15 thoughts on “The NAB 4K Post Mortem”

1. Surprised you did not come down harder on the Panasonic’s 420 8bit. It’s hardly the sort of camera you want to be putting an external recorder on.

   HDW : In reflection your right I have updated my thoughts to reflect this.

2. Ursa Mini looks very interesting, but a couple of things:

   1. NO ND filters. What’s up with that?

   2. When you add the shoulder mount and viewfinder to the 4.6K model (which gets you 15 stops DR), then it’s pretty much the same price as the Sony FS7.

   I’m still curious, but it looks basically head to head competition for the FS7. So which one is better?

3. I thought you might also be interested in the Aputure active lens adaptor – the DEC.

   It’ll let you use Canon lenses with working IS on your FS7, while allowing you to wirelessly control iris and pull focus with A-B stops.
   Also has LANC start/stop etc it’s supposed to be about £300.

   There’s rumours of a speedbooster pro version too. Now if you could somehow flip the speed boost section out of the way when you don’t need it that would be brilliant! A bit like an ENG lens with a 2x converter…

   HDW : The chap on the video mentioned about 1K which I assume is $1000 = £669 !

4. I note no mention of the JVC GY-LS300. I wonder why? Are you still planning to do a review of it soon. Many of us are looking forward to it. I am using the LS300 right now, and have not a few questions I hope you might bring some clarification to in your review.

   HDW : Did not realise it was on sale…thats good I will get a production model.

5. Note no mention of the LS300 at the convention. Are you still planning a review of it?

   HDW : The JVC team will be a NAB I will contact them next week.

6. Hi, as a Panasonic affectionado, I am excited by the DVX-2000, but the C300 Mk11 and the URSA mini also look pretty good.

   I did not attend NAB2015 (my wife categorizes NAB as “too dangerous” and I know she is right.

   Not mentioned in your post (seems to be about cameras, not accessories) was the SmallHD Sidefinder that attracted my attention. I want one of these!

   However, I am totally perplexed by the statement someone made to the effect “. . . .why bother about 4K because unless you go to 8K you really don’t see a big difference”.

   We should debate this because cropping 4K is to me enough of a reason to go to 4K, but anyone who has seen the Canon 120p Brazil video probably still is salivating over this (I know it might be a couple of years before we see this sensor in an affordable cam but, WOW!)

   I just recorded a major (for me) music event with my AG-AC160A.

   I went to four production nights before I got it ‘right’, but my recent acquisition of a Libec fluid head/tripod, puts my rating of this recording as “average” (I can see jerks from my now retired Manfrotto kit that I will never again see with the Libec kit).

   But, how is my assessment of my recordings going to change once a get Danny Dodges “Cinerails” Snaptrack working for me?

   The point is you guys live in an absolutely fascinating world of which there appears to be no end whereas in my case, as a “one-trick pony”, I am close to a limit on Return on Investment (video is not my day job).

   I am quickly getting to where I will have what I can afford and use is “optimum” for the time being and I will then be able to focus more on storywriting.

   I want to make a compelling 2 min video to raise funds for a Kickstarter project my partners have set up in the area of e-learning.

   I absolutely love this HDWarrior site.

7. Philip. Just to follow up on the DEC price.
   It will be $380.

   You were probably watching the 2014 NAB video where it was still in development, here’s the NAB 2015 video with the Aputure chap quoting the proper price:

   I’ve posted on your site about two Aputure products recently. I have no affiliation of course, but their kit seems to be pretty good.

   Have a look at the their new uncompressed latency free wireless HDMI kit. Really nice and really cheap! I use a wireless laptop HDMI which is OK, but compressed and won’t go through many walls. They say their kit will have a usable/working 100m range – lots of antennae etc.

   Best, Duncan.

8. Hi Philip,

   I know this is of the topic but something crossed my mind , could be interesting for you as FS 7 owner. I remember Rick Young had tested a lens made for the Sony F3 back in 2012, it’s Sony SCL-Z 18-252mm. Now this could be a good partner with the FS7, if the lens mount is the same? It is a power zoom lens and has very decent range.
   Best regards

   HDW : Specifically designed to fit to the PMW-F3 and PMW-F5, via the camcorder’s FZ mount, good try.

9. can’t wait to get my hands on C300 MARK II looks awesome:)

10. Philip, I only wish to thank you for your very professional website. You are indeed perfectionist. All the best, Dimi

11. Hi,
    I would love to know if new Pana DVX200 will have
    FULL AUTO AUDIO AGC or just Limiter.

12. I don’t think any of the cams around $5K have decent audio recording facilities.

    I no longer record sound at the camera other than to provide a reference backup for PluralEyes.

    For starters, if anything at all complicated is going on, you need more than 2 channels and with a 4-6-8 or 12 channel field audio recorder you probably need a person to watch it.

    How many of you out there use/feel the need for a compressor?

    My bugaboo is stage event video recordings where I have two people whispering one moment then a cast of 20 opera singers at full volume competing with the orchestra or recorded music.

    Meanwhile the lights are up/down with color changes every few seconds.

    Thank goodness I have a 22x zoom because all of this has to be done 65-100 feet away from the stage.

    Does it sound like I could use a compressor?

13. Have you for example worked in pitts with cars and bikes next you. ? Have you worked in areas where you need second back up track because you would not be able to keep up manually.
    Why do you think Varicams,F55s and other “Wedding and Event” Cameras have AGC? Mr Compressor

    HDW : Jiri whats your point…the F55 is far from a wedding and event camera and yes I spent 4 years filming Speedway.

14. Point is very logical.
    It is very useful or high or low end to have AGC sometimes. That is why it would be a mistake if Panasonic did not have it on dvx200.
    Do you need anything else to explain?

15. I agree with Jiri on this. AGC has just been saving my bacon on my last job in the US.

    If I am working on an obs-doc situation just relying on my camera boom-mic for audio, then my rule of thumb is to set the boom to two channels with different volumes levels. This way if SOMEONE STARTS SHOUTING etc I can switch between audio tracks in the edit. In this recent instance I had chosen to use my camera mic for a two way conversation (the very brilliant Audio Technica AT875R – highly rated by my editor at BBC), but I had not switched it to both channels (me being sloppy). Fortunately when the shouting started, I was able to pick up the audio in the edit from Ch3/4 which have AGC dialled in on my Panasonic. There is nothing worse than over-modding audio!

    As to the announcements from NAB, I am not quite sure what to say. The new Panny DVX200 looks very interesting, but 8-bit 4.2.0 internal recording is NG for EBU broadcast standards. No ND filter on the Blackmagic mini-Ursa is just plain dumb and as for Canon’s C300 Mk2 pricing – what are they thinking?

    I still think the Sony Fs7 is out in front in the low-budget, cinematic camera class, but without a proper obs-doc fast/wide/long/fully-manual zoom lens it is of no use to me. With all this hoo-haa over 4k, I am minded to look at a newer version of my 2k machine – something like the Panasonic AJ-PX270 – and let the mfrs iron out the wrinkles in their kit offering.

    Again if one of the kit manufacturers would take the time to speak to filmmakers working in factual broadcast TV, I think they might start delivering gear that really hits the spot…

    Andy