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DJI’s newest drone is a $16K model for pro filmmakers
DJI unveiled its latest high-end drone for professional filmmakers today. The Inspire 3 is a full-frame 8K cinema drone in a “highly portable form factor” that can be yours this summer for a mere $16,499.
The best gifts for photographers in 2022
Find the latest and best list of camera accessories for photography and videography, chosen by experts at Engadget.
DJI’s latest phone gimbal also works as a selfie stick
The Osmo Mobile 5 is smaller than previous models while packing in more features.
Apple brings ProRes RAW support to Windows video editors
Thanks to a combination of more affordable cinema cameras and increasingly powerful software, professional video producers are able to net some impressive results. One major part of the equation for achieving high-quality footage is shooting in a RAW codec, which creates lossless files that are suitable for color correction and other enhancements. Apple's ProRes RAW codec isn't a very popular choice among shooters, but that may change now that the format isn't exclusive to Apple's computers. The company released beta software that lets Windows editors work with ProRes RAW files in Adobe's Premiere Pro, After Effects and Media Encoder. This means they won't have to devote time or computing power to transcoding the files -- they can simply load them into their editing suite and get to work.
Fujifilm X-T3 camera update adds advanced gimbal controls
Fujifilm's X-T3 is shockingly good at video while also being a pretty lightweight mirrorless camera, so it makes a lot of sense to stick it on a gimbal. Thanks to an upcoming firmware update, it's going to be a lot more practical to do that, Fujifilm announced. It's been working with popular gimbal makers DJI, Shenzhen Gudsen and Zhiyung to give you very granular control over the X-T3 using the Ronin S, Crane 2 and other products.
Panasonic's S1H is the pinnacle of mirrorless video, for a price
Panasonic was not willing to give away its crown as the ultimate mirrorless camera company for video shooters. It has officially unveiled the 24.2-megapixel S1H and it definitively blows away all rival mirrorless cameras from Sony, Canon and Nikon when it comes to video. For the first time on a mainstream mirrorless camera, you can shoot full-frame, uncropped 6K video (5,888 x 3,312) at 24 FPS, and 60 FPS 4K using a cropped, Super 35 (APS-C) sensor size. The S1H can handle video with 4:2:2 10-bit billion color depth, both internally and externally, for maximum flexibility when editing. Sure, this doesn't measure up to what Blackmagic's Pocket Cinema 6K camera can do -- at least, not yet. But unlike the Pocket 6K, Panasonic's S1H has a continuous contrast-detect autofocus system, a fully-articulating display and in-body stabilization -- huge features for vloggers and shooters on the go. This comes at quite a price, though, so to get a feel for the camera and see how it performs, I shot with a pre-production S1H for a day at Panasonic's launch event in Los Angeles.
The LG V30 is better for video recording than photography
LG has made a name for its V series by stuffing the phones with top-notch multimedia recording features, and its latest addition takes this much further than before. The new V30, unveiled here at IFA 2017, is the first smartphone to offer a glass lens with a f/1.6 aperture, and offers nifty video-recording tools that should excite aspiring Spielbergs. To see if it really lives up to LG's promises, I took the V30 around on a trigger-happy tour of Berlin's Tier Garden and found it a versatile, powerful camera (at least in daylight). In fact, its filmmaking features made me feel like I could pass for a somewhat experienced director.
MIT's camera drones are smart enough to get the perfect shot
Over the last few years we've seen more camera drones than we can count, but getting the best footage out of them will take something extra. While many big budget productions are already using drone cameras, a system developed by MIT and ETH Zurich researchers goes beyond mere Steadicam or even subject-tracking, by allowing the director to define exactly how a shot is framed.
Adaptalux is a modular lighting system for macro photography
Every now and then, there are projects on Kickstarter designed for a niche group of people. Adaptalux is one of those: it's a modular, flexible and nearly pocket-sized lighting studio for macro photography and videography. The team behind Adaptalux claims that the system is capable of creating an infinite amount of illumination environments, thanks to an interchangeable design that users can customize based on their needs. For example, the Control Pod lets you choose the amount of light sources (up to five) and the color of them, as well as control the beam angle for each. And, much like the familiar gooseneck desk lamps, Adaptalux's lighting arms can be bent and twisted almost any way you want.
