We wrote about the Manfrotto Nitrotech N8 Lightweight Tripod Head two weeks ago when they first presented this innovative design. The Nitrotech N8 was on display at NAB 2017, and we had a chance to take a closer look with product marketing manager Giuseppe Dilauro. Manfrotto Nitrotech – A Lightweight Tripod Head for Cinema Cameras At NAB 2017 we got to see the Manfrotto Nitrotech N8, which is currently the only model of the series. It supports a maximum payload of 8kg, but the special feature is that it can support lightweight cameras as well due to its innovative Nitrogen piston, making a dedicated lightweight tripod for your a7S obsolete. Now you have one lightweight design for all your cinema cameras (up to 8kg) in one package. The idea is quite convincing as many people shoot both with heavy as well as lightweight cameras nowadays, but can rarely afford two dedicated tripods. The Manfrotto Nitrotech N8 is affordable and can fill this market niche. What more can you ask for? If this lightweight tripod design is up to the challenges of a regular shooting day is yet to be seen in our upcoming review, but it was certainly a popular product at NAB 2017, attracting the looks of many of the visitors. The Nitrotech N8 is available now and a version for heavier cameras is already in the works.

Many were hoping to see an announcement of something like a “Sony a7S 3” camera at this year’s NAB. Instead, we saw a new version of the Sony a7S II called S3CA. While there is indeed an “S3” in its product name, this is rather a “special version” of the a7S II for certain applications. Here’s all about the new Sony S3CA. Sony S3CA The S3CA is an interesting camera – it features the same sensor and processing as the popular Sony a7S II, but doesn’t limit your recording to 30 minutes, meaning your card size is really the deciding factor on how long you can record for. The Sony a7S II was introduced in 2015 and has made headlines as being one of the best cinema cameras on the market, especially because of its impressive lowlight capabilities (see my lowlight review here). On top of its a7S II heritage, the S3CA has a slightly smaller, box-shaped and more durable body and it has no screen or buttons – it requires a USB connection with a PC or Mac as a control interface. For some applications this could be a very interesting solution. The S3CA could for example be used during a live production and be controlled from the mixer instead of a camera operator. The camera on display was hooked up to a computer app, in which I noticed that the image lagged and stuttered. The app, however, is not intended for monitoring. Instead, the camera features an HDMI output up to 4K for monitoring and external recording. Large VR Rig by Radiant Images with several Sony S3CA cameras. High-quality VR and 360 applications could be another use for the Sony S3CA in the field. On display there was a VR rig created by Radiant Images with 10 of the new cameras at its core. The footage can either be recorded to an SD card in-camera, or via external recording solutions. For some, the S3CA might be exactly what they’ve been waiting for. For many of us, though, this camera is nothing more than an a7S II with even more limitations. At one point or another, Sony will probably introduce the next version of its popular mirrorless, pocket-sized cinema camera line. Until then we will have to wait. The Sony S3CA will retail for about $4,500 and will start shipping in the fall. I’m curious to know: could the Sony S3CA be an option for your productions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

We have been surprised by the low price of Tilta’s intelligent camera accessories several times over the past years, but their newly announced Wireless Lens Control System steals the show. They offer a complete system with two wireless handles, two motors and a hand-unit for only $1200. Tilta Nucleus-M We came to know the quality of Tilta’s a7s II cage when we did our a7S II cage review. After that we saw their electronic cinema camera cages and lightweight gimbal last year. At NAB 2017 this year Tilta introduced the Tilta Nucleus-M, a new lens control system with a ridiculously low price. If the system is up to the kind of quality people expect from a professional lens control system is yet to be determined. What we know is that it had pretty solid performance at the show and some very interesting specs. The hand-unit can connect to up to 3 motors, to control iris, focus and zoom of a lens. The device connects directly to motors and has a range of up to 2km, so it could be used on a drone. The handles are also wirelessly connected to the two motors that come in the kit and there’s an optional clamp to use them on gimbals. For gimbal use this is certainly the kind of solution many people have been waiting for. The cable-less design lets you operate your lens focus without interfering with the gimbal. This is crucial, as a cable would affect the gimbal’s balance. Many other wireless lens control systems are very pricey and usually can’t be afforded by many of our readers, certainly the ones that offer the kind of quality you need for accurate operation. The aggressive pricing of the Tilta Nucleus-M might change that. [UPDATE] The hand units are equipped with either one or two double-A batteries and Tilta tells us they last 4 days, not 4 hours as mentioned during the interview. Even when not using a gimbal, a wireless thumb controller like the ones the Tilta Nucleus-M offers, can be a clever solution for focus and zoom on a documentary style handheld rig. We’re looking forward to reviewing the Nucleus-M soon. Tilta is planning to launch it in July 2017. Let us know what you think. Could a lens control system like this one make a difference for your productions?    

