Simon Beer “Cameraman Jim Marks joined us in our showroom and for a live web stream where he talked about his experiences with the Panasonic EVA1 and took your questions.  Check out the video to see what you missed.”

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

Canon have updated both 70-200 professional L lenses.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM

The new Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM is an ideal lens for professional photographers who shoot with the Canon 1D and 5D series of DSLR cameras. The inclusion of Air Sphere Coating (ASC) technology helps to reduce flaring and ghosting, and suppresses the reflection of light.

Additional noteworthy features of the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM include:

• Optical Image Stabilizer up to 3.5 shutter speed stops of correction
• Fluorine coating on front and rear elements helps to reduce smears and fingerprints
• Inner focusing system with Ring Ultrasonic Motor
• One fluorite lens and five UD lenses helps to provide high-image quality
• Minimum focusing distance of 1.2m (3.9ft)
• Lens features 23 elements in 19 groups
• Circular eight blade aperture

The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III is scheduled to begin shipping in August 2018 for an estimated retail price of $2,099.00.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM

The new Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM features numerous updates over its predecessor, making it an ideal lens for advanced amateur photographers using Canon DSLR cameras such as the EOS 6D Mark II or EOS 80D. Most notably, Optical Image Stabilization is upgraded from three stops to five shutter speed stops of correction over the original f/4 lens. The improved IS allows photographers to more easily capture crisp, in-focus images without the use of a tripod. The new lens also features three IS modes, each uniquely designed and suitable for a variety of shooting situations, such as the capture of still subjects, panning or fast moving objects2. Furthermore, the IS operational noise has been reduced, which proves ideal for photographers shooting in a concert hall or on-stage shooting at the theatre.

Additional noteworthy features of the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM include:

• One fluorite lens and two UD lenses helps to provide high-image quality
• Minimum focusing distance shortened from 1.2m to 1m (3.9ft to 3.3ft)
• Super Spectra Coating technology and optimized lens element placement helps minimize ghosting and flaring
• Circular nine blade aperture producing a beautiful bokeh quality, ideal for portrait shooting
• Lens features 20 lens elements in 15 groups
• Fluorine coating on front and rear elements helps to reduce smears and fingerprints
• Inner focusing system with Ring Ultrasonic Motor

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II is scheduled to begin shipping in late June 2018 with an estimated retail price of $1,299.00.

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

Sony “With this new VENICE setup shooting in 3D will make a very light and small setup. (PS I have yet to see a “small” 3D setup). With two of the small E-Mount optical block cameras in a beam splitter configuration, the rig came in at 30 pounds. The new Venice camera with the tethered optical block is being used in four Avatar sequels for live motion capture.”

Just when we thought the video industry had finally learned the lessons about 3D, Sony decide to give it one more try. Doh just remembered my 50″ 3D Panasonic telly packed in last year but the glasses still work.

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

PromptSmart is the first and only “smart” teleprompter app. VoiceTrack speech recognition technology automatically follows your voice as you speak. PromptSmart is a unique prompter app because VoiceTrack’s speech recognition engine gives you unparalleled and intuitive control over your content, where other teleprompter or autocue apps fall short because they rely on clunky hardware or pre-set scrolling speeds. We asked tens of thousands of users what they liked most about our prompter app, and over 90% of respondents said “VoiceTrack,” calling it “awesome,” “astonishing,” “tremendous,” “easy to use,” a “game changer”—“absolutely brilliant!!!”

Panasonic GH5 with XLR unit and Sennheiser AVX-MKE2 radio mic receiver recording 4K 25p 422 10bit with Apple iPad PRO.

Teleprompters allow you to deliver your message quickly and convincingly. PromptSmart’s VoiceTrack technology provides key support to small business marketers, video producers, youtubers, teachers, business professionals, radio hosts, or podcasters in a way previously reserved for well-resourced professionals that can afford expensive rigs and personnel to operate the teleprompter.

