The Arma Orbital is a system designed for use with Lomo and Hawk C-series Anamorphics that allows compatibility with conventional clip-on matte boxes. It’s fairly common for vintage lenses to have their quirks. Aesthetic quirks are usually embraced, it’s often why a particular lens is a selection in the first place, but mechanical quirks can be a whole different beast. Some older lens sets require little modification to get up to spec – conforming all front diameters to the same size for ease, or using a thicker focus gear because one of the lenses telescopes a little. But there are some popular lenses out there that are particularly tricky. Take the Lomo Round Fronts, for example, they telescope (substantially) as you focus and the front of the lenses rotates. What is the Orbital? Enter the Orbital, a maiden product by London based company Arma. It’s pretty ingenious; the Orbital consists of a high precision large radial bearing and attached to a static point on the lens via a linear bearing to counter the rotation and telescoping of vintage anamorphic lenses. The end result is a standardized, non-rotating front that you can clamp any regular clip-on matte box onto. It’s designed to work directly with Lomo Round Fronts and Hawk C-Series anamorphics, although the principle can be applied to any rotating lenses (anamorphic or not). How Does it Work? One collar wraps around the lens providing a ‘static point’. This is in the form of a 15mm rod (that can also be used to mount focus gearing, more on that later). Said rod houses an internal linear bearing (a bearing that goes forwards and backwards) that attaches to a large radial bearing (think a large skateboard bearing) that has a fixed outer diameter. The radial bearing counters the rotation of the lens, and the linear bearing counters the telescoping. Why Does it Exist? Anyone who has shot with The Lomo Round Front or Hawk C-Series Anamorphics will know the technical hurdles you have to jump to get them production-ready. Telescoping lenses can be problematic for follow focus gearing as they extend past regular-width focus gears, they also protrude & retract into your rail-mounted matte box – risking light leak or fouling with the box or/or filter. Telescoping lenses can sometimes work with clip-on matte boxes, but if your lens also has a rotating front also (like Lomo Round Fronts), your matte box will spin as the lens focuses. That’s Cool There’s a few aspects to the Orbital that creator Ben has implemented, showing the design is well thought out. The Collar housing the linear bearing has a 15mm outer diameter, meaning it is compatible with industry-standard accessories like focus gears. This means you can attach your focus gear directly to the lens, bypassing conventional rods that would otherwise add weight, thus being great for situations where you require a lightweight setup (like gimbal or drone use). The Orbital for the Lomos, each is aligned to the front of the lens, meaning you do not have to re-align the motor when you change lens. The Lomo Orbital also includes an outer sleeve that extends the focus markings, making way for a thicker gear module so you can use regular thickness focus gears. The outer diameters of the fronts are all conformed to 125mm and 143mm (the former for 50,75 and 100mm, the latter for wider 35mm). Pricing and Availability The Hawk C-Series Orbital will be available in around 4 weeks, the Lomo double that. There is also one in the works for Todd AOs and others can be made to order. Pricing (one unit per lens): Hawk C-Series (35,50,75,100) £4250 Lomo Round Front Anamorphic (35,50,75,100) £5500 What do you think of this solution? Are you an anamorphic shooter and this is something you will look into? Let us know in the comments bleow!

Canon has released a firmware update for their new EOS C500 Mark II. Firmware Version v1.0.1.1 – nothing fancy, just a couple of bug fixes.   Below are the listed revisions for firmware update v1.0.1.1: Remote A terminal and Remote B terminal can be used simultaneously Sensor mode information can be displayed Fixes a phenomenon in which, under specific conditions, high-brightness areas may appear tinted Fixes a phenomenon where the [C. Temp. Increment] setting cannot be changed Fixes a phenomenon where the SSID (stealth) setting cannot be made in a Wi-Fi connection Fixes the metadata to be recognized color profile correctly in some editing software. The update can be done by the user via the cameras SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot. Details and download available on the Canon website here. We currently have the Canon C500 Mark II in our Test Lab and will release the results of our dynamic range and rolling shutter tests of the camera as soon as possible. Here’s our a preliminary C500 Mark II low-light test and 6K RAW clip for download, in case you missed it. We also hosted a panel discussion with Philip Bloom and Hans von Sonntag about “Canon C500 Mark II vs. Sony FX9” in November, you can watch it here. Are you in the market for a Canon C500 Mark II? The camera has created quite a stir … in case you missed it, watch our first impressions on the day of the announcement a few months ago here.

