In what seems like a theme this year, Canon just announced at CES the refresh of their Vixia camcorder lineup which sports an improved CMOS sensor, MP4 recording, DLNA, and a WiFi module allowing shooters to share their content on DLNA televisions and social sharing sites. Their new lineup of camcorders called the M and R series record to 8 or 32GB of flash memory, has an improved sensor which allows better capture in low light, a anew new Intelligent Image Stablization system. We actually got to try Canon’s last image stablization version and we’re quite impressed with how steady they kept the image even though the camcorder was so small in a shooter’s hand. So we’re really excited to see how their new image stablization performs.
In addition, the camera allows dual codec recording, giving users the option to record in AVCHD and MP4 – something usually only found in higher end camcorders. The Vixia also sports a sensor that can see as low as 1.2 lux which is also not often seen in consumer devices.
The camera lineup will still keep many of the same features that led to its success in the past such as Canon’s Smart AUTO mode that intelligently detects and analyzes brightness, color, an distance to select the best preset for shooting. A touch panel LCD screen where you can set focus, Cinema-Look Filters that give the image a cinematic look, and relay recording between two cards for uninterrupted video recording. The M series will include a 10X HD video lens as well as a 3.0 inch touchscreen and has a wider dynamic range than it had before giving you more bright and dark values to work with in post.
The M camcorder lineup will be available for $749.99, $649.99, and $549.99 while the R series will be available for $549.99, $449.99, and $349.99 respectively. Most of the camcorders are similar in function but have a few different features such as flash memory size that account for the difference in price.
In a series of huge announcements, one of video’s biggest powerhouses, Canon, announced new camcorders with specs that are so good, you might just be tempted to take out a second mortgage to get one.
Canon announced their new products in stylish Hollywood event. They showcased their new C300 cinema-style camcorder, brand new cinema lenses, and a mysterious DSLR-style concept camera that shoots in 4K. The C300 was the story of the night since it marked Canon’s first foray into the cinema market. It has an 8.3 megapixel sensor that delivers a full 2 megapixels of information for each color channel meaning that color reproduction should be very accurate, much like the 3 CCD sensors of cameras in the past. The C300 will also include Canon’s newest DIGIC DV III image processor meaning that it will be able to handle those simultaneous feeds of color information accurately and quickly. In addition, it will record in Canon’s MXF format which means you’ll be getting a 4:2:2 MPEG-2 codec at 50 Mbps. Staying true to form, they’ve included two slots for CF cards in the camera so that you can record on both cards simultaneously or relay-record.
The C300 has a Super 35mm sensor, making it smaller than the recently announced EOS-1DX, but bigger than the sensor found in the 7 and 60D. A bit odd considering that sensor size is a big selling point for cinematographers since it typically means less noise in the image and gives the camera the ability to achieve a shallower depth of field. Even so, there are plenty of other great features on this camera that any pro will love. To begin, the camera is modular. That means that you can take almost everything off of the unit until it becomes more or less a camera ‘brain” housing just the sensor and processor. As such, it has an shoe mounted attachment that includes a 4 inch 1.23 megapixel monitor that can swivel 135 degrees horizontally and 270 degrees vertically and 2 XLR inputs with 48 volts of phantom power. The monitor also includes a waveform monitor to quickly see the overall brightness of a scene, an RGB Parade display for color saturation, a vectorscope, and an Edge Monitor Focus Assist for getting your image sharp. The camcorder records audio in an uncompressed 16-bit PCM format at 48 kHz giving you great control in post over how your captured audio sounds.
On-line sources for video content of all sorts, from artistic to instructional to experimental, are multiplying at a dizzying pace. Video collaboration, particularly collaboration “in the cloud,” is a quickly maturing concept. And behind these sites for online video collaboration is the basic motivation for film makers and graphic artists to find new muses and wider audiences. Clearly there is no shortage of inspiration for those of us who are as passionate about video as we are about music, art, science, technology, and more. One of my favorite sources for such inspiration is the exceptional TED.com.
