Sony Announces New PXW-Z100 4K Camcorder

Sony has just unveiled the new PXW-Z100, a compact 1/2″ single sensor 4K camcorder with a fixed 20x lens. Utilizing the same XAVC codec first introduced with the PMW-F5 & PMW-F55, the PXW-Z100 can record HD, QFHD (3840×2160) and full 4K (4096×2160) up to 60 FPS. XAVC is a versatile 10-bit 4:2:2 intraframe codec with a manageable data rate of 240Mbps at 4K 24FPS, but a future firmware update will also bring a long GOP XAVC-S mode as well as the standard AVCHD codec option. Dual XQD card slots provide a relay recording option for continuous shooting.

In addition to the standard composite and HD-SDI output, the PXW-Z100 will be one of the first devices to support the newly introduced HDMI 2.0 spec, which means you’ll be able to monitor 4K 60fps over a single HDMI cable. The included WiFi module will provide focus, iris, zoom, and start/stop control via any internet browser, which makes the compact PXW-Z100 a great 4K option for mounting on a jib or tight spaces.

The camera is expected to ship by late 2013 and will have a suggested list price of less than $6,500. You can find more information directly from Sony, but stay tuned for more details and for an in-depth look in the near future!

See XAVC video tips: 

Import Sony F5/F55 XAVC file to Avid MC on Mac

It's August 1st, Do You Know Where Your Blackmagic Cameras Are?

We have word straight from the company that a number of Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Cameras have left the factory and are apparently on their way to distributors around the world. What does this mean exactly? For one thing, you’re not getting your cameras by July (for obvious reasons). It also means we’re probably still a few days away from the first few getting in the hands of those who pre-ordered minutes after Blackmagic announced them. Read on for when we might actually see both the Pocket and the 4K camera in greater numbers.


Here’s Christine from Blackmagic on shipping:

Units already started shipping out from the factory, I believe. But it can take several days for them to travel to the distributors, to the resellers, and finally to the end customers. Longer in some regions than others due to different paperwork and processes that vary from country to country.

The promise of shipping in July is completely out the window for the 4K camera, as that one won’t actually be finished until sometime in August. The Pocket is only shipping in the strictest technical sense of the word, but I don’t believe I am alone in previously thinking that shipping meant “shipping to actual customers.”

Here is a little bit from an interview with the website Two Nerds Flip Out:

TNFO: Can you give us a progress report on the development of the cameras and Resolve 10?

BM: Yeah, so last week we had said the pocket cameras are shipping from the factory, we needed a few more days to get the last bits tightened up, and get a few more clearances before we let them go. We just got that yesterday afternoon so the first few cameras that we’ve kind of already been receiving actually left Blackmagic U.S. yesterday (Tuesday, July 30th), and I think the rest of the world will start shipping their cameras today (to retail outlets). So the pocket cameras are now shipping. We’re obviously running a limited run from the factory, but we’re getting new cameras everyday, so those will continue to ramp through the next couple weeks.

Not much progress on the 4k from last week. There’s still probably still 2 to 3 weeks more work to be done before those units start leaving from Blackmagic so we’re hoping to see those leaving in the 3rd week of August and shipping out from there. Again , that’ll be a limited production run, when we start doing the production on those. But we’ll continue to ramp those out as time goes on.

And Resolve 10 should be good. We’ve got some seeds out there that people have been playing with. We’ve kind of always said Q3, it’ll probably be on the back half of Q3. But we’re feeling really good about the product that’s being made on there.

If you’re starting to feel like this is last year all over again, you’re not alone. While technical issues kept the original BMCC from shipping in greater numbers at the beginning, it doesn’t seem like either the 4K or Pocket Cameras have hit any technical snags. The big question that everyone keeps asking is how many they are shipping and when we can expect serious volume. We’ve heard volume could happen in August for the Pocket, but this might be optimistic on BM’s part.