The ‘compact and flexible’ Rokinon XEEN CF line has been expanded by another two lenses. The new 16mm and 35mm now make up a family of 5 of these smaller and lighter lenses.  Image source: Rokinon In September last year, Rokinon made the initial announcement of the XEEN CF Lens line. With that announcement, the 24mm, 50mm and 85mm arrived – with promise of a 16mm and 35mm in Q1 of 2020, and here we are! The new 16mm (T2.6) and 35mm (T1.5) slot straight into the line up, and are available in 3 mounts (PL, EF and Sony E). Image source: Rokinon The lenses sport a carbon fibre cladding, hence  the CF in the name. Yet, Rokinon also suggest that it could stand for “Compact and Flexible”. Using the exact same optics as the original budget-friendly XEEN cinema lenses – if you’re familiar with the look of the XEENs, you’ll know the XEEN CFs. If you’re not yet familiar with those, however, below’s a marketing video for the look and feel of the XEEN CF lens line: Also supporting full frame, the XEEN CFs are built smaller and lighter, shaving around 300g off in weight, as well as featuring illuminated markings for viewing distance measurements in the dark. Smaller and lighter also means a reduction in front diameter size.:the originals are 114mm, and the XEEN CF lineup is 95mm. Image source: Rokinon It looks like the 16mm and 35mm have different lengths in comparison to the original 3 – the 24/50/85mm are all 100mm in length. Photos suggest that the 16mm is shorter and notched (to account for vignetting in full frame), and the 35mm is longer. XEEN CF SPECIFICATIONS   The XEEN CFs definitely seem like an appropriate upgrade to the original XEENs. Their price range will attract users that are conscious of size and weight, so the significant improvement in these areas will most likely be welcomed warmly. The 16mm and 35mm lenses are priced the same way as the first 3 – USD 2.500 each or GBP 1.999 incl. VAT. Available for pre-order now. What do you think about the Rokinon/Samyang XEEN CF line. Do you have any experience in working with one of their lenses within this line? Share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.

The Vazen 28mm T2.2 1.8x Anamorphic lens has just been launched. It is second in the Micro Four Thirds lens line that was premiered with the 40mm last year, but arriving at half the weight. (Look for our Vazen 40mm Anamorphic lens review by clicking here). A tiny bit later than expected, but the 28mm Vazen anamorphic lens is here. Vazen spoke of a 3 set with their original 40mm announcement, with the 65mm completely the trio (Vazen say that one will be another couple of months). The Vazen 28mm T2.2 1.8x Anamorphic Lens manages to shave off over half the weight of the 40mm. Coming in at 1.59 lbs. (0.72kg), Vazen bill it as the current world’s lightest 1/8x anamorphic lens. This is a fairly significant USP; the 28mm is a much more suitable size for the compact Micro Four Thirds format, look at the size comparison to the 40mm below. Vazen on the look of the 28mm: It delivers a butterly smooth oval bokeh, signature blue, but not over saturated, horizontal flare and the widescreen cinematic look. The lens delivered outstanding sharpness, even at wide open. Here’s some sample footage. Sharpness does look quite impressive for an anamorphic lens in this price range There are apparent differences across the lens line: Similar to other wide anamorphic lenses, the 28mm delivers a relatively cleaner image than its 40mm counterpart and the coming 65mm is expected to have the strongest anamorphic ‘character’. 1.8x squeeze is the most appropriate for the Micro Four Thirds format. As it translates to 2.39:1 aspect ratio when considering 4:3 modes on the likes of the Panasonic GH5. It also works with the 2.8K anamorphic mode on the Blackmagic Pocket 4K. I’m glad they went down this route. 1.8x gives you pronounced ovaling in the out of focus areas, similar to x2 anamorphic on super35mm, I think a much nicer squeeze than 1.33x on 16:9 sensors. Pricing is 3250 USD (same as the 40mm), with a $400 discount when purchasing the 40mm and 28mm at the same time. Are you shooting anamorphic? What do you think about this lens? Let us know in the comments below.

