVA1 also allows the IR Cut to be swung out of the path to the sensor at the push of a button. Unique photographic effects and night vision imagery are possible with this control over infrared.

The ND filter and IR Cut filter operate electronically, allowing wireless remote control from smartphones and tablets. EVA1 will have a remote-control app for a tablet (iOS, Android) that enables users to control an EVA1 when the camera is on a camera crane, or remote location.

Ideal for indie filmmakers, the EVA1 records to readily-available, lower-cost SD cards. With two SD card slots, you can capture footage either with Simul Rec (simultaneous dual record) or Relay Rec (continuous record). There’s also One Shot Record, which enables single frame video for stop motion capture.

The camera can record in several formats and compression rates, and offers up to 10-bit 4:2:2 even in 4K. For in camera recording, you can capture in 4K (4096 x 2160), UHD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080), Full HD (1920 x 1080), and HD (1280 x 720). In a future firmware upgrade, EVA1 will offer ALL Intra compression for in camera recording and 5.7K RAW output to 3rd party recorders.

For high-speed capture, the EVA1 offers up to 59.94fps/50fps for 4K/UHD, up to 120fps/100fps for 2K/Full HD, or 240fps/200fps (cropped area).

On first release, available bit rates will range from as low as 8Mbps up to 150Mbps, depending on frame rate, resolution, and codec. In a future firmware update, 400Mbps recording will be added.

As a professional video production tool, EVA1 contains several professional imaging tools, including Peaking, Expand (Image Zoom), Waveform, Zebras, and Spotmeter (Y-Get). EVA1 also utilizes Focus Squares, an array of green squares that grow in size when their local area appears to be sharp, to enable shooters to achieve critical focus.

The HDMI and SDI video outputs are both 4K-capable and each can be adjusted separately, allowing HD to be fed to a viewfinder or other third-party monitor while 4K is sent to an outboard recorder or monitor. The camera is also equipped with standard TimeCode functionality.”

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

Having had a Canon C300, the best bit about the C200 is finally Canon have had the sense to put the XLR,s onto the body of the camera itself. Like all of us these days we don’t have time to review every camera that appears on the market so here is a very good technical review of the Canon C200 by Matthew Allard, ACS accredited freelance Director of Photography with 27 years’ experience.

Here is the full review on News Shooter…

http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/08/14/canon-c200-production-camera-review/

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

I already own the Osmo PRO and therefore do not use the original Osmo X3, thats why its now for sale. A new Osmo X3 head will cost you £359 so this is well below half price. SOLD

This is our X3 in use while producing a video review. Interested…send an email to smallvideo@mac.com naming it Osmo sale and I will get back to you.

SOLD

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

Just when you thought it was safe to look up to the sky DJI deliver another drone, the Phantom 3 SE.

Perfect for beginners or experienced drone operators, the Phantom 3 SE features the reliability, intuitive controls, excellent image quality, and powerful flight performance that make DJI’s Phantom series so iconic. With its 4K camera, 4 km control range, vision positioning system, and 25-minute flight time, users can experience the thrill of flying with incredible ease.

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

Alister Chapman “I was recently asked by Sony to write a user guide for the PXW-FS7 and FS7M2. Well it’s now complete and available for free download from Sony. The guide does not replace the manual but should act as a useful point of reference for those unfamiliar with the cameras. It should also help guide you through the use of the CineEI mode or change the various gammas settings in custom mode to suit different types of scene.

There are sections on exposure tools and controls, the variable ND filter, exposure tools and controls. Custom mode paint settings, Cine EI and LUT’s and additional information on the various shooting modes and functions.

There are two versions of the guide. One is an ePub book that can be displayed and read by any book reader programs such as iBooks and the other is an interactive PDF formatted for use on a mobile phone or tablet.”

Click here for the PDF

For the ePUB version click over to XDCAM USER…

http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

I trashed my last post because it was in my own opinion far to personal and not judged to be a good post about a new camcorder. As more and more companies are moving over to Panasonic within the Scottish region thanks to having 10bit 422 camcorders like the PX270 and the GH5 lets take a look at their latest offering the super 35mm large sensor EVA-1.

