The Sony a7R IV was just announced and it might bring many enhancements for dedicated photographers, but for us filmmakers, it brings very little in comparison to previous Sony models. In fact, some of the video specifications found in this new camera – like color sampling, bit depth, resolution, frame rates, data rate and such – are exactly the same as those found in the ageing Sony a7S II, which was released almost 4 years ago! Sony a7R IV – still from the 4K timeline I know this is a bit of a harsh opening for an article, but I do have to express my frustration. Please don’t be mistaken, I have A LOT of respect for the people who are behind the new camera, and I can assume that many photographers will find what they were looking for in this new Sony offering – but, let me take one step forward and say that when it comes to the filmmaking crowd, Sony is risking to become less relevant, not taking action like other manufacturers do. When attending the press event in Ireland, I kept hearing that “the new a7R IV is a photo camera primarily, and that is why the video side of it is not enhanced”, but in all honesty, in my opinion this argument is not so relevant anymore. Look at what FUJIFILM and Panasonic (for example) are doing with their new cameras: By offering the best they can for photo and video performance in one shooting device, they are able to attract many. Now, I’m not saying that Sony should do the same, but at least the argument should be different or, better yet, a bit more clear about their future camera roadmap. Sony a7R IV Sony a7R IV – Video Highlights in a Nutshell Real-time Eye AF for movie recording and advanced Real-time Tracking APS-C crop mode (1.6x crop) 5.76 million dot UXGA (Ultra-XGA) OLED electronic viewfinder Full pixel readout with no pixel binning in Super 35mm mode Multi Interface Shoe with digital audio interface for high-quality sound recording with Sony’s new ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone and XLR-K3M microphone adaptor Kit HDR recording (Hybrid Log-Gamma, HLG) S-Log 2 and S-Log 3 The 29 minutes recording limitation has been removed Sony new ECM-B1M Microphone Sony’s New Accessories Actually, what keeps me optimistic are the 2 new audio accessories. If those are anything like a commitment to the filming community, then the future is bright. What really captured my attention is the new ECM-B1M Shotgun Microphone. This new device is like having 3 different microphones (pattern-wise) in a single product. I must say that the demonstration I had was very convincing (it will be interesting to see how this microphone performs in the filed). In addition, the new Sony XLR-K3M now supports an additional 3.5mm stereo mini jack for microphone and line input. Both of the new audio accessories are designed to work best with the new a7R IV, as they support digital audio interface, meaning audio is directly transferred to the camera in digital form without noise or degradation. Sony XLR-K3M – Additional 3.5 input   Conclusion I guess this is one of the shortest hands-on articles I’ve ever written, simply because there is not much to highlight about the video capabilities of the new Sony a7R IV. The video output is nice, but video specifications-wise, this camera leaves a lot to be desired. On the positive side, I managed to write a short article and not mention the much anticipated Sony a7S III. Bravo Johnnie… Music is courtesy of MusicVine. Get 25% off your next music license with code C5D25 (valid for one use per customer). What do you think about Sony kind of neglecting us filmmakers? Are you still hoping for a better-spec mirrorless camera to arrive from Sony or have you moved on to use other manufacturers’ equipment? Please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.     Full disclosure: Johnnie and other media representatives were guests at Sony Europe’s a7R IV launch event in Dublin, Ireland. Sony paid the transport and accommodation for this two-day trip, but there was no other payment involved whatsoever. 

