SmallHD has released the Focus Bolt 500RX wireless monitor, as well as announcing a Sidekick version for cross compatibility with other Teradek Wireless systems. SmallHD and Teradek (both owned by Vitec Group, which today also announced the acquisition of Syrp, our report here) have been teaming up to provide monitoring/wireless products for a while now. Last NAB we saw them announce a new combination – SmallHD’s entry-level touchscreen, HDMI 5” FOCUS monitor with the Teradek Bolt 500 wireless system. The result was a SmallHD FOCUS Bolt RX and SmallHD Bolt TX, the former of which is now shipping. Combing products provides a nice little ecosystem – Micro HDMI mirrorless cameras often need a wealth of accessories to get them up to scratch for video – The SmallHD FOCUS Bolt RX provides monitoring aids for the operator, power and a wireless feed to focus puller, director or client. The latest announcement is a Sidekick version, which enables cross compatibility with other Teradek wireless systems. It can indeed be tricky to keep up with each product, and below is a nice table for checking compatibility one product to another, but here is a naming structure that helps define things further: RX – Receives wireless video signal TX – Transmits wireless video signal Sidekick – A type of RX that is cross-compatible with other Teradek wireless systems The same structure applies to all Teradek systems; it seems they are making efforts to make all products within a line compatible, for example the 500 Bolt is compatible with the Focus Bolt and also the 703 Bolt. It is then the Sidekick RXs that make a 500 compatible with a 1000. More info on the Bolt as a monitor can be found in the links below. Just like all SmallHD products there’s a host of exposure & focus aids included. The Bolt is considered the smaller version for mirrorless systems; it’s size and HDMI-only features denote this. On the horizon however is an SDI RX version. Are you using SmallHD and/or Teradek products? Do you think the integration of the wireless receiver into their monitors is the way to go? Let us know in the comments below. 

Panasonic has reduced the price of the Panasonic AU-EVA 1 camera. The drop knocks $1000 off, bringing the price down to $6495. It’s funny to think that it’s been 18 months since the announcement of Panasonic AU-EVA 1. It emerged almost alongside the Canon C200, offering stiff competition to Sony FS5 in the entry level super35mm camcorder market. The reduced price of $6495 makes the Panasonic AU-EVA $1000 cheaper than a Canon C200 and some $1200 more than the older Sony FS5. It’s a true Panasonic camera – great bang for buck with a broad user base, lesser known in the hire industry. The Dual ISO, high frame-rates and 14 stops of dynamic range makes it an interesting option, The Camera is capable of 4K 10bit 422 internally, up to 100/120P in 2K, and 5.7K raw up to 30p thanks to an Atomos update last year. More camera specs in buy links below. 18 months is about right for more significant price reductions like this. It’s often a good time to purchase a camera package that works for you; the industry has had time to adapt with workflows and accessories, and you can get a good deal. Comparatively speaking there’s not a great deal of difference price wise in buying a small camcorder like this than spec’ing up a mirrorless camera for video. Are you a Panasonic EVA 1 user? Are you happy working with this camera? Please share with us your experience in the comment section below

Power Grip is a universal rig handle for filmmakers looking to consolidate accessories. Using the Kickstarter platform an Italian trio has designed a top handle with built in battery and start/stop record for your compact camera. I love a good old-fashioned, labour of love Kickstarter. The Power Grip looks like something straight out of a designer’s basement. Its core feature is offering an external power solution for compact cameras, whilst attempting to solve the often-subsequent dilemma of rigs becoming a little bulky and unbalanced. Whether it currently fulfills both is up for debate, but entrepreneur Marcello Mazzilli is “confident” a 20% reduction in size and weight on the final model, fingers crossed. The Power Grip has an array of 1/4 and 3/8” threads on the sides and top for adding accessories. The battery in the grip is a removable 50W, 6A lithium battery that’s said to have more capacity than 3 Canon LP-E6s. It connects via a pole tap DC Out 7.4V/12v port. There’s a screen on top which provides information such as battery voltage, as well as an integrated 10W front LED lamp, bubble level on the top and (get this) a telemeter on the front for calculating subject distance for focusing. The Power Grip has a removable bracket for mounting to your camera, Nato rail, 3 hole and single hole brackets will all be available. The start/stop button is located on the top of the Power Grip and is controlled via LANC and compatible Bluetooth cameras. My two cents would be to drop the light and telemeter, the former is too small to offer much use and the latter I can never see being used; operators will pull their own focus and focus pullers have their own tried & tested techniques. Efforts would be best spent reducing the size and weight of the Power Grip, as well as adding a second DC Out for powering accessories. The Kickstarter campaign is currently live, a €149 pledge will get you the Power Grip (predicted €50 saving from retail price). Please bear in mind that this is a Kickstarter campaign, not an online shop. Once the campaign is over, production will be ramped up and if everything goes smoothly, shipping should start. We would love to hear your thoughts about this innovative product. Please share your opinion in the comment section below. 