TED talks have been around for a long time now and many of us are in the habit of regularly visiting TED.com to check out the latest on-line releases. On a recent web surfing excursion to TED, I came across an extraordinary piece featuring an exhilarating example of collaborative on-line video editing. (Videomaker has blogged on this topic recently: see Daniel Bruns’ excellent blog posted August 8thon the phenomenon of leveraging HTML5 for music video production by bands like OK Go, Arcade Fire, and Danger Mouse.) Some of you are likely very familiar with Aaron Koblin’s work. Koblin’s TED talk, “Artfully Envisioning Our Humanity” posted this past May is a marvel. If you haven’t already, you really need to check out Koblin’s TED talk.
Koblin has built an online environment wherein artists and videographers can contribute to a collaborative video featuring the late Johnny Cash’s final recording Aint No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down). It’s an astute choice, not only because this is a wonderful version of this song about living on through one’s legacy. Cash has been missed by many of us since his death in 2003. Koblin’s choice of Aint No Grave is also astute because there is no “holding down” the creativity of the still image contributors building a video and embracing Koblin’s site and his vision. As more and more images are added to the montage, it is clear that this site is tapping into both profound reverence for the artist (Johnny Cash) and into an enthusiasm for collaboration in video. The very nature of this project means that there is really never an “end-product” or a finished video, but rather iterative experiences that change with nearly every viewing, as long as the contributions keep coming and the video keeps evolving. Collaborative endeavors such as these inspire us to return again and again, to both add to and to admire the outcome. If you haven’t already, you really should check it out. (Visit The Johnny Cash Project.)
Many video producers toil to perfect their craft in simple DIY studios at home, or in temporary rented space, or simply out in the world with their camcorder in their hand. Unless you’re working closely with a cadre of fellow practitioners of the video craft (which luckily, many of you are), the work of video is usually less an act of collaboration and more often a solitary enterprise. You often shoot alone, edit alone, and release your video alone, hoping to capture a wider audience as your videos catch on via YouTube or Vimeo or elsewhere. But projects such as Aaron Koblin’s remind us that we can do amazingly creative things when we work together.
As all of us know, the world of technology is constantly changing. Of course, this is exactly why so many of us just can’t get enough of it. The same holds true for Sony’s latest announcement of their newest version of their ground-breaking interchangeable camera, the VG10 which Videomaker gave a Best Product of the Year award last year. The new camera will unsurprisingly be called the VG20 and has so many new features they might have well skipped the 20 and gone with the VG30 moniker instead.
First off, the camcorder has an upgraded sensor going from the VG10′s 14.2 megapixel Exmor APS HD to a new 16.1 megapixel Exmor R CMOS. As a result of this upgrade and an upgraded processor, Sony was able to include the ability to capture RAW stills. That’s right. RAW photographs have finally made their way to an affordable camcorder. That’s big news seeing as most camcorders just a few years ago could only take VGA resolution photos. Now if we could just get them to give us RAW video recording, we’d really be talking!
In addition, Sony has upgraded their audio capturing from stereo to 5.1 channel surround sound for those who find two channels of audio to be three channels too few. Sony has also found the time to introduce 4 new E-mount lenses, a 24mm F1.8, a 50mm F1.8 OSS, a 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS lens and others still to be announced.
Of course, the camcorder will still be able to record 1920 x 1080 AVCHD video up to 24Mbps at either 24p, 30p, or 60p which makes it quite a versatile shooter. It will also be sporting a new grip and belt design, an updated 3 inch touch panel that can swivel up to 270 degrees, and additional record button at the top of the camera for convenience, and will finally be able to keep the LCD on during HDMI out. Unfortunately, the camcorder still lacks an XLR option. But this is something that is easily remedied with an external audio recorder such as a Zoom H4N.
Though there are quite a few features in Sony’s update to the VG10, the price has still managed to stay nicely low. Sony is offering the NEX-VG20 body for just $1,599 and the body plus an 18-200mm lens for $2,199 which allows this camera to compete with many of the popular DSLRs on the market today.
