With the release of the SxS-1 cards and the MEAD adapters (for Memory stick and SDHC use), Sony announced a firmware update to their XDCAM EX cameras to allow use of these new memory recording options. The Sony UK site has just made this update available, and the good news is that anyone can preform these updates. The EX1 and EX3 require software (for PC & Mac), but the EX1R and EX350 can be upgraded using an SxS Card. A comprehensive PDF is included in each download with upgrade instructions. They have posted some of these upgrades already, but the EX1 firmware may not be available until Monday. Visit the Sony UK site to start downloading. UPDATE: The Sony US site has also posted these updates, and our customers say that they have had better luck using them.

Here is a list of the updates for each camera.

…continue reading XDCAM EX Firmware Updates Now Available

Canon announced today that new firmware for the 5D Mark II camera will be available on March 16th. This is a highly anticipated upgrade that adds 1080 24P (actual 23.98) and 25P recording to the 5D Mark II. Previously 1080 30P was the only supported recording format, and filmmakers have been asking for 24P for sometime. The 30P record mode has also been updated to be 29.97, which will ease editing problems with true 30P footage. With this upgrade also comes the ability to adjust audio recording levels manually. On screen meters will be available to monitor levels and adjust. Additionally Canon has added a new histogram display for shooting movies in manual exposure, shutter-priority (Tv) and aperture-priority (Av) have been added, and exposure modes will also be available in movie mode. This is exciting news, so we will be holding a 5D Firmware Download Party on March 16th in NYC. We will have Canon experts on hand to discuss the new features of the camera, and we will upgrade any 5D Mark II for free. Check back for more information soon, and find the firmware here when it is posted.

Panasonic’s push into 3D just took another step forward. Recently, they made several announcements about their 3D product lineup including details on their 3D camera (AG-3DA), a new 3D production monitor (BT-3DL2550) and a new 3D mixer (AG-HMX100). Panasonic is moving to bring 3D to a broad community of filmmakers and these new tools certainly show their commitment. We can’t wait to see all of these new products at NAB 2010. Learn more about these new devices after the break.

…continue reading Panasonic 3D Update

Many of you may remember the Panasonic AJ-PCS060G, the P2 reader with a built in 60 GB hard drive. It was a great device at the time, but the 60GB hard drive doesn’t do much for customers with 32GB & 64GB P2 cards. So Panasonic has come up with a new device for downloading P2 cards in the field. The AG-MSU10 or P2 Media Storage Unit. The MSU10 has two slots, one is a P2 card slot and the other accepts a hard drive enclosure from Panasonic (the AG-MBX10). The enclosure has USB and eSATA connections on it and can be filled with any 2.5″ SATA drive, including solid state drives. The P2 Media Storage Unit features a 3.2” LCD screen that displays a P2 thumbnail screen and supports master-quality 10 bit AVC-Intra (100/50) and DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV recording formats. With a single touch, AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD content can be transferred from a P2 card to the solid-state drive at four times real-time (faster at lower data rates). The MSU10 is battery-operated. We are looking forward to seeing the device, which will sell for under $2500. The hard disk is not included, but can be easily be purchased at any retail store. See the full press release here. 

A couple months ago, I wrote about Panasonic’s mention of a single card reader to come. Well the official announcement is finally here. It’s called the AJ-PCD2, and it will sell for less than $350. So many of our P2 clients have been asking for this type of product for years, and we are happy to see it here. The PCD2 comes with two USB 2.0 cables, which power the device (2 USB connections equals twice the power) and connects it to a PC or Mac. This makes it a very portable device for field use, which is exactly what we’ve been asking for. The device will be fully compatible with PC & Mac and will be available in April. Read the full press release here.

Right on the heels of the Ki Pro update, Nexto has also released their own 1.10 firmware for the Video Storage Pro (NVS2500). This update is has several improvements including:

• Added preview support for MXF files Convergent Design’s nanoFlash. (Previously only MOV files were supported for preview)
• 2x faster M-Copy & SYNC speeds (approx. 30MB/s) for faster USB hard drive syncing and copying
• 2x faster CF & SD/MS copy speed (approx 30MB/s)
• 5x faster full verify speed for SxS (approx. 80MB/s)
• Added Copy & Verify function. Automatic full verify after copy.
• Export the backup folder in internal HDD to CF/SD/MS.
• Added Delete for memory cards including SxS and P2.
• Added preview for external devices such as P2/SxS/CF/SD/MS and external USB hard drive
• Display file name during the ‘Clip View’ mode
• Added support for SxS-1(indication on life time expire)
• Preliminary support for AVC-Intra50
• Support for ‘avi’ file for the Sony PMW-350

This is great news for any NVS2500 owner. Make sure to update your device. The firmware update can be found here - NVS2500 1.10 Firmware

AJA has just released firmware version 1.1 for the Ki Pro, and going up .1 turns out to be a major upgrade. Here is a list of the improvements :

- ProRes 422 LT and Proxy recording has been added. These formats are supported in Final Cut Pro 7, and allow for longer recording times at minimal quality loss.

- 720P variable frame rate support has now been added as well. This is great for VariCam users that want 720p24 (23.98), 720p25 and 720p30 (29.97) native recording.

- 1080p support has also been improved by enabling the auto-detection of 1080p 23.98, 1080p 24, 1080p 25 and 1080p 29.97 signals. This, along with PsF playback, gives the Ki Pro more functionality for high end users.

These updates, as well as a couple other new features, make for one big update. See the full release notes here, including a list of updates still planned for the future. Download Ki Pro Firmware 1.1 here.