Canon launches XF200 + XF205

Canon has filled the gap between the XF100/XF105 and XF300/XF305 with two new compact video cameras, the XF200 and XF205. The single-sensor cameras are designed for people shooting for multiple outlets, including the web, and come with WiFi and LAN connections - for the full story see Christina’s report on the Canon XF Notebook blog.

http://canonxf.blogspot.co.uk/

Sony PMW-100 50Mbps camcorder

Sony’s PMW-100 XDCAM HD422 handheld camcorder will be the new little brother for the PMW-500 shoulder-mounted camera popular for news, and is the smallest and lightest camera (1.5kg) in the XDCAM range.

It uses a newly developed 1/2.9-inch Exmor CMOS sensor, which is claimed to be good in low lightz. The 10x zoom lens gives a far-from-wide 40-400mm (35mm equivalent), which means that a wide-angle adaptor will be necessary.

“The PMW-100 combines exceptional picture quality with portability and outstanding manoeuvrability based on the proven XDCAM workflow, taking professional users to a whole new level of productivity,” claimed Bill Drummond, Strategic Marketing Manager, Sony Europe.

He sees its development as a natural step in the progression of the XDCAM range and said it is “a direct response to our customers requirements. Long-time XDCAM users requested a light and compact camcorder that will not only work seamlessly on its own, but also alongside other XDCAM cameras such as the acclaimed PMW-500.”

The PMW-100 supports full HD video at 1080i, 1080p and 720p recording at up to 50Mbps MXF, based on the MPEG HD422 codec using MPEG HD422 Long GoP compression. It is also switchable to MPEG HD420 35/25Mbps (as used by the EX1/EX3) or, for anyone still shooting standard definition, DVCAM 25Mbps. For audio it records four 24-bit channels at 48kHz.

It records to dual SxS memory cards, as well as Memory Stick, SD card and XQD (with adaptor). Sony’s new SxS Memory Card Management Utility software (which will be available to download from May 10) will provide additional features for SxS memory cards, such as data backup and a lifetime indication of card use.

Other features include: a colour 3.5-inch WVGA (852x480) LCD; slow & quick motion from one frame per second to 60fps in 720p mode and from 1fps to 30fps in 1080p mode; 15 second cache (loop) recording; HD-SDI and Composite output, Genlock input, time code I/O, i.LINK (FireWire for HDV/DV) I/O, and A/V output. It will start shipping in May, and should cost about £3,500/€3,990/$4,500, making it a competitor for Canon’s XF105.

If Sony added the recording capabilities from this camera to new versions of its venerable EX1/EX3, it would mean they would be usable for shooting broadcast HD without an external recorder.



By David Fox

£1m camera thieves get Creative

Our largest local broadcast reseller, CVP (Creative Video) had about £1million-worth of camcorders, lenses and other broadcast stuff stolen from its west London warehouse last weekend.

These included lots of Canon XF305, XF300, EOS C300, XF105 and XF100 camcorders, and Sony F3, PDW-700, EX1R, EX3, NEX-FS100, Z5, Z7 and NX5 models, amounting to about 120 cameras in all, as well as viewfinders for higher-end cameras, and lots of other stuff. In response, CVP has set up an online Stolen Equipment Register.

I’ve written a full report for TVBEurope magazine.

By David Fox

Canon MXF FCPX Plugin launched

Full report on our Canon XF Notebook site

Free music for your videos

Christina has written a comprehensive piece on where to get free or low-cost and royalty-free music for your videos on her Canon XF Notebook site.

Also worth a look are all her Training Course Notes pieces, on such topics as Peaking, Face Detection, Synchronising Timecode, and tapeless media. Although they are aimed at users of Canon's XF camcorders, a lot of the information, particularly for Peaking, is relevant to users of almost any camcorder.

Lexar USB 3 CF + SD card reader

The new Lexar Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader should significantly speed up file transfer times for anyone shooting on Compact Flash or SD cards compared to existing USB 2.0 readers – provided you have a USB 3.0 connection on your computer.

Given the overheads of the USB protocol, and the speed limitations of the memory cards themselves, users should perhaps see a tripling in real world performance – which will increase as new, faster cards are released.