Exclusive: The iPhone 6's A8 chip can play 4K video
The iPhone 6 is an incredible device capable of wonderful feats, like shooting 4K video as long as you have the right app. Sadly you can't watch 4K video on the iPhone 6, right? It turns out that's not actually the case. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus can play 4K video right out of the box thanks to its A8 chip. The discovery was made by the developers of WALTR, a great Mac app that allows users to quickly upload video files to their iPhone which aren't supported by iTunes, such as FLAC and MKV files. While testing the app developers found it is possible to playback 4K videos on the iPhone 6. Even if Apple hasn't announced it, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are ready to play 4K videos. Given the company's recent launch of the Retina 5K iMac it's obvious Apple has its sights on an even more high-definition future. We can't wait to see if Apple plans on unlocking the ability to view 4K footage on the device for users in the future. Although an iPhone 6 with 16GB won't store much 4K video, it's quite possible that a future Apple TV using the A8 chip would handle footage flawlessly. In the mean time the WALTR app just earned itself a big new selling point for video fans. Thanks to contributor Brett Terpstra for the tip. The company has posted a video with proof, which you can view here. You can view a video from WALTR below.
Hands-on with the $1000 Vizzywig 4K app
Yes, you saw that correctly. A US$1000 app. One. Thousand. Dollars. Now, before you say that it's a gimmick and something that only rich people will buy, let me explain a little bit about the Vizzywig 4K app and what it does. This app turns an iPhone 5s into a 4K motion video camera, editor and 4K distribution platform. It captures full 4K resolution photos (3840 x 2160 pixels) at 24 photos per second while capturing an audio soundtrack separately. That's a lot of photos being stored very quickly, at a data rate of 576 megabits per second. You'd better have a lot of space available on your device to hold your movies. To view these amazing videos in all of their UHDTV glory, you'll need to have either a computer with a 4K display, a 4K projector of some sort, or access to a movie theater that will let you show your movies. Note that when you watch our sample YouTube video below, you're probably watching a downsampled version at 720p or 1080p. If you have a 4K-capable setup, please let us know what the video looks like. Now, Vizzywig creator Michael Zaletel has a lot of experience using 4K video cameras. He's been a member of the RedUser.net forum (a home for owners and users of the RED 4K, 5K, and 6K cameras) for over 6 years, so he knows just how expensive it is to buy and maintain a 4K camera, not to mention build a full editing and distribution workflow for it. To quote Zaletel, "The reality is the world's fastest full 4K workflow. Pull a small phone out of your pocket, shoot four or five true 4K clips, trim, rearrange, add transitions, lower thirds, titles and credits in 4K and export and upload to YouTube or Vimeo in 4K in 15 minutes without ever touching a data card, laptop, mouse or NLE. We have all spent more than $1K on a single data card and 10 times that on a single lens or tripod. Vizzywig 4K is really not for everybody. It's targeted at video professionals who might want to be able to shoot a quick video and get it sent off immediately to a client. I've used the "normal" Vizzywig app in the past, and it's an amazing way to shoot, edit, and distribute video from an iOS device. At Macworld/iWorld 2014, a number of my video pieces were shot with an iPad mini running Vizzywig ($29.99), edited, titled, and then uploaded to our content distribution network and YouTube. All of that was done on the iPad mini, with me standing up instead of sitting at a video editing suite. The app UI will be familiar to anyone who has used the less-expensive HD version of Vizzywig. Settings are a bit different, as you can adjust the session and multi-camera resolution from 4K downwards, adjust the quality of the individual JPG images that are captured, change the frame rate, play with the 4K export quality (default is 75 Mbps), and so on. As with the HD version of Vizzywig, you can then add titles, transitions, scrolling credits, and even background music. One other feature of the app -- when you spend your $1,000 on the app, you get VIP email, phone and text message support directly from Zalatel. So, how did Vizzywig 4K work? Well, I had to downgrade my iPhone 5s from iOS 8 GM to iOS 7.1.2 in order to run it, and decided at that time that it would be a good idea just to leave the device empty except for the app. With that in mind, I had a clean machine all ready to go for this app. I decided that since it was such a nice Colorado late summer day that I'd grab the iPhone and try doing some shooting on one of my favorite walks. I took a couple of shots, then came back to my office to add titles and credits, then render the movie. The rendering took quite a while -- there were 1,500 frames to process, and that took about 18 minutes total. After than, the app generated the video, which took about another 12 minutes. Uploading