Take a look at Panasonic’s AG-AC130 we took a shot of at NAB!
Panasonic Solutions Company (PSC) has introduced two new professional AVCCAM HD handheld camcorders, the AG-AC160 and AG-AC130, which incorporate high-sensitivity 1/3”, full-HD 2.2 megapixel 3-MOS imagers to capture native 1920 x 1080 resolution images, with a new, wider 21X HD zoom lens.
Key new features include two SD Memory Card slots for relay or simultaneous recording, compatibility with high-capacity SDXC media, an enhanced viewfinder and LCD display, and DV recording. They also offer longer lensing in a small form factor with state-of-the art, high-bandwidth AVCCAM. Their Full HD resolution imager produces 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 AVCHD video
The AG-AC160 and AG-AC130 will be available this Fall.
Yes, you. Are you famous? Are you successful with your video production skills? Have you influenced the masses with your video or film production work? Videomaker is looking for readers and former readers of our magazine who have gone on to work in bigger productions, with major industry skills; readers who are successful entrepreneurs in the video production business; and readers who have made video that has had a major impact in the lives of others. We want to hear your story.
Videomaker is celebrating its 25th anniversary in June, and we hope to share stories of success from our earliest readers with our current readers. And we’re not just talking about people working in “The Industry” in Hollywood.
Video is a very powerful medium, and it’s only been within the past five years that average consumers have been able to actually share their footage with the world. It was the earliest video producers – the early adopters – who paved the way for the pocketcam-carrying YouTube-uploaders of today.
Back in the mid 1980s, Matt York saw that the emerging technology was changing the way people capture their family memories – no longer did they have to rely on processed movie film; a new kid was making waves – the video camera. The first video camcorders were bulky and expensive, and the footage captured had poor contrast levels, didn’t work well in low light, and had little redeeming quality, compared to the beauty of film. But it recorded to a medium that one could view instantly, and the home movie enthusiasts embraced the new technology with glee.
Seeing that many of the video cameras were being used by people who’d never shot moving images before, and those people with little or no training were sharing footage that was lacking in any concept of composition, skills or techniques, Matt came up with Videomaker Magazine, the first publication dedicated to teaching readers how to make better video.
For 25 years we’ve told you stories, now we want to hear yours. How has Videomaker influenced you? What did you learn that you still practice? And have you shared your influence with others? We created a forums page called “HowVideomakerHelped Me“, for our video community. Please share your comments and stories with us, and help us celebrate 25 years of teaching – and influencing – video enthusiasts, video producers, video creators and (my favorite term) ‘videophiles’. Although the word Videomaker is a trademarked name, you are all – this year - “Videomakers” to us.
CES 2011 may forever be remembered as the year 3D HD shooting became affordable. There were many companies that jumped on the 3D bandwagon this year including JVC and Panasonic, but nowhere was this more evident than at Sony’s booth. Sony left no doubt where they were putting their time and money when they started off the show with a room filling you-go-to-be-there-to-believe-it 3D screen that displayed all of their newest 3D tech in 3D glory. Of all of the tech though, one of their most exciting announcements was the creation of the world’s first Full Double HD 3D camcorder, the HDR-TD10. This camcorder was able to film in 1920×1080 had a 10x optical zoom, manual iris control, shot at up to 60 fps, had a back-illuminated CMOS sensor for better low light capabilities, and included a 3.5 inch glasses-free 3D LCD display. All of this made for one impressive camera but don’t take our word for it, check out the video we shot below. The camera is available for $1499
Getting video off the beaten trail is certainly easier with the ContourGPS, but being able to compose a shot to include what you want is invaluable. Think of how often you use the LCD screen on a camcorder or DSLR – translate that onto your mobile and you have yet another use for the biggest screen you can find on a touch phone.