Yesterday DJI Introduced a new remote controller for their Inspire 2 and Matrice 200 drones – The DJI Cendence. They also announced a high-gain antenna called DJI Tracktenna and combined it all with their Crystalsky high bright display. I had a chance to take a closer and get some hands-on experience at the launch event and on the NAB show floor. Here’s why I think these new tools can make a huge difference for professional drone shooters. When you have a drone as capable as the DJI Inspire 2 (check out our extensive review here), the one thing that can still ruin your shots is either the operator or the interface between the operator and the drone. Since the operator is a professional, you want to make sure that the interface is flawless. With the new DJI Cendence remote, the DJI Crytalsky monitor and the DJI Tracktenna, drone shooters will soon have a new system that can help them monitor and control their drones in a better way. DJI Cendence Drone Remote Controller Focusing and gimbal control issues on the Inspire 2 are a thing of the past – the new DJI Cendence gives you increased efficiency and better controls over every aspect of your drone. Trying the DJI Cendence Remote Controller at the launch event At the launch event at the Las Vegas Wynn, I had a chance to take a first close look at the new DJI Cendence remote controller, thought the device was turned off. It wasn’t until today, on the NAB show floor, that I could get a better hands-on experience. The DJI Cendence features a vast amount of customizable buttons, dials and other controls. It was presented with a new DJI Crystalsky monitor, which gives you high brightness for better viewing outdoors. It connects through a cable-less interface at the top of the remote. Besides offering cutsomizable buttons and dials all over the remote, users also have instant access to functions like ISO, sharpness, shutter speed, without having to navigate touch screen menus. Important camera information can be seen on a separate small display. There is also a dedicated wheel for accurate focus control. If you’ve been using a DJI Inspire, then you know that controlling your focus via a dedicated interface can make a huge difference. So far, users have had to purchase a separate focusing device to be operated by a second person, or alternatively had to rely on the touch autofocus functionality which is not always reliable. The focus wheel on the DJI Cendence has a fast response time, and I could easily focus just like on an analogue lens. The remote controller offers an SDI and HDMI port for live HD broadcast and streaming applications. More good news is that this new controller is a little more modular than the original one. The antennas on the Cendence remote controller, as well as the PCB, mounting bracket and battery are all detachable and therefore replaceable. Overall, I can see the DJI Cendence becoming an essential tool for my drone work. It is a very welcome upgrade to the basic remote and gives me the controls I need in order to achieve certain shots that I otherwise couldn’t. Although I haven’t been able to fly a drone with it yet, most of the controls concern the gimbal, which I was able to test on the ground. Furthermore, the Crytalsky monitor on display for the first time was extremely bright and its touch screen was very responsive. With up to 2000 cd/m2, it offers four times the brightness of an iPad. The DJI Cendence will be available later this year and will cost $999. CrystalSky is available for pre-order now in three configurations: a 5.5-inch, 1000 cd/m2 version for $469; a 7.85- inch, 1000 cd/m2 version for $699; and the 7.85-inch, 2000 cd/m2 version for $999 (LINK). DJI Tracktenna On the Inspire 2, you can quickly lose video transmission when you’ve set the feed to a high data rate. According to the specs, the DJI Tracktenna should solve this problem. This high-gain antenna sports built-in sensors and a two-axis gimbal that automatically points the antenna at your drone at all times. In optimal conditions, the DJI Tracktenna in combination with the Cendence controller can boost signal transmission to over 6.2 miles (10 km). This calls for a word of warning: with technology able of pushing the limits of what’s possible this far, pilots should always understand and follow all applicable laws and regulations. The DJI Tracktenna supports transmission speeds of up to 10 Mbps within 1.24 miles (2 km) for data-intensive applications. It supports both 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands, giving it greater signal stability. Pricing and availability for DJI Tracktenna will be announced at a later date. Are you a professional drone operator who sees these new DJI products finding a place in your kit? Let us know in the comments!