The reader contains both CF and SD card slots, and can read from both at once (and be used to copy from one to the other). It should cost less than $50/£30 when it starts shipping next month.

We've done a longer post on this, on our Canon XF Notebook blog (including how to access this extra speed if you have a Mac, which doesn't have a USB 3.0 port).

www.lexar.com

Atomos Ninja Review

The Ninja, by Hong Kong/Australian company Atomos, is one of a growing group of on-camera recorders. These devices enable you to bypass the camera’s compression and record at a higher bitrate on those cameras that have non-compressed HDMI outputs (in the Ninja's case) or HD-SDI. [UPDATE: Atomos now has HD-SDI to HDMI and HDMI to HD-SDI Connect convertors that make it easy to add HD-SDI inputs to Ninja] [UPDATE 2: The Ninja 2 has been launched - better display, HDMI output, compatible with new AtomOS 3.0 firmware]

After a couple of delays due to software problems, the Ninja is now shipping and will be joined eventually by the Samurai, which will record using HD-SDI and have a larger, higher-resolution screen.

The Ninja comes in a handy hard carry case. The kit includes two hot-swappable hard drive caddies, two batteries with a dual charger and a docking station for the drive with FireWire 800, USB 2.0 and 3.0 and eSata connections.

PROBLEM 1 

All of these field recorders have three problems they are trying to solve.

First of all: image quality. For example the new Canon XF305 records 50Mbps 4:2:2 while Sony's EX1 and EX3 record 35Mbps 4:2:0 onto their solid-state memory cards. But, they are more than capable of exporting pictures of higher quality via their HD-SDI and/or HDMI sockets (the EX3 doesn't have HDMI, but the newer EX1R does). Field recorders allow you to tap into those higher quality images.

The Ninja records 10-bit ProRes HQ at 220Mbps, ProRes 422 at 150Mbps or ProRes LT at 100Mbps in hardware, and Apple has checked that it is "bit-for-bit accurate" (and gave its approval) according to Atomos CEO, Jeromy Young.

Most DSLR cameras record in H.264, a great codec for a video project ready for upload to the web, but not much fun to edit with. A separate recorder using a more edit friendly codec should make your editor happy and mean less time hanging around waiting for video to render or be transcoded.

PROBLEM 2

Storage capacity. A 32Gb Compact Flash card will hold around 40mins of video at 50Mbps. Most professional cameras can hold two cards, but if you need to shoot a lot of video you will have to keep swapping cards throughout the day. Plus, you typically only have one copy, which can be worrying, especially if you are new to tapeless recording.

With the Ninja you record to a 2.5-inch 9.5mm-high laptop-sized hard drive – disk or solid state. These are not included in the kit but they are readily available. A 500GB drive will give you around five hours of recording time in ProResHQ, 7.5 hours in ProRes422 and 11 hours in ProResLT. Now you can shoot all day and/or have two copies, just in case.

Atomos recommend fast (7200rpm) hard disks rather than 5400rpm ones. If the disk is knocked during recording you may see the Skippy icon – a kangaroo in a yellow diamond – to let you know there is a problem.

If your shoot involves a fair bit of rough and tumble, you should consider buying the more expensive solid-state drives (SSD). At the moment Atomos only recommends Intel SSDs, but new drives come out all the time so it is a good idea to check its checked and approved list.

The drives fit inside the supplied master caddy for protection. If you buy extra drives you way want to buy an extra pack of five caddies for around £25.

screen grab showing 3.99Gb files

During my test of the Ninja I plugged it into a Canon XF105. With its infrared function I wanted to leave it recording the wildlife in my garden all night. With a large battery on the camera and two large batteries on the Ninja, I managed to record for up to ten continuous hours. When I looked at the drive the video had been chopped into 4GB sized files (around 4min 35sec in ProRes 422).

PROBLEM 3 

Power management: Having 11 hours of recording time is no use if the batteries can’t keep up. The Ninja has a dual battery system, using common Sony DV batteries. The two NP-F570 batteries in the kit offer around 4.5 hours of power. But, these are hot swappable, so when one depletes, it will switch to the second, and the first can be replaced. So, if you intend doing a long continuous shoot you shouldn’t have any problems. I have some spare Sony NP-F970 batteries, which still had plenty of juice to spare after being on for ten hours.

