Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Atomos Announces Full Frame 5.9K ProRes RAW with the Panasonic S5 and Ninja V!


Impact-Site-Verification: -1650540555
At $1,997.99 for the camera body and $599 for the Ninja V recorder, this is the least expensive 5.9K full frame RAW camera setup on the market  - with a lower price than the $3,995 Z CAM E2 S6.

Full Atomos Press Release after the jump.



Melbourne, Australia – November 4, 2020 – Atomos and Panasonic are delighted to announce today the development of up to 5.9K full frame Apple ProRes RAW recording from the new LUMIX S5, Panasonic’s new hybrid 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera. Atomos is therefore excited to announce that the Ninja V will record up to 5.9Kp30, 4Kp60 and 3.5Kp50 from the LUMIX S5 full-frame mirrorless camera when combined with the Ninja V HDR monitor-recorder.

Anamorphic RAW

More and more cinematographers are now choosing to shoot with anamorphic lenses and the Ninja V and S5 combination caters to them with the 3.5K Super35 Anamorphic 4:3 RAW mode (3536x2656). An even bigger world of cinematic opportunities opens up as the Ninja V and S5 can now be used as an A-camera or smaller B-camera on an anamorphic RAW production.

 

Mirrorless advantage

The combination of S5 and Ninja V has unique advantages that other systems cannot match. Panasonic’s years of experience in mirrorless camera design give the camera a state-of-the-art image stabilised sensor with Dual Native ISO technology, high-speed and high-precision AF achieved by real-time detection technology, superior ergonomics, electronic viewfinder, good battery life, audio options and multiple lens options thanks to the versatile L-mount.

Ninja V advantage
The Ninja V allows users to accurately monitor the RAW signal on its daylight-viewable 5” 1000nit brightness HDR screen. Setup is simple when the camera is attached with perfectly tuned color settings applied automatically. Users can then view the RAW image accurately in HDR in a choice of HLG and PQ (HDR10) formats. The Ninja V offers touchscreen access to tools like waveforms, 1-1 magnification and focus peaking, allowing them to perfect their RAW video. The Ninja V then records the Apple ProRes RAW data onto a removable AtomX SSDmini or other SSD drive. When shooting is complete the drive is removed and connected to a computer via USB for immediate offload and editing.

LUMIX S5 & the Ninja V combination

The LUMIX S5 inherits a range of professional features from its elder brother, the flagship LUMIX S1H. Combined with the Ninja V, the camera is perfectly suited to handheld, shoulder-mounted, gimbal, Steadicam and in vehicle production. In addition to this the LUMIX S5 packs the essence of Panasonic’s conventional S Series cameras in a compact, lightweight magnesium alloy full die-cast body with effective heat dispersion for stable long recording times. The S5 and Ninja V combination provides a powerful cost-effective and compact sized workhorse for not only the video professional but also the aspiring video professional.

 

ProRes RAW the new standard

Apple ProRes RAW is now firmly established as the new standard for RAW video capture, now including the LUMIX S5 as it joins our fast-growing number of cameras outputting RAW over HDMI. ProRes RAW combines the visual and workflow benefits of RAW video with the incredible real-time performance of ProRes. The format gives filmmakers enormous latitude when adjusting the look of their images and extending brightness and shadow detail, making it ideal for HDR workflows. Both ProRes RAW, and the higher bandwidth, less compressed ProRes RAW HQ are supported. and manageable file sizes speed up and simplify file transfer, media management, and archiving. ProRes RAW is supported in Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere and Grass Valley Edius, along with a collection of other apps including ASSIMILATE SCRATCH, Colorfront and FilmLight Baselight.  


These features will be activated by a firmware update for the LUMIX S5 and Ninja V by the end of November 2020.





Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. This costs you nothing extra. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 
16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Atomos and Z CAM release 5.8K and 4K ProRes RAW recording and camera control for E2 series cinema cameras




Today, the rest of the Z CAM camera line joins the ProRes RAW family.  The full frame Z CAM E2 F8 and F6, the Super 35 Z CAM E2 S6 and the micro four thirds Z CAM E2 M4 and E2C can all now record ProRes RAW to the $499 Atomos Ninja V.

