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Highlights of NAB 2015 with latest in film making gear (Includes first-hand account)

“This year’s NAB Show demonstrates again the power and reach of the global NAB Show brand,” said NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton. “We’re thrilled with the feedback from attendees and exhibitors alike, and are proud to host the world’s preeminent media, entertainment and technology event.” – NAB Show 2015

NAB 2015 attracted attendees in the film, media and video production industry from all over the world such as broadcasters, Hollywood and independent filmmakers, YouTube stars, video producers and more. Film making geeks eagerly anticipated events and announcements from technology giants such as Sony, Canon, Panasonic, Black Magic and others. For those who never heard of the NAB Show, it is basically the Super Bowl of technology and media events. NAB 2015 conference booths displayed hundreds of exhibits showing the latest digital cinematic cameras, lenses, and accessories. Buyers, camera junkies and filmmakers drooled over the latest gear and high end toys that the market had to offer.

Following the success of the feature film Tangerine which was completely shot on an iPhone, we were particularly interested in film gear that was focused on helping the micro and independent filmmaker.

Digital Journal had the opportunity to interview Dan May to show us Blackmagic Design’s newly released cameras.

Blackmagic URSA Mini
Blackmagic URSA Mini, a compact and lightweight Super 35 digital film camera that’s designed for run-and-gun film makers who want portability and reliability at a reasonable price. URSA Mini features a 4.6K image sensor, switchable global or rolling shutter, up to 15 stops of dynamic range, a large 5 inch fold out viewfinder and dual RAW and Apple ProRes recorders.

“Blackmagic URSA Mini is available in 4 models, customers can choose either EF or PL lens mounts and 4K or 4.6K image sensors. Prices for the Blackmagic URSA Mini start at $2,995 for the 4K EF model.”- Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera
The Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera is a miniaturized Super 16mm professional digital film camera with a revolutionary new expansion port that lets customers use PWM and S.Bus model airplane remote controls to operate the camera wirelessly for capturing action anywhere. Blackmagic Micro Cinema Camera is available in July for $995.

Blackmagic Micro Studio 4K Camera is the world’s smallest HD and Ultra HD live studio camera that can be remotely controlled and includes 6G-SDI, built-in color corrector, talkback, tally, PTZ control, MFT lens mount and B4 lens control output and is fully controllable from ATEM switchers. Blackmagic Micro Studio 4K Camera is available in July for $1295.

Red Digital Cinema reveals its latest Weapon
The latest in Red’s digital cinematic camera line up in the Red Dragon camera family is Red Weapon Dragon with 6K resolution and the Red Weapon Vista Vision at 8K resolution.

“Leveraging the award-winning 6K RED DRAGON sensor, WEAPON is our smallest and most lightweight camera BRAIN ever. Taking the best aspects of EPIC and SCARLET—WEAPON is engineered from the ground up to deliver cutting edge performance in the most intuitive camera experience possible. WEAPON boasts an arsenal of improvements and features that include workflow enhancements, cable-free and intuitive peripherals, integrated mounting points, and more. Arm yourself—WEAPON is here.” – Red Digital Cinema

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Red Digital Cinema

Gimbals from high end to indie

Having steady shots when filming is critical for any filmmaker or videographer.

We interviewed Tim Choi from Varavon about their newly released Birdycam Gimbal which is geared towards indie filmmakers. With similar functionality of higher end gimbals, such as DJI’s Ronin and Movcam, the Birdycam’s light weight and $2000 US price point makes it very attractive for DSLR videographers. It is a great piece of gear to have when doing run-and-gun filming without breaking the pocket book.

DJI also released Ronin-M a more lightweight and compact gimbal than the original Ronin. DJI showed off their new Ronin-M gimbal by doing a live action scene which we were able to capture.

Compact and light, weighing just 5 pounds (2.3kg), about half the weight of the original Ronin, the slimmed down Ronin-M can fit into your backpack and take anywhere, yet sturdy enough to support camera setups weighing up to 8 pounds (3.6kg). Ronin-M will be available for under $2000 US at the end of April 2015.

Handheld professional gimbal for cell phones
For an even smaller gimbal, Team Rebel Design impressed us with the Beholder Handheld Pro gimbal. This gimbal is specifically designed for smart phones and can be adjusted for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus, Samsung Galaxy smart phones and Samsung Galaxy Note smart phones. The handheld gimbal is sturdy and easy to use. For micro-filmmaking, this gimbal is perfect to carry around. Youtube content creators will love the flexibility of shooting footage with their smart phones without worrying about shaky video. Priced under $300 US, this gimbal will be a good piece of gear to have even if you’re not a content creator.

Film Gear for iPad
Teradek’s booth featured live broadcast streaming of interviews with innovations from large and small companies. The Padcaster caught our interest because it makes the iPad a geared up film or broadcast camera. Providing alternatives for shooting interviews or videos by making your iPad more than just a tablet gives video content producers the ability to tell their story without having to use high end gear.

Filmmaker talks about her award winning TV series
Digital Journal wanted to highlight content makers and interviewed Meredythe Dee Winter, creator of the TV series She Rocks the Planet! which focuses on Independent Female Artists. She Rocks The Planet! is the First TV Series to feature women in the Music & Audio Industries.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at nab.org.


Video credits:

Director of Photography/Executive producer: Joseph Khalil, DigitalFrenzy.tv
Produced by AR Films for Fiction Frenzy TV
Journalist/Editor/Producer: Anne-Rae Vasquez, Fiction Frenzy TV

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