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NAB 2019 Predictions and Wishes


currensheldon
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We're just a couple months away from what I think will be a pretty big announcement period for cinema cameras. 2018 was a very slow year for cinema cameras (but boat loads of mirrorless cameras), but I think NAB 2019 could kick off a healthy string of announcements. 

I'm curious what most people are excited about seeing or are hoping they see. 

Here are my big wishes:

Canon C100 Mark III or XC-Style RF Mount Camera
There has been some rumors about a XC-like Super35mm ILC camera and, with the new RF mount, this would be a good chance to see it released (especially after the crippled video specs of Canon's first two mirrorless cameras). I think this might just go ahead and replace the C100-line. For it to be worth it, would have to have the Netflix-approved/broadcast ready specs of 10-bit 422, so I think it will have:
- 4K 30fps at 10-bit 422 and 4k 60fps at 8-bit 420. 
- 120fps in HD
- RF Mount
- Internal NDs and XLRs

Perhaps in the $4,500 - $6k range. 

Guess we could also see the C300 Mark III with optional 8K recording upgrade in the future. Would probably also have to add internal 4K Canon Raw Lite, 120fps in 4K, and a less terrible form factor of the Mark II (camera tower!). A C200 body would be great. 

I would also love to see Canon add some more compression ratios to their raw codec. I think the C200 is around 3:1 or 4:1, so an 8:1 and 12:1 option would be great to have as well. 

---

Fuji Super35mm Cinema Camera
The camera I'm hoping for most is a small cinema camera from FUJI packed full of X-T3 specs, internal NDs, XLRs, and the IBIS of the X-H1. With their lineup of Super35mm lenses, I think Fuji would really crush it in the small $4 - $7k cinema camera space. They also seem to be focusing much more on video and the X-T3 and X-H1 would be great B-Cams/Gimbal cams.

Also wouldn't be surprised if we saw an update to the X-H1 since it was so quickly surpassed in video specs by the X-T3. If so, then they should go for a bigger battery and maybe something revolutionary on a mirrorless camera like internal NDs

--
Black Magic Ursa Mini Pro 6k
I think this would be similar but with a new 6k+ sensor, BM raw, and perhaps a more compact form factor. 

Video Assist 2.0 - Blackmagic seems to be going for an end-to-end model and they could really help themselves by releasing an external 4K recorder that records Black Magic Raw but can be used with any camera that can output raw. In my opinion, Black Magic Raw is the most enticing compressed raw format announced recently. For many project Canon's CRL and ProRes Raw still have giant file sizes, whereas Black Magic Raw has 8:1 and 12:1 options that would be great for doc work and take up less space than ProRes LT. Then throw BM Raw into DaVinci for edit and grade. 

--
Panasonic EVA-2 (L Mount)
Panasonic made some big mistakes with the EVA-1, which is an otherwise fantastic camera. The screen was unusable, the EF Mount not adaptable and no differentiation from Canon in the mount space, the audio controls were terrible... but the image, dual ISO, and CODECS!! were amazing. So, they just need to make some basic updates, put the main audio controls on the body (not in the menu), make a few areas less flimsy (audio knobs), make a great screen, and throw the L-Mount on there and they'd be good to go. 

--
Not sure we'll see much from Sony, but the Mark II versions of the FS7 and FS5 were so underwhelming that maybe they'll push a new FS7 out with 120fps in 4K, 6k+ sensor, or raw internal recording. 

Those are my biggest wishes and since I'm still in a bit of a camera flux, what actually does happen may direct me to what camera company I use for the next 3-4 years. Hoping most for the success of Canon or Fuji (my favorite images in the business), but we'll see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EOSHD Pro Color 5 for Sony cameras EOSHD Z LOG for Nikon CamerasEOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs

My wish is a Canon XC body (or EOS R body) style with 4K60p, DPAF and FF sensor. But I can dream for this one.

Second wish is A7SIII with real time tracking AF, 4K60p 10 bit FF and 24-36mpx sensor. Would be an absolute killer with the Tamron 28-75mm and the upcoming Tamron 17-28 2.8 (announced this week). 

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6 hours ago, currensheldon said:

 

Canon C100 Mark III or XC-Style RF Mount Camera
There has been some rumors about a XC-like Super35mm ILC camera and, with the new RF mount, this would be a good chance to see it released (especially after the crippled video specs of Canon's first two mirrorless cameras). I think this might just go ahead and replace the C100-line. For it to be worth it, would have to have the Netflix-approved/broadcast ready specs of 10-bit 422, so I think it will have:
- 4K 30fps at 10-bit 422 and 4k 60fps at 8-bit 420. 
- 120fps in HD
- RF Mount
- Internal NDs and XLRs

Perhaps in the $4,500 - $6k range

Won't happen. 

If a C100mk3 gets announced in 2019, it will still have an EF mount, and it will be similar to a C200 but without any raw option what so ever 

 

 

6 hours ago, currensheldon said:

Fuji Super35mm Cinema Camera
The camera I'm hoping for most is a small cinema camera from FUJI packed full of X-T3 specs, internal NDs, XLRs, and the IBIS of the X-H1. With their lineup of Super35mm lenses, I think Fuji would really crush it in the small $4 - $7k cinema camera space. They also seem to be focusing much more on video and the X-T3 and X-H1 would be great B-Cams/Gimbal cams.