Ninja dual battery system

At the moment the Ninja only shows battery voltage remaining – not time remaining. This will be upgraded in a forthcoming firmware upgrade.

Battery info screen

GETTING ATTACHED 

The Ninja with both batteries and drive weighs in at 700g. It has standard 1/4-inch mounts on the top and base of the unit. You may want to buy a variety of 1/4-inch screw-to-cold shoe connectors – especially if they have a ball and socket joint to easily position the Ninja on the camera. I used a small articulating arm to mount the Ninja to my Canon XF305. Which allows you to position the unit exactly where you want it.

An articulating arm to help position the Ninja

You’ll also need an HDMI cable to connect the Ninja to the camera (it's not included in the package). There really is no need to spend a huge amount on expensive gold cables. If the digits go in and come out of the cable you’re fine. That said cheap cables may be OK round the back of the TV, but, might not survive the rough and tumble of being on the road. If the cable falls out during recording you will get the Skippy icon warning. If you are of a nervous disposition you might want to splash out on a locking HDMI cable.

The Ninja comes with a touch sensitive screen/monitor – so it could be used by a director as a video assist or perhaps by the sound recordist to check for a boom in shot.

DSLR users may find the Ninja monitor helpful when doing very low angle shots – when a typical DSLR screen is almost impossible to see unless you lie down on the ground. 

Ninja with Canon EOS7D

The Hague CamFrame

The monitor is there just for a confidence check that you are getting an image and composition is OK. It is not something I would use to help me with focus. But, if they add peaking in a future firmware upgrade DSLR users will find it more useful.

At the moment playback on the monitor is very blocky and stutters. But, Atomos already has that on its to-do list in a future firmware upgrade.

USER INTERFACE

The Ninja interface is easy to master. So, if you don’t like reading manuals you’ll be OK. That said the manual is well written, with plenty of photos to guide you through the set up process.

Ninja Main screen

All the controls are via the touch screen monitor. When you switch on, four round buttons appear on screen - REC (record), PLAY, MON (monitor) and MENU.

Along the top of the screen the Ninja indicates whether there is No Input and once you plug into your camera what resolution and frame/field rate it is receiving.

Next to that it tells you which ProRes codec is chosen for recording. To change it just tap on the screen and it will cycle through the options. In the top righthand side of the screen you can see which battery is being used. If you tap on this you can find out how much battery voltage each battery has left.

In the bottom righthand side of the screen you get an indication of recording time. Tap on this and you’ll get information on the make and model of the drive, its size and an option to format it. Formating will prepare the disk for recording the first time it is used – but it will also delete everything on the disk too.

Drive info screen

I tested the Ninja with several cameras. Using it with the Canon XF305 and XF105 was very simple. Both cameras have a cold shoe mount and a 1/4-inch screw mount – so you can use either way to mount the Ninja. The shortest HDMI cable I had was 2m – which was too long, half that length would have been fine.

We also tried it with our small Panasonic TM700 1080 50p (or 60p US) camcorder, which normally records at up to 28Mbps AVCHD. This non-standard AVCHD format isn't easily editable by Final Cut Pro, so being able to capture it in ProRes should make it much more practical. However, it doesn't seem that the Ninja can capture 50p, instead recording it at 50i (although the pictures are an improvement).

DSLR 

Atomos will have to disappoint Canon HD DSLR users who were hoping to be able to record perfect uncompressed video via their HDMI ports. The video should still be uncompressed (so long as you don't also record in camera at the same time on some models), but it won't be perfect, as it seems that Canon has helpfully included a white square or a red (recording) dot on a corner of the output, which will be noticeable if you try to use it as full HD.

Canon EOS 7D HDMI output with red dot in the corner of the picture

Atomos has asked Canon about this, but it seems that the spoiler may be deliberate to maintain the distinction within Canon between the photographic and video divisions. 

Canon EOS 7D HDMI output with white "zoom tool" box in the corner of the picture

Atomos hadn't detected it when they tested a Canon 7D initially as they shot some footage in a studio with a white background. It was only during beta testing that users spotted it, and further testing revealed the white square on the 7D and the red spot on other models.

