Day TWO, Ricoh Arena, Coventry…Times are hard but in the video production world there seems to be a underlying current of work that keeps us all in business and the ability to buy new camcorders at least every two years. There was for the first time a growing number of DSLR products for sale and Canon were here showing off the XF305 and the new EOS 60D with swivel viewfinder…at last. The IOV (Institute of Videography) has an unfair image of being full of wedding videographers not that that’s a problem in itself it’s the pre conception by others in the industry that the show is for amateurs when the opposite is in fact the truth, the calibre of professional stands alone should dispel this myth.
The pictures from the XF305 were truly stunning, indeed I would say the quality matched high end camcorders from Sony and Panasonic costing twice the price.
Good to see a full turnout from Sony Professional and Bill Drummond, Marketing Manager on hand to talk about various Sony camcorders. I quizzed Bill about the new FilmLike camcorder but he was tight lipped and giving nothing away so we will have to wait till December for any news on that front.
Everyone without exception was taken with 3D at ProVideo 2010, Preston Media had a 65″ Panasonic 3D TV and a fancy pair of 3D glasses on a retractable stand for customers to view and all but none were taken with my 3D wedding footage. The camcorder that did it for me was the Panasonic AG-3DA1, Holdan were showing footage shot at Brighton Pier and it’s the first time true 3D footage has blown me away, the depth was like looking at Photoshop layers it was fantastic, until ProVideo 2010 I had not taken this camcorder seriously but if you want to shoot stunning 3D footage without all the Meccano and 45˚ mirrors etc. this is your tool …and you can use the zoom as well.
The ProVideo 2010 show had all the ingredients, seminars from Adobe, Holdan…exhibitors like Sony, Rycote, Canon, Hague, AKM music etc. and sales teams from H Preston Media, CVP and Planet Video the one missing ingredient was Panasonics AF101 camcorder, that would have doubled the gate in my opinion and in these hard times of deep recession Panasonic need to take a good hard look at themselves.