Here’s my hands-on URSA Mini Pro Review – the newly released ENG / Digital Film / Streaming crossover camera from Blackmagic Design. But what have Blackmagic Design improved? Blackmagic Design just released a new camera – and to be very honest, in the past, these words caused a lot of excitement and doubt at the same time. On the one hand, Blackmagic really managed to shake up the camera industry by packing a lot of pro features like, for example, raw recording into their earliest cameras. With their raw support, they enabled low budget filmmakers to produce high-end quality previously only available from much more expensive cameras. On the other hand, until not so long ago, Blackmagic upset a lot of people by announcing too many cameras at the same time, not meeting their delivery dates or facing sensor issues with some of their cameras. (If you are interested in what the footage from the URSA Mini Pro looks like and you want to hear my colleague and friend Johnnie Behiri’s thoughts on the camera after using it, head over to his review!) Blackmagic Design learned their lessons I think it is safe to say that Blackmagic Design have now learned from their mistakes. In the past year, they have started to announce products only when they are already available, and have succeeded in stopping any significant leaks about their new products. The Blackmagic Design URSA Mini 4.6K and the new URSA Mini Pro side-by-side. A Definitive Second Generation Camera And here it is, the Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro. It was only just announced, but was already shipping right after its introduction. It’s quite clear that this is a definitive second generation camera that offers huge usability improvements over the original URSA Mini 4.6K. Because it is the same sensor and optical performance is expected to be the same or similar, am focusing instead on the hands-on aspects of the camera in this review. Almost the same, but strikingly different: The URSA Mini Pro can take up to 4 different interchangeable mounts. Improvements and Differences to the URSA Mini 4.6K While with the original URSA Mini 4K and 4.6K you had to buy separate EF and PL versions, the PRO offers an interchangeable mount between EF, PL, B4 and Nikon, making this camera adaptable to almost any lens on the market. When compared side-by-side, the first thing to notice is the same-sized body. The new URSA Mini Pro is around 300 grams heavier according to our measurements, though. It’s not a super light camera, but I actually like it for this form factor, because it’s very evenly balanced and sits nicely on the shoulder. Weight Differences between the URSA Mini 4.6K (below) and URSA Mini Pro (above). What’s also new is the greatly reduced start-up time between the two generations of the camera. It was around 10 seconds for the URSA Mini 4K and 4.6K, and it’s now only around 5 seconds – something that makes a difference in everyday shooting scenarios. Startup time on the URSA Mini 4.6K Startup time on the URSA Mini Pro ENG-style New Features Improve Versatility Logically layout of ENG-style buttons on the URSA Mini Pro. As you can see, the outside of this new camera has changed significantly. Blackmagic have moved away from functional minimalism to providing many custom buttons for all kinds of functions, much like we have been used to from other cameras for many years now, particularly those in a broadcast-type form factor. This means less digging into menus and faster access to the functionality you constantly require. Immediate access to Iris, ISO, Shutter, White Balance, High Frame Rate recording, Audio settings and customisable buttons makes the URSA Mini Pro a valid ENG camera in addition to its “digital film” applications. There is now an easily-accessible wheel to adjust either the headphone volume or the aperture of the iris. Unfortunately, the audio knobs are still “infinite” and don’t have hard stops, which means that you will always have to look at the screen in order to see where your audio levels are – but the external display makes monitoring audio much easier. Finally: ND Filters Built-in In my opinion, one of the biggest shortcomings of the original URSA Mini 4K and 4.6K was the lack of built-in ND filters. This is something that’s essential in the ENG world, and considering that it was designed in this form factor, many people including myself were surprised that NDs were missing. Not any more, though – Blackmagic Design have added three steps of switchable, built-in ND to the URSA Mini Pro, at 2, 4 and 6 stops. It’s a rotating filter wheel just like the ones found on other similarly-sized cameras, such as the Sony FS7. There is just one minor design fault: the filter wheel shows the labels 1-2-3-4, with the filter enabled from setting 2 onwards. in my opinion, Blackmagic should have chosen the word “clear” instead of 1 for the sake of clarity. However, they do provide a printed explanation on the side of the camera for this. The filters work just fine and we couldn’t see any significant colour shift when using them on a quick test outside. Smaller Screen, Smart Idea The screen has shrunk. It’s now 4 inches across, which practically makes much more sense as a built-in screen rather than the 5-inch found in the original URSA Mini. Functions that you don’t constantly need to access have now been moved to the inside of the screen – specifically audio settings like XLR phantom power or playback functions. URSA Mini 4.6K next to the URSA Mini Pro, both with opened screen One small downside of the monitor: It still cannot be rotated 180 degrees like on many other cameras, which means you can’t do a “selfie” shoot or have