Also wouldn't be surprised if we saw an update to the X-H1 since it was so quickly surpassed in video specs by the X-T3. If so, then they should go for a bigger battery and maybe something revolutionary on a mirrorless camera like internal NDs
 

 

A Fujifilm cinema camera would be the dream, especially as they've had a close connection with the cinema world for years with their range of cinema lenses,  and their recent push with high performing mirrorless cameras. 

 

But I'd only rate this as a dark horse probability. 

 

Not impossible, but unlikely. 

 

6 hours ago, currensheldon said:

Panasonic EVA-2 (L Mount)
Panasonic made some big mistakes with the EVA-1, which is an otherwise fantastic camera. The screen was unusable, the EF Mount not adaptable and no differentiation from Canon in the mount space, the audio controls were terrible... but the image, dual ISO, and CODECS!! were amazing. So, they just need to make some basic updates, put the main audio controls on the body (not in the menu), make a few areas less flimsy (audio knobs), make a great screen, and throw the L-Mount on there and they'd be good to go. 

 

They don't even have to risk it by going with the brand new L Mount alliance! 

Simply an identical Panasonic EVA1 but with a MFT mount (like the JVC LS300) would be welcomed by many people 

4 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

arri micro at 10K.

Many years ago there was talk about ARRI making a special camera only for educational institutions, at a much lower than normal price, but only 720P

2 hours ago, thebrothersthre3 said:

I might be on board if they did a S35 sensor, that might be the bees knees. 

The Z Cam E2 shares the GH5S sensor which is already a little larger than normal for MFT

 

 

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1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Won't happen. 

If a C100mk3 gets announced in 2019, it will still have an EF mount, and it will be similar to a C200 but without any raw option what so ever 

Yea I think we'll see a C300 Mark III before we see anything in the C100/XC-RF range. But I do feel like Canon would do really well to put out a documentary/journalism camera in the $5-$6k range, but to do that it would HAVE to have what many outlets require now (10-bit 422 4K), even just at 24-30fps. Their lineup should be C300 for 6-8k raw plus higher frame rates for cinema and high-end jobs, C200 for low cost raw but not an every day workhorse, and a C100 for the solo-shooter documentary and journalism camera. 

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

A Fujifilm cinema camera would be the dream, especially as they've had a close connection with the cinema world for years with their range of cinema lenses,  and their recent push with high performing mirrorless cameras. 

But I'd only rate this as a dark horse probability. Not impossible, but unlikely. 

 

They don't even have to risk it by going with the brand new L Mount alliance! 

Simply an identical Panasonic EVA1 but with a MFT mount (like the JVC LS300) would be welcomed by many people 

I would say these are two that I'm most excited about (since I'm assuming Canon will let me down). Fuji could do really well since they have no high-end to protect and that amazing lens lineup, film color profiles, and cinema history. 

I would have made the EVA-1 my main camera if it would have had an MFT mount. That camera with a Super35mm sensor + a speedbooster would have been amazing. Add MFT lens support with the JVC LS300's sensor punch-in for small and light options and it would have been great.

--

Maybe it's just me or there are true technical limitations that don't seem like they should be limitations (10-bit 4K, Canon), but it seems like manufacturers have been making some good, but not great cameras for awhile now. A lot of them are close (EVA-1, C200) but are just hindered by a few stupid mistakes or decisions... Just wanting someone to really throw all their muscle behind a small-ish cinema camera and try to go all out - like Fuji did with the X-T3. Surely for another $4,000 they could make a killer mini cinema camera.

 

 

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9 hours ago, currensheldon said:

Maybe it's just me or there are true technical limitations that don't seem like they should be limitations (10-bit 4K, Canon), but it seems like manufacturers have been making some good, but not great cameras for awhile now. A lot of them are close (EVA-1, C200) but are just hindered by a few stupid mistakes or decisions... Just wanting someone to really throw all their muscle behind a small-ish cinema camera and try to go all out - like Fuji did with the X-T3. Surely for another $4,000 they could make a killer mini cinema camera.

I think the DSLR revolution caught most people by surprise, including the manufacturers themselves who mostly added video as a "why not" kind of feature.  Random fact, but SMS messages were originally a technical feature and not designed as a consumer feature, and they only released them because "why not", not anticipating texting or deaf people being able to use telephones for the first time, etc.  

Anyway, because the DSLR manufacturers were in the low margin stills photography business they created technical architectures that had all kinds of limitations that mostly didn't apply to stills photography.  When the revolution hit they start the current race for a video market with legacy architectures and economies of scale that meant that everything was severely restricted.  In a perfect world they would just re-design from the ground up, but that is the main reason that makes cinema cameras expensive, and combined with the lack of demand for video quality in this area of the market I suspect the economics doesn't stack up.  There are additional barriers too, like protecting their cinema camera lines, organisational politics and power broking, and the same lack of vision that meant the DSLR revolution was a surprise in the first place.

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Ideally, a Fuji XH2 which according to my spec would be; updated XH1 to include larger battery, XT3 sensor. Maybe in 2020...

However, right now, they could cease XH1 sales and knock out an XH1S with just the sensor of the XT3. Easily.

 

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