SmallHD has announced firmware OS3.3 for their current line of production monitors. The update improves general performance & HDMI Metadata. Leaning on custom OS3 features like the ability to display your own logo on start up, and assisting with social media content creation. SmallHD Firmware Update OS3.3 has been announced, the bare bones of it is a fairly run of the mill update: HDMI Metadata now available Power Button LEDs have been updated Improved Toolbar Preview Higher quality Image Overlays The firmware shift to OS3 last year was quite significant, adding customization to exposure tools and auto calibration. To bulk out the announcement, SmallHD pull up recent updates that mostly surround filmmaking for social media content. “Selfie Mode” (Auto Horizontal Mirroring) More Aspect Guides (9:16, 1:1) Custom Backdrops It’s an interesting steer of attention; with SmallHD dedicating articles specifically to IGTV content creation, with reference to custom overlays that help self shooting/presenting videos even easier. From my perspective, more aspect ratio guides is certainly becoming a more useful tool. 1:1, 9:16, 4:5 regularly (more than I’d probably like) gets thrown about in pre-production nowadays. SmallHD Firmware update 3.3 is available for download now. It is not compatible with the AC7 and DP7-PRO Series monitors. Are you using SmallHD monitors? Do you think the new functions are useful for you? Let us know in the comments below. 

Kessler has announced a new 200lbs force rated suction mount. The Kessler Lamprey is a 8” suction cup with cheeseplate top, offering a variety of mounting options for camera, lighting and grip accessories. Suction mounts in filmmaking are generally pigeon holed into car rigging, however Kessler quote that the Lamprey is suitable for “any non-porous surface” such as windows, table tops and (of course) car body panels. The 8” suction mount has a built in pump and is rated for 200lbs. On top, things are kept fairly universal, a cheeseplate array of 1/4-20 & 3/8-16 threads and holes means you can use the Kessler Lamprey in a variety of configurations. Attaching receivers & studs could put it in the lighting department, adding a Kessler Quick Release Plate makes it camera and grip compatible. It could also prove a good accessory for gimbals and stabilized heads by adding the likes of a Freefly Toad In The Hole or Ronin Dovetail. “a great problem solver to have in your toolbox” – I have to agree, despite it being a pricey stocking filler, it’s certainly a useful thing to have on set. I’ve seen suction mounts used for in a variety of scenarios including things like securing heavy blackout to windows in super tight spaces. Availability looks immediate, pricing starting at $274.95.

RED has announced a 4th body to its unified DSMC2 line up. The Dragon-X is the smallest sensor of the bunch, resolving Super35mm at 5K whilst keeping up with the rest in framerate & data rate. The RED cinema camera line up, from the outside has always been quite a confusing one to follow. When the company announced a unification earlier in the year, we wrote a layman’s terms article explaining the formalisation to just 3 camera bodies. RED has just announced a 4th body, The RED Dragon-X DSMC2. How does it fit in? Sticking to our simplistic overview of the REDs camera bodies, the new Dragon-X is the “5K Super35mm one”, with a sensor measuring 25.6 mm x 13.5 mm (Diagonal: 28.9 mm) and max resolution of 5120X2700. RED bill it as the “work horse”, and rightfully so. It shares a lot of similarities to the Scarlet-W (same sensor size and resolution), to some this will be the most production-friendly RED yet (without getting specialist in Ks and lowlight) resolving a snip over 4K at Super35mm. The difference is inbuilt IPP2 and no cap on the data rate; up to 300 MB/s on the larger Mini-mag cards; just like the current 3 bodies. Like the Gemini and Helium, the Dragon-X is billed at 16.5+ stops of dynamic range. It will shoot 96fps at full resolution (5K), before cropping the sensor down in increments to 240 at 2K. All ProRes recording capabilities remain the same. Confusion & Obsolescence Obsolete Click here to compare the full spec list against the Monstro, Helium and Gemini; I do feel this latest re-shuffle is the closest we have to a headache-free line up. Like all RED camera body announcements, upgrade paths are available and info can be found here. The RED Dragon-X DSMC2 brain will ship for $14,950.00, placing it as the cheapest body in the current unified DSMC2 line, shipping looks imminent (links below). A shoot ready kit including monitor, V-Lock expander, battery, card and side handle starts at $19,950.00. Underneath the hood, this looks like a revamped Scarlet-W, updating it with IPP2 and advanced data rate to bring it into the DSMC2 unified fold. If people can see through the previous sensor name/size/body confusion, this could be a very popular production camera.

