Cameras

Blackmagic Design just released Camera Update 3.4, which adds SDI start/stop record trigger support to the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, as well as support for RP-188 timecode over SDI. The firmware update is free of charge for BMPC owners and also provides a SMPTE update for the 6G-SDI output making the Production Camera 4K compatible with a larger range of external devices.

If you are in the market for a new camera and are considering making the leap into 4K and super-slow motion recording on a budget - you might want to take a look at our latest video in which we go over the important features and unique functionality in the Sony PXW-FS5, including what you need to record Raw.

Just a few days ago, Canon released a major firmware update for their XC10 4K hybrid stills and video camera, which improves the speed of AF in video by a factor of 2, and also adds MP4 recording format in HD plus a few more goodies.

The new Panasonic AG-AC30 is a Full HD compact, handheld camcorder with a 20x zoom lens with three independent rings for maximum flexibility and control, dual XLR pro audio inputs, a 50Mb/s on-board codec and a built-in LED light. The lightweight design will help those video producers looking for a small footprint and versatility.

The Sony FS5 and PXW-X70 offer not just fantastic images and 4K functionality, but also flexible features including the ability to stream live footage straight from the camera, a feature that many freelance camera professionals and production companies specialising in live events would surely appreciate.