the screen facing the side of your camera. Also, at some angles, it can block the small adjustment wheel that controls the iris. These are all minor issues, though. Screen size comparison between the two URSA Minis – with the new URSA Mini Pro on the right-hand side. Optional URSA Mini Viewfinder If you want to use this camera on the shoulder, I recommend getting the optional URSA Mini viewfinder, which offers a really high quality 1080p image, and has its own focus magnification and peaking controls. Be aware that peaking in the viewfinder also outlines the screen overlays it receives from the camera, which can be a bit distracting. Intuitive: The Operating System and Menu Structure The operating system found on the URSA Mini Pro is where Blackmagic demonstrates its knowledge as a company that has a lot of experience in software and interface design. First of all, the touch screen is super responsive, and while I am not a big fan of touch screens on cameras, I can really see this work just fine for most productions because of its speed and sensitivity. The layout of all the menu items and settings is very logical – this is something that many Japanese camera manufacturers traditionally struggle with. If you have ever looked for a specific function that you don’t need every day on a Sony camera, you know exactly what I am talking about. All that is much easier here – there are virtual touch buttons and sliders that use the available screen real estate effectively, and everything feels very self-explanatory. The only other camera menu as straightforward as this is probably the Arri Alexa, with RED cameras coming in as a close second. The URSA Mini Pro features an outside display with several brightness settings that shows the most important camera settings even when you have the screen closed. A very convenient feature, they clearly took note from other manufacturers who have built this into their cameras in the past. New outside display on the URSA Mini Pro. Recording: Now with SD Cards Next to CFast Cards Let’s move on to recording. The URSA Mini Pro features two CFast Card slots and now also dual UHS-II SD card slots. That means if you are not recording something data intensive, you can opt to record onto much less expensive SD and UHS-II cards, which are inexpensive, commonly available, and perfect for recording ProRes Ultra HD files or RAW HD files. And yes, the URSA Mini Pro records up to 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW, something that still no other camera in this price range can do. It also records up to ProRes XQ and all other flavours of ProRes. SD card slots now next to the CFast card slots. That’s it for the first-look review of the new Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro! Stay tuned for more about this camera from us at cinema5D as we get to know it better.

LockCircle is introducing their new FUJIFILM X-T2 cage called Kinetics XT2. Its asymmetrical design approach lets you hold the original grip of the camera, and features various threads for accessories as well as a baseplate, and HDMI and USB ports protectors. LockCircle Kinetics XT2 cage with all the features FUJIFILM X-T2 Cage – LockCircle Kinetics XT2 FUJIFILM X-T2 is a very interesting mirrorless camera for filmmakers that is especially capable in 4K. We tested this little camera couple of months ago, os if you haven’t yet, make sure to take a look at our real world video test and also our Lab test where we compared it against the Sony a7S II. LockCircle is now introducing their ergonomic cage for the FUJIFILM X-T2, which is designed to fit around the camera with an “asymmetrical design approach” for a right-handed camera grip. This means it is possible to hold the camera using the original grip even when the cage is mounted, as visible in the product photos. The weight of the cage itself is 300g (10 oz). All camera controls remain visible and available as the FUJIFILM XT-2 cage has many cutouts, and offers multiple threads to mount various accessories – 79x 1/4”-20 threads and 3x 3/8”. The cage has also several threads to mount the AC tape measurement titanium hook. LockCircle Kinetics XT2 cage This FUJIFILM X-T2 cage integrates the MicroPort micro HDMI / USB 3.0 locking connectors as well as the LockPort, a micro to full-size HDMI and micro to full-size USB 3.0 output, thus offering protection for these fragile port output ports. It is worth noting, however, that as with most cages, the new LockCircle cage can accommodate the camera body only, but not the battery grip. This is a bit of a pity, since the headphone jack for this camera is located on the battery grip. That means it won’t be possible to monitor audio via headphones when using this cage. The Cage Kinetics XT2 baseplate has a Meta-Block mount for Metabones adapters and an IMS-Block for IMS-Mounts. Mounting with a 1/4”-20 and 3/8” threads (titanium camera screw supplied) is available. The cage should be available by the end of April. Information about pricing will follow. LockPort XT2 DUAL HDMI/USB 3.0 ports protector for FUJIFILM X-T2 In addition, LockCircle is introducing their HDMI/USB protector as a separate product. It uses a solid clamp that locks to the camera, and micro to full-size HDMI and a micro to full-size USB 3.0 90° rear adapters. The LockPort XT2 thin camera plate is designed to fit any head, baseplate or sliding plate using the original camera screws. The HDMI/USB 3.0 adapters have gold plated contacts  (4K tested/5 Gbps high speed transfer rate) and full-size female outputs for use with standard HDMI and USB 3.0 cables. LockPort HDMI/USB internal ports protector The LockPort HDMI/USB protector is available now.