over WiFi took a while as well, although that was a fairly painless part of the process. Please don't judge the app's capabilities on my lousy camera work -- I didn't have a tripod, a stable mount, or the time to make sure that all my zoom shots stayed in focus. Zaletel recommends that potential users have a Steadicam Smoothee or Swiftcam M3 stabilizer on hand for best results. Here's the video: I've also included a gallery of 4K images so that you can see what the individual 3840 x 2160 pixel frames look like: Finally, if you'd like to see a 4K movie produced by Michael Zaletel that's a bit more stable than mine, you can view it here on YouTube. One other comment -- plan on bringing a large capacity external battery pack with you if you plan on doing a lot of shooting and rendering. My fully charged iPhone 5s dropped to about 38 percent battery capacity by the time I was done shooting, rendering, and uploading the video. I also recommend plugging in your iPhone while you're doing the render and upload. Uploads can be made to YouTube and Vimeo at the present time. The file size for my 1 minute and 33 second video was 587.53 MB. Needless to say, if you plan on doing any sort of long videos using 4K, you're going to want the most storage capacity you can find. I think the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus with 128 GB of storage might be perfect... With that in mind, I asked Zaletel about compatibility with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which both run iOS 8 by default. He said that the company has both devices on order and their top priority is to update the app to take advantage of the better camera and larger storage capacity of the new devices. While you may not be able to run Vizzywig 4K on your shiny new toy on Friday, rest assured that you'll see the update soon. I, for one, would like to see if the future Vizzywig 4K could take advantage of the Optical Image Stabilization feature of the iPhone 6 Plus. Zaletel did point out that his company, i4software, is looking at their own Hyperlapse-like stabilization: "We are also working on adding image stabilization by measuring the gyroscope and accelerometer movements for each frame and then rotating and scaling each frame slightly to align for perfect stabilization similar to the new Hyperlapse app from Instagram." Vizzywig 4K apparently works by capturing those big frames using burst capture. There's a known issue with iOS 8 at this time regarding burst capture that will have to be fixed prior to the app going live on the new OS. Now, about the pricing. Is $1,000 a bargain compared to a standard 4K video camera and all of the accessory lenses? Yes, absolutely. But I think Zalatel -- who is offering a Moondog Labs Anamorphic Lens and a Swift M3 Handheld Gyro Stabilizer to the first person who coughs up $1,000 -- would be selling this app like hotcakes if he priced it at $49.99 or even $99.99. While the average professional videographer who can drop $50K on a top of the line camera without blinking might not consider $1K to be out of the question, the rest of us in the real world do. On the other hand, most of the rest of us don't have the need to be shooting 4K UHDTV, since we don't have the equipment to even properly view the output. Viewing the YouTube output on my really fast 27-inch iMac -- which doesn't have the ability to even fit that 4K stream on the screen -- is not that impressive, with a lot of jerkiness. There's a basic law of economics called price elasticity of demand. In most cases, prices are elastic, meaning that as price drops, the volume of sales goes up and vice-versa. At $1000, I would seriously doubt if Zaletel will get many sales, although he's capturing a lot of attention from the tech press. At $50 or even $100, a lot more people are going to be willing to make the purchase for an app that performs some video magic that can't otherwise be accomplished without spending a lot more money. A straw poll of the team at TUAW and several other blogs showed that nobody was willing to drop $1K on an app with the capabilities of Vizzywig 4K, while many with the need or desire to shoot 4K video would spend $50 in a heartbeat. Another thought -- since Zaletel has now proven that it's possible to shoot and render 4K video on an iPhone, some other enterprising developer will probably create an app that will do so and sell it for a fraction of Vizzywig 4K. I really like the stability and capability of Vizzywig and Vizzywig 4K, and would love to see this amazing technology continue forward. So please, Michael, drop the price. The app itself is great and does some remarkable things. It has put a 4K video camera and editing suite into an off-the-shelf iPhone 5s -- a truly amazing feat. But Vizzywig 4K could do so much more if it was priced sensibly.
What photo/video features would you like to see in future iPhones?
Every year, it seems like the photo and video features of our iPhones get just a little bit better. We'd like to know what you think would be the best possible feature to add to future iPhones. Take the poll, and be sure to share your answer with your friends on Twitter or Facebook. What photo/video features would you like to see built into future iPhones?
