News From Here & There

All your base are belong to us
Just a couple of months ago, when Google dropped H.264 support from Chrome in favor of WebM, John Gruber at Daring Fireball pointed out that one advantage H.264 still had was hardware video encoding available for mobile devices. Now Technology Review reports that the other shoe has dropped. Google has advised that:
New software has been released that can build [WebM] into dedicated chips for cell phones and other gadgets, perhaps the most crucial step before it can displace the proprietary video format that currently dominates.
TechnologyReview: Can Google Reinvent Web Video?
NotesOnVideo: Google to drop H.264 support from Chrome



Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 lenses coming for E-Mount
It had already been widely reported that Zeiss would release Micro Four Thirds mount versions of their CP.2 lenses, now comes word that they will release E-mount versions (this is not really a surprise either, as Sony announced Zeiss would be supporting the E-mount back in February.)
Even if you buy them with one mount, it's possible to change the mount at a later date.
Zeiss: Carl Zeiss introduces new mounts for Compact Prime CP.2 lenses
NotesOnVideo: Hardware & Software News



JVC GS-TD1 Review
David Elrich at Digital Trends takes a look at JVC's new 3D camcorder, the GS-TD1 [$1,699] and seems to like it. The camcorder can record 3D in two ways:
...the best one is the LR Independent format (MP4 MVC) that records in Full HD and lesser-quality AVCHD 3D Side-by-Side. With LR Independent, the camcorder records 1920 x 1080 left and right individual frames with no cropping. Side-by-side captures two 960 x 1080 frames that are compressed by half horizontally then combined side-by-side.
He does note that shooting in 3D takes a bit of getting used to, and that "the manual suggests you don’t use this camcorder in 3D while drunk."
DigitalTrends: JVC Everio GS-TD1 Review



Sony at NAB
The big broadcast video show is just a couple of weeks away and Beth Marchant at StudioDaily recaps the expected announcements from Sony, including an 8K (4k?) sensor, the large sensor NEX-FS100 and the weather resistant HXR-NX70U. StudioDaily: Sony's NAB Camera Lineup: Sensors Sell the Image
Meanwhile, Sony will be demoing a 4K camera:
Curtis Clark, ASC, takes you behind-the-scenes with the first footage of Sony's True 4K and beyond digital motion picture camera. Jim Houston of Colorworks will discuss the 4K DI post production workflow, and Ray Feeney will explain how this relates to the Academy's new IIF-ACES.
Sony: True 4K and Beyond



Quick Links
  • GoPro acquires CineForm. GoPro, maker of the wearable GoPro Hero camera has acquired the software video compression developer CineForm. According to the news release, the first GoPro product to incorporate CineForm’s technology is the soon to be released 3D HERO System which allows two 1080p HD HEROs to capture synchronized 3D photos and video. GoPro: GoPro, Leading Activity Image Capture Company, Acquires Award Winning Video Compression Software Company, CineForm, Inc

  • Nokia Shorts 2011 Mobile Film Competition
    Make a two minute pitch, and if you are one of the eight picked you'll get a $5,000 production budget and 2 Nokia N8s to make your movie. All films will premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival with the Nokia Shorts 2011 Jury Prize & $10,000 cash going to the best mobile motion picture. Vimeo: Nokia Shorts 2011

  • Motion Smoothing: Over at the ProLost blog, Stu Maschwitz says your TV may not be set up right. After talking about picture settings, he spends most of his time on Motion Smoothing, a feature found on most 120 and 240Hz sets. There's also some information about picture calibration (read the comments) ProLost: Your New TV Ruins Movies

  • Alexa Firmware V3.0: Audio Input and Timecode: Ian McCausland at Cine Technica looks at Version 3.0 firmware for the ALEXA that adds the ability to record audio to SxS cards and timecode can now be input via a sound recorder or a device such as the Ambient Master Clock. AbelCine: Alexa Firmware V3.0

  • Canon T3i Review: The Digital Picture provides a fairly in-depth review of the Canon T3i/600D DSLR, primarily from the point of view of stills, but it does cover video features. "For someone buying their first DSLR or upgrading from a couple of models back, the Vari-Angle LCD and built-in flash controller make the T3i worth paying the premium over the T2i in my opinion." DigitalPicture: Canon EOS Rebel T3i / 600D Digital SLR Camera Review

  • Rigging a Panasonic AG-AF100. Production Junction shows how they kit out an AF100 for shooting using Redrock parts. They even total up the gear as it goes (reaching over $6,000.) Vimeo: RedRock Micro Advanced: AF-100 ENG Shooting




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sony GV-D200 review

Image
Sony GV-D200 I've been using a Sony GV-D200 deck to transfer old Video8 and Hi8 tapes. Some of these tapes are over twenty years old, and no longer having a Hi8 camcorder that worked I was concerned that if I didn't do something about transferring them to a more modern format soon, I might never be able to. While Sony no longer make camcorders that use these tapes - that I know of - Sony does still sell the GV-D200 deck (or Video Walkman, as it's sometimes labelled.) They also offer the GV-D800, which is almost identical but adds a small LCD screen for about $120 more. I didn't think I'd need a screen since I was using this to capture to the computer, but you will need an external monitor when you first set it up. Physically, the device is small. At 5 7/8" wide, 5 3/8" deep and 2" high, it's the smallest video deck I've encountered. I used to have a Video8 deck that I thought was small; and it was twice as deep and twice as high. The t
Read more

Response: Which iPhone to Get?

Image
In response to my iPhone musings, I got the following reader email which actually sums up a lot of my second and third thoughts too: You might have a point about the fancier camera, but otherwise I would buy the smaller model. Its screen is about the same size as that of my Nexus 4, and I don't feel at all like it limits me with a too-small screen. But I do sometimes stretch to get my thumb the reach to the other corner of the screen. It is plenty big for a phone. A phone is a pocket thing. (Well, in my case it lives an ancient REI soft sunglasses case that I have on my belt.) Ubiquitous, handy, convenient, almost always with me. Small is crucial for all of that. Certainly a large screen is cool, but you need a place to put it: don't break a fundamental feature of a pocket phone by getting too big. That is what your small tablet is for. I have my phone with me almost always. I have my Nexus 7 tablet with me nearly as much. The bigger screen is great, yet it fits in some
Read more

Should you buy the Sony NEX-FS100 Kit Lens?

Image
The Sony NEX-FS100 is available in two configurations: B & H : NEX-FS100U Camcorder only $4,999 B & H : NEX-FS100U (with 18-200mm lens) $5,599 But what does that extra $600 get you? It get's you this: Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Zoom Lens for NEX Camera This lens is also available separately for $799.99, so at $200 off you'd think everyone would be jumping on it. But not so fast... In his article about switching from the Canon 5D Mark II to the Sony NEX-FS100 , Paul Antico  at Need Creative says of the kit lens: 7) Its 18-200 F3.6-6.3 kit lens absolutely sucks and should be avoided (thankfully, you can order it without one) [ 1 ] But is it that bad? At B & H 's site, 43 reviews give it an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars. That's not a bad rating, though many of these people are using it for stills, and the most common complaint noted is how large and heavy it is. Of course this feeling of size would be exacerbated when you put it on a tiny camera
Read more