Panasonic TM700 HDMI output with 'helpful' info on screen.

However, some DSLRs apparently have HDMI output that is pristine (the Sony Alpha models and Panasonic's GH2 have been reported as working, although we don't have them so can't check). The Ninja also works perfectly with any video cameras they've tested it with, such as the Panasonic AF101 and Sony's F3.

WELL CONNECTED

It has LANC input/output for control (as well as the 4.3-inch touch screen). For audio, it has a mini-jack stereo input, or can record up to six channels of digital audio via HDMI (if the camera supports it), and a headphone jack.

Ninja connections - HDMI, LANC and audio

Atomos are committed to upgrading the firmware on a regular basis. So, features will be improved and added in the coming months.

Menu screen

If you press on the Ninja's menu button and then the Ninja Info button you can check which firmware version is currently running on your unit. The Ninja we recieved for review was on version 1.02. On the firmware download page they were up to version 1.04 so I thought I'd have a go.The first thing to do is download the zip file from the download page.

Then go to the instruction page and follow the instructions precisely.

The two important things to remember are to format the drive, using the Ninja, before you start and attach fresh batteries to the Ninja so that you don't lose power during the upgrade.

Once the drive was formatted I placed it in the master caddy and copied the firmware file over, which took a few seconds.

copy the firmware file to the formatted drive

Then I placed the drive in the Ninja and switched it on. There were coloured bands flashing at the top and bottom of the screen for about and minute (to prove it was doing something) and then it switched itself off.

coloured bands flash during the upgrade

Version 1.04 successfully upgraded

When I switched back on and checked the firmware was the new version 1.04. All very simple and exactly as outlined on the Atomos website.

EXPORT TO TIMELINE

Once you’ve finished recording, you place the drive in the master caddy into the docking station, which can be powered via the mains or by the FireWire connection.

Ninja Docking station

Firewire and USB 2.0 and 3.0 on docking station

If time is short you can edit straight off the drive. In fact if a whole shoot fits on one drive it could be the editing drive and archive all in one…at least in the short term.

But, us nervous types will be backing up all that data. This is all very simple just connect the Ninja drive and drag and drop the ProRes files onto the drive you usually edit from and away you go.

ATOMOS NINJA - PROS:

• Good value: It costs €795, £695 or $995
• Well built and should be robust, especially with solid-state drive
• ProRes is wonderful to edit (not just for Final Cut Pro users, as other non-linear editors can use it too, even on Windows with a plug-in) – you can even plug in and edit from the drive
• Higher quality video, which might not be easily evident when you just compare the two side by side, but will be once you do anything to the video, especially for something like colour correction, where having the 10-bit 4:2:2 images will allow you do much more subtle colour grading
• Small – it makes the AJA Ki Pro Mini look like the Ki Pro Maxi
• Easy to use interface

ATOMOS NINJA - CONS:

• Uses HDMI, which isn't usually a locking connection
• No HDMI pass through (so you can't plug it in to a better monitor)
• No HD-SDI connection (which is coming in the Samurai)
• Low-resolution monitor (480x270 – compared to 5-inch and 800x400 on the Samurai)
• Limited playback capability – although this will be improved in future, it's a much lower frame rate than normal (not helped by the low resolution)
• No XLR audio inputs (unlike some of its, admittedly more expensive competitors)

IN CONCLUSION 

The Ninja is a well built and easy to use device. It has evolved since we first saw it at IBC2010 and Atomos has obviously listened to feedback from potential customers. If you have a Pro camera with HD-SDI you may want to wait for the Samurai. But if your camera has HDMI output this is a cost effective way to back up your video on the fly at a higher quality than your removable flash media.

If you are a DSLR owner you need to check whether your camera will work with the Ninja… or hope Canon relents and issues a firmware upgrade to remove unnecessary on-screen icons.

So, is it worth buying? Certainly, if you have something like a Panasonic AF100/AF101 (although it will only output 8-bit video), any of the Sony 35Mbps XDCAM EX range (including the PWM-F3), or the little Panasonic HCK10 point-of-view camera, all of which have been approved for HD use by the BBC, but only when they are recording to an external recorder at 50Mbps or above. It is currently the least expensive such recorder on the market, and it works well – although there are still some things to iron out.

