What would the NAB show be without some sort of announcement from RED? This year we’ve got a slew of news from the company, including Scarlet Dragon shipping info, a 4K broadcast module to send out up to 4K 60fps over 4 3G-SDI ports, Epic-M Monochrome details, new color science and even a handy RED-specific multi-tool. Hit the jump for the details.
Scarlet DRAGON
Attempting the quell the rumors of Scarlet’s discontinuation, this RED announcement should be encouraging for Scarlet owners. Here’s some footage from the regular Scarlet and Epic that Jarred Land posted as a reminder of the DRAGON predecessors’ quality (download the 2k ProRes here):
Since RED isn’t allowing the video to be embedded yet, check it out over at the RED forums.
House of the Rising Sun - Five Finger Death Punch
$14,500
“Likely” shipping in June
6K FF: 12 fps
5K FF: 48
4K FF: 60
3K FF: 75
2K FF: 120
5K 2.4:1: 60
4K 2.4:1: 75
3K 2.4:1: 100
2K 2.4:1: 150
New RCX with Dragoncolor and REDgamma 4
Potentially the most important of RED’s announcements today, this ushers in the next generation of Graeme’s color science that the RED cameras rely on. Here is a little bit that’s new with the REDCINE-X:
Updated: New look and feel.
Added: DRAGONcolor and REDgamma4.
Added: Advanced Dragon Debayer (A.D.D.) with HDRx and motion support.
Added: Support for camera generated markers.
Added: CUDA support.
Added: Ability to filter wav files from the browser.
Added: Rating can now be applied to both clips and frames through context sensitive keyboard shortcuts.
Added: Rating a frame now automatically creates a frame marker.
Updated: Default keyboard shortcuts for rating, video out and L/R stereo toggling have been changed.
DSMC Firmware v5.2.8
REDLINK Module support (wireless networking and wireless hand controller)
4K Broadcast Module support
Switchblade Module support
Dragon Monochrome support
Scarlet Dragon support
Public REDLINK Control Protocol support
DRAGONcolor (Dragon only)
REDgamma4 as default gamma
4 User Calibration Maps available (Dragon only)
Calibration map programming time optimized (Dragon only)
Added frame processing (Dragon)
Increased max exposure time to 1 sec (Dragon)
Rack point UI enhancements
Optimize color science updates
Clean format transitions
Video markers support
Video markers / regions in playback
Pre-trigger added to trigger mode
Burst mode capture
Updated UI theme
6:5 formats added for full height 2.40:1 2x Anamorphic de-squeeze
Horizon line UI overlay
A-X track toggle in preview and playback
Added additional supported lenses
SSD fragmentation detection
Added Exposure Assist
RED 4K Broadcast Module for DRAGON
Designed for broadcast professionals, this DRAGON-only module is due to make a lot of people happy who have wanted to use their RED cameras in broadcast environments.
Since RED isn’t allowing the videos to be embedded yet, check it out over at the RED forums.
RED 4K Broadcast Module for DRAGON
RED QUICK START: 4K BROADCAST MODULE from RED Digital Cinema on Vimeo.
Live uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2 video feed
Up to 4K / 60 FPS via Quad 3G-SDI
BNC ports for timecode and genlock
RED Switchblade-M
An alternative to the touch-screen REDmote, this machined-aluminum attachment goes in place of the side-handle and will be helpful for camera assistants who want information on the side.
$950, availability TBD
Side-mounted tool-less camera control interface
OLED
DRAGON Epic-M Monochrome
The Fincher-tested Monochrome camera finally has price and shipping dates.
$31,500
Shipping April 28th
REDlink and REDLINK Development Kit
This is an open protocol that allows 3rd parties to control the camera via the REDLink module or via Serial/Ethernet. This could be a useful tool for controlling the camera when on a Movi, a crane or other rigs where the camera is not immediately accessible. Foolcontrol is an example of a 3rd party utilizing the REDLINK SDK.
Since RED isn’t allowing the video to be embedded yet, check it out over at the RED forums.
$395, shipping now
Integrated THC wireless lens control
REDMAG 1.8″ 240GB
This new faster SSD is replacing the previous REDMAG 256GB. Also, all media purchased from RED in the past 6 months and in the future will come standard with a 1 year warranty.
$1,450
Shipping in 6-8 weeks
Includes 1 year warranty.
RED Sidewinder Multi-tool
This is a custom tool that covers all the standard screw sizes found on RED equipment, with threaded holes to carry spare bolts.