DISH is a zero-configuration timecode generator which gets a precise time-of-day timecode in UTC from public satellites. It can sync unlimited number of devices on set and it records the linear time code (LTC) to an audio track. When without satellite signal, it keeps track of accurate time thanks to internal TCXO clock. The DISH is now live on Kickstarter. DISH timecode generator Professional productions typically record sound and picture on separate devices and many times there are multiple cameras on set. Each camera and sound recorder produces its own files for each take. Timecode sync lines up these files on an editing timeline automatically. Some of the most widely used devices for audio timecode sync nowadays are from Ambient and Tentacle Sync. DISH creator Ari Krupnik is an engineer with background in Tesla and other startups in Silicon Valley. He created DISH Kickstarter campaign to bring a plug-and-play alternative to other timecode syncing solutions on the market. Especially for cameras that typically don’t offer timecode in/out, like DSLRs and mirrorless. DISH timecode generator The device takes public radio signals from atomic clocks and embeds precise timecode in cameras and audio recorders. All DISHes everywhere in the world report the same time-of-day timecode, in UTC (more specifically, in International Atomic Time). You don’t need to jam-sync all the devices like in a typical timecode workflow. GPS is one of the multiple satellite systems DISH receives signal from, so it is redundant for increased availability. DISH also has a built-in temperature compensated crystal oscilator (TCXO) clock, so it can keep track of the accurate time even when temporarily out of reach of a satellite. For instance when shooting in a basement, underground, or tunnel, etc. If you stay out of reach of a satellite for a long time, the DISH will tell if the time drifts enough to need a resync with a satellite signal. DISH timecode generator in use. DISH locks down the frame rate and output level – it runs internally on 24 fps. To aviod confusion, DISH puts the timecode on an audio track. Audio streams are inherently continuous, and can take timecode at a different rate than the video in the same file. That means you can still shoot whatever framerate you prefer. The design is simple – DISH only has a locking 3.5mm jack output and a status LED. The device does not even have an on/off switch – it turns on as soon as the output cable is plugged in. It is a plug-and-play device, so it does not need any configuration whatsoever. It works with any camera/sound recorder that has a microphone input. Right now it is only in white, but its creator tries to find a suitable black material for the chassis which will not weaken the satellite signal. Many DSLRs disconnect onboard microphones if you plug in an external input. That’s why there is a microphone in the device. If you plug a DISH into the DSLR, you get timecode on the left audio channel and scratch audio on the right. For one-man crews there is a Y-adapter to plug the DISH in the camera and in the audio recorder to get timecode on both devices. DISH timecode generator DISH outputs LTC (Linear Time Code), which is an international standard. Many NLEs support LTC natively (e.g., Avid, DaVinci). For NLEs that don’t support it natively, there is a number of stand-alone software utilities that extract timestamps from LTC files. Additionally, Ari has created a free, open-source application – LTCsync – which runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. You can download a pre-release version from GitHub. The device itself is quite bulky in my opinion. It is partly because of the 2 AA batteries the DISH uses. The manufacturer claims that a pair of high quality AAs will keep the DISH operational for over 40 hours. Removable batteries might be bigger than a built-in lithium battery solution would have been (like in the Tentacle Sync devices), but they also have their advantage. When drained, they can be easily replaced with fresh ones within seconds. Most filmmakers usually carry spare fully charged AA baterries on a set. The campaign‘s $10,000 US financing goal is about to be met as this post goes live. It runs till July 12, so there is still time to pledge. The rewards range from $169 to $1,299 US depending on the number of DISHes you want to get. Estimated delivery time is September 2019. Interestingly enough – as one of the award – DISH creator offers three pieces of the v0.3 prototype to Kickstarter backers for $449 US each. They should be fully functional and are supposed to be shipped immediately after the successful end of the campaign in July. We say this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: Please be aware of the risks when backing a project on 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 projects even don’t get delivered at all. What do you think of DISH? Which solution do you currently use to sync timecode on set? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.

Accusonus has just launched version 4 of their one-knob plugins for filmmakers – ERA. But, do these simple-to-use plugins, which are compatible with nearly every NLE and DAW on the market, hold their promise? Let’s take a look with this comprehensive review by a non-audio person. The team at Accusonus is moving fast and continuously improving their products. We first talked about the ERA series of plugins a couple of months ago. In the meantime, they already had version 3.0 out, in which they also introduced a new De-Clipper plugin. This update was free for all existing customers. Today, they are back again – with version 4.0 – and we’ve decided to give you an in-depth review of how these tools can improve the audio quality of your next project. In-the-Field Reality Let’s first start this article by saying that I am not a professional sound mixer or sound engineer. In fact, I don’t retain any job with the word “sound” in it. I’m just a filmmaker, doing mainly corporate/advertising films and a couple of music videos. Indeed, like many filmmakers, I – most of the time – have to deal with sound recording and sound post-production myself. You don’t have any other choice for smaller projects when working as a one-man-band. Nowadays, it is easy to have access to some pretty decent audio recording gear that will get you great sound with just some knowledge about how to record proper sound. Doing a necessary EQ/Compress/Automation treatment is a whole different world for most of us. The reality of the field is that you often don’t have enough time (or there is not enough budget) to polish the sound mix or vocals treatment. Turnovers are so quick, and the final