Vision Research has recently introduced a new Phantom VEO 4K-PL, which like its older brother Phantom Flex 4K, can shoot up to 1000fps at full 4K DCI resolution, but in a smaller and more compact body. What is the Phantom VEO line? They say that when you touch a Phantom camera you go straight to heaven. At least that’s how I feel. Vision Research is a company that started out with high-speed cameras for military testing and analysing car-crash impacts, only to later turn its eye to the film industry with its revolutionary tech. In 2014, Vision Research introduced the mind-blowing Phantom Flex 4K camera, capable of 1000 frames-per-second at full 4K DCI resolution, in what many would consider the best quality 4K RAW compared to RED and even ARRI. Last year, Vision Research introduced the VEO line, a more compact version of their film industry cameras that continue the trend set by the ARRI Mini and RED – that smaller is better. Less weight and a more compact design mean more possibilities, such as the use of stabilisation platforms and even UAV. In comparison, the Phantom Flex 4K body weighs an incredible 5kg without ANYTHING on it. Add a lens, follow focus, rods, viewfinder, batteries, monitor and you can easily accumulate a weight that not many gimbals can handle. Phantom VEO4K-PL VEO4K‐PL is available with either 36 GB or 72 GB of RAM, and includes SDI and HDMI video outputs, as well as a PL mount and OLPF with the black housing. Otherwise, there are two performance levels. The 590S and L models go 500 fps at 4K, with the 4K-PL going all the way up to 1000 fps. Previous VEO models were inferior in terms of image quality compared to their bigger cousins. However, the frame rate and overall image specs on the PL model is currently the same as the Flex4K‐GS.  Supported Video formats and Anamorphic De-Squeeze 720P, 1080i, 1080p and 1080psf formats are all available up to 60 Hz. There is no 4K video from the camera body. The VEO4K also does NOT support dual‐HDSDI. All video outputs are identical. Currently, anamorphic de-squeeze is not supported, but will be available at certain resolutions in future firmware updates. Limitations compared to Phantom Flex 4K The big difference is CineMag support – a medium much faster than CFast. As with other VEO-S models, CFast has the limitation of having to write to RAM first and then transfer to flash. There is no Run/Stop mode, and neither is there ANY video playback from CFast, as this only works from the RAM. There is currently also NO support for ProRes. Other differences are the 4K video outputs, slightly lower RAM and integrated power outputs for camera accessories. Tip before you spend your money: 10Gb Ethernet The VEO currently does NOT have 10GB Ethernet. The CineRaw files are saved onto CFast cards, which only have a download rate of 90MB/s. Every DIT that has worked with CineRAW files knows that this is what will kill production workflow. With datarates well exceeding 800mb/s, you will fill up 64GB with a 5 second shot at 1000fps.  Vision Research do give you the option to include 10GB Ethernet called “VRI‐VEO‐10G‐OPT” to your camera order. They will be offering a promotion that includes the 10G option for free for orders received up to December 15th 2017, after which the price will go up to $3000. Even with the promotion, be sure to add the line item to the quote at 0$ to ensure it is installed in the factory. Technical Specs 35mm 9.4-megapixel sensor Global shutter, switchable to rolling shutter for increased dynamic range 4K-990 models capture up to 938 fps at 4096 x 2304; 1000 fps at 4096 x 2160; 1975 fps at 2048 x 1080 10Gb Ethernet option for optimized workflow Size: 5 x 5.5 x 6” (12.7 x 14 x 15.2 cm); 6.0 lbs (2.8 kg) HDMI and 3G-SDI video outputs VEO4K-S and PL models include CFast, on-camera controls and secondary battery input for portability Pricing and Shipment The price is currently situated around the $60,000-and-above mark. Shipments are expected to begin 4‐6 weeks from today, however some shipments will be possible before the end of September. What do you think of the new Phantom VEO4K camera? Do you believe its smaller compact size can be used in more shooting environments? Please let us know in the comments below.

