This is a really surprising by Nikon, as I expected Sony or Panasonic to do this first. Nevertheless the Z6 and Z7 will be the first mirrorless cameras to offer 4K RAW via HDMI to an external recorder – namely the Atomos Ninja V.
Read moreNikon Z6 / Z7 to go RAW with Atomos Ninja V – could Panasonic be next?
The Atomos Shogun now has the major firmware release we’ve all been waiting for – playback.
Before the GH4, NX1, A7S and Shogun can you remember what we did for 4K on $1500-$2000 interchangeable lens cameras? No neither can I! 2014 has been a great year with some great technology.
This is an early look for now, my unit has only just arrived!! I will be posting some ProRes samples in 4K from the A7S later this weekend.
This is a device that’s set to unleash total magic from the Sony A7S in 4K. It also offers a way for Panasonic GH4 users to record 4K in 10bit to ProRes rather than heavily compressed 8bit 4:2:0 H.264. For the Samsung NX1 it is also compelling, offering us a way to bypass the compression of H.265 altogether (and the lengthy transcoding stage), instead going straight to 4K ProRes in various flavours.
It’s also an IPS 1920×1200 field monitor, so detailed you can nail focus on without even having to dive into the focus assists. The monitoring function is ably assisted by one of the best touch screen user interfaces on the market and recording can be triggered from the camera (the A7S does this already while the GH4 awaits a firmware update in January for it).
It’s a tantalising prospect, so let’s take it out of the box and get acquainted with it!
On a trip to Pinewood Studios I saw for the first time Sony A7S 4K footage projected in a theatre. The surprise was just how well the 1080p held up for cinematic projection. I also had my hands on the Atomos Shogun 4K recorder / 7″ monitor, the new Sony PXW X70 1″ camcorder with 10bit XAVC codec and more…
Read moreThe Sony A7S, new X70 on the big screen at Pinewood Studios plus hands-on the Atomos Shogun