News

Sony introduced its latest NXCAM camcorder the HXR-NX5R, superseding popular NX5 and NX3 solutions, offering network functions and a greater shooting performance. Superb colour imagery and high sensitivity is possible thanks to the three 1/2.8-type Full HD Exmor CMOS sensors and 40x Clear Image Zoom function to double the optical zoom without losing image quality, in addition to multi-format recording to cater for wide range of shooting applications and environments such as live events, including weddings or corporate productions.

Delivering notable improvements in overall image quality, further upgrades made from the NX3 and NX5 also include a 3G-SDI terminal that supports Full HD 60p output. The HXR-NX5R also includes the industry’s first adjustable brightness LED video light to minimise the need for external lighting equipment. Plus, the cutting edge technology uses a digital signal processor (DSP), advanced noise reduction and remarkable detail reproduction to deliver images that are remarkably lifelike in texture and detail. A direct menu function and a responsive joystick have also been added for ease of use.

The HXR-NX5R provides content creators with new upgraded network functions including FTP an-d live streaming, with built in Wi-Fi, along with simultaneous backup recording through dual SD card slots for increased reliability and adaptability in challenging live event environments. A choice of advanced XAVC S 50Mbps or established AVCHD / DV recording formats is available to suit a range of workflows and client requirements, so content creators can tweak their production depending on image quality needed.

The HXR-NX5R features easy to use direct functions and a responsive joystick, making it easier to access key camera functions without entering the menu, whilst on the go, combined with a wide viewing angle and high contrast OLED viewfinder to monitor the image. New professional functions mean content creators can cut costs by minimising the need for extra accessories, for example the Multi-Interface Shoe supports a UWP-D series wireless microphone receiver without cables and a battery.

Sony also announced at BIRTV 2016 the release of its new compact multi function remote commander, introduced to help enhance and expand the possibilities of multi-camera shoots and provide increased creative options, remotely. The RM-30BP is the successor to the RM-1000BP, the industry’s first comprehensive, multifunctional remote commander.

Ideal for freelancers and small-budget productions, the lightweight remote can be handheld, placed on a table or attached to a tripod arm for operation. The RM-30BP can control most camera functions including:

• Lens control: one push auto / manual focus, iris and zoom control

• Camera control: recording / display functions, shutter speed, white balance - including six assignable buttons

• Playback and multi camera control (up to 3 cameras)

The new remote can also be connected to the new MCX-500 for multi camera control directly from the switcher, and is compatible with the new HXR-NX5R and PXW-FS7 v4.0, with plans to introduce compatibility for other Sony camcorders.

The new MCX-500 is an all-in-one switcher system ideal for live events or corporate productions, and designed to work alongside the NX5R and the RM-30BP for multi-camera operation. The MCX-500 sends PGM/PVW tally signals to each HXR-NX5R. This feature allows the operator to know which camera has been selected for live, allowing content creators the opportunity to undertake briefs that previously may have needed assistants or a larger team.

New version of Panasonic's Auto Tracking Software for integrated cameras adds the latest version of Facial Recognition functionality. This system is intended to detect and follow one target as in the case of recording a teacher giving a lecture (and is therefore not intended to track one target among multiple objects or multiple moving objects in a camera angle). This optional software requires a PC running Windows 7/8/10 operating system, and is also available for Google Chrome browsers. It is compatible with Panasonic AW-UE70, AW-HE40/HE65, AW-HE130, AW-RP50 (3.21 or higer), and AW-RP120 (2.31 or higher) models.

The new Fusion 8.2 Public Beta 2 includes new features such as improved DNG support, new animation indicator shortcuts, expressions for non-master color wheels and more. In addition, you also get dozens of improvements and UI updates that make Fusion 8.2 more intuitive while providing a consistent user interface across Linux, Mac and Windows. In addition to all of the features in the free version, Fusion Studio adds unlimited network render nodes, support for third-party OpenFX plug-ins, optical flow image analysis tools for 3D stereoscopic, retiming and stabilization, and Generation for studio wide multi-user collaboration. Projects created in Fusion 8.2 Studio can be shared across Linux, Mac and Windows platforms. Fusion 8.2 Studio Public Beta 2 requires a Fusion 7.7 dongle or higher, Fusion 8.2 Public Beta 2 is free and may be used on commercial projects without restrictions.

Press Release

Blackmagic Design today that production company Uncharted Territory used an URSA Mini 4.6K EF to capture visual effects (VFX) plates for the film “Independence Day: Resurgence.”

After “Independence Day” redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter, “Independence Day: Resurgence” delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction. The film stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and more. Led by the film’s VFX producer Marc Weigert and VFX supervisor Volker Engel, the Uncharted Territory team used an URSA Mini 4.6K to capture VFX plates for two of the film’s key sequences. The first focused on people’s reaction to destruction raining down from the alien invasion. To capture the chaos, the team set up a shoot of a crowd fleeing the incoming spaceship and debris.

Bryan Grill, VFX Supervisor at Scanline VFX, worked with the Uncharted Territory team on the shoot. “We didn’t have a blue screen, so we were hoping for blue skies to shoot against. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate and it was an overcast day, so we knew a lot of rotoscope would be needed when bringing in the footage,” said Grill. “Fortunately, the URSA Mini 4.6K gave us plenty of range with its RAW footage and it really helped us in the post process. We could easily convert the RAW images to linear images and have them work in our pipeline. The URSA Mini 4.6K had everything we needed to capture the elements for the shot.”

The second sequence was to capture a crowd as they listened to President Lanford’s address (played by Sela Ward) on the Capitol Mall outside the White House. The original footage of Lanford’s speech was shot on a blue screen stage, so the Uncharted Territory team needed the VFX plate footage to be high quality to match. For that, they turned to the URSA Mini 4.6K.

“We needed to have a lot of latitude with the footage because the elements were going to be used in multiple ways. They had to be able to be shrunk, enlarged, stretched, cut out, moved around, however we needed it,” explained Douglas Hans Smith, additional VFX Supervisor for the film. “Since the crowd was going to be placed around the President on all sides, we needed to use multiple lighting scenarios to capture different angles so they’d match the sun in the shot. We shot outdoors on an exterior blue screen stage and we ended up doing more than twenty setups that day to get everything that we needed.”

“Since we were doing so many different setups, we were cycling people through really quickly. Agility was key, and the URSA Mini 4.6K’s size really came in handy. With the camera, we were able to run around and quickly get the shots we needed so we could move on to the next setup,” Smith continued. “When planning the shoot, we were a little nervous about the lighting because there was a lot of contrast and some of it was very harsh with the backlight. We didn’t want it to clip or for the highlights to peak, but ultimately we had no cause to worry because the URSA Mini 4.6K did beautifully and the highlights were perfect. The camera’s dynamic range was a life saver.”

Press Photography

Product photos of the Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K, and all other Blackmagic Design products, are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

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