product has to go live as quickly as possible. Usually, the sound coming straight out of the recorder is just good enough for most clients. We all know that – and don’t blame yourself for not treating your audio – be happy about delivering on time. Photo courtesy of Kal Visuals Accusonus’ Promise There is a situation that every freelance filmmaker has faced once or twice. You go on location for an interview and see the beautiful, typical corporate room/office. It consists of a desk, a chair, white walls with some posters if you have some luck – and the fantastic reverb of that empty space. We all know that, and you can’t control where each and every interview will take place. There is nothing you can do about reverb on set if you have to move quickly (except putting sound blankets all over the place, but that’s not quick). You’ll have to fix it in post, or at least do as much as you can about this. Audio treatment in post-production is time-consuming and complicated. You can’t mess with every button of plugins and hope that it will sound great. It will not. So, you have a couple of solutions: hire a professional sound recordist (and it’s worth it if you have the budget for it), learn how to do it yourself, and buy some plugins to help you with that, specifically. For that last one, the team at Accusonus has developed the ERA collection of plugins. This series of plugins is designed with filmmakers in mind, to make their lives easier, with a simple turn of a button. Photo courtesy of Kal Visuals Accusonus ERA Plugins and Installation For this test, I chose to use Adobe Premiere Pro, and the installation process is simple. All you have to do is download the installer (which you can do here), you double-click on it and install the plugins. Then, all the plugins are automatically added to your VST library. Finally, launch Premiere Pro and scan your audio library, choose if you want the VST or AU version of the plugins in the list, and hit ok. When you first apply any ERA plugin effect to a sound and press edit in the “effect controls” panel, the activation window pops up, and you have to enter the serial number you received from your purchase. You can also try the plugins for free for 14 days. The ERA series of plugins consists of six plugins for the “standard” version and seven for “pro”. They are: De-Clipper: what’s over the limit is usually gone and will sound distorted. The De-Clipper will help you repair and save your recordings. De-Esser: this plugin will smooth out “ess” sounds from your recording. Noise Remover: allows you to reduce/eliminate background noise coming from fans or air conditioning, for example. It is also useful to remove noise that comes in when your recording levels are set very low. Plosive Remover: plosives are “P” and “B” sounds that are usually louder (and distorted) than the rest of the recording. this plugin will allow you to polish and smooth out those sounds. Reverb Remover: this one estimates the reverb from your recording and allows you to reduce it. Voice Leveler: if your speaker doesn’t talk at an even level or in case of involuntary movement, this plugin will adjust the gain of your vocals evenly. ERA D: only available in the Pro version. It focuses on Denoise and Dereverberation tasks. You can see the full list of their plugins within the ERA bundles on their website here. How It Works Each one of these plugins fixes a specific problem. I like the idea to have one tool for one task and not a one-do-it-all plugin with buttons and settings all over the place. Also, the concept of the ERA plugins is that inside a plugin, you only have one knob to turn. You don’t need to have extensive knowledge of audio post-production to make it work. Turn the knob and let it do the job for you until it sounds to your liking. I don’t have any idea about “how” it works under the hood, but it works to a certain point. Of course, inside each plugin, there are a few other parameters that you can adjust, but not a ton. For example, you can adjust the output gain or the breath control in the ERA Voice Leveler plugin. The Test For this test, I did a couple of recordings that are specific for each plugin. Of course, I tested each plugin in “real life” projects, but due to confidentiality issues, I cannot share recordings from paid gigs. Back to this test, I used a Sound Devices MixPre-6 as my recorder with the built-in pre-amps. I recorded everything in WAV, at a sample rate of 96kHz, and a bit depth of 24. To make it more realistic, I used two channels and two microphones: The first one is a Sanken COS11 lavalier, which was attached to my shirt and plugged to a RØDELink transmitter. The receiver went straight into the Sound Devices input. The second one is a RØDE NTG1 boom microphone, plugged directly into the Sound Devices at a distance of around 1 meter from me. Please note that I’m not a RØDE ambassador, these are my microphones (and I paid for them). I think that they are decent and “affordable” microphones. Plus, these microphones are pretty standard in the industry and representative of what most indie filmmakers could rent or buy. The recording setup. Accusonus ERA 4 Results Here are the results for each plugin. Please, note that: The first take is from the lavalier straight out of the recorder. The second one is the lavalier with the ERA 4 plugin applied. The third one is from the boom mic straight out of the recorder. The fourth one is the boom mic with the ERA 4 plugin applied. Indeed, I advise that you use a set of headphones to have a better idea of the results. To me, the Accusonus ERA 4 plugins work pretty well. I tried this on numerous other “real life” projects, and they did a great job with very few tweaks. The ERA plugins run perfectly smooth and in real time on my MacBook Pro, except for the De-Clipper, which needs a little bit more processing, I guess. The good thing is, Premiere never crashed because of the plugins. Of course, the better your original sound recording is, the better the results. But, if you need to quickly fix some audio mistakes you made, without a lot of effort, the ERA plugins are the right solution. The Accusonus ERA 4 De-Clipper Pricing and Availability The ERA 4 plugins are available now through the Accusonus website. The upgrade to version 4 is free for all existing customers of the ERA Bundle Standard and ERA Bundle Pro. The ERA Bundle Standard costs $149 and the ERA Bundle Pro is $349. Head over to their website to learn more or purchase. Alternatively, you can also buy them at B&H, through the links below. Did you already try the ERA plugins? Do you think they could be a useful part of your toolkit? Let us know in the comments down below!