TUAW takes a second look at The Padcaster
Way back in 2012, I reviewed a pre-production version of The Padcaster, an amazing pro tool that's used to equip an iPad with all sorts of accessories for professional-quality video or photography. You probably remember seeing a Padcaster in one of Apple's "What will your verse be?" advertisements, being used to shoot video of Iguazú Falls in Argentina. The person in that segment of the ad was Josh Apter, the brain behind the Padcaster and the president and founder of Manhattan Edit Workshop. The Padcaster is now in full production and available for the iPad Air (US$159), iPad mini ($99), and 2nd through 4th generation iPads ($149), so I decided to take another look at this versatile filmmaking and photography accessory. Design Highlights The Padcaster was obviously designed by a filmmaker who saw the potential of using the iPad for capturing video or stills. As such, it consists of a very solid aluminum frame with a flexible silicone insert that holds the iPad in place. The Padcaster we had for the original review was marked up with measurements and looked obviously like a prototype, with random holes drilled in places that seemed convenient. Not so with the final version, which is sleek, well-made and quite sturdy. Around the outside of the Padcaster for iPad are at least fifteen 1/4-inch threaded holes, along with nine smaller threaded holes. If you can't get all of your equipment loaded onto a Padcaster, then you may need to rethink your filming strategy. The Padcaster also comes with the Lenscaster, a precise threaded lens mount (58 mm) that is positioned over the camera on your iPad. For testing purposes, Josh thoughtfully provided a Vivitar .43X wide-angle lens to mount on the Lenscaster. A quick look at Amazon showed that 58mm threaded lenses from Vivitar are inexpensive -- the wide-angle lens runs $11.95, while a 2.2X telephoto lens is available for $11. Even a fisheye lens can be had for wild effects -- $40. So, now you have your camera (the iPad), an editing suite (iMovie or one of the other video apps like Vizzywig), and a way to make titles (IntroMate). Add a sturdy tripod or monopod (I used my trusty Manfrotto monopod with quick-release mount), some of those inexpensive lenses and some add-on filters, lights and a good directional microphone, and you're ready to go. What's more, rather than looking like a total fool waving your naked iPad around trying to take video, The Padcaster and accessories really make you look like a pro -- even if you're not. Appearances are everything, so having this piece of equipment with you might open doors that are closed to amateurs. Functionality Highlights One thing that can easily drive me nuts is having equipment that takes forever to set up. That's fortunately not the case with the Padcaster. I plopped an iPad into the frame, screwed on the Lenscaster and the wide-angle lens, added an external LED light and a Røde directional mic, and put the entire assembly onto the Manfrotto monopod in about five minutes. All of the threaded holes were flawless with no binding, and there are cutouts in all the right places on The Padcaster in case you need access to an iPad port. When you purchase a Padcaster, you are actually getting a full kit that includes the Padcaster, Lenscaster, 72mm-58mm step-down ring (the adapter for those screw mount lenses), two 1/4-20 screws, two 3/8-16 screws, one custom camera mount screw and one cold shoe adapter. That's a surprising amount of good stuff for such a reasonable price. If you already purchased a Padcaster for the 2nd- through 4th-generation iPad and want to use a new iPad Air with it, no problem -- there's a $24.95 Padcaster Air clip available that works not only to mount the iPad Air in the "old" Padcaster, but also works with an included handstrap for handheld use of the iPad Air. So who is The Padcaster for? Basically anyone who wants to make a quantum leap in their iPad photography or videography by adding lenses, filters, professional microphones and audio equipment, lights, and more. Professionals who are considering using an iPad for shooting need a Padcaster, no questions asked. Advanced amateurs may just find that adding all of those accessories to their iPad bumps up their work to professional level. Conclusion I was glad that I had a chance to look at The Padcaster again, so that I could see what a production version of the device looks like, how it fit the iPad, and how the entire accessory kit comes together. Josh Apter did the iPad videography community a huge favor by inventing this device, and I look forward to watching The Padcaster evolve. I personally plan on getting the iPad mini version for doing both TUAW work and personal videography. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
iOgrapher: An inexpensive hand-held mount for iPad moviemaking
TUAW has previously reviewed the Padcaster (US$149 or $189 with lens), a tremendously useful tool for mounting an iPad in a sturdy aluminum frame that includes multiple tripod mounts as well as cold shoes for mounting lights and microphones. It's such an iPad moviemaking powerhouse that it recently appeared in one of Apple's "Verse" advertisements. At present, there's no Padcaster for the iPad mini with Retina display, although Padcaster boss Josh Apter currently has a Kickstarter project underway to fund manufacturing of one. For those who have the mini and might not want to spend the bucks for the high-quality professional Padcaster, there's the iOgrapher (US$65). The major difference between the Padcaster and iOgrapher is in the material used for the frame. The iOgrapher uses black polycarbonate to encase the tablet rather than aluminum. Instead of multiple threaded mounts and