In the medium term: There will soon be a lot more recorders for you to choose from. The newly announced Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Shuttle (see our review of the Shuttle) will only cost $345 and will record uncompressed video. If you want the best for less, this is it – however, big caveat: uncompressed images are huge. If you are recording for any length of time, you'll need lots of big, expensive, SSDs. It is a great option for certain types of work where you want the maximum quality and don't need long recording times, but if you want a compressed system, to save space and allow you to edit the pictures as quickly as possible, ProRes is a great choice.

Being able to do real-time ProRes compression in the recorder is where a lot of the extra cost of the Ninja goes. The real choice for many then will be between the Ninja and the Samurai (which could ship sometime over the Summer or maybe in the early Autumn). At £929, €1,095 or $1,495, the Samurai is still very good value (about 50% less than the admittedly excellent AJA Ki Pro Mini, with its XLR inputs, both SDI and HDMI, and Compact Flash card recording).

If you have an HDMI camera, you should certainly shortlist the Ninja. If your camera only has SDI, then the Samurai would be your value choice. If you need to do both, then look to: AJA; Fast Forward Video's $2,495/£1,695 sideKick HD recorder/monitor which also records ProRes to SSDs; or the upcoming sub-$3,000 Sound Devices PIX 240 recorder, which can also record using the Avid DNxHD video format (there will also be a PIX 220 that is HDMI only and expected to be under $2,000). And if you want even higher quality recording, then the more expensive Gemini 4:4:4 (under $6,000) from Convergent Designs will be the one to watch. However, except for the Ninja, the Ki Pro Mini, and Convergent Designs' industry-standard 8-bit nanoFlash, none of those are shipping yet.

[UPDATE: Other reviews are creeping out. Here's one by LA filmmaker, James Boyd.]

[[UPDATE: Atomos has introduced new Samurai Blade with a sharper monitor and upgraded operating system (AtomOS5) – it has also cut the price of both the Samurai and Ninja-2]]

By Christina Fox

Video: Canon XF range + XF105 3D

We shot a video with Canon’s Peter Yabsley, looking at its XF cameras, notably the XF105, which has some special features that make it particularly useful for low-budget 3D.

Have a look at the video on our Canon XF Notebook site.

Video: How to synchronise timecode

If you've ever wondered how to synchronise timecode between two cameras, or even whether it is possible to do between cameras from different manufacturers, have a look at our latest instructional video on our Canon XF Notebook site. 

The video shows how to sync a Canon XF305 and a Sony EX3. 

Canon XF105 shifts axis to 3D

Canon will show its new XF100 and XF105 cameras, plus the recently announced XA10 (making its European debut) at BVE next week.

The XF105 is particularly interesting for its innovative 3D-friendly features, and a pair of them will be shown in the new Genus Hurricane rig designed by cameraman, Alister Chapman.

The XF105 is the same as the larger XF305 in terms of codec (50Mbps) and most controls, but Canon has added a few features that make it suitable for 3D.

It has screen inversion in any direction, to make it easier to use in a mirror rig (like the Hurricane); the zoom lens has a focal length guide, which allows users to set a reference point (the cameras aren't fully synchronised although they have genlock/timecode synch), and, as a numerical scale, allows a lot more precision when setting the two zooms manually so that both cameras are at the same focal length; there is also an Axis Shift Function. "This uses the lens shift from the Optical Image Stabilizer to keep the centre point of the image to a point you have chosen. It takes the cameras out of OIS mode, and uses the lens shift to keep that centre point throughout the zoom," explained Peter Yabsley, Canon's Business Development Manager, Professional Video, EMEA (pictured with two XF105s).

"You can also use it to fine tune the convergence of the cameras when you are shooting 3D. You can move the centre point more easily than actually moving the cameras," which is useful in a manual rig like the Hurricane. Although the adjustments the XF105 allows are all manual, "it is intended to make the process easier" thanks to novel uses for technology already in the camera.