The Mikme Pocket is a compact wireless audio recorder for clip-on microphones – now on Kickstarter. This new wireless audio recorder can act as a stand-alone product (Recorder) or automatically sync wirelessly with an iPhone (there is a failsafe copy recording on the Mikme recorder itself and, simultaneously, the audio is being recorded on the iPhone, too.) The Mikme App allows for 44.1kHz, 24bit high-quality audio to accompany the phone clips. Multiple Mikme Pockets can be connected to one phone. Thanks to the 16GB internal memory, it can provide a good audio source for any camera. Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme I dare to say that the majority of our regular readers already know how important it is to have good audio in video content. Audio tells the story and it is important to really focus on getting it right. When filming without a sound recordist and under time pressure, it is not always easy. This device could surely help. Mikme is an Austrian company, specialised on designing audio recorders. It was founded in 2014 in Vienna, Austria, by Philipp Sonnleitner (former product manager at AKG). Back in 2015, they launched their first audio recorder – Mikme. The first Mikme got successfully funded on Indiegogo. For more details about it, please check Nino’s article here. Now it seems like the Mikme team is back to crowdfunding with their new product – the Mikme Pocket. They are launching the Kickstarter campaign for this new audio recorder today. But what is the Mikme Pocket all about? Mikme Pocket for Smartphones The Mikme Pocket is tailored to cater especially mobile content creators – filmmakers using their smartphone to record videos. When recording, the audio from the Mikme Pocket will automatically sync with the image. There is no need for post-production. When you lose the connection to the phone, it will auto sync afterwards when the connection is back. Even when live-streaming with a phone, the audio will be sent from the Mikme Pocket in real-time. For best resulting audio, it is necessary to use the Mikme App. The app is currently available for iOS only, but an Android version is planned to be released later this year. It supports 44.1kHz, 24bit high-quality audio wireless recording. There are no dropouts, thanks to the 16GB internal failsafe copy. Multiple Mikme Pockets can be connected to one smartphone, so recording interviews with more people should not be a problem. The Mikme Pocket also works with third party camera apps – but only in standard bluetooth audio quality, which is 16kHz in 16bit. Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder with the Mikme App. Source: Mikme The Mikme App supports live-streaming and has custom video settings, like frame rate, resolution, focus or exposure (manual and lock). Within the app, it is also possible to mix, edit or add effects to your audio files. The final video with its high-quality audio can be instantly published with your own branding. Mikme Pocket as Audio Recorder with any Camera The Mikme Pocket can also be used as a traditional audio recorder to provide high quality sound for footage from any camera. It has a 16GB internal memory, which is enough for up to 36 hours of uncompressed WAV audio (up to 96kHz in 24Bit) or up to up to 370 hours in compressed M4A format. When using an iPhone, it is possible to wirelessly start and stop audio recording and monitor the audio during recording on multiple Mikme Pockets (and vice versa, when pressing the Mikme record button, the iPhone, if connected, will start to record simultaneously).  The audio files are stored on the internal memory and can then be offloaded to the editing computer via USB port on the Mikme Pocket or via the phone directly. Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme The Mikme pocket uses a mini XLR connector as a professional and secure way to connect the supplied microphone to the pocket body. Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder uses mini XLR to connect microphone. Mikme Pocket Key Specs Mini XLR connector for external audio sources Shipped with professional clip-on/lavalier microphone Audio frequency bandwidth: 25 to 22000 Hz Adjustable Microphone Gain: 0 to -30 dB Internal memory: 16 GB Recording in m4a or wav filetype, up to 370 hours m4a, 34 hours wav Sampling frequencies: 44.1, 48, 96kHz 24 Bit depth for sampling Processor: 2×168 MHz Cortex M4 920 mAh Rechargeable Li-Po battery, Battery-powered: up to 3 hours of recording, standby time: 6+ months Bluetooth 2.1 Mikme WirelessLink: immediate secure audio transmission with patented packet loss and sync detection = quality