I think it’s worth noting here that it’s rare for there not to be delays or shortages for a new camera. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part, DSLRs and other cameras usually see some shortages (intentional or not) within their first few weeks or months of being on the market. If you’ve really been looking forward to having a Pocket camera sometime in August, and you didn’t pre-order, it’s unlikely there will be any on the shelves until at least September. For the 4K camera, that’s probably going to be October.

Here’s what Illya Friedman of Hot Rod Cameras has been saying to customers (this is from BMCUser):

As for the 4K Production Camera, the news isn’t as quite as “positive”. Based on what we were told, production is likely to begin in four to six weeks, with a final production model likely to be unveiled around the time of IBC in mid-September. Rumors swirling around the Internet about the 4K Production Camera shipping without true RAW capability look to be proving true, with ProRes 4K being the only option at launch. Blackmagic reps claim that 4K RAW recording will be available shortly after launch and likely come via a user firmware update.

What all this information means for you is rather straightforward. If you had your heart set on one of Blackmagic’s new Pocket Cinema Cameras your wait, while maybe slightly prolonged, is going to be coming to an end sooner than later -hopefully.

If you’ve been holding out for a 4K Production Camera, well, signs point to maybe a September (or later) release date.

It doesn’t seem like RAW will be working with either camera right away. We’ll have to wait and see how quickly this is resolved, but I’d talked to some people a few months back who didn’t think BM would be able to ship with RAW immediately (and that looks to be the case).

This info on shipping is what I’d heard previously before we were told that Pockets were shipping in July and 4Ks by August. While this may be technically true, it’s not very accurate for people looking to shoot with their shiny new cameras right now. If you pre-ordered the Pocket right away or shortly after, I’d expect you to see your camera in a month or two. The same should go for the 4K camera (except that timeline starts at the end of August). It’s unlikely we’d ever get an official word on how many units are shipping, but if it was in the thousands for either camera, you’d hear a lot more enthusiasm coming out of Blackmagic.

So while this isn’t good news, it certainly could have been worse. Before everyone loses it, let’s just point out once more that these are cameras — which are just a small part of any production. I think some people take these things as life and death, but if you’re already shooting with something, it probably makes sense to stick with that for at least another few months, and not expect any miracles.

I wouldn’t be planning any shoots around having a Production Camera 4K or Pocket Cinema Camera, as we just don’t know at this point, and even if we are given an answer, going by past experience, I would expect it later than any official word we’re given. I should mention once more, that if you want the original Blackmagic Cinema Camera, you can buy one right now from many places.

Source from: nofilmschool.com

Links:

Pocket Cinema Camera Status Update! (Interview) — Two Nerds Flip Out
Official statement from Blackmagic on new camera shipping — Blackmagic Forum
BlackMagic Pocket Cinema Camera Update!!!!! — BMCuser

Related posts:
Make Blackmagic Production Camera 4K footage editable in FCP
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera to Begin Shipping in 3-4 Days 

Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera to Begin Shipping in 3-4 Days, 4K Camera Nearly Ready

A few days ago, we caught a glimpse of some more footage from the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, and it was quite excellent, to say the least. At that time we still had no idea whether or not the camera was going to start shipping anytime soon, and most of us believed that it probably wouldn’t. However, at Blackmagic’s LA event earlier today, the company announced that the Pocket Cinema Camera would begin to ship within 3-4 days in limited quantities and that the 4K Production Camera still needed more work before it begins to ship. 

Here’s the tweet from Ogy Stoilov at MRP Films which confirms the news from the event:




[Update]: Although the above tweet says that the 4K camera should be shipping by September, a source at Blackmagic Design has just informed us that the work on the camera should be completed within 2-3 weeks, and that it should be shipping sometime in August.

While I’m sure that some of you are absolutely thrilled about this development, it doesn’t seem likely that most folks will receive their pre-ordered camera for at least another couple of weeks or so. If previous shipping procedures are anything to go by, the “small quantities” of Pocket Cameras will be distributed somewhat evenly to resellers around the world, then they will slowly begin to trickle out into the film community from there.