PromptSmart users frequently praise our software because it reduces time spent recording take after take trying to keep up with a pre-set scroll speed. If you’re on a budget or trying to film by yourself, there is no better companion than PromptSmart because VoiceTrack starts and stops at your desired pace.

PromptSmart Pro comes loaded with an optional paid subscription service ($1.99 pm) unlocking features, including: a Remote Control, File Sync, and Bulk Import!

Rachel was very impressed with the new prompter software but as I added its only useful in a quiet studio environment.

My opinions…

LIKES… I think this VoiceTrack speech recognition technology is fantastic when it works, to be fair it only let us down a couple of times by forgetting to scroll. My presenter a seasoned broadcast journalist Rachel was very impressed.

DISLIKES…If you want a remote control option you have to buy a monthly subscription for $1.99 a month which is not a lot of money if you are constantly using this software but only in a quiet studio environment.

As you start the program it listens for external sounds which would not work in a busy, noisy environment, so the voice activated part is limited to a quiet environment.

The FUTURE…I would prefer the makers to allow small users like myself to buy the remote option rather than a continuous monthly subscription. As video professionals we are fed up being forced to RENT monthly software like Adobe Photoshop etc. There seems to be a need for companies today to get monthly subscriptions rather than a buy-out.

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

1. Improvement of AF performance
• AF tracking performance in video recording has been improved.
• AF speed at 180d (180°) has been improved when displaying the shutter speed in degrees in [SS/Gain Operation]>[ANGLE/ISO].

2. Improvement of Body I.S.(Image Stabilizer) performance
• There were cases where peripheral distortion occurred in video recording while walking when used with Panasonic wide zoom lenses (H-F007014, H-E08018). This bug has been fixed.

3. Improvement of sound recording performance
• Sound quality has been improved by optimizing the noise reduction performance of internal noise cancelling microphone.

4. New functions
• [L.Monochrome D] has been added to Photo Style.
• [Grain Effect] can be added and adjusted in Photo Style.
• [Live View Boost] has been added, which makes it easy to check the composition on the monitor in low-light environment.
• [Night Mode] has been added, which reduces glaring on the screens when recording in low-light environment.
• Maximum 20x enlarged view is available in [MF Assist].
• [Focus Ring Lock] has been added to [Custom] menu, which disables focus ring operation to lock the focus.
• [WB/ISO/Expo. Button] has been added, which enables adjustment of WB/ISO/Exposure only while the exposure compensation button is pressed. This can be set [Custom]>[Operation].
• [Dial] has been added to [Custom]>[Operation Lock Setting].
• [Power/Wireless Indicator] has been added in [Setup] menu, which enables turning off the status indicator and wireless connection lamp.

5. Other improvements
• [Like 709],[V-LogL*] and [V-LogL View Assist*] in Photo Style can be used in photo shooting.
• [LUT Monitor Display*] and [LUT HDMI Display*] can be used in playback mode.
* Upgrade Software Key DMW-SFU1(sold separately) is required.
• [Focus Ring Lock], [E-Stabilization(Video)], [Mic Rec Level Disp.], [Live View Boost],[Night Mode] and [L.Monochrome D] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in recording mode.
• [LUT Monitor Display*],[LUT HDMI Display*] and [Night Mode] can be assigned to the Fn button that works in playback mode.
* Upgrade Software Key DMW-SFU1(sold separately) is required.
• Vector Scope can be displayed on the screen while adjusting white balance.
• It is possible to choose images from group display such as burst shots in [RAW Processing] mode.
• Restarting time from sleep mode has been shortened while using Image App and Bluetooth connection.
You can choose to shorten the time of remote operation and image transfer or remote shutter control in [Setup]>[Bluetooth]>[Returning from Sleep Mode].
• Remaining battery status is indicated by 1/4-gauge, indicating approximately 25% per gauge.
• There were cases where folder name was garbled when connecting wirelessly with Windows10-based PC. This bug has been fixed.

