ARRI announced today that Avid’s DNxHD recording codec would be supported in all ALEXA cameras. The format is planned to be offered as a paid software license to be released with the free ALEXA Software Update Packet (SUP) 6.0, scheduled for January 2012. Upon initial release, the  license will offer DNxHD 145 (1920×1080, 8-bit) and DNxHD 220x (1920×1080, 10-bit), with the free addition of the recently-announced DNxHD 444 (1920×1080, 10-bit) in the spring.

Apple ProRes has been a purchasable option for SxS card onboard recording for more than a year. Soon the ALEXA will offer either or both recording formats to more comfortably fit into a production’s workflow. DNxHD 220x has a similar file size to that of ProRes 422HQ, so it should take up about the same amount of space on an SxS card (21 minutes on a 32G card).

For more info, read Arri’s full press release.

Today, Canon announced their new, much-anticipated Cinema EOS C300 video camera. Not long ago, we got a sneak peek; some of its key features are a Super 35mm size sensor, 12-stops of dynamic range, on-board 50 Mbps recording to CF cards and HD-SDI outputs. The camera comes in two versions, one with a Canon EF mount and the other with a PL mount. The sensor is 4K (3840 x 2160) in resolution, with a unique color pattern that produces a very clean 1920×1080 signal. From our brief testing of the camera, we could find no rolling shutter artifacts, moire issues, or other problems found on HDSLR camera sensors. The sensor has a native ISO of 850 and produces a clean signal all the way up to 20,000 ISO, giving amazing low light performance. And in the case that you have too much light, the camera also has built in ND filters.

…continue reading Canon Announces New C300 HD Camera

Sony has put a lot of effort into bringing OLED displays to the production business. Their PVM-740 monitor has had great success, and they followed it up with a 17″ (PVM-1741) and 25″ (PVM-2541) version as well. On the high end, Sony has released their BVM-E and BVM-F series of monitors in the same 17″ and 25″ sizes. The difference between the monitors can be a bit confusing; watch my video above to learn more, and see the chart below for more specifics.

…continue reading Sony’s OLED Displays and the Decimator MD-DUCC