Of course, the camera that many of us are waiting for, the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, will not meet its estimated shipping date (not a big surprise considering we have yet to see any footage). We don’t know the exact reason for the delay, but since it’s another brand new sensor, it has to be properly calibrated to get the most out of it, and that’s probably the part that isn’t finished yet (since the camera was physically working at NAB 2013).

With that said, getting the Pocket Camera shipped this close to the projected shipping date, even if the quantities are limited, is a victory for Blackmagic Design, especially considering the ordeal with the original BMCC. I, for one, think that it’s a sign that Blackmagic is finally working out the kinks in its production model and gearing up to meet the massive demand for these cameras.

What do you guys think? Are you excited to see the BMPCC make its way into the wild? Is the fact that Blackmagic is closer to meeting their projected shipping dates a good sign for their future as a camera production company? Let us know in the comments!

4K workflow in FCP/iMovie-Edit Sony F65 MXF 4K video in Final Cut Pro and iMovie smoothly

Do you have some trouble with the "4K camera Sony F65 MXF editing workflow in Final Cut Pro and iMovie"? If so, just follow this guide to learn about how to import and edit Sony F65 4K .MXF in FCP and iMovie on Mac smoothly.

 

 

Sony F65 is a top-end motion picture camera. It features a true step-change in sensor technology, using a 20 Mega pixel 8K CMOS sensor. The F65 runs up to 120Fps, creates HD/2K or genuine 4K resolution images with a huge colour gamut, outstanding dynamic range, and high sensitivity.

Recording 4K(4096* 2160) video is very easy with this Sony F65, there is no need to talk much about the 4K video now. But one thing need to be mentioned, it is not so easy to edit raw 4K videos. for example , this Sony F65 records videos in MXF format, which is not friendly to Mac FCP, iMovie or other editing apps. If you get a F65 and want to edit the footage in FCP and iMovie, you need some third-party apps to convert the Sony F65 4K MXF files to Mac FCP and iMovie compatible formats first. Here is the solution.

Mac 4K MXF Converter - a professional Pavtube MXF to Mac Converter, it can help you to convert Sony PMW F65 MXF to FCP friendly Prores codec and acceptable AIC codec for editing with no quality loss.

According to the specs of FCP X, the latest FCP supports 4K video, and this top MXF Converter introduced here can output 4K videos with ease, that means, it can remain the original 4K resolution after conversion. Now get your program installed and let’s begin!

Convert Sony F65 4K MXF to Prores/AIC MOV for editing in FCP and iMovie on Mac?

Step 1. Install and launch the 4K MXF to Prores/AIC Converter, click ‘add videos’ to load individual videos, or click ‘add from folder’ to load the entire folder.

Step 2. Click "Format" bar to choose the output format.

If you want to edit video in FCP, click and choose Final Cut Pro -> Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov);



For editing in FCE, iMovie, you can choose iMovie/Final Cut Express -> Apple InterMediate Codec (AIC) (*.mov).

Optional:  You can click “settings” to customize the output parameters, adjust the resolution, bitrate as you want. 

Step 3. Click “Convert” and let it go!

After the Sony F65 SR 4K MXF footage into FCP and iMovie conversion, you will be able to get the output files via clicking on Open button effortlessly. Afterwards, you can transfer Sony F65 footages to Final Cut Pro and iMovie freely for further editing without any trouble.

Read More:

• MXF & FCP X Workflow: Help Importing MXF into FCP X
• Video Solution: Edit XDCAM MXF in Adobe Premiere Pro CC
• Import Panasonic HVX2000A MXF Files to Avid MC for Editing
• Import Canon C300 Mark II 4K MXF to iMovie on Mac
• Convert Panasonic AJ-HPX2700 P2 MXF to Avid/Premiere/Sony Vegas Pro
• How to Convert Camcorders MXF to any formats on Mac (macOS 10.12 Sierra included)
• How to Convert and Compress 4K MXF for Windows Movie Maker Editing?
• Can LG Ultra HD 4K TV say yes to 4K .MXF shootings?

