The Fuji GFX 100 along with the Panasonic S1H is the most advanced mirrorless camera for video on the market at the moment. There are reports today that Fujifilm are working on a big firmware update for the GFX 100, with ProRes RAW on the list of features.
Read moreRumor: Fuji GFX 100 to get ProRes RAW – Internal recording? Or external?
I was very excited for the Leica SL2 and bought mine in December 2019. I have been using it ever since and it is every bit as beautifully designed as the previous model, but this time with high-spec 4K video features, IBIS and an anamorphic 5.5K mode. As usual, I paid the full retail price out of my own pocket and didn’t take a camera on loan. This is something I am now regretting because the SL2 has a major show-stopping problem which effects ALL models out there and isn’t isolated to mine. By the time I was sure of the problem, the 14-day window to return my camera to the retailer had lapsed. I then reached out to Leica in Wetzlar to alert them via my contacts at Leitz Cine lenses. UPDATE: Leica has got back to me and the issues are being looked into – the battery grip is one possible solution and there will be an update on the blog this coming week.
Read moreLeica SL2 has power flaw – Until fixed I recommend not using for professional 4K shooting
The Sigma Fp will get 120fps Cinema DNG RAW recording at 1080p in a forthcoming firmware update, along with several other new features such as an HDR Video mode and ability to record video in the Director’s Viewfinder mode, at various aspect ratios and crop factors.
Read moreSigma Fp to get 120fps RAW recording and more coming in firmware update
In a surprise move, the affordable G9 will be getting a huge video upgrade. The new firmware bumps the 8bit 4K mode of the G9 up to 10bit 4:2:2 internal. There are also further AF improvements for the GH5 and G9, along with manual exposure control in high-speed movie mode on the S1, improvements to highlight rolloff in V-LOG and CFExpress card support – these cards offer up to 2000Mbps data rates, 300% faster than even XQD… Perfect for internal 4K RAW should Panasonic choose to implement this next.
Panasonic have unveiled the S1 Filmmaker Update pack at the launch of the big brother camera, the S1H. The good news for S1 users is that it’s better than anybody expected. An extremely generous array of upgrades as well as V-LOG, for just $199.
Blackmagic RAW has arrived on the Pocket 4K camera, meanwhile Cinema DNG has been remove due to patent claims, and basically being an obsolete format with poor performance and compatibility. I don’t really mourn Cinema DNG, but it’s a shame they had to remove it for legal reasons.
What’s very interesting on the hardware side is how Blackmagic are able to deliver such a dramatic firmware update. A lot of consumer cameras have hardware based on ASIC chipsets. The Blackmagic Pocket 4K has a FFPGA (Fast Field Programmable Gate Array) which is a type of chip that can be completely reprogrammed at the hardware level by software commands. This is how Blackmagic are able to deliver such fundamental features as an entire new raw codec, which would have necessitated a hardware change on a normal camera.
Blackmagic are providing a BRAW Player as well for MacOS which allows quick preview and playback of clips from the Finder. BRAW clips are a single file unlike Cinema DNG, which is a folder of still DNG frames in sequence.
Firmware 2.0 for the Panasonic GH5 has been officially announced, and will be available for download at the end of September 2017. View the full press release and list of changes here
I’ve been testing a pre-production version of this on my camera thanks to Panasonic, to bring you my first impressions of the new features which include:
Read on to find out what it’s like to shoot with…
Read morePanasonic GH5 Review and exclusive first look at Version 2.0 firmware