cold shoes around the exterior as on the Padcaster, the iOgrapher has three cold shoes for popping on those lights and mics. On the bottom is a single brass-lined threaded tripod mount. Another difference is that the iOgrapher is designed for easy hand-held videography. On either side of the landscape-oriented iPad mini is a handle that makes carrying and handholding the device a snap. The mini is light enough that you'll be able to use a single hand to grip the iOgrapher while using your free hand for controlling your video or photography app. Inserting the iPad mini into the iOgrapher is a literal snap, and while it holds the tablet securely, there's no problem removing it quickly for other uses. In practice, I found the iOgrapher nicely suited for tripod-mounting an iPad mini and attaching several accessories that I had on hand -- a shotgun mic and an LED light, both of which use standard hot/cold shoe mounts. That being said, I'm certain that it would not be as useful to a professional videographer or photographer as the Padcaster. The Padcaster is incredibly sturdy and can be tripod-mounted in a number of orientations thanks to the numerous tapped holes. If you somehow run out of space for an accessory, there's probably space to clamp it or even tape it on with gaffer's tape. Not so with the iOgrapher -- I wanted to use a Samson mic with a spring clip with my iPad mini. While it clips easily onto a naked mini, I couldn't find a spot on the iOgrapher that would hold it without it getting either in the way of my hand or moving unexpectedly. For the amateur iPad mini moviemaker, the iOgrapher is perfect. On the other hand, professionals should throw their support behind the Padcaster Mini Kickstarter. You may have to wait a while, but you'll have a much more versatile mount for your videography.
Motrr Galileo: Robotic motion control for iPhone
If there's one accessory for the iPhone that has been breathlessly anticipated by a lot of photographers and videographers, it's the Motrr Galileo robotic iPhone mount. The product began life as a Kickstarter that received more than US$700,000 in funding, then went into hibernation for a while as the developers worked on bringing this sophisticated device to market. Now it's finally available for $149.95 in two different formats -- 30-pin, in case you wish to repurpose your old iPhone as a remotely controlled webcam, or Bluetooth. There are also white or black models, just in case you're fussy about making sure your motion-control mount matches your iPhone. Our test device was one of the Bluetooth models. It's a rather tiny device; a squat cylinder about 3.25" in diameter and just two inches tall. There's a micro-USB port on one side for charging, one LED for battery status on the bottom, and several "cups" that are used to ensure a tight fit of your iPhone or iPod touch so it doesn't fall out during a photo session. The first thing you need to do is go out to the App Store and pick up the Motrr app. This app doesn't control your Galileo, rather it's a digital catalog for finding apps that are compatible with Galileo. I decided to give the device a try with Sphere, a free app that works with the Galileo mount to take 360° spherical images. The result? Magic. To link a Galileo-enabled app with the device, you simply twist the bottom and top parts of the mount to send a pairing signal to the iPhone. That's it. With the Sphere app, there was a special item under the "hamburger" button for linking the Galileo mount and starting the photography. What happened next was incredible: the Galileo began whirring and moving, stopping to take photos at precise intervals. Within a very short amount of time I had a spherical image of my kitchen to navigate around -- it was almost like being there! Sphere and Galileo are the perfect couple, but what's cool is that there are a growing number of other apps that work with the mount. Right now, those include AirBeam ($3.99, for surveillance), RecoLive MultiCam ($4.99), and the $4.99 TimeLapse app. I happened to have a copy of the latter app from an experiment last year with the wind-up $30 Camalapse, and it's a very capable time lapse photography app. Add an amazing mount like the Galileo to the mix, and you have a way to take some incredible movies. Simply connect Galileo to TimeLapse by doing that little "twist to pair" action, and a Motrr button appears on the screen. With that, you can set the revolutions per hour for both pan and tilt. I'm personally waiting for one app that is supposed to be out early in 2014: Motrr Live. It's designed to let you and others video chat while controlling the other Motrr remotely. There are other apps that currently work only with the 30-pin dock connector version of Galileo, but I didn't list them here. Conclusion The Motrr Galileo robotic mount is perfect for the iPhone or iPod touch photographer/videographer who desires precise control of camera movement. While there still aren't a lot of apps available offering support for the mount, I would expect to see many more as developers realize just how powerful this accessory is. Pros Very precise and extremely quiet, perfect for filming video Unique design offers almost spherical coverage of any scene through 360° pan and tilt Considering the technology involved, $150 is a bargain for this device Can be mounted on any standard tripod Cons Not that many apps support the device at this point, particular the Bluetooth version of the Galileo Who is it for? The iPhone videographer who wants a better way of controlling pan and tilt automatically during filming, the photographer who is working on time lapse photographs, or (coming soon) anyone who wants to control where someone else's device is pointed during a video call.
