Sennheiser’s new Memory Mic is a wireless microphone designed for smartphones. We saw it teased at NAB earlier in the year, and it does look like a pretty cool piece of microphone tech. It connects via Bluetooth but keeps recording without dropping even if you go out of range of the phone. And if the Sennheiser samples clips are anything to go by, it sounds pretty good, too.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K is also a stills camera and 10 other things you need to know
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K seems to be all people have been talking about since its announcement a few days ago. A 4K raw cinema camera capable of shooting ProRes and CinemaDNG RAW video for under $1300. And while the design might have suggested it, did you know that it’s also a stills camera, too?
YouTuber Kinotika had a quiock play with one during NAB recently and put together this list of the most important things you need to know about this camera.
Sennheiser “Memory Mic” adds wireless audio recording to your phone with automatic sync
I use my phone to grab quick video clips regularly. But it’s not ideal, especially when it comes to audio. Smartphone microphones just aren’t that great. It’s a little ironic, really, given that, being phones, their primary function is to hear people talking and to let other people hear you talk. But when you point a phone camera at somebody and they start talking, usually you just hear them drowned out by background noise.
It appears Sennheiser are working to solve this problem, though, with a new product they’re calling “Memory Mic”. This is a working title as it’s still in development, but it essentially allows you to record audio wirelessly on your subject, and it does it without continuous access to wifi or Bluetooth. NoFilmSchool got to check it out in person at NAB this week and recorded a short video.
Fuji releases new 250mm f/4 lens, 1.4x teleconverter and two macro tubes for GFX medium format
It’s Fujifilm’s turn to make their new announcements this week, and they’ve got some that GFX medium format shooters are going to enjoy. First up, there’s the new Fujifilm GF 250mm F4 R LM OIS WR lens. It has a field of view equivalent to just under a 200mm lens on a 35mm body. So suitable for both longer distance outdoor portraits, as well as shooting closer wildlife.
But to help with the wildlife side of things, there’s also the new GF 1.4X TC WR teleconverter. Priced at an eye watering $849, it’s not exactly cheap, but if you shoot medium format digital, the word “cheap” probably isn’t in your vocabulary. Fuji haven’t forgotten macro shooters in the new announcement, though, offering both new 18mm and 45mm extension tubes.
SLR Magic launches new full frame MicroPrime CINE lens series for Sony E-Mount
Not on the heels of NiSi, SLR Magic have now announced their new cinema lenses at NAB 2018. The SLR Magic MicroPrime CINE E-Mount lenses are designed for full frame Sony mirrorless cameras. Four lenses kick off the new series at 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 75mm focal lengths, and they’re currently on display at NAB.
The new MicroPrime CINE lenses feature internal focusing mechanisms and are each balanced to provide a similar weight distribution. This allows you to switch between lenses with a gimbal mounted camera without having to rebalance it each time.
This adapter lets you mount any camera lens onto your smartphone
If you’re shooting videos with your smartphone, there are plenty of accessories that help to expand your possibilities. At NAB 2018, Cinematics International Co, Ltd introduced an adapter that lets you pair your smartphone with camera lenses. You can attach any professional lens onto your phone and turn it into a cinema camera.
Not just for drones anymore – PolarPro announces new DSLR, mirrorless & cinema lens filters
When it comes to shooting photos or video on drones, it quickly becomes apparent that filters are key to getting the best footage. And the first name that springs to mind for drone filters is PolarPro. They’ve pretty much been the leading company for drone camera filters since they started taking to the air.
Today, though, PolarPro announce that they’re expanding their range to include larger lenses for DSLRs, mirrorless and cinema cameras with the new QuartzLine series of filters. It looks like their whole range for drones has been scaled up to fit the larger lenses in a variety of sizes.
Blackmagic’s new Pocket Cinema Camera shoots 4K RAW video for only $1,295
The original Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera was wildly popular when it was released. A Super 16mm sensor HD camera capable of shooting RAW video at consumer level prices. What’s not to love? It was a great little camera, but it’s not without its issues. Many of the problems with the BMPCC were updated with firmware, but in 2018, such a camera needs more to compete.
And more is what Blackmagic have given us, by announcing the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K (BMPCC 4K). The sensor size has gone from Super 16mm to a full-size Micro Four Thirds, it’s had an obvious bump up to 4K resolution, and it’s capable of shooting both 4K UHD (3840×2160) 10-Bit ProRes 422 and 4K DCI (4096 x 2160) 12-Bit CinemaDNG RAW.
DJI announces new high end filmmaker tools and becomes first to adopt ProRes RAW video
With NAB often comes new announcements from DJI. This year, there are two big ones for serious filmmakers. There’s the DJI Force Pro, offering full remote control and manoeuvrability over the Ronin 2, Ronin-S and other gimbals. Also announced today are the new DJI Master Wheels also offering remote gimbal control with high precision in a more traditional style cinema tool.
DJI have also confirmed that not only is there a new Apple ProRes RAW codec on the way, but that they’ll be the first to implement it, too. Coming to the DJI Zenmuse X7 camera, announced last October, ProRes RAW seems to be Apple’s new standard for RAW video adding to the current mix of RED, ARRI and CinemaDNG options. Of course, ProRes has a long lineage as an industry standard, so it may win out in the long term.
Leica goes wide with SL zoom lenses: Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35 f/3.5–4.5 ASPH officially announced
Leica has just announced a new addition to their SL zoom lens family: Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35 f/3.5–4.5 ASPH. It’s made for Leica’s full frame mirrorless SL system, and it’s made to let you take “a wider view of the world.” With the new 16-35mm, Leica aims for architecture and landscape photographers, but this lens can also be useful for group portraits, weddings, reportage, documentary or travel photography.