Here is the Atomos press release:


Atomos and Z CAM have today enabled 12-bit 5.8K Apple ProRes RAW over HDMI recording on the Ninja V HDR monitor-recorder in combination with the Flagship series Z CAM E2 F6, E2 F8 and E2-S6 large sensor cinema cameras, as well as 4K ProRes RAW recording from the Micro 4/3 E2, E2 M4 and E2C models.

Atomos have also released new camera control functions for all Z CAM models that allow key functions to be set from the Ninja V via the monitor’s touchscreen. The Ninja V connects via USB-C and allows two-way communication for a range of controls such as record start/stop, iris, shutter speed, ISO and eND. The Control feature works whether recording internally in the camera, or externally to the Ninja V. The camera constantly updates the Ninja V with the value of each setting, which is in turn displayed clearly on the monitor. As a result, you can now record ProRes RAW from the camera and still be able to control main camera functions at the same time on the Ninja V screen. To use the feature will require an appropriate interface cable - either the existing Atomos Serial to USB cable with a USB-A to USB-C type adapter, or a new dedicated Atomos control cable that will be available in Summer 2020 as an optional accessory.

The Ninja V can record 5.8K ProRes RAW at up to 29.97p and up to 4K (UHD) up to 59.94p from all three Flagship models: the E2-S6, E2-F6 and E2-F8. The E2 and new E2-M4 will output RAW at up to DCI 4Kp59.94 for recording in ProRes RAW. The E2C can output RAW at DCI 4K 29.97p to the Ninja V. The frame rates available for RAW over HDMI recording vary depending on the camera model.
 
Atomos CEO Jeromy Young said: “Z CAM and Atomos have a shared vision to create industry-leading technologies at affordable prices. Our collaboration on RAW recording and camera controls for the E2 series and Ninja V demonstrates that by working together we are able to offer a tightly integrated camera system that really delivers for our users.
 “This is also the first time we have implemented camera control from our products and I’m delighted that is with Z CAM. The combination of Z CAM’s advanced small form-factor camera bodies and Atomos Controls, plus RAW recording and HDR monitoring is hard to beat.”

Kinson Loo, CEO of Z CAM said: “We are glad to extend Apple ProRes RAW support to cover the Z CAM E2 series with the help of Atomos. The new combinations open up a lot of opportunities while meeting high-end production requirements. How good is ProRes RAW recording on Z CAM with Atomos? Seeing is believing!

Support for RAW over HDMI is now available or announced for cameras from Panasonic, Fujifilm, Nikon, Sigma and Z CAM. This is in addition to several Sony, Canon, and Panasonic cinema cameras that already support ProRes RAW recording via SDI to Atomos monitor-recorders. As a result, ProRes RAW is now firmly established for RAW video capture, with many more cameras due this year.
These options are available immediately in a free AtomOS 10.5 update from Atomos and firmware update 0.96 from Z CAM."
Here is the Super 35 E2 S6 recording ProRes RAW to the Ninja V for the film Elle and Flash by Dan Ludeman:

And here is the Micro Four Thirds E2 recording ProRes RAW to the Ninja V for the film Planting, again by Dan Ludeman:


All of that said, the most exciting news for budget-conscious shooters might be that ProRes RAW is now available for the entry-level Z CAM E2C.

So for less than $1,300, you can buy a $799 Z CAM E2C and a $499 Ninja V, record to ProRes RAW and control the camera from the Ninja's 5" touch screen monitor (which you can point in any direction).

This will probably impact sales of the $1,295 Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, which has a fixed rear screen monitor.

And PortKeys may have to lower the price of their $499 BM5 monitor, which can control Z CAM cameras, but has no built-in recorder.

Bottom line - whether you shoot with a low cost Z CAM E2C, a moderately priced Sigma fp, or a high end Fujifilm GFX 100 - Atomos seems to be turning the Ninja V into a must-have accessory for maximizing the potential of your camera.


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. This costs you nothing extra. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”