Vision Research has just introduced its newest flagship model, the Phantom VEO 4K PL, as well as the Phantom VEO 590S and VEO590L. How do these newly-introduced cameras compare to other models? Will the camera break my bank? We have the answers for you below. What is the Phantom VEO line? They say that when you touch a Phantom camera you go straight to heaven. At least that’s how I feel. Vision Research is a company that started out with high-speed cameras for military testing and analysing car-crash impacts, only to later turn its eye to the film industry with its revolutionary tech. In 2014, Vision Research introduced the mind-blowing Phantom Flex 4K camera, capable of 1000 frames-per-second at full 4K DCI resolution, in what many would consider the best quality 4K RAW compared to RED and even ARRI. Last year, Vision Research introduced the VEO line, a more compact version of their film industry cameras that continue the trend set by the ARRI Mini and RED – that smaller is better. Less weight and a more compact design mean more possibilities, such as the use of stabilisation platforms and even UAV. In comparison, the Phantom Flex 4K body weighs an incredible 5kg without ANYTHING on it. Add a lens, follow focus, rods, viewfinder, batteries, monitor and you can easily accumulate a weight that not many gimbals can handle. Phantom VEO4K-PL and Phantom VEO590S and L VEO4K‐PL is available with either 36 GB or 72 GB of RAM, and includes SDI and HDMI video outputs, as well as a PL mount and OLPF with the black housing. Otherwise, there are two performance levels. The 590S and L models go 500 fps at 4K, with the 4K-PL going all the way up to 1000 fps. Previous VEO models were inferior in terms of image quality compared to their bigger cousins. However, the frame rate and overall image specs on the 590 and PL models are currently the same as the Flex4K‐GS.  There is no remarkable physical difference between the two models. The back of the cameras are identical, however the front housing of the VEO 4K-PL is slightly longer and uses a larger V‐ series lens mount in order to accommodate the 4K sensor. The Canon mount is the same as that on the Flex4K, with the addition of a small plug adapter. A new C‐mount was designed to accommodate this camera as the VEO4K is not compatible with our other C‐mounts. Supported Video formats and Anamorphic De-Squeeze 720P, 1080i, 1080p and 1080psf formats are all available up to 60 Hz. There is no 4K video from the camera body. The VEO4K also does NOT support dual‐HDSDI. All video outputs are identical. Currently, anamorphic de-squeeze is not supported, but will be available at certain resolutions in future firmware updates. Limitations compared to Phantom Flex 4K The big difference is CineMag support – a medium much faster than CFast. As with other VEO-S models, CFast has the limitation of having to write to RAM first and then transfer to flash. There is no Run/Stop mode, and neither is there ANY video playback from CFast, as this only works from the RAM. There is currently also NO support for ProRes. Other differences are the 4K video outputs, slightly lower RAM and integrated power outputs for camera accessories. Tip before you spend your money: 10Gb Ethernet The VEO currently does NOT have 10GB Ethernet. The CineRaw files are saved onto CFast cards, which only have a download rate of 90MB/s. Every DIT that has worked with CineRAW files knows that this is what will kill production workflow. With datarates well exceeding 800mb/s, you will fill up 64GB with a 5 second shot at 1000fps.  Vision Research do give you the option to include 10GB Ethernet called “VRI‐VEO‐10G‐OPT” to your camera order. They will be offering a promotion that includes the 10G option for free for orders received up to December 15th 2017, after which the price will go up to $3000. Even with the promotion, be sure to add the line item to the quote at 0$ to ensure it is installed in the factory. Technical Specs 35mm 9.4-megapixel sensor Global shutter, switchable to rolling shutter for increased dynamic range 4K-990 models capture up to 938 fps at 4096 x 2304; 1000 fps at 4096 x 2160; 1975 fps at 2048 x 1080 10Gb Ethernet option for optimized workflow Size: 5 x 5.5 x 6” (12.7 x 14 x 15.2 cm); 6.0 lbs (2.8 kg) HDMI and 3G-SDI video outputs VEO4K-S and PL models include CFast, on-camera controls and secondary battery input for portability Pricing and Shipment The price is currently situated around the $60,000-and-above mark. Shipments are expected to begin 4‐6 weeks from today, however some shipments will be possible before the end of September. What do you think of the new Phantom VEO4K camera? Do you believe its smaller compact size can be used in more shooting environments? Please let us know in the comments below.

