Quantel's Complete 3D Workflow

Even though NAB has now ended, because of a certain Icelandic volcano there is a part of Las Vegas that is still very British. Roger Thornton, Quantel's press spokesman has taken advantage of his forced stay in Sin City to tell us about the company's show activities.

Panasonic's AG-3DA1 camcorder's footage was ingested in to a Quantel sQ server at the start of an all 3D workflow demoAt NAB 2010 Quantel introduced a complete Stereo 3D broadcast production workflow, from ingest to desktop editing and craft editing to playout. The new development delivers the same Quantel Enterprise sQ workflow that is used by broadcasters around the world, but now for the first time working with Stereo3D content.

The NAB demonstration included live ingest from a Panasonic AG-3DA1 stereoscopic camcorder into a Quantel sQ server, desktop browsing and shot selection of the Stereo 3D media and instant transfer to Quantel’s brand new Stereo3D craft editing workstation for stereo finishing. Finally live playout to common Stereo3D multiplexed formats including, if required, Left-Right, Over-Under or Line-Interleaved Stereo3D distribution formats.

At the heart of the new workflow is a brand new Stereo3D timeline that allows each eye to be viewed and worked on individually or both at the same time. For example, this makes Stereo3D subtitling (such as done by Modern VideoFilm on Pablo for ‘Avatar’) very straightforward as the subtitle can be applied to both eyes simultaneously and then quickly positioned in z-space.

Taking advantage of the power of the new Stereo3D timeline, Quantel is also introducing some new Stereo3D-specific tools which fix common acquisition issues such as incorrect colour balance between eyes, and the keystoning which results from converged shooting. 

Three Major Lens Manufacturers Announce Partnership

In photo from left to right: 1. Hidetoshi Kimura, President, Fujinon Europe 2. Christian Bannert, Product Development Manager, Carl Zeiss 3. Dr. Martin Prillmann, Executive Board, ARRI 4. Dr. Winfried Scherle, General Manager, Carl Zeiss 5. Shigekazu Matsuki, President, Fujinon Corp. 6. Franz Kraus, Executive Board, ARRI At NAB 2010 manufacturers ARRI, FUJINON and ZEISS announced a strategic partnership designed to utilise the unique strengths of each company in order to create innovative new products for the entertainment imaging community. The agreement consists of an open exchange of ideas, standards and technologies, as well as close cooperation in the development of new products. 

Carl Zeiss is globally renowned for its high quality prime lenses, Fujinon is a market leader when it comes to zooms and ARRI is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture cameras in the world. Together, they represent an enviable concentration of expertise and excellence.

By examining, incorporating and improving upon current systems, as well as encouraging third parties to participate in an open discussion, the triumvirate of industry leaders aims to deliver higher customer value than existing solutions can offer. Already, the group offers the existing, unrivaled range of prime lenses that are the result of the decade long partnership between ZEISS and ARRI. Now, the new ARRI/Fujinon Alura zooms are introduced. This is a great benefit for customers who can now shoot with modern primes and zooms that are perfectly matched according to tight specifications. 

Beyond the benefits of idealised mechanical and optical synergies, solutions are needed that respond to the needs of today's industry and also combine affordability with enhanced electronic data transfer, thereby simplifying postproduction workflows - especially those that incorporate visual effects elements. 

FOR-A Show Lightweight High Speed Camera

Broadcast equipment manufacturer FOR-A, not known for making cameras, showed the VFC-7000 HD Variable Frame Rate (Super Slow Motion) Camera at the 2010 NAB Show in Las Vegas. It offers high-speed play out and recording in full frame HD (1280x720) at up to 700 fps, and allows for the recording speed to be varied from 125 fps to 700 fps.

It comes complete with camera head, main body, an F lens mount, and recording component in one integrated package. With its high-sensitivity CMOS colour sensor, it features an electronic high-speed shutter that can operate as fast as 1/200,000 second for filming fast moving events and subjects without blur.

The unit also includes internal storage memory for 2.3 seconds of HD recording (full frame), which is expandable to about nine seconds with optional maximum memory installed. The Ethernet interface offers high-speed transfer of footage to an external storage or production system. The VFC-7000 is equipped with two channels of HD-SDI output, which also allows the user of the camera to provide a live video output while at the same time outputting recorded video stored in the camera in parallel.

The VFC-7000 will be available in August 2010.

'Hurt Locker' Slomo Guys Show New 'Diablo' Camera

IDT's new Diablo High Speed camera Pic © Inspirational StudiosWe missed this camera and thank Inspiration Studios for blogging about it. The HDiablo was apparently near the Vision Research booth at the NAB 2010 show - smart move. Inspirational Studios blogged this about it: "This is a PL mount, 20mm diagonal 2K sensor capable of 750fps at full frame and 1000fps at 1920x1080. Sensitivity is claimed as ASA 800. The camera has 16GB internal storage, which equates to eight seconds real time at 1000fps. Full PC app controls the camera via Ethernet; can spit out image sequences or AVI files. There's also limited iPhone control available as an option (there's a bolt-on WiFi module). Lens mounts available: C/EF/F/PL. Price: US$60k - a bargain for this kind of camera."