Inovativ recently announced some new products to accompany their flagship heavy-duty cart. The new accessories take advantage of the more robust Apollo frame, offering up a monitor mounting system, pin and mast options as well as a neat under cart hi-hat stow. Inovativ are well known in the industry for providing high quality & compact carts. Earlier this year they announced the Apollo, their heaviest duty cart to date. The Apollo differs from other Inovativ carts in that the newly designed masts are much more robust. Most of the new accessories stem from these new uprights, therefore can be much more integral to the structure of the cart. Insight Monitor Mounting System The most significant announcement is the Insight Monitor Mounting System. Built for DITs and anyone needing a decent, mobile on-set monitoring solution. The Insight system stems from two mast extensions linked via two rails. Onto these rails you can add one, two, three monitor mounts as well as a baby pin attachment for accessories such as wireless receivers. Monitors have the ability to tilt 90 degrees up & down, they can rotate 360 degrees and height adjustable in 4-inch increments. Corner Plug with Baby Pin This simple product replaces the existing lug in the top of any of the 4 Apollo masts. It quickly provides you with a vertical baby pin, great for transporting a Director/Puller’s monitor, small light fixture or a platform for a laptop stand. Two Stage Corner Mast Riser Same as the Corner Plug with Baby Pin, the 2 Stage Corner Mast Riser can stem from any 4 corners, giving you an extendable mast up to 50 inches. What’s nice about this over the existing Inovativ Mast Riser is the fact it is more robust (built into a cart upright) and much quicker to mount; the orange lever quickly releases the Corner Mast Riser for ease of stow. Hi-Hat Rails Last is the super simple but neat hi-hat rail kit. Utilising the space found underneath the cart between the wheels you can conveniently carry your hi-hat board. Inovativ state “The Hi-Hat rails are designed to work with standard Hi-Hat boards.” All the new bits are available now, along with Inovativs huge catalogue of existing accessories for their carts. Have you ever considered buying your own camera cart? Do you think they’re useful to own, or rather rental items? Let us know in the comments below!

SLR Magic has announced a new lens for Sony E mount. The 50mm f/1.1 Cine Version II is an update following the apparent success of their compact manual cinema/photo lenses. We reviewed the original SLR Magic 50mm f/1.1 some three years ago. It was an interesting release as the initial observations marked a few optical flaws with the lens. As a result, SLR magic halted production, tweaked the design and released the lens with improved performance. The new 50mm f/1.1 Cine Version II is said to be optically further improved. Edge to edge performance has been a focus (excuse the pun). Enhanced optics are said to be used as well as an additional lens element. The version II lens is constructed from 7 elements in 6 groups, with similar rounded 13-blade aperture diaphragm. Like version I, the 50mm f/1.1 Cine Version II is fully manual, with geared focus and aperture ring. “Our lenses from this range have been synonymous for beautiful imagery wide open, with gorgeous rendering and smooth roll off edge to edge, and is quickly becoming the lens of choice rather than an alternative for the Cine and Photo industry.” Specification for the SLR Magic 50mm f/1.1 Cine Version II Mount: E-mount Focus Type: Manual Focal Length: 50mm Maximum Aperture: f/1.1 Minimum Aperture: f/16 Minimum Focus Distance: 0.50m Diaphragm Blades: 13 Front filter thread: Φ52 Lens Coating: Multi Coated Lens Construction: 7 Elements / 6 Groups Dimensions: L 60.5mm x W 64.0mm Weight (oz./g): 450g It’s nice to see the price stay the same, the version I was predominantly available for $399 (although you can now get it at a discounted price). You can pre-order via the link below.