DJI has announced a few updates to some of the drones in its prosumer tier, including the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum. DJI has made a number of small announcements at the IFA 2017 consumer electronics exhibition in Berlin, all of which revolve around lower three tiers in their line-up of drones. DJI Mavic Pro Platinum Perhaps the most significant of these announcements the new premium version of their popular entry-level compact drone. The DJI Mavic Pro Platinum features a couple of nice improvements over the standard Mavic Pro, the first of which is an 11% boost in battery life, bringing up to 30 mins. This premium version of the Mavic also features new speed controllers which, in addition to the new 8331 propellers, contribute to up to 60% noise power reduction of up to 4db. This noise reduction will work across all of the Mavic’s flight modes, and the new propellers will also be compatible with the regular version of the Mavic Pro. This new version features a platinum-coloured shell, and will go for $1,099, or $100 over the standard Mavic Pro. Pre-ordering is available from the links below. DJI Spark’s Sphere Mode and DJI Phantom Pro Obsidian The tiny DJI Spark also got a new feature. The new Sphere Mode is a variation of the Photo Panoramic mode that allows users to take a fisheye panoramic image. This new function, which adds to the various improvements that the Spark received recently, requires updating the DJI GO 4 app as well as the drone’s firmware itself. DJI Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian Finally, the Phantom 4 Pro drone gets a sleek new paint job. The DJI Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian comes in a matte-grey magnesium finish that is electroplated and anti-fingerprint, and requires a higher standard of manufacturing technique according to the manufacturer. The Obsidian edition offers no technical improvements over the regular model, but if looks are important to you, then you now have another option. Looking to buy a Mavic Pro? Do the new features of the Platinum version justify the slight price bump? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

This may be old news, but you’ve got to admit that the drone sweater is a timeless gem. Some people color or paint their drones. And if you are looking to give your drone that personal touch too, why not go for a sweater by San Francisco-based artist Danielle Baskin? IBC, one of the largest technology and media shows, is only 3 weeks away. Understandably, the camera news world has fallen quiet as many companies are holding back with their announcements of new filmmaking gear. We expect a lot of announcements – also by drone manufacturers, by the way – and we will give you full coverage, right here on cinema5D. To kill some time in the meantime, I took a stroll around the web and came across the drone sweater that many of you might not yet be familiar with. “Is this legitimate?”, you might ask. When reached for comment, Danielle Baskin, the artist behind the drone sweater, told The Verge: “It started as a joke / art piece, but actually drone-owners in cold climates have told me that their drones have problems with their battery life during the winter. I was thinking that I should add pockets to the sweaters that can hold portable heaters or make the sweater electric so it keeps the drone at a warmer temperature, and actually this would be useful, if not just for novelty.” She also pointed out that some people are afraid of drones and a sweater might make a drone look less “cold” to them in the other sense of the word. Drone Sweater on what looks like a DJI Phantom 2 This may be a joke and make no sense to anyone who understand physics, given that a drone sweater will not keep their batteries warm at all. Regardless, this might actually be the perfect birthday present for that drone geek friend of yours. Granted, at $189 it is not a particularly affordable piece of unnecessary drone gear. But for some, it might just give them joy every time they fly. You can get a drone sweater at dronesweaters.com via The Verge  

EDIT: DJI Spark drone was launched. Read all about it here: LINK On May 24th, DJI will hold a VIP event in New York releasing a new mini drone. With a brand-new promotional video out and about, it is for certain that we will see something along the lines of a DJI Mavic “mini-me”. DJI have been keeping the pressure on in the drone market. After a tumultuous start, GoPro are back on sale with GoPro Karma, so the market for “put your drone in a backpack and off you go” is becoming more populated with a huge audience on the other end. With the recent release of the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced at NAB just a few weeks ago, they obviously had a top secret plan up their sleeves to woe us all. Have a look at their promotional video below and gaze in awe how a drone can fly easily through canyons and through a library. As the saying goes “size doesn’t matter”, and the new mini drone – called “DJI Spark” according to several rumor sites – will surely live up to that. Based on what we have learned, this drone will be the mini-me counterpart to DJI Mavic. One of the titles that come up in their promotional video stood out of all of them. The word “Size” transforms into “Seize” and continues into “seize the moment”. “S(e)ize the moment” – May 24th