The HDMI output is live and they're claiming a 30-bit colour performance. Oh and these were the guys who produced the camera that provided those great slomo shots from The Hurt Locker - best bits of the movie!

Sony At NAB 2010 - Update

Sony's HXR-MC50E ultra compact camcorderAt NAB, Sony showed:

The new 3D monitors and the MPE-200 3D Processor Box.

The PMW-320 camcorder. This memory-based shoulder-mount camcorder builds on the success of the PMW-350 with all-new 1/2inch Exmor CMOS sensors. NAB also sees Sony launch the new HXR-MC50E an ultra compact camcorder.

Seven inch professional OLED monitor. The PVM-740 is a high-resolution portable monitor which incorporates Sony’s Super Top Emission technology to deliver an image performance which is arguably superior to traditional CRT monitors.

The MVS-8000X, a high-end switcher suitable for 1080p and 3D production that will be installed into Telegenics 3D OB truck. At the other end of the switcher product range, Sony announced the DFS-900M, an entry level HD switcher for smaller production houses.

Building on Sony’s Power of Image’s announcement that it would be introducing an upgrade path for the SRW-9000, which will effectively create a high-end camcorder for life, Sony announced the launch of 35mm imaging and PL Mount capabilities for the SRW-9000.

Sony has enhanced the performance of the BRC-Z330 HD compact pan-tilt-zoom camera, with an HD optical multiplex unit; model BRU-SF10, which will allow external sync camera control and audio signals to be transmitted over single-mode fiber-optic cable, at a maximum distance of 2km.

More details and some video from the Sony NAB 2010 stand HERE

Vision Research's Phantom Flex Camera

The New Phantom Flex Vision Research has launched the Phantom Flex which boasts a specially engineered four mega-pixel colour CMOS sensor offering a maximum resolution of 2560x1600. When set to Standard Mode, users get a maximum recording speed of 1,560 frames-per-second (fps) at the camera’s maximum four mega pixel resolution. Higher recording speeds can also be achieved by reducing the camera’s resolution. For example, when used in full-HD resolution (1920x1080), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 2,800 frames-per-second. When reduced to 720p HD resolution (1280x720), the Phantom Flex offers a maximum recording speed of 6,100 fps. The camera can go even faster, recording at 13,000 fps at 640x480. In addition the Phantom Flex can also be used to record at more traditional speeds with frame rates starting as low as 5 fps.

The HQ shooting mode is a high performance setting which yields the ultimate in image quality. A step-up from Standard Mode, Phantom HQ Mode employs Vision Research’s proprietary image enhancement technology. Phantom HQ Mode ensures stable blacks, low noise, higher dynamic range and repeatable shots over the full range of supported resolutions, frame rates, and temperatures, all without the need to conduct pre-shot black references. When set to Phantom HQ Mode, the Flex trades speed for enhanced image quality; however, the camera still offers impressive maximum recording speeds of 780 fps at 2560x1600, 1,390 fps at 1920x1080, and 3,000 fps at 1280x720.

Additional high performance features include:

- Breakthrough sensitivity: increased peak quantum efficiency and reduction in noise-equivalent power
- 1000 ISO (measured using ISO 12232 SAT method)
- 12-bit pixel depth
- Flexible lens options: choose between 35mm (PL, Canon EOS, Nikon F, Panavision), Super 16mm, and 2/3” lenses
- Global, electronic shutter down to one-microsecond
- Select raw digital workflow, video workflow, or combine both for maximum control and flexibility
- Internal mechanical shutter for hands-free and remote Current Session Reference
- Dual HD-SDI outputs: 2 x 4:2:2 HD-SDI ports can be configured as dual-link 4:4:4 video
- On-camera controls for mode selection, settings, playback, edit & save
- Frame synchronization to external signals allows multiple cameras to be synchronized, essential for stereo 3D recording
- Two 12V DC auxiliary power outputs for powering external devices
- Remote port for connecting Phantom Remote Control Unit
- 16GB or 32GB of high-performance built-in dynamic RAM
- Phantom CineMag™, CineStation™ and CineStream™ support

Blackmagic Design Announce Support For Adobe CS5

All Blackmagic Design capture cards now support Adobe new CS5 releaseBlackmagic Design has announced support for Adobe’s newly announced Adobe Creative Suite 5 (CS5), for its range of capture cards for the Windows and Mac platforms. 