I recently reviewed the new DJI Inspire 2 drone extensively and did thorough tests in our lab. In this workflow tutorial on how to master drone footage, I will show you how to convert Inspire 2 X5S or DJI Inspire 1 X5R files in order to get the best results from your Inspire footage. Get our Inspire LUT and Inspire Raw to Log conversion presets HERE. Why Convert Inspire 2 Raw Files? I spent a few days filming with the Inspire 2 drone to create a drone film so I could gain some hands-on experience for my review. During the editing process, I quickly noticed that when filming in Raw mode ( = 5.2K resolution), and similar to the DJI Inspire 1 Raw drone, the DJI Inspire 2 X5S produces .dng sequences that I somehow needed to transcode in order to edit and apply LUTs. The problem for me was that I could never get anywhere near neutral colors by simply sliding the color settings in Adobe Camera Raw, or even by using DaVinci Resolve’s “Blackmagic Film Gamma”. I had the same problem with the Inspire 1. Furthermore, to edit properly I needed some kind of proxy footage, so early transcoding was inevitable. Of course, professional colorists can use the Raw files and tweak the colors until they are right to them, but that is not my style – I’m used to neutral Log gamma video files that I can apply LUTs to and color easily and efficiently, preferably directly in my editing app. So, in conclusion, my requirements were to: Convert Inspire 2 Raw (Or Inspire 1 for that matter) to a well-preserving video format in order to edit and colorize later (without having to go back to Raw). Match and get a neutral Gamma on all my video files, ideally right while transcoding, so I can apply LUTs and grade easily. In the test lab, the colors coming from the X5S and X5R (Inspire) cameras appeared to be off by quite a bit in comparison to an Arri ALEXA, so on top of making a workflow tutorial video I also decided to create several presets and LUTs to get closer to Alexa Log C. Inspire Raw to Log Conversion During my test lab analysis, I found that the best workflow for .dng Raw from the drones to be as follows. Note that this workflow works both for the DJI Inspire 2 with the X5S camera as well as the DJI Inspire 1 with the X5R camera. Also note that this workflow method is for Mac users only right now, although if you work with Windows you can probably adapt it. 1. Convert Inspire 2 Raw to Log in DaVinci Resolve Camera Raw Settings in Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Notes about the DaVcini Resolve conversion • Faster than the After Effects method described further down. • Does not remove lens defects like chromatic aberration, vignetting and distortion. • Gives you a generic flat gamma. (Unless you use the DaVinci LUTs) • In my experience, it blows out the highlights a bit. Open DaVinci Resolve (free download). Browse to your Inspire Raw shots. Drag your folder(s) to the media pool. Change your project settings to the resolution of your shots. (Gear wheel at the bottom right –> Timeline Resolution) Go to the “Edit” tab and drag your shots into the timeline. Go to the “Color” tab and select each shot. Then change: Decode Using: “Clip”; Color Space: “Blackmagic Design”; Gamma: “Blackmagic Design Film”; Tick the “Highlight Recovery” box. (optional) Use our DaVinci 3D LUTs to get closer to the Alexa Colors. Then export your files in the “Deliver” tab. To batch convert all clips, select “Individual Clips” and “File” –> “Source Name”. Click “Add to Render Queue” and then “Start Render” to convert Inspire 2 Raw or convert Inspire 1 Raw files. Using the cinema5D DJI Inspire Raw to LOG Conversion LUTs With my conversion LUTs you can get closer to the Arri Alexa Colors and Gamma. To install them: Launch DaVinci Resolve. Start a new project or open an existing one and click on the settings icon in the lower right corner. Click on the “Color Management” tab. Click on “Open LUT Folder”. The LUT folder will open in a finder window. Copy the LUT .cube file(s) into the LUT folder. When copying has finished, click the “Update Lists” button in the DaVinci Resolve settings window. And to use them: Follow the instructions laid out earlier and apply the “Blackmagic Design Film” Gamma. Before exporting, right click each clip thumbnail and select “3D LUT” –> “C5D_Inspire-1-RAW-to-LOG” or “C5D_Inspire-2-RAW-to-LOG”. 