So lets look at the Panasonic EVA-1 in detail. What did we gleam from the information so far…

• Price £6,215 plus vat

Panasonic have decided EVA-1 is more hi end than we were expecting hence the price £7,458 after 20% vat is added. I am not going to beat around the bush and say I was rather disappointed in the price as I thought we were getting a camera that was a bit dearer than the AF101 £4,200, I plumbed for a price of £5,500 being closer to what I had decided was the EVA’s competition.

Price aside so far we have not yet seen any footage from the camera, that will come closer to IBC 2017 in September.

Running 4K 50p will be the making of this camera for me personally as it will integrate with my GH5’s.

I still think EVA-1 will be a cracking large sensor camcorder, I am personally glad Panasonic went down the super 35mm route and not the micro four thirds. Giving the camera a Canon EF mount will allow us to enjoy a lot of the new Sigma ART lenses especially the 18-35 f1.8 (29-56 with 1.6x crop).

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

 

Panasonic today disclosed additional information, including pricing and specification data, about the upcoming AU-EVA1 5.7K handheld cinema camera. Previewed this spring at Cine Gear Expo, the EVA1 will ship this autumn with a suggested list price of £6,215.00.

Technical specifications now include a pixel count of 5720 H x 3016 V (17.25 million), confirmed dual native ISO ratings of 800 and 2,500, and 14-stops of dynamic range.

“The EVA1’s 5.7K Super-35 sensor has almost twice as many photosites as 4K,” noted Luc Bara, Technical Product Manager for Panasonic. “That means the 4K videos recorded in the camera will be crystal clear with rich colour information. The EVA1 also inherits the unique dual native ISO sensor technology from our cinema VariCam line, allowing it to shoot in bright sunlight or night exteriors without compromising the image quality. And the 14 stops of dynamic range capture a huge scope of exposure detail.”

The newly-designed EVA1 sensor is Super-35 sized (24.60mm x 12.97mm) with 5.7K resolution. With an active resolution of 5720 x 3016, the EVA1 delivers more than 17.25 million photosites, nearly double the 8.8 million for 4K DCI (4096 x 2160). By starting at a higher native resolution, the 5.7K sensor yields a higher resolving image when down-sampled to 4K, UHD, 2K, or even 720p. Additionally, the increased colour information results in a finer, more accurate finished image.

A key feature of the VariCam cameras, dual native ISO utilises a process that allows the sensor to be read in a fundamentally different way, extracting more information without degrading the image. This results in a camera that can switch from a standard sensitivity to a high sensitivity with almost no increase in noise or other artefacts. Dual native ISO has allowed cinematographers a greater variety of artistic choices as well as the ability to use less light on set, saving time and money. The EVA1’s dual native ISOs are 800 and 2,500, which will allow cinematographers to shoot in almost any lighting environment.

The EVA1 delivers 14-stops of dynamic range, enabling fine gradation in exposure from bright to dark. The ability to capture accurate colours and rich skin tones is a must for any filmmaker. The EVA1 features full V-Log/V-Gamut capture to best utilise high dynamic range and broad colours. V-Log has log curve characteristics that is HDR ready and V-Gamut delivers a colour space that will cover BT.2020.

Weighing only 1.2Kg (body-only) with a compact form factor (17cm H x 13.5cm W x 13.3cm D) and a removable handgrip, the EVA1 can be used for efficient handheld shooting applications. Because of its compact form factor, it can also be mounted on a drone, gimbal rig or jib arm for complex yet smooth camera moves. There will also be numerous mounting points and Panasonic is currently working with top accessory makers to allow further customisation with the EVA1.

The included adjustable handgrip offers several controls, including Menu, REC start/stop, Iris and Two User Buttons. The EVA1’s LCD screen is a 3.5” touch panel for menu selections, expand (image zoom) positioning and playback controls. The LCD has an adjustable backlight control, including a Power LCD mode for bright viewing conditions.

For lensing, the camera utilises a native EF-mount, giving shooters access to the broad EF lens ecosystem, including dozens of cinema style prime and zoom lenses from numerous manufacturers. Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) within the camera will counterbalance camera shake and blurring, enabling smooth movement for handheld shooting. There will also be full Iris Control, One-Push Auto Focus, and Lens Data.