Nikon has announced an anticipated update to its most popular full-frame DSLR. The Nikon D780 arrives with 4K, 1080 120p and N-log & HLG support bringing it up to speed with their current mirrorless range. The Nikon D780 arrives as an update to the D750, which was announced way back in 2014. It’s an as-you-expect announcement in terms of video, simple adding features in current Nikon mirrorless camera into this new full-frame DSLR. The sensor is again 24 Megapixels, the processor gets an update to the Expeed 6 chip. ISO is increased through the sensor’s backside illumination, ISO is now 51,200 max (204,800 expandable). The D780 gets 4K video (UHD 3840X2160), up to 30p and FullHD up to 120p. 10-bit is available via output. There’s a headphone jack, mic jack, the HDMI is the Mini variety, it has USB-C, dual SD slots and the screen articulates up. N-log gamma is in there for log recording, as in HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) for peripheral HDR support. You can shoot 4K in full-frame or DX (cropped) mode, you get zebra and peaking for exposure and focus assist. The announcement certainly doesn’t have the same impact as other current video DSLR news, it is clear that video remains as a consideration in Nikon’s second-tier full-frame line, not a priority. There are features in here that will excite some photos users I’m sure. The autofocus system is enhanced, live view now matches the Z6 with a 273-point AC system. Live View also supports continuous electronic snaps up to 12 frames per second (silent), as well as 7 frames per second mechanical. For video, it’s more of a bringing-up-to-speed affair, nothing new in terms of Nikon tech, but another full-frame 4K DSLR option, with improved low light performance and N-log/10 bit out. Pricing for the Nikon D780 below, full specification found here.

Insta360 have released a teaser video to a new camera system they will be announced next week, promising to combine an Action, 360 and Drone camera all in one. Bored of the holiday period yet? Here’s something to look forward to. Insta360 will announce their new camera system next week probably at CES. We’ve had the new camera in to test the last few weeks, not much can be said at this stage, but it’s pretty cool and sure caters to a few needs. Insta360 were the trendsetters for 360-degree capture; the Insta360 One and One X becoming a bit of a benchmark for consumer 360 action cameras They have since branched out with their Professional VR line as well as a Nano Series for smartphones. The new release is more inline with their original roots, combining (or blending) a few different ideas. Announcement is due for the 7th Jan, you follow the action here.