of service audio streaming with Mikme App (no receiver needed at smartphone), 44.1kHz audio bandwidth, no dropouts, automatic latency compensation, works with iOS and Android. Bluetooth HFP (Handsfree profile): works with any 3rd party audio/video app (no receiver at smartphone needed), 16kHz audio bandwidth, dropouts may occur, no latency compensation. Connectors: Micro USB, 3.5mm mini jack No latency monitoring of microphone capsule audio signal Used for Monitoring of headphones and Stereo audio out to DSLR or mixer 3/8″ thread for microphone stands and 1/4″ thread for DSLR tripods and mic stands Dimensions: 68 mm (2.68 in) x 75 mm (2.795 in) x 24 mm (0.94 in) Weight: 108 g (0.24 lbs) Apple MFi Certified Designed in Austria and made in Germany Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme The Mikme Pocket is available via its Kickstarter campaign and the price is starting at $279 US (249€). The development of the Mikme Pocket is done and production should start soon. The delivery of the Mikme Pocket to Kickstarter backers is planned for December 2019. There are, of course, other compact audio recorders on the market already, from Tascam, Zoom, or Sennheiser. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. After testing a pre-production model of the Mikme Pocket on various shoots over the past two months, we can say that it works very well and the audio quality is good. We say this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: Please be aware of the risks when backing 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 projects even don’t get delivered at all. What do you think of the new Mikme Pocket audio recorder? Do you have any experience with the first generation Mikme? How do you record sound when shooting with a phone? Let us know in the comments section below.

During NAB this year, Zoom has announced a new field recorder: the Zoom F6. This compact recorder features 32-bit float recording via the six XLR inputs, and dual Analog/Digital converters. The Zoom F6 is nearly ready to ship, and we know a little bit more about it. Zoom F6 – The Compact Production Workhorse The Zoom F6 is the little brother of the Zoom F8 that is available since 2015. The F6 is a small box that measures only 100 mm x 119.8 mm x 62.9 mm for a weight of 520g. It draws only 10W and can be powered either by Sony L-Series batteries, 4AA batteries, or an AC adapter/power bank via the USB type-C connector (requires DC 5V power). The Zoom F6 powering options What I find useful is that each powering options are a different place. The AA battery compartment is at the bottom of the unit, the Sony L battery is on the back, while the USB port is on the left. Otherwise, there is no information if you can use each port for redundancy purposes. Having a compact and reliable unit that can run for hours is great, but the features of a field recorder matter most. Zoom F6 Features The F6 supports various recording formats and sample rates, including 44.1/48/96/192 kHz at 16/24-bit/32-bit float in mono/stereo/2-8ch poly. You can record six tracks simultaneously at the maximum setting (192 kHz at 32-bit float). If you don’t need the extra bits, you can record up to fourteen tracks (6 inputs x 2 (Linear and Floating) + LR mix). Usually, field recorders can “only” go up to 24-bit, but the F6 goes up to 32-bit. These extra bits should let you plenty of room in post-production. Also, combined with the two Analog/Digital converters built-in, your recordings should never clip again. If you are recording in 24-bit, the F6 lets you use the “look-ahead hybrid limiters.” What those limiters do is add a 1-millisecond delay, so the limiters “look ahead” and anticipates future clipping before it’s recorded. Also, there is what Zoom calls “AutoMix” function built-in that automatically adjust the levels of your mix. I’m curious to see how they work in real life scenarios. The six pre-amps are the same as the Zoom F8. These pre-amps are pretty decent and feature a low noise floor (-127 dBu EIN), high gain (up to 75 dB), and selectable mic/line levels for each input. The Zoom F6 can accept Time Code (with 0.2 ppm when on and when powered off) via a dedicated 3.5mm stereo mini jack. Also, the recorder can be controlled wirelessly, if you purchase the optional BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter, via the Control App on your iPhone/iPad. While we talk about control, you can plug the F6 to the Zoom F-Control (FRC-8) module via the USB port. The Zoom F-Control panel gives you eight physical 60mm faders and additional buttons to control the trim/pan/track-arming for