Promotional Video Based on the video DJI have released, the new mini drone seems to fit in a small backpack or purse. It therefore must be an incredibly small drone that can fly through caves, canyons, poles and even indoors through a stack of books in a library. Screenshot of DJI Spark promotional video, showcasing its size when flying through a stack of books in a library Having seen the library shot, I would suspect it to still be fuelled with incredible features that we all know and have come to appreciate from DJI drone products. Coupled with DJI Goggles, this drone will surely create a new field of possibilities for DJI lovers. The DJI event will take place on May 24th 2017. cinema5D has been invited and will keep you up-to-date as we learn more about the new release. Stay tuned. DJI Firmware Update Alert In other news, it seems that unfortunately DJI is forcing a firmware upgrade on their users. DJI will soon introduce a new application activation process for international customers. This new step, to take effect at the end of next week, ensures you will use the correct set of geospatial information and flight functions for your aircraft, as determined by your geographical location and user profile. If this activation process is not performed, the aircraft will not have access to the correct geospatial information and flight functions for that region, and its operations will be restricted if you update the upcoming firmware: Live camera streaming will be disabled, and flight will be limited to a 50-meter (164-foot) radius up to 30 meters (98 feet) high.

At NAB we took a closer look at the new Sound Devices MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 audio recorders that double as a usb-interface and bring pro audio to DSLR shooters. The MixPre Series in fact is Sound Devices’ first foray into the DSLR market. Small camera manufacturers tend to treat audio as a bit of an afterthought, but the MixPre promises to solve that with 8 tracks, WAV Poly format recording, high-quality preamps and a maximum sampling rate of 192kHz (MixPre-6). All the details and a full spec comparison below. Sound Devices MixPre Audio Recorders We originally reported on this announcement just before NAB, but thought we would visit the folks over at the Sound Devices booth to take a closer look at their new MixPre Series. Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder Designed with small cameras such as the Panasonic GH5 or Sony a7S II in mind, both the Sound Devices MixPre-3 and Sound Devices MixPre-6 have Class-A mic preamps created by Sound Devices engineers. You can also feed timecode using the 3.5mm Aux/Mic in port, making it useful for professional productions where multiple cameras are in play. Here is the intro video to the Sound Devices MixPre series: The Sound Devices MixPre-6 is the larger of the two and features 6 inputs/8 tracks that can record to SD, SDHC or SDXC cards in WAV Poly. The base model (MixPre-3) has 3 inputs/5 tracks and a maximum sampling rate of 96kHZ, versus 192kHz for the larger model. You can power the Sound Devices MixPre series audio recorders a variety of ways: directly from a wall, AAs, via USB, or via a Sony L-Series lithium ion battery. Both models can accept a sled for either 4 or 8 AAs (not included), giving you numerous options when it comes to powering the devices. Below is a full comparison chat from Sound Devices that lays out all of the features in the Sound Devices MixPre-6 and Sound Devices MixPre-3: What do you think? Will the MixPre Series find its way into your kit for your next DSLR production? Let us know below!

A Drone Launch Pad? When we saw this on the NAB 2017 show floor, we just had to cover it. What an interesting, awkward and still potentially useful product idea. For most of us, this might seem like unnecessary bulk for your drone shoot, but Bob Schmidt from Hoodman thinks otherwise. Let him run you through the benefits of the Hoodman HDLP. Hoodman HDLP – Drone Launch Pad The idea of a glowing drone launch pad may seem funny at first, but after hearing about what the Hoodman HDLP can do for drone shooters, I’m not so sure that my initial reaction is fully justified anymore. I’ve done a lot of drone shoots (see my Master Drone Footage Tutorial Series Here) and I remember several situations when the grass was too high too take off and it needed to be cut in order to establish an acceptable home point. Concerning dust, I’ve had lenses get dirty too, which could be due to a dusty takeoff site, though I can’t be sure. The red and contrasty design on this drone launch pad might help finding my home point on the sunlit screen of my drone remote, and its glowing ring could be helpful when planning to fly at night. The Hoodman HDLP might not be what one would call a must-have for your drone shoot, but it could certainly help make some aspects of your professional shoot more professional. The design is not as trendy as could be, but there is certainly a practical idea behind it. The Hoodman HDLP is available now. The price of $60 for the small one seems OK, but $400 for the large pad seems like a bit of a stretch. Bear in mind: the glowing ring is an optional add-on.  Here’s a tutorial video that lets you see the Hoodman HDLP Drone Launch Pad in action: What do you think? Best idea ever? Or do you have a better way to spend $60? Let us know in the comments!