No other camera of this size, or indeed in this price range, has these features. "It is probably the smallest general purpose camcorder with genlock, and SDI, and a high quality codec," he said. The XF100 and XF105 are due to start shipping shortly after the show. The XA10 should arrive in March.

By David Fox

Tiny new Canon XA10 pro camcorder

Canon has developed its smallest-ever pro camcorder, the XA10, based on its new XF100/XF105 models, but without the 50Mbps recording.

The XA10 weighs just 820g, and the combined handle, XLR audio block, and built-in infra-red LED light, can be removed to make it even smaller and as unobtrusive as any consumer handycam if it is needed for undercover filming.

It uses the same lens, sensor, digital processor and focusing system as the XF100, in a smaller unit (the XF100 is already pretty small but almost twice the size of the XA10). It has a built-in 64GB solid-state drive (recording almost six hours at its highest 24Mbps bit rate) and has three seconds of cache recording. There are also two SD card slots, which can be used in relay or back-up modes where the XF100 uses larger CF cards and has no built-in drive.

The XA10 was launched at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and should cost less than $2,000. It is attracting interest from professional users, such as UK rental house, Hireacamera.com, which sees it as the perfect replacement for the venerable Sony HVR-A1. "Our Sony A1s have been incredibly popular but we have for a while been waiting for something with which to replace them and here it is," it posted on its website. "We will definitely be stocking it from launch."

It uses a 1/3-inch CMOS sensor, records 1080p HD video in AVCHD or H.264 at 24 or 25p, 50i (or 30p/60i), and boasts good low light performance, down to 1.5 lux, as well as shooting infrared (like the XF100), helped by a diffuse LED IR emitter in the handle and a flip-up IR filter in front of the sensor. The 10x f1.8 30.4mm zoom lens has an 8-blade iris for an attractive bokeh (background blurring) effect. It can be used with Canon's new WD-H58W wide-angle adaptor, or other 58mm adaptors.

There is a 3.5-inch, 920K dot resolution, touch screen LCD, which can be used to select a subject for focus tracking and subject-specific auto exposure (which should mean that a white car crossing the background won't cause the exposure to change).

Advantages of XA10 compared to XF100/XF105:

• Price - Under $2,000 (probably about £1,600) whereas the XF100 costs about $3,300 (or about £2,500) while the XF105 costs about $4,000 (or £3,200).
• Size - The XF100 is hardly large, but the XA10 is barely bigger than a consumer camcorder, especially when the handle/audio block is taken off.
• Internal memory - 64GB flash memory gives almost 6 hours of recording.
• SDHC card slots (2) - adds flexibility of second media type, widely available at reasonable prices.
• AVCHD - 24Mbps can give excellent pictures, especially if you aren't shooting fast-moving highly-detailed images, and takes up less than half the space of the XF's 50Mbps codec.
• Easy to use - Those consumer camera features, such as touch auto focus and exposure, can be very useful. It is a pity that more professional cameras don't use a touch-screen interface.

Disadvantages of XA10 compared to XF100/XF105

• Size - If you want to look professional and be taken seriously, the XF100 is about the minimum you should aim at. Also, a slightly heavier camera can be easier to keep steady - we've been using an XF105 for a few weeks and it sits very nicely in the hand if you need to go handheld.
• SDHC - SD cards are tiny, and therefore even easier to lose than a Compact Flash card (which the XF range can take two of).
• AVCHD - If you are shooting for broadcast, 24Mbps H.264 is just too compressed to hold up after being subjected to further compression for transmission - so you are more likely to see artefacts in detailed and/or fast-moving shots. The XF's 50Mbps codec has been accepted as HD quality by the BBC (although we don't know yet if the new single-sensor  XF100/XF105 will be too...). ALSO, AVCHD doesn't always play nicely with broadcast non-linear editing systems, such as Final Cut Pro, so will need to be transcoded.
• 4:2:0 - The XA10 codec holds less colour detail than the 4:2:2 available to the XFs, which makes it a lot less suitable if you ever want to do green screen chromakey work.
• Audio - The Dolby Digital two-channel (AC-3 2ch), 48kHz sampling used by the XA10 will probably be pretty good in reality, but the uncompressed PCM audio in the XF cameras will be even better.
• Pro features - Although the XA10 is easier to use, the XF range has additional features that will prove very useful for many users, such as the variable frame rates (between 12 - 50 frames per second), or more assignable buttons (10 compared to 2).
• 3D - The XF105 has a couple of 3D assist functions that make it very well suited for use in a 3D rig.
• HD-SDI + Genlock - The XF105 also has these connections, allowing it to record at higher bitrates to an external recorder and to work well in a multi-camera shoot.