each track (and it looks cool). Finally, recordings are stored on an SDXC card (up to 512 GB). Zoom F6 User Interface The Zoom F6 features six locking Neutrik XLR inputs. There are three on the left side, and three on the right side. On the front, there are six rotating knobs to control the gain input, one for each channel. In the middle of the front panel are the transport controls – stop/record/play – and the 1.54″ color LCD. If you are shooting in bright sunlight, there is a monochromatic mode. Finally, there are four buttons around the screen to navigate in the menus and a PFL button (Pre-Fade Listening). The Zoom F6 left and right sides. On the left-hand side are the first three XLR inputs, the USB-C port, a 3.5mm stereo mini unbalanced line out jack, and the connection port for the optional BTA-1 Bluetooth adapter. On the right-hand side are the other three XLR inputs, a wheel to adjust the headphone output next to the 3.5mm headphone jack that boasts an impressive 100 mW headphone amplifier, the timecode input/output 3.5mm jack, and finally the power button. The Zoom F6 back and top sides. At the back of the F6, you will find the SDXC port as well as the Sony L-Series battery connectors. Finally, on the top of the recorder, you can mount a small (included) bracket with a 1/4″ screw. This is useful if you want to attach the recorder at the bottom of your camera. If you’re going to mount the F6 on a tripod, there is a 1/4″ screw hole at the bottom. Pricing and Availability The Zoom F6 is now available to pre-order and will ship early July. It retails for $649.99. In term of comparison, the Sound Devices MixPre 6, although it’s in another league, retails for $899. What do you think of the Zoom F6? Do you need six inputs and are considering buying it? Let us know in the comments!

There are a couple of new, interesting deals available for filmmakers. We have selected the best offers of filmmaking gear from our partners’ online shops for this week – including the Atomos SUMO, a Zhiyun-Tech gimbal, an SLR Magic cine lens, a FeelWorld monitor, a Zoom recorder, a Vari ND filter and more. Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! I went through the current deals on our partners’ websites and selected the best offers currently available, which I think could be interesting for you. This week I chose to include only deals from B&H, as they have special time-limited offers, which might be worth a look. Primarily, these offers are for our readers based in North and South America, yet B&H also offers worldwide shipping. By shopping at our partners’ stores, you are supporting cinema5D through our buy links, as we get a small affiliate commission when a purchase is completed. Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! Now, let’s take a look at this week’s top deals for filmmakers: B&H: Atomos SUMO19M 19″ HDR Monitor – $1,000 Discount We have already featured this particular deal in May. It is back again, so I’ve decided to include it once more, as it really is a great price. The SUMO19M from Atomos is a 19″ production monitor with 1920 x 1080 resolution and a 1200 cd/m² (nits) bright touchscreen display. It features 10-bit FRC processing and has HDMI 2.0 and 12G-SDI inputs/outputs with cross conversion, plus it can import LUTs from master caddy media. Thanks to the high brightness, it has a HDR mode with 10-stop Dynamic Range and also a high-bright mode for REC. 709 viewing. Buy link: Atomos SUMO19M 19″ HDR Monitor Was: $1,995.00  Now: $995.00 (Savings: $1,000.00) B&H: FeelWorld FH7 7″ On-Camera HDMI Monitor – $60 Discount This modestly priced 7″ on-camera monitor from FeelWorld now got an even friendlier price tag. It offers a 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD display with a 160º viewing angle, HDMI input-output, 450 cd/m² brightness and 1200:1 contrast ratio. It features functions like focus peaking, false color and 1:1 pixel mapping. The monitor accepts SD, HD and UHD 4K video and comes with a battery plate and HDMI cable. Buy link: FeelWorld FH7 7″ On-Camera HDMI Monitor Was: $199.00  Now: $139.00 (Savings: $60.00) B&H: Zoom H1n Audio Recorder with X/Y Microphone – $40 Discount This small audio recorder from Zoom is one of the most affordable ones in the market. It has onboard stereo X/Y oriented microphones, a built-in speaker, 3.5mm mic/line input with plug-in power and 3.5mm line/headphone output for monitoring. It can record in WAV at up to 96 kHz to microSDHC cards (up to 32GB). The battery lasts for up to 10 hours. The Zoom H1n supports functions like auto-record & pre-record, auto-level, limiter & low-cut filter. Buy