Today Canon announced two new camcorders, the XF105 and XF100. These two small cameras are part of the new Canon lineup of memory recording cameras, which also includes the XF305 and XF300. The new cameras share many of the same features as their bigger brothers, including the same 1/3″ CMOS chipset, and recording to the Canon XF Codec (MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps) on Compact Flash cards.

Surprisingly, the XF105 comes complete with HD-SDI output, Genlock, and timecode inputs/outputs, which makes it one of the most capable small cameras out there. The compact form factor, 3.5″ LCD, and 10x lens are the big factors that differentiate these cameras from their larger brothers. However, those are the only real differences – exciting news for anyone in need of a small camera. Additionally, Canon has integrated their infrared low-light feature, enabling the capture of HD video in complete darkness. Finally, they have also added a feature that allows two of these cameras to be linked up for 3D capture. Details of this feature have not yet been released, but it probably will be some form of synchronized lens control and recording. Both the Canon XF105 and XF100 are scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2011, but pricing has not been announced yet.

Read Canon’s official press release here.

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Manfrotto has introduced its latest fluid head – the 504HD. This 75MM ball fluid head features the FDS variable friction system, while pana and tilt resistance is quick and intuitive. An illuminated leveling bubble makes leveling a snap in any lighting condition. The head features a 3/8-16 tapped receptacle on either side of the camera platform to accommodate accessories such as arms for monitors or audio recorders. Watch the video to learn more.

The New York Times Magazine is the first to publish footage shot with the new Phantom Flex. The NYT used the camera to document the world’s top women tennis players in super slow motion for an article called “Women Who Hit Very Hard”. Watch the video here.

A video feature called “The Beauty of the Power Game” accompanies the article and was shot with the Flex – the fastest frame rate, highest quality and most light sensitive high-definition camera on the market. Players like Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and Jelena Jankovic are shown in their finest form at over 1,000 frames per second. Watch the video here.

“The goal was to balance the grace and femininity of these athletes with their sheer power, and the Flex allowed us to do just that,” said Producer Sandrine Lima of Reel Sessions. “The amazing slow mo ability of the Flex allowed us to accomplish the vision Dewey Nicks [the Director] and the Times had.”

Read more about the New York Times tennis shoot on the NY Times Well blog, and on the SPD blog. A gallery of still images is also available on the NYT website.

Vision Research, the manufacturer of the Flex, will begin shipping cameras to customers next week. The camera has had some key improvements made to its form factor since being introduced at NAB this past April. Above are our first images of the Phantom Flex as it will be released to customers.

The overall length has been shortened, the controls have been moved to the front side of the camera and the weight has been reduced. These improvements, combined with the numerous technical breakthroughs in the Flex’s image-making capabilities, put this Phantom on a new plateau.

Panasonic has just announced the new lightweight HPX3100 P2 Camera, which features a 2/3″ CCD sensor at full 1920×1080 resolution. Panasonic has taken the lightweight design and slim form-factor of the HPX300/370 cameras and added the 2/3″ chips found in the HPX3000. The camera has two P2 card slots and can record in AVC-Intra (100 & 50), DVCPRO HD, and standard definition formats. A new version of AVC-Intra 100 is also included that supports 24-bit audio. Standard frame rates are supported including 1080 60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, and 24p. However, like the HPX3000, 1280×720 resolution is not supported. With the new slim body design also comes lower power consumption, which is now only about 34 W. This is very low for a 2/3″ 1080P CCD, and can significantly improve battery life. Two brand new features of the HPX3100, are wireless meta-data input and a new high-quality proxy record option card. The wireless meta-data option will allow clips to be tagged with meta-data over a wifi connection, which makes it much easier to name clips on the fly. The new proxy card will produce better quality proxy clips which are compatible with Final Cut Pro. The price of this camera has not been announced yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information is released. Read the press release here or download the brochure here.

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The Decimator 2 is a low cost, easy to use downconverter and video distribution box. It is unique because it will accept HD-SDI, SDI or 3G (4×4x4) video signals, and output both HDMI, SD Video, and Analog Audio — no other mini-converter has all of these features. Once it detects an input signal, a colored diode lights up depending on the format, while a yellow diode indicates it is getting power. The Decimator will output all three signals (SDI loop-thru, HDMI, and Video) at the same time. A set of toggle switches on the back enable the user to set it up for different types of inputs and a wide selection of output options.

The Decimator is intended as a rack-mounted or monitor-mounted unit, and a mounting plate with screws is supplied. However, with a low weight of only .45 lbs, it can easily be rigged to a camera such as the RED.

Powered by DC 5-24V power, the Decimator comes with a power supply. Abel Cine Tech also sells a P-Tap adaptor that allows use with an on-board camera battery. It can also be powered by a Nebtek plate accepting Sony, Panasonic or Canon batteries.

USB and HDMI cables are included in the box.

Lots of today’s cameras feature a “35mm-sized sensor,” but what does this really mean? They all vary slightly in size, and some are shaped differently so that, when used for HD shooting, the usable size is dramatically reduced. Our clients frequently ask how to compare these different cameras and how sensor size affects field of view and lens coverage. A picture is worth 1,000 words, so we decided to produce a graphical chart to better compare them.

…continue reading 35mm Digital Sensor Comparison Chart

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OConnor’s new Camera Accessory Division has just begun deliveries of their innovative new O-Grip handgrip system. The O-Grips use a steel universal ball joint to make the handgrips both extremely adjustable and extremely strong. They are endlessly orientable and can support more than 44lbs each. They can also be attached to one another for more adjustability and the rod bridge fits to both 15mm and 19mm studio rods as well as lightweight 15mm rods. Watch the video to learn more.