2. Convert Inspire 2 Raw to Log in After Effects Converting Raw to Log in After Effects using the conversion presets. [Update March 31st 2017] With DJI’s new firmware for the Inspire 2, there is now an option to select “D-LOG” gamma while shooting in RAW mode. Please note that this option has little to no effect on your RAW files, but it will lock your exposure to ISO 500. If you can shoot at ISO 500, which is a good place to expose RAW correctly, then use the “D-LOG” option while recording RAW. Otherwise, if you want to be more flexible, leaving the “D-LOG” option off while recording RAW is recommended. Notes about the After Effects conversion • Removes color noise from your footage. • Removes chromatic aberrations, vignetting and distortion from your shots by using the embedded Raw lens data. • The Olympus 25mm lens data is currently faulty, so any footage shot with this lens will not look great. Let’s hope DJI will fix this. • This conversion takes a very long time. Expect your computer to run for at least a day for 30 minutes of footage. Open Adobe After Effects CC. Drag and drop your folder(s) containing the Raw .cdng sequences into the After Effects “Project” tab. The Camera Raw App will open. (optional) Go to the Presets tab (second from the right) and select one of the cinema5D RAW to LOG presets. For each shot (folder with .cdng sequences) you import, the Camera Raw App will open individually. Once all your shots have been imported into After Effects, you can drag them to the “Render Queue” tab at the bottom. Select your desired target codec under “Output Module” in the “Render Queue” tab. Select your desired file destination under “Output To”. Click “Render” in the “Render Queue” tab to convert Inspire 2 Raw or convert Inspire 1 Raw files. For the best possible quality, select the Apple ProRes 4444 or 4444 XQ codec. To save space, go for Apple ProRes 422 HQ. Using the cinema5D DJI Inspire RAW to LOG Conversion LUTs With my conversion presets you can get closer to the Arri Alexa Colors and Gamma. To install them: Navigate to your “Library” folder in Mac OS X. If it is hidden you can reveal your library folder by going to your home folder and then selecting “View” –> “Show View Options” and ticking the “Show Library Folder” checkbox. Navigate to “/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRAW/Settings/”. Place all the .xmp files inside this directory. Restart After Effects. And to use them: Follow the instructions laid out earlier. To use the presets, go to the “Presets Tab” (second from the right) in the Camera Raw window of each clip and select one of the presets. “Inspire-*-RAW-to-LOG_0” is the standard preset. “+1” means pushing the shot if it was underexposed. “-1” means pulling the shot if it was overexposed. For shots with overexposed portions of the image you can also choose the “HL” or “HS” presets. “HS” saves your highlights, “HL” blows your highlights and makes the rolloff more smooth. Note that the presets inside the parenthesis “(…)” are NOT always recommended, as they may produce a “flicker effect” in rare occasions. Inspire Raw to LOG presets If you intend to get awesome shots, I’m sure you will benefit from my presets. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort to get them right, which is why we are not offering them for free. The package also includes the C5D instaLUT B1010 (.cube file) for Log footage (ARRI Alexa and Inspire RAW to LOG) and DaVinci presets for fast conversion of Raw and D-Log footage. This is the best way I found to convert Inspire 2 Raw files to a better format. Disclaimer The presets don’t turn your shots into 100% Arri Alexa Log C footage. They were created by hand and they were intended to get your colors and gamma into the ballpark of Alexa Gamma, so third party LUTs can be used more easily and D-Log and Raw can be matched more easily. That said, for me they are a big help and I hope you enjoy them too. GET THEM HERE As I mentioned in my video, the After Effects workflow gives you the best possible quality and I use it all the time, but DaVinci Resolve converts quicker and the files are also very usable in case you need your files fast. If you shot your video in 4K (UHD) on the Inspire 2 you should use Apple ProRes and D-LOG and you won’t have to convert Inspire 2 Raw files at all. I have tested and explained this in my review. 