link: Zoom H1n Audio Recorder with X/Y Microphone Was: $119.99  Now: $79.99 (Savings: $40.00) B&H: SLR Magic Cine 35mm f/1.2 FE Lens for Sony E-Mount – $220 Discount The 35mm cine lens from SLR Magic covers full-frame sensors and offers an aperture range from f/1.2 to f/16 with a click-less IRIS ring. Both, the focus and IRIS ring are cine geared and click-less. The lens features a 13-blade circular aperture, 52mm filter thread diameter, 9 optical elements in 8 groups and a non-rotating front. Buy link: SLR Magic Cine 35mm f/1.2 FE Lens for Sony E-Mount Was: $499.00  Now: $279.00 (Savings: $220.00) B&H: Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB Handheld Stabilizer – $100 Discount The WEEBILL LAB gimbal features the new Zhiyun-Tech grip design known from the Crane 3, which makes it easier for two-handed operation and “underslung mode”. It can take payloads of up to 6.6 lb and features a mini tripod mount on top and bottom. The gimbal offers 360° pan, tilt and roll rotation, a zoom/focus hand-wheel and servo support, dual quick release plates and axis locks for saving balance positions. Buy link: Zhiyun-Tech WEEBILL LAB Handheld Stabilizer Was: $599.00  Now: $499.00 (Savings: $100.00) B&H: Lumu Power Light & Color Meter for iOS – $180 Discount A light meter is a useful device to help determine the ideal exposure settings for a scene. This compact light meter from Lumu Power can measure exposure, illuminance and color. It supports ambient and flash lighting and has a measuring range of -4 to 20 EV, a color temperature range of 1500-20,000K, an illuminance range of 0.15-250,000 lux, a chromaticity mode in CIE 1931 Space, and CIE 1931/DIN 5033 color standard. The color meter connects to a lightning port and gets powered directly from the iOS device. It displays the information via the iOS mobile app. Buy link: Lumu Power Light & Color Meter for iOS Was: $299.99  Now: $119.99 (Savings: $180.00) B&H: JarvMobile 10,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging – $13 Discount A power bank can always be useful on set. It can extend the battery life of small lights, GoPros, phones, etc. Many devices can also be powered while operating, so a power bank can sometimes save the situation when a shoot takes longer than expected. This power bank with 10,000mAh capacity can charge up to 2 devices simultaneously. It even has a wireless Qi charging pad. 1 x micro-USB port, 1 x USB type-C port, and 1 x USB type-A port provide basic connectivity. There is a micro-USB cable included. Buy link: JarvMobile 10,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging Was: $29.95  Now: $16.95 (Savings: $13.00) B&H: Tiffen 77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter – $50 Discount ND filters should be in every mirrorless or DSLR filmmaker’s kit. They can limit the light entering the lens and allow keeping the shutter angle close to 180º. Variable ND filters are quicker to work with, but sometimes lack the optical quality and shift the colors of the image. Tiffen is an experienced US filter manufacturer, so their Vari ND should have good quality. This particular one provides 2 to 8 stops of light control with a rotating ring to choose the degree of ND. The discounted offer also includes an 82mm version. Buy link: Tiffen 77mm Variable Neutral Density Filter Was: $129.95  Now: $79.95 (Savings: $50.00) B&H: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE) – $560 Discount In our video article, we showed you that with a powerful iPad Pro, it is possible to comfortably edit quick turnaround videos with the LumaFusion app. This configuration of the iPad Pro could get the job done. It features the 12.9″ multi-touch retina display with 2732 x 2048 screen resolution (264 ppi), Apple A10X 64-Bit SoC + M10 coprocessor, 512GB SSD, 4G LTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and bluetooth 4.2. Buy link: Apple 12.9″ iPad Pro (Mid 2017, 512GB, Wi-Fi + 4G LTE) Was: $1,279.00  Now: $719.00 (Savings: $560.00) B&H: Datacolor Spyder5ELITE Display Calibration System – $110 Discount This system from Datacolor can be used to calibrate monitors, projectors, or laptops. It includes a color probe and offers unlimited calibration settings – user defined and REC. 709. There is a before-and-after evaluation, video and print standards and advanced display analysis. Buy link: Datacolor Spyder5ELITE Display Calibration System Was: $249.95  Now: $139.95 (Savings: $110.00) Watch out – All of the deals within this week’s article expire on June 20th, at 11:59 PM EST! What do you think of this week’s selection? Share with us if you know and like any of these products.