The combination of built-in Bluetooth and the mobile app, reveal a viewfinder in one piece of equipment that should already be on your pre-shoot checklist. Shot composition is versatile with the multi-mount camera, which also has a rotating lens and lasers for built in guides, but when that’s not enough, your iPhone or Android can act as the viewfinder. Composing shots with your helmet may not seem appealing, but after attaching the camera to something like a vehicle, a multitude of inspiration can be found. One more perk is after imported to your computer the GPS function will provide a map when editing with Final Cut Pro or iMovie.
Life happens fast. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to pull your camcorder out of its bag and hit record before that moment has passed forever. The creators of Looxcie (pronounced look-see) have set out to resolve frustrations stemming from missing opportunities to record all of life’s unexpected moments.
Looxcie is a Bluetooth-enabled headset that allows users to continuously record video (up to four hours) without having to do anything more than turn it on and wear it. The small camcorder fits on the user’s ear and provides a POV shot of the user’s activities.
In addition to recording continuously, if anything exciting should happen, the user can push the instant clip button located on the earpiece and immediately share the last 30-seconds of video via email. “We built Looxcie with the goal of freeing people to participate in life’s moments as they happen, and to share these excerpts on the go, rather than wait until after the event and excitement has passed,” said Looxcie CEO Romulus Pereira.
Now all that is left to do is wait for the excitement to begin…
While you wait, here are some more facts about the Looxcie:
-The Bluetooth headset can operate in video mode and talk mode at the same time, or separately.
-The Looxcie smartphone application turns your phone into a viewfinder, remote control and editing tool for creating clips up to 30 minutes in length.
-Clips are time stamped and stored in a clip register as MP4 files
When camera technology is still relatively fresh, nobody really expects manufacturers to put out a solid product in one of their first releases. That’s why Fujifilm’s newly announced W3 3D HD camera is a particularly pleasant surprise. With its 10 megapixel and 1/2.3 inch sensor, its 720p 3D video capabilities, and glasses-free LCD screen, Fujifilm has managed to set the bar higher than anyone thought it would be this early in the 3D game.
As expected, the camera has 2 lenses recording images on 2 sensors simultaneously, making 3D images and video possible. The unexpected part however is how Fujifilm managed to use those lenses for 2D photography. When in 2D mode, the W3 can use both lenses to take different shots simultaneously. The cool part is that this will allow photographers to shoot both close-up and wide angle versions of a photo or to shoot two images with different iris values, allowing photographers to capture HDR images. As for the video side of the camera, the FinePix W3 has stereo sound recording, a 1280×720 pixel resolution, shoots at 24 frames per second on an SD card, is NTSC and PAL switchable, has an HDMI out for 3D capable TVs and best of all, has a 3D lenticular display allowing you to view your images and video in 3D without wearing an awkward pair of glasses. Of all the features, the lenticular lens is a real breakthrough for 3D cameras. With this technology, videographers will not have to keep taking their glasses on and off in order to switch between monitoring their footage and looking at their controls. If all 3D camera and camcorder companies started offering their products with glasses-free displays, it would no doubt be a huge leap forward in getting these products off the shelves.
With that said, Fujifilm’s camera does have a few faults that are worth mentioning. First, lenticular displays are still not completely fool-proof. If you try to play back your captured footage while looking at the screen from the side, the illusion of 3D will quickly break down. Also, the camera only records in the partially defunct 1280×720 resolution which will not look as good on a full 3D HD display. These issues aside, Fujifilm has definitely set the bar high on what customers will expect from 3D camcorders and cameras in the future. If companies can improve on what Fujifilm has started, we may yet see 3D become a mainstay in both the theaters and at home.
In what seems like a theme this year, Canon just announced at CES the refresh of their Vixia camcorder lineup which sports an improved CMOS sensor, MP4 recording, DLNA, and a WiFi module allowing shooters to share their content on DLNA televisions and social sharing sites. Their new lineup of camcorders called the M and R series record to 8 or 32GB of flash memory, has an improved sensor which allows better capture in low light, a anew new Intelligent Image Stablization system. We actually got to try Canon’s last image stablization version and we’re quite impressed with how steady they kept the image even though the camcorder was so small in a shooter’s hand. So we’re really excited to see how their new image stablization performs.
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