BTM_Pix

I'm anxiously awaiting the release date of the NDI AtomX module for the Ninja V
NDI takes long range transmission to a whole different level (  ), to multiple clients on different device types and at a lower cost too.
Incorporating it into the Ninja V is a big win.

The BBC have been using robot setups for studio news programmes for a good few years.
The cameras regularly get bored and wander about making it up as they go along so you can't get more AI than that I suppose.
You'd think that one of the world's most senior broadcast organisations would have pulled these systems after one glitch like this on live television but still it goes on (there are tons of them to enjoy on YouTube) which I think is quite informing regarding how a cost benefit can cause a blind eye to be turned.
 

It was only when it came to doing the formal portraits that the bride began to have her suspicions.

Nope, can't really find fault with any of that point of view to be honest.
For me, personally, I like the look (such as it is because its RAW so we're looking at a choice) because it satiates a long held daydream of having a motion version of my H3D but with regard to this particular production then, yeah, I'm not sure whether the happy couple look uncomfortable with having the degree of intrusion that was probably going on to get those shots or whether they are looking uncomfortable because of the life choice they'd just made
It was also to the broader point of being able to have medium format video from one unit that cost a "mere" $25000 instead of three units at $50000 each but, of course, the question of whether we actually need that anyway is the, erm, $64000 question.

Here is a more exposed shot of the rig for you.
Couple of brackets, some 3D printing and a roll of gaffer tape and you'll have it sorted

And yet....
I look at something like this, shot on a single camera that is now owned by DJI, and wonder how long it will be before you will be able to make your own medium format sized aerial videos without needing to have access to a helicopter and then having to stitch shots together.
A word of caution about looking at the other videos this guy has shot on Hasselblad is that you may well then be tempted to start putting your cameras, furniture, cars and expendable relatives on eBay to raise the funds and buy one  
 

Honestly, I look at that and think, "It looks very nice and well crafted... and he would shoot something incredibly similar on just about any camera these days."  Even more honestly, an old 5DII has more visual character in what it produces than what this does. But I like like soft and imperfect images, especially for something romantic and purposefully dreamy like a wedding.  Then again, that's me.  I suppose I have my own style.
Who really knows with this stuff?  The couple may have seen his reel and love the clinical and high-res look of his previous videos.  
Still, what are directors of these sorts of productions exactly reaching for?  Shooting a compelling film or using expensive and cool gear?  I'd like to shoot on medium format too just for the fun factor of playing with neat-o technical stuff, but the more important question comes down to, what actually works and looks best?  
If I'm being really nit-picky, I'd say that many of the shots are stagey and the couple don't look wholly relaxed.  Now, is that a factor of their personalities?  --or are they a little awkward because this guy was doing a bunch of gear rigging for his Hasselblad shots?  Is he demanding precision for his scene direction?  Is he missing a chance to put his couple at ease by prioritizing his gear selection and his image creation?  What's happening on the other side of that lens?
You know, having a good relaxed relationship with your subjects is so exponentially more important than equipment.  Anyway, I'm off on my typical "gear-not-so-important" rant again.  At the end of the day, the new IQ era we're in is great.  I'll shut up now.

And yet....
I look at something like this, shot on a single camera that is now owned by DJI, and wonder how long it will be before you will be able to make your own medium format sized aerial videos without needing to have access to a helicopter and then having to stitch shots together.
A word of caution about looking at the other videos this guy has shot on Hasselblad is that you may well then be tempted to start putting your cameras, furniture, cars and expendable relatives on eBay to raise the funds and buy one  
 

No need, I have numerous fake accounts that I use to do that anyway

We'll be still pondering why Samsung can do stuff like that but still haven't made an NX2 probably.

If the robots and AI gets that advanced then surely everyone will be shacking up with virtual partners anyway so they can just get them to film it as well ?
If we've learnt anything from this thread its that unlicensed shoe selling is the only thing that can save us.

Found a definite release date of April 19th for Japan so I doubt it'll be anywhere earlier than that anywhere else.
Incidentally, Sigma seem very keen to get their SA users into it as that version works out at about £60!
Suggests a L mount SD Quattro can't be far off.

Of course if you are an enterprising baker and want to stretch their "Need a license to sell food but not to sell shoes" rules then you could always make these.

No need, I have numerous fake accounts that I use to do that anyway

We have to make a script to automatically upvote your comments!

I think in a similar vein that an automatic face detection and blurring of anyone but the primary subject function will soon become an important for YouTube bloggers particularly in countries with strong privacy and data protection laws.
Takedowns or monetisation grabs based on music copyright is today's thing but facial recognition to do the same either for financial or privacy purposes will become tomorrow's.

We'll be still pondering why Samsung can do stuff like that but still haven't made an NX2 probably.

I actually think the battery grip is a decent option to have to keep everything integrated as it were.
Adding a bit of weight to the body when you're using adapted FF lenses on it won't be unwelcome from a balance point of view either.
Not quite sure how the price can be not far off double a similar Canon one for the same batteries though (which also includes nav/control buttons) let alone against the price of the 3rd party ones.
Throws a bit of a spanner (or hacksaw) in the works if you've bought a cage though.

The initial prototype was about as ergonomic as carrying a plane window around with you.

We'll be still pondering why Samsung can do stuff like that but still haven't made an NX2 probably.

Like I said - fairly sure it was a stupid idea haha. 

It is the same tehcnology that is in the Aputure DEC electronic ND.
So with regard to price, take the retail price of that unit 
Take off the VAT
Take off the sellers margin
Take off the shipping.
Take off the manufacturer's margin.
Take off the hard case.
Take off the control grip with its processor, battery and screen.
Take off the control unit with its two lens mounts, processor and screen.
Take off the mounting brackets amd cables.
What you are left with is the piece of the electronically controllable glass and even then you can lose the cost of the frame it sits in.
You can probably do the sums of how inexpensive this can be as a DIY project.

If you put 48v through it you'd be picking shards of glass out of the wall for a while
It only needs 3v through it to reach full reduction and this is supplied by the controller which itself is powered by a small lipo or 3 AA batteries.

It is the same tehcnology that is in the Aputure DEC electronic ND.
So with regard to price, take the retail price of that unit 
Take off the VAT
Take off the sellers margin
Take off the shipping.
Take off the manufacturer's margin.
Take off the hard case.
Take off the control grip with its processor, battery and screen.
Take off the control unit with its two lens mounts, processor and screen.
Take off the mounting brackets amd cables.
What you are left with is the piece of the electronically controllable glass and even then you can lose the cost of the frame it sits in.
You can probably do the sums of how inexpensive this can be as a DIY project.

Its actually really simple to vary the amount of ND just by changing the voltage that you feed to it from the controller.
That control can be done in numerous ways such as with switches on the controller for defined steps, a pot/fader for absolute position control or remotely by bluetooth.
I've been having some thoughts this morning regarding this development and whether I currently have the bandwidth to commercialise it in the nearish future.
The short answer is I probably don't in terms of how I would want to do it with a much larger filter, sourcing different glass and everything else manufacturing wise that is involved in a fully commercial product.
It doesn't mean I won't do just not right now but I was wondering whether there would be any interest in a build-along thread for people to make their own?
I have had a re-think about a controller that would be more suitable for a project version rather than a commercial one and I would be provide you with the code and how to make it amd how you could enhance it.
The parts will be inexpensive and readily available and the collaboration might be fun.
Would this be something anyone would be interested in?