HF G10 costs even less...

Also new is Canon's high-end consumer camcorder, the $1,500 HF G10, which uses the same newly designed HD CMOS Pro image sensor as the XA10 to improve resolution, enhance low-light performance and expand dynamic range, thanks to using larger, more sensitive pixels – it is a native 1/3-inch 1920x1080 sensor rather than trying to cram more pixels into the sensor for higher-resolution stills images, as many camcorders now do. The sensor is also used in the three-chip XF300/XF305 models and is claimed to improve dynamic range by 280% compared to similar, more densely packed sensors.

The sensor is also used in the three models in Canon's compact new Vixia HF M-series camcorders (costing $650-$800 - the Canon HF M41 is pictured right). These will be able to be used with a $600 case waterproof to about 40m, for a reasonably priced underwater rig.

The HF G10 has 32GB internal storage plus two SD slots, 3.5-inch touchscreen, a built-in microphone that can zoom to match the lens (as on the XA10), and the same lens as the XA10. Useful pro features include: manual colour temperature adjustment (2,000K-15,000K in 100K increments), colour bars with test tone, manual shutter speed and aperture control, waveform monitor, a built-in Remote Control Terminal (which supports LANC protocol), and native 24p recording.

The XA10 and the other models mentioned should be available in March. The XF100/XF105 should start shipping before the end of January in Europe and in February for the US.

Also new from Canon is the Bluetooth-based WM-V1 Wireless Microphone usable at up to about 50m. The small microphone and receiver will be available in May for about $250.

By David Fox

Prokit now Canon Pro Video Dealer

Canon has appointed Prokit as a Pro Video Dealer, specialising in broadcast approved HD camcorders as well as video-enabled DSLR cameras.

Prokit has a live demonstration facility, with Canon trained staff, at its Chiswick, London showroom. Cameras include the XF305 and new XF105 camcorders, together with the 5D MkII, and EOS 7D HD DSLRs. Prokit also stocks and advises on a wide range of support products for these cameras.

"A growing number of regular Prokit clients have been telling us about their interest in Canon DSLR and HD video systems. They have been asking us to supply and support their use of some of these remarkable products. We are delighted to now be in a position to do so. Additionally, we look forward to an expansive period for us with Canon," said Mark Holmes, Prokit Business Development Director.

We've been buying lights, tripods, and accessories from Prokit, one of our local dealers, for several years, and get PAT tests done there too (Portable Appliance Testing - important for electronic equipment like lights).

It is holding a Canon Open Day at its showroom tomorrow - Tuesday 21st, December 2010, from 11am to 3pm.

Best in show: Acquisition

The combined editorial teams of TVB Europe magazine and the IBC Daily highlight the best new products on show at IBC every year, in every hall and every category.

These are all written up (by me) for the October issue (downloadable in full as PDFs or readable online by clicking on the top right of the TVB home page).

You can also view the full list of winners for acquisition products, with more information on each product, but here is that list in brief.

Best new cameras - 2D:

Canon – XF300/XF305 - the most affordable cameras on the BBC's list of approved cameras for HD production.

Hego – OB1 - A camera system that captures six viewpoints simultaneously from one position.

Imec – iVC - The imec Virtual Camera takes live feeds from at least two cameras at once to create a new viewing angle or even create 3D video.

Panasonic – AF100/AF101 - the first professional camcorder using a DSLR-sized sensor (pictured top).

Panasonic – HPX3100 wireless camera control system

Best new cameras - 3D:

3D One - integrated 3D camera with binocular viewfinders.

Arri – Alexa Plus and its new 3D upgrade

Canon – XF105 - although this is a 2D camera, the way it uses its Optical Image Stabilisation system in 3D mode makes it innovative.

Frontniche – VC-3100 HD - An Ortho-Stereoscopic camera that removes the need for a convergence operator.