$28 (tool-only) or included in the DSMC Bolt Set ($50)
Carbon RED Mini-Mag Side Module + Magnesium Mounts
Carbon mini-mag side modules can now be ordered with all Carbon Dragon orders. Red is also expanding their Magnesium mount options for Carbon Dragon owners to Leica, Canon, Nikon and PL mount.
Side modules shipping by the end of April
Phew! That’s it for now from RED. Stay tuned for more NAB announcements throughout the week and join the discussion in the comments below.
Link: Recon — REDUser Forum
La vague des DSLR qui font de la vidéo a commencé avec la Canon 5D mkII, une caméra “Full Frame”. Depuis, peu de fabricants ont offert d’appareil “Full Frame” préférant les APS (35mm) et micro 4/3. Cependant, le vent semble tourner. En quelques semaines les manufacturiers ont annoncé quatre nouveaux modèles de caméra qui utilisent ces grand capteurs. D’abord, Sony avait une nouvelle caméra à l’IBC.
La NEX-VG900, membre de la la famille NEX des caméras AVCHD, est la première à utiliser le capteur “Full Frame” CMOS EXMOR de 24 megapixels de Sony. Elle supporte un nombre incroyable de lentilles. D’abord, elle vient avec un E-mount et un adaptateur LA-EA3 pour lentilles A couvrant de plus grand capteurs. Elle a aussi la capacité unique de s’ajuster à la couverture de la lentille qui y est attachée. Si la lentille est reconnue pour ne couvrir que la surface d’un APS-C, la caméra n’utilisera que cette surface pour la capture d’images HD.
Comme il est plus difficile faire le foyer sur ce genre de capteur qui a une très petite profondeur de champs, la caméra a une fonction d’assistance de mise au point directement accessible sur l’écran OLED touchscreen. Une fonction peaking est aussi disponible. Pour l’audio, si vous ne voulez pas vous servir des micros surround intégrés, vous pouvez vous procurer le XLR-K1M qui vous permet de brancher deux micros en XLR. Il vient aussi avec un shotgun.
La NEX-VG900 peut enregistrer des images de 24 à 60p sur MemoryStick ou carte SD de Sony. Elle se détaillera 3300$ à sa sortie en novembre.
C’est une semaine plus tard au Photokina que Sony confirme l’arrivée sur le marché de deux caméras photos “Full Frame” pouvant faire de superbes images HD: le Alpha A99 et le compact RX1.
La famille des appareils DSLR Alpha n’a jamais été très populaire chez les vidéastes mais ça pourrait changer. Les SLT-A99 vient directement rivaliser avec les meilleurs appareils de Canon et Nikon. Son capteur de 24 Megapixels a une sensibilité de 25600 ISO. Son écran rotatif et mobile est un plus pour les tournage en plongée ou contre-plongée. Elle permettra aussi de brancher des micros et des écouteurs. Son capteur est aussi muni d’un système d’autofocus qui fonctionne même en mode vidéo. Elle peut prendre des lentilles Sony Alpha mais plusiers adaptateurs existent déjà pour les lentilles Canon ou même PL.
Cette caméra pourra enregistrer en HD jusqu’à 60 images par seconde sur carte SD ou MemoryStick. Elle sera disponible début novembre pour 4100$.
Pour ceux qui voudrais investir un peu moins ou qui aurait besoin d’un appareil plus compact, Sony a aussi lancé la RX1 qui est essentiellement un A99 dans un boitier de 13 mm d’épaisseur et tient facilement dans une poche. Elle sera à vous pour aussi peut que 2800$. Pas mal pour le premier appareil point and shoot “Full Frame”.
Un autre joueur tente de garder sa place sur le podium des “Full Frame”. Nikon annonce la D600 au Photokina. Avec son capteur de 24 Megapixels (10.5 en mode APS) elle devient une alternative intéressante à la D800. Elle a plusieurs caractéristiques unique: deux fentes SD et une sortie HDMI non compressé qu’on peut utiliser pour enregistrer sur un appareil externe comme un KiPro mini. Nikon semble enfin avoir abandonné le m-jpeg pour le H.264. Elle sera vendu environ 2100$
Canon ne pouvait se laisser grignoter des parts de marcher et lance donc la EOS 6D. Le “Full Frame” le plus petit de Canon. Bien qu’il semble que Canon ait volontairement retenu les ambitions de ses ingénieurs pour protéger les ventes de la 5D mkIII et de la 1D, la 6D tire tout de même son épingle du jeux. D’abord son prix de 2100$ est un argument de poid. C’est aussi la première Canon à intégrer un module GPS et Wifi. Est-ce qu’on verra une application iPad pour faire le monitoring des images par réseau? On aurait aimé un écran pivotant et une prise d’écouteurs mais ils vont surement garder des options pour les EOS-C.