Wooden Camera has announced their accessory kits for the new full frame Sony FX9 Camcorder. The Sony FX9 accessories range from top handle and 15mm rails to dovetail baseplate with monitor mount. Sony’s new full-frame cinema camera Sony FX9 has been introduced during this year’s IBC show in Amsterdam and it will start shipping soon. If you want to know more about the camera, make sure to check our previous articles: initial announcement article with camera specs, exclusive hands-on video with the Sony FX9 by Nino and free 3.5 hours Sony FX9 tutorial with Alister Chapman. FX9 V-Mount and Gold Mount Battery Plates from Core SWX Announced Like all of Wooden Camera accessory lines for specific cameras, the Sony FX9 Accessories span over 3 packages – Base, Advanced and Pro. FX9 Base Kit The Wooden Camera Sony FX9 Base package includes a unified base plate, providing 15mm rods at the correct height to the camera, top handle and top cheese plate with further 15mm rod support. The cheese plate covers the entire top of the Sony Fx7 body. Offering an array of ¼’ 20 and 3/8” threads in ARRI spacing on the top and both sides and at the front is a pair of 15mm rod receivers. The Top Handle V2 bolts straight to the cheese plate, offering a single horizontal rod receiver for mounting accessories, as well as front, side and top threads.     The baseplate has a two-part plate system – the top half allows you to leave the 15mm rods behind, resolving to an arca swiss compatible compact plate. Said 15mm rail support is pass-through design, allowing front and rear access. The bottom of the baseplate has a second plate, you can attach this to your tripod to include the 15mm rods, or replace it with an ARRI Dovetail for full slide compatibility. Completing the Base kit is two 12’ 15mm rods. FX9 Advanced Kit The Advanced kit expands on the Base also offering an 8” safety dovetail to the baseplate, as well as quick release latch for the top handle that mounts via NATO rail. The NATO rail also offers a degree of left/right position for the top handle. FX9 Pro Kit The Pro Kit is everything of the Advanced, but switches the dovetail to longer 12” version and includes a two-part UVF mount. The UVF mount offers swinging and sliding ability via 15mm rod and NATO rail so that you can quickly adjust the position of the stock viewfinder. FX9 Battery Plates In addition to the 3 packages, Wooden Camera has also released a new sliding battery plate for the Sony FX9; available in Gold Mount or V-Mount. The plate attaches directly to the back of the camera, meaning it can work in tandem to the BPU batteries, making the system hot-swappable. A thumbscrew allows the plates to hinge for easy access, and a D-tap output allows expansion for powering accessories. Why this System? The unified baseplate is compatible with many different camera systems; we’ve spoken before on this likely being the USP (unique selling point) of the Wooden Camera range. The ability to quickly decide on the inclusion of 15mm rod support, and compatibility with both popular plate systems in arca swiss and ARRI dovetail at simultaneously gives you a lot of options. Are you in the market for a Sony FX9? Have you thought about your accessories yet, what are you getting? Let us know in the comments below!

HyperDisk has a live Kickstarter for their super fast SSD drives. This pocket-sized hard drive has a capacity of up to 2TB, with transfer speeds of up to 1000MB/s. Image credit: hyperdisk If you’re looking for a super quick, super small and affordable hard drive, the HyperDisk Kickstarter might be a good place to start. Boasting transfer speeds of up to 1000MB/s and being available in 512GB, 1TB and 2TB capacities, the HyperDisk SSD crams a lot into to just 45g of mass, in a sub-credit-card-sized shell. A standard SSD nowadays is usually around 400MB/s in speed – the HyperDisk is therefore pretty sizeable in gains, when compared. HyperDisk utilizes a 3.1 Gen 2 interface (10 Gbps) and M.2 NVMe protocol to achieve its claimed speed. Image credit: hyperdisk With NVMe not having to adhere to the SATA bottleneck found on conventional SSD drives, the flash memory can operate at true speed. The HyperDisk has a single USB Type C port, and you’ll need to use this end to end to get even close to the max rated speed. However, backwards compatibility is of course possible to USB 3 Type A, where you will find a peripheral bottleneck probably more than halving the max speed. The fast evolution of camera technology requires surrounding markets to keep up, more data means more storage. Hard drive technology generally has been comparably slow. Image credit: hyperdisk SSDs can pretty much be considered the norm nowadays, but they have been around for quite a while, and we are still only getting small doses of high-capacity, portable SSD drives at a reasonable price. It’s nice to see new companies like HyperDisk pushing latest technology, whilst keeping things affordable. Speaking of cost: the current Kickstarter will get you 57/59% discount on production prices; you can back the HyperDisk campaign to get 512GB for $85, 1TB for $118 and 2TB for $188. We are saying this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: please be aware of the risks when baking a project on a crowdfunding platform. Please read Kickstarter’s terms of use – especially Section 5, “How funding works”. Keep in mind that there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some products even don’t get delivered at all. What do you think of the HyperDisk? Is it a campaign you’d be interested in backing? How important is the minimal size of a drive for you? Let us know in the comments beneath!