IndieCam – 3D camera system - uses tiny 1080p 50/60 cameras that can output 10-bit RAW (Adobe Cinema DNG) video (pictured above).

Best new lenses:

Fujinon – 3D lenses - Five zoom lenses that should make 3D lens set up and synchronisation easier because they are matched pair with a new control system.

Polecam – HRO 69 - ultra-compact 3.5mm lens is designed for miniature 3CCD HD cameras (pictured right).

By David Fox

Canon XF100/XF105 camcorders

Canon has extended its XF range of professional camcorders with two new palm-sized cameras, the XF100 and XF105 – the smallest cameras ever to include broadcast quality MPEG-2 Full HD 50Mbps, 4:2:2 recording.

They share many of the features of the existing XF305 and XF300 camcorders, but in a smaller package.

"A broadcast-standard MPEG-2 codec in such a compact body makes these new products unique, and will offer a level of HD image quality that was previously out of the reach of many users. The XF105 and XF100 will combine with XF305, XF300 and EOS DSLR cameras to offer a comprehensive range of Canon HD video tools for all sorts of applications," said Terunori Tajiri, EMEA Video Product Manager, Canon Europe.

Both cameras have professional features, such as XLR audio input (16-bit linear PCM at 48 kHz), while the XF105 (tech specs here) has HD-SDI output, with a shared Timecode input/output and Genlock input (pictured left), so that it can be used in studio or for multi-camera shoots (or record to a nanoFlash).

They record 1080/50i, 1080/25p, 720/50p or 720/25p MXF files to Compact Flash memory cards, using either Relay Recording or the security of Double Slot Recording (to two separate CF cards simultaneously). During recording, a card that’s not in use can be exchanged or initialised. There is also an SD card slot for stills and user settings.

The cameras have a new 10x zoom, 30.4mm wide angle Canon HD f/1.8 lens, with an eight-blade metal diaphragm, Optical Image Stabilizer, and an increased number of moveable lens groups to help reduce chromatic aberration and the overall size of the lens.

They use a single new 1/3-inch, 2.07 Megapixel Canon1920x1080 CMOS sensor, adapted from the 3CMOS sensor system employed in XF300-series models with high-speed data readout to minimise rolling-shutter skew.

Variable frame rate recording (12-50fps in 720p or 12-25fps in 1080p), Interval Recording (time lapse) and Frame Recording (for stop-motion animation) are included, as is a three-second Pre Record (cache) option.

For nighttime use, there is an Infrared shooting mode and built-in IR lamp (with both green and white light shooting options available), which will appeal to users of Sony's HVR-A1.

For 3D use, there are two 3D Shooting Assist functions: OIS Axis Shift uses the lens-shift image stabilizer to help correctly align two connected camcorders during stereoscopic 3D recording, while a Focal Length Guide helps to precisely synchronise zoom adjustments.

There are manual controls for experienced users, plus automatic and assist functions for beginners. A manual lens ring is switchable between focus, zoom and iris, and various settings, including iris, can also be adjusted using a custom key and control dial combination.

A dedicated button enables switching between manual focus and autofocus. There is also Face Detection AF and unique Instant AF modes, plus a new Face-Only AF mode, which limits autofocusing to detected faces only and is particularly useful for self shooters.

Both have a 3.5-inch side-mounted LCD screen with 920k dot resolution, a built-in waveform monitor and Edge Focus function, with menu selection performed using a joystick interface. There is also a 260k dot electronic viewfinder with 100% field-of-view coverage.

Users can configure more than 90 individual, image-related variables using a Custom Picture function; including selecting one of six preset gamma curves. Operators can also assign one of 34 individual functions to ten customisable buttons.

Up to nine ‘customised pictures’ can be stored to each body, with CINE.V and CINE.F gamma settings among three presets supplied as standard. Preferred settings can be saved and transferred from one XF100-series camcorder to another via SDHC cards.

The cameras will be on show on the Canon stand (11.E50) at IBC in Amsterdam next week (10-14 September).

www.canon-europe.com

Related posts: What makes an HD camera? and Canon fires out first 4:2:2 file-based camcorders

By David Fox