HOT OFF THE PRESS: DJI has just announced a new drone! The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced brings incredible upgrades to their mid-level drone series, such as 4K at 60fps, a mechanical shutter, and an all-new screen built into the controller. Here are the specifics in detail. DJI is like a gift that keeps on coming. It is difficult to keep up with them, as new drones seem to pop out of nowhere. However, it’s likely you won’t be disappointed with what the new DJI Phantom 4 Advanced has to offer. Mainly an update to the existing DJI Phantom 4 base model, it shares some of the features found in the DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone. DJI Phantom 4 Advanced – Camera The new DJI Phantom 4 Advanced model has a 1-inch, 20-megapixel sensor and a mechanical shutter. This upgraded camera is capable of shooting H.264 4K video at 60 frames per second, as well as supporting H.265 4K at 30fps, both with a 100Mbps bitrate. DJI claim that the improvements in optical performance, sensors and processors ensure a higher dynamic range and more image detail. Flight Modes and Sensors As with the DJI Phantom 4 Pro, the Advanced comes with many key intelligent features that allow smooth automatic flight modes. These include Draw, ActiveTrack, TapFly, Gesture and Tripod modes. The Phantom 4 Advanced is also equipped with the FlightAutonomy system, which is made up of five vision sensors, a forward-facing obstacle avoidance system, dual-band satellite positioning (GPS and GLONASS), and ultrasonic rangefinders. This allows the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced to hover precisely in places without GPS and to fly in complex environments. Built-In Screen and More The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced also allows for more storage capacity using a 128GB microSD card. The flight time has also been extended to up to 30 minutes. For a slight increase in price from the regular Advanced model, the Phantom 4 Advanced+ version offers a 5.5-inch 1080p screen integrated into the controller. The built-in display device is based on an Android system with 4 GB RAM and, according to DJI, the screen is twice as bright as conventional smart devices. According to DJI, the introduction of the Phantom 4 Advanced means that as of 30th April 2017 the Phantom 4 model will no longer be available. However, DJI will continue to provide after-sales support to Phantom 4 customers. DJI Phantom 4 Advanced – Tech Specs: Sensor: 1’’ CMOS, Effective pixels: 20M Lens: 24mm (35mm format equivalent). f/2.8 – f/11, with auto focus at 1 m – ∞ ISO Range: 100 – 6400 (Manual) Video Recording (h.265): C4K:4096×2160 24/25/30p @100Mbps 4K:3840×2160 24/25/30p @100Mbps 2.7K:2720×1530 24/25/30p @65Mbps 2.7K:2720×1530 48/50/60p @80Mbps FHD:1920×1080 24/25/30p @50Mbps FHD:1920×1080 48/50/60p @65Mbps FHD:1920×1080 120p @100Mbps Video Recording (h.264): C4K:4096×2160 24/25/30/48/50/60p @100Mbps 4K:3840×2160 24/25/30/48/50/60p @100Mbps 2.7K:2720×1530 24/25/30p @80Mbps 2.7K:2720×1530 48/50/60p @100Mbps FHD:1920×1080 24/25/30p @60Mbps FHD:1920×1080 48/50/60 @80Mbps FHD:1920×1080 120p @100Mbps Fore more details on specs, please visit the DJI website here. Pricing for the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced will be $1,349, with the Advanced+ version going for $1,649. Both models will be available as of April 30 2017. What do you think about the newly-updated DJI Phantom 4 Advanced? Would you choose it over the DJI Phantom Pro? Please let us know in the comments below.