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DJI has announced two new gimbal ready 4K cameras that can be used on existing Inspire1 quadcopters. Unlike the original 4K camera, the X5 and X5R are new 4K Micro Four Third (MFT) interchangeable lens cameras. Even though it appears to be a standard MFT mount, only a few lenses have been announced to be truly compatible. The main difference between the two cameras is that the X5R is capable of shooting 4K RAW.

While I'm already quite happy with the results of the existing Inspire1 camera, the new X5 and X5R are incredibly impressive. DJI has really raised the bar for other companies to follow. Unfortunately the announced pricing is $2199 (X5) and $4999 I feel will keep many from upgrading. But keep in mind DJI has been known to inflate prices when new products are announced, and typically is much less when it finally becomes available. Let's hope they do the same with these new cameras. For more information visit the product pages below.

DJI X5DJI X5R
VIEW-ITEM DJI X5 and X5R RAW Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal

Or you can buy the complete kit with Inspire1 Quadcopter. The new Inspire1 'Pro' comes with the new Zenmuse X5 gimbal for just $4999.

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VIEW-ITEM DJI Inspire1 Pro 4K Mirrorless MFT Zenmuse Gimbal

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The Sony FS7 is a very popular camera system, and now Sony has followed up with a smaller FS5. I'm not a big fan of the samples Sony has on the FS5 right now, but i've included a few sample videos below. I'm sure in the right hands there will be better example footage out soon. Overall quality aside, the new FS5 is more affordable, smaller, more ergonomic, and in many ways offers more features than the FS7.

Just to name a few there is an introduction of 240fps/1080p, a variable electronic ND FIlter, better white balance controls over any other Sony FS camera, both an external monitor and EVF, along with a smooth 2x digital zoom that can be used when working with prime lenses. The camera can also be stripped down to bare body weighing just 1.7lbs for use in small gimbals.

At many of the shows where it was introduced, they mentioned pricing of $6699 (body only) and $7299 (with 18-105 F/4 lens). But according to the listings posted today, the new Sony PXW-FS5 (body only) is just $5599 and $6099 (with lens). Pre-orders are available now via B&H (this is guaranteed to be a sold out camera) Found HERE.

Sony FS5 Camera
VIEW-ITEM Sony PXW-FS5 XDCAM Super 35 Camera System

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This short video shows a very simple way to motorize a tripod track dolly using friction between two wheels. In the video below i've modded the Cinerails Snaptrack kit.

The main parts are a simple DC motor and Speed Controller from Servo City, and small venom 11V 3S Lipo battery. I mounted the Speed Controller up top so I don't need to bend over to change speed or direction. I mounted the motor just over one of the track wheels, and used washers to get the right amount of spacing.

Unfortunately these were spare parts laying around my house, so I don't have the exact part numbers. While I work on getting that together, here's a few links to get you started. I'm sure If you contact ServoCity.com they can probably help you out with an entire kit.

Parts

  • Gear Motors
  • Motor Mounts
  • Wheel Shaft Adapters
  • Motor Speed Controller
  • Venom 11V 3S Lipo Battery Small


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    New DJI Firmware adds additional Intelligent Flight Modes adding more options for better flight, or just making flight easier. Set multiple GPS points for your aircraft to follow, or set a point of interest for your aircraft to circle around. Home Lock sets the orientation of your controls so pulling back will fly your craft directly back to the home point regardless of orientation. Course lock sets the controls so left is always left, and right is always right regardless of the orientation of your aircraft.

    dji firmware upgrades

    DJI is happy to announce the release of Intelligent Flight Modes for the Phantom 3 and Inspire 1. To take advantage of these features, visit your product’s download page at DJI.com, download and install the latest firmware, and update the DJI GO app to the latest version (iOS V2.2.0 and Android V2.1.0 ).

    With this firmware update, the Phantom 3 Advanced will also be upgraded to support 2.7K (2704x1520p30) video recording.

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    dji firmware upgrade intelligent mode

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    Here's a look at the new S1A1 (single axis) Motion Control System that can be added to the iFootage Shark Slider and expand it's functionality. With the S1A1 Motion Control add-on you can now wireless control the movements of the Shark Slider and also program the system for advanced Time Lapse functions.