Blackmagic Design products such as DeckLink and Multibridge will now take full advantage of the huge number of new features in Adobe CS5 Production Premium software, such as Adobe Mercury Playback Engine for massive processing power of realtime effects, enhanced paint, 3D workflows and improved NLE integration.

“Adobe Creative Suite 5 Production Premium is a revolutionary release that will give our users incredible performance gains in their digital video and film production workflows,” said Simon Hayhurst, senior director, product management for Digital Video and Audio Group at Adobe. “Blackmagic Design products are able to handle just about any resolution or desired workflow, from SD to HD to 2K, on any platform, which gives our Adobe Creative Suite 5 users the ability to work within their budgets and with the tools they choose.”  

“Blackmagic Design has long been a supporter of open system workflows, and as part of that tradition Blackmagic Design is extremely excited to fully support Adobe’s Creative Suite 5 Production Premium on Windows and Mac OS X” said Grant Petty CEO of Blackmagic Design. “The combination of the impressive real-time Adobe Mercury Playback Engine combined with our capture card products, is a real game changer for our users, allowing them to build incredibly high performance workflows that we only dreamed about a few years ago! Whether they are creating feature films, episodic, documentary or corporate videos, this is an incredibly powerful solution that I am sure our customers will fall in love with!" 

Filmlight's New Low Entry Priced Baselight is $95,000

FilmLight has announced a new, low entry price point addition to its Baselight range of non-linear colour grading systems. Known simply as 'Baselight' the new system provides facilities that deliver broadcast
television content with a highly cost effective way to benefit from the class-leading performance and feature set associated with the Baselight product line.

Priced at $95,000, Baselight is a fully featured colour grading system capable of handling all inputs and delivering multiple output formats up to and including dual-link RGB 4:4:4 HD. Configured to work as part of an integrated, file-based workflow with comprehensive support for industry-standard editorial systems, Baselight includes a GPU renderer, Blackboard control surface, Baselight Kompressor and 12TB formatted RAID 5 storage as standard.

The system is fully upgradeable through to the top of the range 8 x GPU Baselight EIGHT and benefits from FilmLight's comprehensive range of global support, maintenance, training and specialist consultancy services.

FilmLight Commercial Director, Peter Stothart commented, "Baselight provides the broadcast TV-focused post facility with a range of tools and capabilities previously only available in much higher-priced systems. This is a real, GPU-powered Baselight that delivers the same grading tools and seamless file-based editorial workflows that have made the product line the de facto standard for colour grading in recent years."

Cintel's New 'No Wait' scanning and image restoration products

Cintel's diTTo comes with film grain management and image restoration as part of the packagediTTo evolution is the first film scanner to be instantly switchable from pin registration to non-pin registration and also the first film scanner to include film grain management and image stabilisation tools.  It is the ideal film scanner for all applications & stocks types; from OCN ingest for digital intermediates, to dense print for restoration projects.”

diTTo evolution offers a modular and upgradeable solution to film scanning.  Building on the successful elements of the renowned diTTo scanner, including unequalled image performance, easy to use interface and the famous D/SCO - Dust/Scratch Concealment option, diTTo evolution additionally provides a fast shuttle capability, a non-pin registration mode for archive scanning, imageMill2 processing tools and a 3.2D density range.

Simon Clark, Cintel’s Business Development Manager, commented, “diTTo evolution offers solutions to all film scanning needs.  It can evolve from a simple-to-use, calibrated pin registration scanner for Digital Intermediate use with superb image quality to a multi-format, non-pin registration machine for shrunken and damaged film incorporating a full set of image restoration tools.”

Fujinon Complete PL Zooms with two new models

Fujinon's family of PL zooms is now completeFujinon has completed its family of four PL zoom lenses with the introduction of two additional models: the 24-180 mm T2.6 and 14.5-45 mm T2.0. The new lenses join two PL zooms previously introduced: the 18-85 mm T2.0 and 75-400 mm 2.8-T3.8.

Designed for current and emerging 35mm format film and digital cinema motion picture cameras, Fujinon's PL Series offer T-stop, focal range and optical performance previously unavailable in a family of PL zooms. With workable size, industry-inspired functionality and focal range from 14.5 mm to 400 mm, these zooms provide top performance and cost efficiency.

All four Fujinon PL zooms have 136mm front diameters. Focus, zoom, and iris gears are all in the same position—which speeds up lens changes, since follow focus accessories and lens motors can stay in the same position on the rods. Focus barrel rotation is a uniform 280 degrees on all four lenses.

“There is a lot of excitement about Fujinon’s new PL zooms because of their speed, ranges, and optical quality. Feedback from early users of the PL Series has been enthusiastic. All have been impressed with their low light capabilities, consistent performance, and close color match to industry leading prime lenses,” said Chuck Lee, Fujinon Technology Manager.