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NAB 2011
The NAB Show in Las Vegas is the pinnacle of technology release in the film and video industry every year. Cutting edge companies always bring their latest and greatest to showcase and the 2011 show was no different.
While the consumer market struggles to sell 3D technology, the production community is bustling with new production equipment for 3D. Nearly every manufacturer at NAB had something new.
The 1 Beyond Wrangler Mini3D DDR/Viewer is the latest from 1 Beyond Digital Systems. It allows recording from Red, Arri, Panasonic, Vision Research, Weiscamm in both 2D and 3D formats. Its 10” preview screen allows preview of an uncompressed file, and also the Mini3D DDR/Viewer can supplement 3D recording in a single 3D file that editors can work with in its native format.
The Meduza camera was a highlight from NAB from 3D Visual Enterprises. It is the first stand alone 3D camera offering more than 4K resolution. The Meduza is a single unit camera that shoots 4:3 native, 3D footage at 4096 x 3072 pixels.
Panasonic unveiled a couple 3D ready LCD monitors. The Panasonic BT-LH910 and the BT-3DL2550 are 9” and 25” respectively, and provide 3D display in multiple options; including 2x SDI IN overlay, color and luminance, and position and parallax.
Finally, the hip new action camera, the Go Pro Hero, now has a 3D rig. The inexpensive case uses plastic housing to clip two Go Pro Heroes side-by-side to create stereoscopic 3D. The 3D rig provides a sync cable to connect their signal. Go Pro recently acquired Cineform 3D, which will be downloadable via their websites soon.
New cameras are always a big draw at NAB, and this year was no different.
Sony demoed its highly anticipated NXCAM, the Sony NES-FS100 Super 35 Camera. This large sensor camera uses the same CMOS sensor as the recently released Sony PMW-F3, but employs the AVCHD codec and will shoot to SDHC or MS cards. The NES-FS100 also uses interchangeable lenses and any Sony E mount lens will work with it. Sony has slated its release for late spring to early summer.
Ikegami displayed its new 16-bit Full Digital Unicam HD studio camera, the HDK-97A. The HDK-97A allows the choice of 1080/60p 4:2:2 sampling or 1080/60i 4:4:4 with 16-bit depth. Like some of its predecessors, it’s a docking style camera that can transmit a 3G fiber signal to a CCU, plus a new “trunk channel” HD-SDI that can connect to a second camera that doesn’t employ a fiber transmission system.
Panasonic released its second generation 3D shoulder mounted camera, the AG-3DP1. The Panasonic AG-3DP1 is a twin lens camera that shoots 10-bit depth and 4:2:2 sampling records in AVC-Intra format to P2 cards. The camera, to be released this fall, incorporates many of the 3D adjustment tools as Panasonic’s previous 3D model, the 3DA1, such as adjustment of convergence points and horizontal and vertical displacement correction.
Finally, no NAB would be complete without a big announcement from Red Digital Cinema. Red announced their brand new upgradeable 6K sensor, the Red Dragon. The Red Dragon is a full-frame 6K sensor that will be upgradeable for the Red Epic sometime in 2012.
NAB provides the excitement of witnessing the best and newest for both manufacturers and content providers. So, what did you think was the most exciting equipment or software from NAB this year?
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