Parenting Tip: Using the iPhone to record videos of your children
In a recent Parenting tip, I discussed photographing your children using your iPhone. Today, I am going to expand on that article and give you some tips on taking videos of your children. The iPhone is always in my pocket, which makes it perfect for capturing a quick video of my children doing something memorable. Over the years, the quality of the videos recorded by the iPhone has steadily improved. The iPhone 4 is capable of recording 720p HD video at up to 30 frames per second with audio, while both the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5 bump up the video quality to 1080p HD. You don't have the dedicated microphone jack and 50x zoom you would find in consumer-grade video cameras, but for most purposes, the iPhone is just fine for taking fantastic home videos. As I mentioned in my photo tips, I am not a pro photographer by any means, just a mom who has picked up some tips and tricks from using the iPhone as her primary camera. If you have your own suggestions, please share them in the comments. Get the best light possible Photographing kids in dim light is hard and shooting video of them is almost impossible. So many times, a wonderful clip of my child dancing like a fool has been ruined because I forget to turn on the overhead light. The iPhone just doesn't do well in low light -- videos are shadowy and the subjects are too dark. You can use the flash, but I find that the always-on flash overbrightens the area and causes your subject to squint if they look at your phone. For the best videos, turn on the lights or take your children outside in the sun. Give your video camera a few minutes to start up Unlike photos which can be captured within a few seconds, the video camera takes some time to fire up. You have to open the camera app, tap on the video camera and wait for the software to switch modes before you can press the record button. Depending on your iPhone model, it can take up to 30 seconds for all these steps. Plan accordingly or you will always be capturing your child's back as they run past you, instead of their smiling face as they run towards you. Alternatively, you can use the Camera app's ability to remember its last state to your advantage. Turn on the video camera before you want to shoot a clip and it will be ready to record the next time you open the Camera app. Take more footage than you need Always record more footage then you think you will need. Inevitably, you will stop a video early and your child will flash a smile that melts your heart and you will kick yourself for not leaving the camera on. If you capture more video than you need, you can always trim the video using the Photos app in iOS. For more advanced editing, you can download iMovie. Don't shoot in portrait Always, always, always remember to rotate your phone and shoot video in landscape mode, unless, of course, you are shooting portrait on purpose as a creative effect. A few years ago, my daughter participated in a pig scramble and captured a pig. My husband captured the event with his iPhone. He was in a rush and recorded the whole clip in portrait. We've tried watching the video a few times, but the action is so fast and the field of view so narrow that you really can't watch much more than 30 seconds of the clip without getting frustrated. Don't forget to take photos, too iOS 6 allows you to take photos at the same time you are recording a video. Just tap the camera icon when a video is recording to capture a photo. Experiment Play around with the video camera, get comfortable using it in different conditions and experiment. Most of all, have fun while you are capturing memories of your children that will last a lifetime.