Sony brings 4K RAW to NEX-FS700 camcorder courtesy of IFR5 add-on

FS700 has plenty going for it regardless of its 4K potential, not least in terms of its super slow motion shooting up to 240fps at 1080p. Nevertheless, if 4K it has to be, then a new NEX-IFR5 interface unit will be out in June to make full use of the camera's big sensor and 3G-SDI output. A couple of things to bear in mind: in addition to this $2,500 interface, you'll need a recorder like the AXS-R5 (around $6,300 plus extra for cards) to store your weighty 4K rushes on, plus you'll find that shooting in this mode will limit slow-mo to a four-second bust at 120 fps. Read the PR for further detail on using 2K with the IFR5, as that format allows continuous slow-mo and ought to be less brutal on the budget.

Make Blackmagic Production Camera 4K footage editable in FCP 6/7/X

Videomaker's Best Camcorder of NAB 2013 is the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. Do you know it? The team at Blackmagic Design has been hard at work preparing the release of the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. Now, the professional has blend in our life. The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K can capture 3840×2160 on its Super 35 sensor,which can effectively retain the contents when shooting . And because the machine can use the RAW format video capture, which makes the cameraman shooting can have more space in the post-processing.

For Blackmagic Production Camera 4K users, you may want to convert the Blackmagic 4K video captured with the camera to other format files for further usage. However when you enjoy the stunning videos recorded of HD image quality, you may encounter problems of trying to edit Blackmagic 4K footage in FCP. To make 4K videos editable in FCP, we can transcode Blackmagic 4K AVCHD, MTS, M2TS, MXF, XAVC video to FCP compatible codec.

What we use: Pavtube Media Magician for Mac ($45)

This app supports a variety of codecs and file types, including AVCHD, MTS, M2TS, TOD, MOD, MKV, MOV, AVI, MP4, ASF, DVD compatible MPEG files, flash videos and even protected TiVo recordings. So it will be your ideal choice to cut/encode the Blackmagic 4K video to Apple ProRes 422 HQ which is the best codec for FCP. In case you have the same problem with importing Blackmagic 4K shootings into FCP, I'd share the workflow here.

Guide: How to Change Blackmagic 4K Video Clips to ProRes 422 HQ clips

1. Connect the Blackmagic 4K cam to Mac and the software will pop up a wizard for you to capture AVCHD, MTS, M2TS, MXF, XAVC from camcorder. This wizard is brilliant – we have used it to import many 4K videos that had not work in FCP Log and Transfer window.

 

2. Drag and drop video clips to timeline.

 

Tip: Here you can remove unwanted video clips and trim out unwanted frames by frame-accurate. Also, you may trim, cut, delete, rearrange order, and merge videos. Find some helpful instructions in below guides:

How to split/cut/trim video in frame accurate editor without re-encoding on Mac?

How to do timeline editing and select frames accurately using frame selection controller?

3. Click the Output button on the top and switch it to output interface.

Here you can set common video format like AVI, MKV, MP4, MOV, MPG, etc as well as intermediate codec for non-linear video editing app like FCP and Avid MC.



4. Export Apple ProRes video for FCP 7/FCP X.

For importing Blackmagic 4K video to FCP, follow the steps to set Apple ProRes 422 preset:



a. Move your mouse to Editor, click on the tab.

b. Select "Final Cut Pro" group.

c. The default output format for FCP is Apple ProRes 422. To use ProRes 422 HQ codec, you need to click on the "Format" bar and choose "Apple ProRes 422 HQ" from the drop-down list of.

d. Press the plus sign (+) to add task for conversion.

e. Select the task(s) and click on the triangle sign to start encoding Blackmagic 4K recordings to Apple ProRes 422 MOV for FCP.

More 4K videos:

Apart from Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, there are other video camcorders can record videos in 4K, such as Canon C500, Sony NEX-FS700, Sony PMW-F55/F5, etc. the videos formats include MXF, XAVC mainly.

So now you can successfully edit high definition videos from Blackmagic Production Camera 4K in FCP. Hope this article will be the best solution. Just enjoy your fluid workflow with Blackmagic Production Camera 4K and Final Cut Pro!