Behind the lens mount, an integrated ND filter wheel in 2, 4, and 6 stops allows for precise exposure control. The EVA1 also allows the IR Cut to be swung out of the path to the sensor at the push of a button. Unique photographic effects and night vision imagery are possible with this control over infrared.

The ND filter and IR Cut filter operate electronically, allowing wireless remote control from smartphones and tablets. EVA1 will have a remote control app for a tablet (iOS, Android) that enables users to control an EVA1 when the camera is on a camera crane, or remote location.

Ideal for indie filmmakers, the EVA1 records to readily-available, lower-cost SD cards. With two SD card slots, you can capture footage either with simul rec (simultaneous dual record) or relay rec (continuous record). There’s also one shot record, which enables single frame video for stop motion capture.

The camera can record in several formats and compression rates, and offers up to 10-bit 4:2:2 even in 4K. For in camera recording, you can capture in 4K (4096 x 2160), UHD (3840 x 2160), 2K (2048 x 1080), Full HD (1920 x 1080), and HD (1280 x 720). In a future firmware upgrade, EVA1 will offer ALL Intra compression for in camera recording and 5.7K RAW output to third party recorders.

For high-speed capture, the EVA1 offers up to 59.94fps/50fps for 4K/UHD, up to 120fps/100fps for 2K/Full HD, or 240fps/200fps (cropped area).

On first release, available bit rates will range from as low as 8Mbps up to 150Mbps, depending on frame rate, resolution, and codec. In a future firmware update, 400Mbps recording will be added.

As a professional video production tool, EVA1 contains several professional imaging tools, including peaking, expand (Image Zoom), waveform, zebras, and spotmeter (Y-Get). EVA1 also utilises focus squares, an array of green squares that grow in size when their local area appears to be sharp, to enable shooters to achieve critical focus.

EVA1 offers dual balanced XLR audio inputs with Dolby Audio^TM encoding. The HDMI and SDI video outputs are both 4K-capable and each can be adjusted separately, allowing HD to be fed to a viewfinder or other third party monitor while 4K is sent to an outboard recorder or monitor. The camera is also equipped with standard TimeCode functionality.

 

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

Nigel Wilkes just posted this today “On Thursday 3rd August, Panasonic will announce the final information about the EVA-1”

This is one side of the EVA-1 we have not seen till now, I hope there is a rocker switch on the EVA-1 and the implementation of VSM (Variable Scan Mapping) as seen on the JVC LS300 or at least the ability to zoom into the 4K chip.

Price will the the make or brake of EVA-1, I am still hoping for a figure of no more than £5,500 incl vat.

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions

We just got my dad a Visolux Digital HD Magnifier which does help him read the “Racing Post” but he has only got peripheral vision in one eye due to some catastrophic eye conditions over the last two years.

Scientifically speaking, peripheral vision is that element of overall vision which occurs outside the center of the gaze. When you speak of seeing something “out of the corner of my eye,” you are referring to peripheral vision. There are some facts about peripheral vision that are not commonly known and pretty cool:

• Athletes undergo sports vision training that includes improving peripheral vision. Very few people are born with perfect sight, and peripheral vision is important. Athletes are trained to be aware of their periphery and notice actions that are not occurring directly in front of them.
• Non-athletes can also improve referral awareness with eye exercises.
• Peripheral vision is a safety issue. It allows us to see objects coming from the side, helping to prevent side impact crashes, and avoid that ball coming (literally) out of left field.
• Peripheral vision allows us to see better at night.
• The peripheral vision of a horse is better than that of a human being. However, because the horse’s eyes point to the sides, there is a blind spot of vision right ahead of their noses.
• Peripheral vision is practically all in black and white, and has a very low resolution. You don’t really notice the difference because the motion of the eye will compensate.
• Peripheral vision can help with speed reading. Most people read with their central focus, and that prevents them from seeing up to 50% of the words in the text.

My thoughts can anyone think of a way of bending the light to allow him to “see” more in the peripheral part of his eye. Most of you who read this blog have an interest in lenses though some of you are experts, I hope someone reading this can help my father by coming up with an idea or knows of a gadget that could revolutionise his sight.

This is me and my dad during 2014 only three years ago when he had good sight in both eyes. Its very sad to see just how much my father can’t see after many years of very good sight.

For all your video production needs in Scotland, get in touch with Small Video Productions