Sony has announced a new UWP-D wireless microphone series. This series is not new – as the UWP-D line of products already exists – but more of an upgrade for Sony PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 users. Sony UWP-D with Multi-Interface Shoe The Sony UWP-D line of wireless microphones is designed to be as straightforward as possible. The UWP-D series uses RF transmission. If you hold the NFC Sync button on the receiver, it will automatically scan for the best possible frequency to avoid interferences. Once the receiver detects the best frequency, you simply put the transmitter on top of the receiver. The transmitter will automatically “follow” the receiver and switch its channel. If you are a solo filmmaker or someone that wants things to work and don’t want to struggle with audio frequencies, the Sony UWP-D could be perfect for you. The new Sony UWP-D series of wireless microphones now features a 20% smaller bodypack transmitter, and the length of the receiver is shorter. The shrink in size of the receiver is because this new series of microphones are now compatible with the Multi-Interface Shoe ( MI Shoe ). Indeed, this shoe communication eliminates the need for a cable between the receiver and the camera. The 24-bit audio signal is directly recorded by the camera through the MI Shoe, bypassing the analog/digital conversions. Sony PXW-Z280 and PXW-Z190 users can display the microphone information (RF levels, audio mute, battery status) directly in the camera. If your camera doesn’t feature an MI Shoe, Sony also released an MI Shoe adaptor, but the mic information will not transmit. Of course, the receiver also features a standard 3.5mm jack output. Pricing and Availability The series consists of three kits and the MI Shoe: UWP-D21: includes a bodypack transmitter (UTX-B40) and receiver (URX-P40). UWP-D22: includes a handheld microphone (UTX-M40) and receiver (URX-P40). UWP-D26: includes a bodypack transmitter (UTX-B40), a plug-on transmitter (UTX-P40, 48V phantom power compatible), and receiver (URX-P40). SMAD-P5: Multi-Interface (MI) shoe for cable-free camera connection. Currently, we have no information from Sony about pricing nor availability. What do you think of this new UWP-D series of microphones? Do you consider upgrading to the MI Shoe system? Let us know in the comments down below!

K-Tek presented their KSBP1 Stingray backpack and KSUHP1 Stingray utility hip pack during NAB 2019. We talked with Brenda Klemme from K-Tek and asked about the features of those two products. Both K-Tek Stingray backpack and hip pack are available now. For sound recordists and many filmmakers, K-Tek is a well-known company. They offer a variety of audio gear from boom poles, mounts, clips, windscreens to cables and so on. K-Tek announced two new products – Stingray backpack and utility hip pack already at the end of last year. During this year’s NAB, the company showcased these two products. What are their key features? K-Tek KSBP1 Stingray Backpack The K-Tek Stingray backpack is designed to make traveling to recording locations easy and convenient. It features multiple storage pockets, a hidden laptop compartment, and a built-in stealth rain cover. The backpack is fully adjustable and customizable featuring many MOLLE attachment points for additional gear. A strong and lightweight internal frame structure makes the versatile Backpack durable, substantial and protective. K-Tek Stingray Backpack. Source: K-Tek Perhaps one of the best features of the bag is the docking area in the middle. Prepacked mixer/recorder bag simply slides into the docking area and it is secured for transport. It can accommodate Stingray Small, Medium, Large and similar sized mixer/recorder bags. The backpack does not include the mixer/recorder bag – it needs to be purchased separately. The two lower storage pockets are large enough to each store one small K-Tek Gizmo Bag while leaving extra space for a battery or a fuzzy windscreen. There are various accessories that can be attached to the backpack (sold separately) and enhance its functionality. For example, the boom cup holder or the tension straps. K-Tek KSUHP1 Stingray Utility Hip Pack The K-Tek Stingray hip pack features wide waistbelt and removable thigh-strap to ensure it stays in place like a thigh holster. It can, however, also be worn like a traditional fanny pack or even across the shoulder. K-Tek Stingray Hip Pack. Source: K-Tek There are two large main compartments that feature various storage pouches for many accessories. A dedicated organizer offers quick access to pens, medium scissors, and screwdrivers. The hip pack is large enough to fit a Sound Devices MixPre-3 or MixPre-6 plus various accessories for ultra-stealth recording. Although the hip pack was mainly designed for sound utilities and boom operators, other on-set departments like lighting, grip, or camera might find it very useful thanks to its convenience and small size. Price and Availability Both products are already available for ordering – links to our partner shops can be found below the article. Price for the backpack is $475 US and for the utility hip pack it is $130 US. According to K-Tek, the Stingray backpack is a limited edition product – sold only while supplies last. What do you think of Stingray backpack and utility hip pack? Do you have any experience with those products already? Let us know in the comments section below the article.