3. Convert Inspire 2 D-Log to Log in DaVinci Resolve Converting D-Log to Log in DaVinci Resolve with the conversion LUTs With my conversion LUTs you can also convert your D-Log footage (recorded in Apple ProRes) to get closer to the Arri Log C look as explained earlier. Note These only work for the Inspire 2 which records in high quality at 4K resolution with the Apple ProRes codec. It is not recommended to use them on the Inspire 1 or any other DJI drone available right now, as the quality and bitrate of those is not high enough to work properly in such a flat Log Gamma. To install them: follow the instructions laid out under point “1.”. To use them: Open DaVinci Resolve (free download). Browse to your Inspire D-Log shots. Drag your shot(s) to the media pool. Change your project settings to the resolution of your shots. (Gear wheel at the bottom right –> Timeline Resolution) Go to the “Edit” tab and drag your shots into the timeline. Go to the “Color” tab and select all shots. Right click each (or all) clip thumbnails and select “3D LUT” –> “C5D_Inspire-2-RAW-to-LOG” or “C5D_Inspire-2-RAW-to-LOG”. Then export your files in the “Deliver” tab. To batch convert all clips, select “Individual Clips” and “File” –> “Source Name”. Click “Add to Render Queue” and then “Start Render”. 4. Convert Inspire 2 Raw to D-Log in After Effects Here is one more conversion preset as a bonus that I haven’t mentioned in my video. It is called “(Inspire-RAW-to-DJI-LOG)”, part of my cinema5D Raw to Log conversion package. You can select it in the presets tab during the After Effects Camera Raw conversion that I explained in point “2.” This allows you to convert Inspire 2 Raw shots into a gamma that is closer to the D-Log look that you get with AppleProRes recordings on the Inspire 2. It should make it easier to match your footage if D-Log is your target gamma. 5. Direct Workflow in Premiere Pro CC Step 1, 2 and 3 There is also a very simple way to use the D-LOG to Log LUT in Premiere Pro CC directly. The LUT contained in the Raw to Log package converts D-LOG to Log and it can be applied in the Lumetri Color Panel. The benefit of this method is that you do not have to convert your files, but you can work on them natively. The downside is that you cannot apply this to RAW, but only to D-LOG footage, shot on the DJI Inspire 2 with the X5S camera. Go to the Lumetri Color Panel in Premiere Pro CC. Under “Basic Correction”, choose the C5D_Inspire-2-D-LOG-to-LOG.cube LUT as “Input LUT”. Choose your look under the “Creative” tab in the Lumetri Color panel. Choose any .cube file of your liking that works with Alexa Log C. Conclusion That’s it. I hope this workflow tutorial on how to convert Inspire 2 Raw files or Inspire 1 Raw files into Log was useful for you, even if you don’t use my presets and LUTs. I tried to make this tutorial informative for everyone, but I must admit that I see my presets as an integral part of my own workflow to get my footage to where I need it to be. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments, and please post links to your work where you used the presets successfully!

Watch previous episodes of ON THE COUCH & ON THE GO by clicking here! Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac,  G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler, in association with Ford Netherland (thanks for the Ford Galaxy car loan!) and Sony Europe (thanks for the 4K Action cam loan!) In the final part of our chat with VR filmmaker and photographer Drew Gardner, our conversation turns to the necessary gear to pull of 360-degree video.  In this episode of cinema5D On the Go, we chat to Drew Gardner about the challenges of building a 360-degree video rig. With overheating being one of the biggest problems, Drew tells us how this issue actually dictates the cameras and settings that he uses to extend camera life as much as possible. Watch the video above to find out which kind of GoPro Drew actually uses for his professional work (the answer may surprise you). Of course, once the rig is all setup and ready to go, and the risk of overheating has been minimised, you still have to think about a power solution. Drew explains how he sets up his VR rig to power all 7 cameras. As a bonus, we also hear about the demise of a little world-travelling coffee cup! featured image credit: Freedom360 Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming! Thanks to Hedge for Mac,  G-Technology, Røde Microphones, Sachtler and in association with Ford and Sony.