Alors, est-ce qu’on verra un retour des courts qui abusent de la profondeur de champs?
Those part of Magic Lantern are always hard at work tinkering away to give us mere mortals better cameras at zero cost. They were able to pull a rabbit out of a hat and give us RAW video on Canon DSLRs, which is a huge step up on video quality from the standard H.264 files the cameras normally record to. Now they’ve got another trick up their sleeve that can actually improve dynamic range about half a stop — but there are some caveats at this early stage.
I had been following this story for a little while since Magic Lantern originally tweeted that a “sensor upgrade” was coming, and even though I was reading the exact thread related to the “sensor upgrade,” the situation still wasn’t all that clear, especially since the tech talk is pretty dense (not unlike how some NFS posts must feel to people just starting out — including this one). This new hack has been tested the most on the Canon 5D Mark III and has a greater effect on RAW photos than RAW video, but a1ex has posted a detailed Q&A explaining exactly what’s going on:
So, what’s all this stuff about “sensor update”?
Just a small improvement in dynamic range in photo mode (around 0.35-0.5 stops). We were able to fine-tune the amplifier gains in order to squeeze a little more highlight detail.
Wait a minute, that means less noise, right?
Well, it means you get a little more detail in highlights. This doesn’t mean less noise per se (the new ISOs will be just as noisy in shadows as the old ones), but it will let you shift the exposure to the right by 1/3 or 1/2 EV and collect more photons. This will result in lower noise.
For example, on 5D Mark III I could lower the ISO by 0.37 stops from 100, resulting a new ISO 77.
And how the magic is actually happening:
How exactly are you getting more highlight detail compared to Canon firmware?
The signal from the sensor seems to be amplified in 2 stages: a CMOS amplifier (which operates in full stops – powers of 2 – and we have tweaked it when implementing Dual ISO) and an ADTG amplifier which can be configured in finer increments. After these two stages, the signal is digitized (with an ADC), probably tweaked digitally, and saved to CR2. We have noticed the ADTG amplifier tends to run a little “hot” (that means, it gets saturated a little too early – nothing to do with temperature).
To get the extra highlight detail, one has to reduce the gain for the ADTG amplifier until the ADC will no longer be saturated. At this point, the white level (maximum recorded level in the raw file) will begin to decrease and no more detail will be recovered (since now the CMOS itself or the CMOS amplifiers will get saturated instead).
Does this mean Canon did not fully optimize their sensor for low noise?
I’d say they simply left a safety margin in their code to make sure the ADC is always saturated (that is, to make sure white is always recorded as white).
The big gains are currently happening with the 5D Mark III, but it may also work with some other cameras:
- If you have a 550D or newer camera, it will most likely work.
- If you have a 7D, no idea yet.
- If you have a 5D Mark II, 50D or 500D, don’t get too excited. I’ve barely got 0.15 stops of improvement on 5D2.
Essentially what’s going on is that Canon left themselves some headroom to make sure that the absolute white point is correctly recorded, so Magic Lantern has dug in and changed these registers to allow the user to shoot into that headroom.
It should be noted that this has nothing to do with the Dual ISO that we talked about last year. That is a different process entirely, but Dual ISO will work with this new dynamic range tweak,giving you well over 14 stops of total dynamic range. Dual ISO, as it turns out, is a bit easier to control in Photo mode, but it has quite a bit of aliasing in Video mode, which makes it less useful for those shooting video. This dynamic range tweak, on the other hand, shouldn’t affect your shooting in any way except to give you more latitude to expose with.
So this is great news, but right now it’s really only effective in photo mode — in video mode it’s not doing much of anything (0.1 stops according to a1ex). For a free dynamic range improvement, it’s hard to complain, even if it’s only 1/3 to 1/2 a stop improvement. Development is very early on this, so it’s possible that RAW video might benefit more at some point in the future, but for now there is a definite improvement on the photo side. I’m always optimistic about what might be capable out of these cameras, so I wouldn’t rule anything out yet for any of the Canon DSLRs.
If you want to experiment with this, the post over on the Magic Lantern forum has some links to the research tools. This means that these modules are experimental and really more for people who understand how to code and what they’re looking for (but the links are there regardless). For more information, check out that thread.
Link: CMOS/ADTG/Digic register investigation on ISO — Magic Lantern Forum