Rift Labs Kick iPhone-controlled photo light offers a whole spectrum of colors
Our good friends at Photojojo were excited to tell us about a new product for iPhone that is bound to be a winner for iPhone photographers and videographers who want to add special lighting effects to their masterworks. The Kick (US$179) is an app-controlled photo light that not only provides adjustable brightness, but an infinite variety of light colors as well. The product began life as a Kickstarter project that received over $210,000 of funding, and it's now available for sale -- when it's in stock. Design Like many LED photo lights, the front of the Kick has a grid of lenses located over the 40 physical LEDs that help to diffuse the light that is generated. Those LEDs are powered by an internal battery pack charged by the usual USB to micro-USB cable. A charge LED gradually changes from red to "greenish" to indicate that the battery is topped off and ready to go. The Kick works with the iPhone 4/4S and also with the iPhone 5. There's a small rubberized pad included to make the Kick work with the iPhone 5, since the phone is thinner than the earlier versions. For manual lighting of your photographic or video subjects, there are two sets of +/- buttons on the "top" of the unit. One controls the brightness of the LEDs, while the other adjusts the hue through a rainbow of colors. Power to the unit is controlled by a single button on the charging end of the Kick. There's one really important button on the unit; the Wi-Fi button. Pressing it enables a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network named "RiftNet." That Wi-Fi network becomes extremely important when you are using your iPhone to control the Kick. Yes, there's a free app that allows remote control of one or more Kick lights over that network. Therein lies the power of the Kick light. Professionals or dedicated amateur photographers can set up a number of the Kick lights around a subject and then tweak the lighting to achieve a particular effect. One more thing; you won't mind carrying the Kick around; it's pretty lightweight (3.6 oz) and can slip into a pocket or backpack. Its bright -- 400 lumens at 5400 Kelvin, and it has a wide color range -- 2500 to 10000 Kelvin. Functionality While some might think that spending $179 for a small LED light is madness, I can see where professional photographers or others who just want to add some pizazz to their iPhone photography could really make use of the Kick light. I found that it takes a little time for the iPhone to recognize and lock onto the RiftNet Wi-Fi network. I started waiting about two minutes after switching over from my usual network so I could make sure that the iPhone was ready to go on RiftNet. Note that this could be an artifact of using (ahem) a beta operating system on my iPhone. The app interface is a bit busy, but it doesn't take all that long to figure it out. One feature I like is being able to pick a color from either something in your Photo Library (including a video) or in "real life." The LEDs then adjust to mimic that color as closely as possible. In addition to the ability to match colors in existing photos or in real life, there's also a standard color picker available. There are also lighting effects that can be added to video with the tap of an icon. Want a strobe effect? One tap and you're there. How about a repeating rainbow of colors? Ditto (see video below). Want a lightning effect for that horror movie you're filming with the iPhone 5? It's a tap away. Using the color picker on a video can be really fun -- the video above shows an example of grabbing a light color from a campfire, complete with all of the variations in brightness and hue that exist in the "real" light. Conclusion Owners of iPhone 4, 4S and 5 smartphones who want to add professional quality lighting to their images now have a relatively inexpensive solution complete with a Wi-Fi peer-to-peer network for adjusting a number of Kick lights. It's the perfect marriage of a powerful iOS app and device with advanced lighting technology. Pros Relatively inexpensive for professional lighting Lightweight, compact, and able to be attached to a tripod Almost infinitely adjustable brightness and hue Lighting can vary in real-time iOS app is robust and has the flexibility to create a variety of lighting effects Cons None to speak of Who is it for? Professional photographers and videographers who want a compact, infinitely adjustable lighting solution, or iPhone photographers interested in adding professional-quality lighting to their bag of tricks.
Future Panasonic G camera's 72Mbps movie-making prowess teased through speedy drama (video)
If Panasonic didn't have attention from movie producers before, it just might as of this week. Joining the quickly developing tradition of camera makers producing elaborate short movies as technology demos, the company has let cinematographer Philip Bloom wield (and tease) a "brand new G camera" to record Genesis, a fast-paced mini-drama showing a man's race to meet his love before it's too late. While Bloom can't talk much about the hardware in question until the 17th, he's allowed to confirm that the upcoming Micro Four Thirds body relies on a "superb" 72Mbps All-I codec for video -- letting it capture a sprint through the streets without the compression artifacts of the AVCHD format used by most mirrorless cameras. Panasonic's upcoming shooter also touts "much improved" results in the dark, Bloom says. It all sounds very tempting, especially if it turns out that Panasonic's inadvertent leaks are for the same camera we see in action here. The full movie is available after the break, and Bloom has the behind-the-scenes details at the source link.