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

Brilliant, with all the technology they forget to load the GoPro with a micro SD card.

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

Sadly, STV is to close its second channel as part of a reorganisation that will result in the loss of 59 jobs.

The broadcaster said the loss-making STV2 would close at the end of June, with investment shifting to its main channel and online streaming.

While 25 jobs will go at STV2, a further 34 will also be lost as part of changes to news output.

STV said the reorganisation of services would result in savings to the company of about £2m a year.

The announcement was made as part of a three-year strategic review by new chief executive, Simon Pitts.

Anticipated competition

He said there would be renewed focus on online streaming, with a new ad-free subscription version of the STV Player launched for the first time.

The company also said it planned to invest £15m in new original content over the next three years.

Mr Pitts said the decision to axe STV2 was in part driven by anticipated competition from BBC Scotland’s new channel, which will begin broadcasting next year.

The announcement comes after STV revealed its pre-tax profit had slipped slightly from £18.3m in 2016 to £18m last year.

STV2 was launched in 2017, bringing together the company’s local TV stations for Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as proposed local stations for Ayr, Aberdeen and Dundee.

However, over the 12-month period, the channel lost £800,000.

Mr Pitts said: “As a result of the challenging economics of local television and anticipated increased competition from BBC Scotland, we have taken the difficult decision to close our loss-making STV2 channel to focus our future content investment on STV and the STV Player.”

He added: “This is a positive vision for STV that will re-establish the company as a creative force in Scotland and beyond.

“We will invest in creative talent, new original programming and digital to ensure STV becomes Scotland’s home of news and entertainment and delivers long-term value for advertisers, shareholders and viewers alike.”

STV’s main business is the Channel 3 service for central and northern Scotland – it is the only part of the network that is not owned by ITVplc.

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

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

Invisor displays technical information about your video, audio and photo files with ability to compare collected data.

Video and audio: detailed info about file’s container and media streams including subtitles and chapters using MediaInfo.

Photo: EXIF, IPTC, XMP, GPS and MakerNote tags.

Features:

• Export allows you to save gathered information in different formats: Text, HTML, CSV, XML, JSON.
• Comparison table can be exported to CSV or HTML document.
• Removing geolocation information from images and MPEG-4 video.
• Extracting cover and image previews.

Great for adding info for comparison shots (JPEG) taken with in this case the Panasonic GH5 and GH5S

Looking at the JVC GY-LS300 you can see all the information from the .MOV file like the HD 422 mode giving you a little more colour space to your HD shots. My thanks to our reader Stewart Mackenzie for pointing this APP out to me. Sorry I should have mentioned it in my review, its mainly for Apple desktop machines like iMacs, mini Mac etc. not iPads or iPhones.

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

The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K uses the same Blackmagic OS as URSA Mini. That means you get the world’s most advanced camera operating system and many of the same professional features found on larger cameras! If you’re just getting started, you can learn how to use the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K today and move up to an URSA Mini when you’re ready! If you already use an URSA Mini, there’s nothing new to learn!

You get a modern touchscreen interface that uses simple tap and swipe gestures to adjust settings, add metadata and view recording status. The Blackmagic OS gives you incredible control of advanced camera features including 3D LUTs for both recording and monitoring, HDR output via HDMI, metadata entry, custom presets, extended video format, Bluetooth remote control, external timecode from the audio input, RAW recording and more!

Shooting Resolutions

4096 x 2160 (4K DCI), 3840 x 2160 (Ultra HD), 1920 x 1080 (HD).

Frame Rates

Maximum sensor frame rate dependent on resolution and codec selected. Project frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 and 60 fps supported.
Off-speed frame rates up to 60 fps in 4K DCI, 120 fps in HD windowed.

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K – Newsshooter at NAB 2018 from Newsshooter on Vimeo.

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