The newly released iPad Pro 2017 refresh in both 10.5 and 12.9 inches share a new camera module that really is a direct transfer from the iPhone 7. It makes sense for Apple to offer their best camera yet in the best iPad they have ever built when it comes to performance. However, you will not get anything in the camera department that makes the iPad Pro a leap forward in frame rates or other imaging specs.
The dual camera setup of the iPhone 7 Plus is not included in the iPad Pro so that is one aspect where the iPhone is still ahead. The new tablets are for all intents and purposes a refinement with speed and software productivity capabilities as the two main goals for the line. They want to be a laptop replacement and they are aiming at the crowd who is fed up with the weight and bulk of traditional laptops.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
There is no question Canon has had great success with their EOS Cinema line of cameras. They continue to dominate the rental production market and even when they are overpriced compared to competitor’s options it is in a class of its own when it comes to Dual Pixel Continuous AF with Canon EF lenses which are plentiful and part of the stable of most serious camera professionals.
The latest iteration just announced is the Canon EOS C200 EF Cinema Camera which has some serious performance improvements over the current price/performance kind in their camera line. The new camera slots between the lower priced C100 Mark II and the more professional 4k C300 Mark II. However the C200 records in 4k RAW Light format which gives 15 stops of dynamic range with all the benefits of RAW editing with some compression.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
There was a lot of commotion online when the rumors of the Galaxy S8 having 1000 fps video surfaced. However that turned out to be pure unfounded speculation. Still the phone did offer slow motion of 240fps at 720p which is not bad for a phone but hardly flagship these days. Still that does not detract from the ability to capture cool slow-mo shots.
The quality is close to 720p on the Galaxy S8 but not entirely there. We see some softness, aliasing and moire in the shots with a tendency to be more apparent in diagonal lines and repeating detail textures. Still the quality is on par with the iPhone 7 and Google Pixel XL phones. We have gathered a few samples for you to judge.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
In what could be condensed into a mild refresh at best; the newly released Sony FS7 Mark II Super 35mm 4k Camera does little to entice owners of the Sony FS7 to upgrade. It seems to be a way to replace the camera and entice new buyers without actually offering anything really revolutionary.
To be fair there are a few improvements like the E Mount now has a PL like locking mechanism for easier lens detachment without twisting. This is ideal for lenses with filters and matte box attached. Also the integrated electronic Variable ND brings it in line with other cameras that offer this compelling option to avoid ND filters altogether while setting the camera for 1/180º shutter. Added also is BT.2020 color space for UHD recording at 10 and 12 bits, 10 assignable buttons vs 6 in the Mark 1 and a few new LEDs and ergonomic fixes from user feedback on the Mark 1.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
Panasonic has released the specs of a new smaller version of their Varicam professional video camera with an S35mm sensor. The Varicam LT is the low cost version of the Varicam 35 which has higher end specs at a significantly higher price. The Varicam 35 has a 4k mode that allows up to 120fps at full 4k resolution while the Varicam LT has less power at a maximum of 4k 60fps.
The LT is mostly identical after that 4k downgrade in the rest of it’s capabilities with dual native ISO of 800 ISO and 5000 ISO for extremely clean image quality at those native ISOs. The Sensor itself is built for those opportunities that need higher sensitivity but also allow to shoot at reduced sensitivity for bright conditions. This is great news for the use of the high frame rate feature. The inclusion of EF mount and PL signify the seriousness of the product for an installed base of videographers and film makers with a growing arsenal of Canon and PL glass instead of Panasonic only lenses. They also state that EF lens compatibility will need to be tested and they will not support it directly.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
Regardless of what the GoPro and Ambarella marriage can provide in tandem hardware it is clear the company wants to branch out of the fledgling sales of GoPro which have tanked in recent quarters and the stock price from a high near a $100 USD is now trading at a mere $12 which is half the IPO price. By branching out it seems they want their chips in many more imaging devices and be less affected by the GoPro product cycle.
The announced H2 and H12 chips are able to provide beefy 4k specs at high frame rates for mobile devices at a mere 2 Watts of power. As to 1080p frame rates it will remain to be seen how this powerful new chip can handle that in a camera design and how it is implemented to squeeze that performance. 120fps at 4k from the H2 in theory should be able to yield 480fps at 1080p just counting the Pixel processing. This however can be limited by the rest of the components like imaging sensor.→ Continue Reading Full Post ←