Sony VG900 leaks, packs full-frame sensor into a NEX camcorder
Sony must have a fixation on stuffing full-frame sensors into small spaces this year. A fresh photo and details slipping out to Sony Alpha Rumors show what's billed as the VG900, the first NEX-branded camcorder with a sensor larger than the APS-C spec -- the first NEX camera of any kind, for that matter. While there's only a light smattering of details, we're told the device has a 24-megapixel sensor (likely the same as in the RX1 or A99), records video in AVCHD 2.0 and should ship with an A-mount adapter for Alpha lenses. Not much else is on display, although you may want to take a pass if you're just looking to record a family wedding: at a rumored $3,300 price for the purportedly imminent launch, the VG900 isn't an impulse purchase for anyone short of a pro videographer.
Padcaster and Lenscaster streamline iPad video production workflow
While iPhone photographers and videographers can add lights, lenses, and other accessories to their devices with special cases like the Phocus, those planning to use the iPad for video journalism, livestreaming, and filmmaking have been left out. That's about to change, with the imminent arrival of the Padcaster (US$149.00) and Padcaster/Lenscaster combo ($189.00) from The Padcaster, LLC. We first posted about the Padcaster when it debuted at NAB this past April. In order to provide a way of placing the iPad and accessories onto a tripod, Padcaster CEO Josh Apter and his design team realized that they'd need a large, rigid frame that still protects the iPad from shocks and bumps. They did that by creating an aluminum frame riddled with threaded holes for mounting accessories, then cradling the iPad in a flexible urethane insert. That frame and cradle makes up the Padcaster, which is used with the built-in iPad camera for basic filmmaking. %Gallery-161272% But what if you want to use other lenses, like those that come with traditional news and film video cameras? No problem -- that's where the Lenscaster piece comes in. It's a separate add-on that can be used with readily available adapters to connect your existing lenses to the iPad (no lenses are included). I had an opportunity to test a pre-production version of the Padcaster / Lenscaster combo, and I have to say that I'm impressed. I put the Padcaster atop a Manfrotto monopod/tripod that I have, screwing it into one of the many mounting holes around the exterior or the frame. The iPad slips securely into a hard-backed shell with a rubber lip that holds it in place. Around the sides of the Padcaster I attached a small Sima LED light and a mount for a microphone; you could load it up with much more equipment. Padcaster supplied me with a Lenscaster and several sample lenses as well so I could see how they work for shooting video on the iPad. The aluminum frame is quite rigid, and feels like it can hold up to any amount of weight from accessories dangling hither and yon. And seriously, there are a lot of threaded mounting holes on it -- fourteen 3/8-16 holes and ten 1/4-20 holes. The aluminum frame and interior "case" also have gaps for access to the iPad's headphone port, the power switch, speakers and Dock connector. The Padcaster folks note that you can remove the urethane iPad insert, which turns your Padcaster into a DSLR cage. Although I didn't try this for the purpose of the review, I can see where the additional utility provided by the design really adds to its value for professional videographers and photographers. Choice of your favorite filmmaking app is up to you. I used both the iMovie app and Ustream livestreaming app to shoot some video, and with the borrowed wide angle lens, the Padcaster / Lenscaster duo did a great job. Apter noted that Manhattan Edit Workshop will soon be offering online and in-person training on the use of the Padcaster for video production; we'll be sure to let you know when those classes begin. Conclusion Anyone who is interested in using an iPad for filmmaking or broadcasting -- either as an amateur or professionally -- should consider getting the Padcaster. It's a brilliantly conceived and well-built accessory that should be extremely popular with the video and filmmaking crowd. Pros Rigid aluminum frame allows attachment of an array of accessories and mounting on tripods, monopods, or shoulder mounts Flexible urethane insert cradles the iPad and protects it from shocks and bumps Optional Lenscaster accessory lens mount allows use of your own existing lenses for wide angle or telephoto videography and will not distort even when used with heavy lenses Reasonably priced, especially in light of traditional camera accessory pricing Thin enough to be easily packed into an equipment case for transport Cons None to speak of Who is it for? Professional or prosumer videographers and photographers who want to use their iPads for capturing video and photos or as a mobile broadcast station.