    To keep this video somewhat short, I'm not going to show you instructions on how to program the S1A1 unit. Instead i'm just showing you some of the features and how it performs. Check out the video below.

    At slow speeds the motor is near silent which means you can use it for live interviews without interfering with audio. If you're looking for that slider shot and work as with a minimal crew, the S1A1 can be programmed to 'loop' and will continuously travel back and forth. If you have specific points along the slider that it needs to travel, you can record your movements and play them back to repeat once, or loop infinitely.

    For advanced timelapse the S1A1 can be peformed to do a slow crawl, or move at set intervals and exposure times. A wireless receiver can also be used to trigger your camera's shutter so that it is in sync with the S1A1 System and does not move during your exposure.

    The menu is a bit confusing (at least it was for me), but once it's been explained, it's pretty easy to navigate. And because that instructional part of the video could be lengthy, i'll post up a separate video on how to enter those features in to the software. If you'd like to find out more about the Shark Slider and the new S1A1 Motion Control System, please visit Camotionllc.com (click here).

    shark slider motion control motorizeds1a1
    Learn-More-sm iFootage Shark Slider + S1A1 Motion Control System

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    Azden recently reached out to me about their new SGM-250 and SGM-250P Shotgun Microphones. Both microphones are said to be 'Handcrafted in Japan' and use the same high quality mic element; the main difference being the SGM-250 runs on battery or phantom power while the SGM-250P runs on phantom power only.

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    Now they've done a pretty good job explaining their new product and really dug into the technical specs of their microphones. They also have some excellent video and sound examples placed on a dedicated page found at https://www.azden.com/sgm-250-sgm-250p.

    I'm not going to do any technical examples, but I did do a simple test that should be fun for you guys to engage with. Azden has designed this microphone to be in the same space as microphones such as the Rode NTG-2 or Sennheiser MKE-600, so here's a basic example of the SGM-250 compared to the Rode NTG-2 Shotgun microphone.

    I thought this would be an interesting test as we all have difference preferences when it comes to sound. Let you guys decide which microphone sounded better, and also to see how many of you can correctly guess which microphone is which. So leave your best guess in the comment section below!

    For more information about the Azden SGM-250 and SGM-250P Shotgun microphones, visit their product page (found here).
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    If you're not familiar with the Zhiyun Z1 GoPro Gimbals, you can take a look at some previous articles here and here. The New Z1 Evolution GoPro Gimbal is pretty much the same gimbal with the same performance, but they've added a few changes to improve over previous models.

    One upgrade is the new bracket design that requires only one set of screws regardless if you have the Gopro Bac-Pac or extra battery mounted or not. The second addition is a 1/4" threaded mount under the handle. This makes it easier to mount to a variety of extension poles, monopods, suction cup car mounts, etc. They've also added an AV output for Xiaomi yi action cameras so you can use an external monitor.

    z1 gimbal evolution

    Z1 Evolution Features:
    Power switch on the side of handle.
    GoPro chargeable directly from gimbal power
    7-12 hours of extended battery life
    Optional external Remote Control
    1/4inch screw port on the bottom.
    Smart design allows mounting camera and back-pac without changing screws.
    Adapt to Xiaomi yi camera. Support for Xiaomi yi camera’s AV output.
    Four-way joystick,adjust the angle at will.
    Special 3.5mm headphone jack to output AV signal for external monitor screen

    Functions
    - Heading Following Mode - Pitch and roll locking, smooth heading rotation that follows the direction of the gimbal handle.
    - Heading and Pitch Following Mode - Roll locking , smooth heading and pitch rotation that follows the direction of the gimbal handle.
    - Locking Mode - Heading, pitch, and roll locking.

    Zhiyun Z1 Evolution GoPro Gimbalz1 evolution gopro gimbal
    find-price-button Zhiyun Z1 Evolution 3-Axis Handheld GoPro Gimbal

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    I just received the new Rokinon XEEN Cinema Prime Lenses this morning. Very smooth focus and iris gears along with nice build quality. Not as heavy as I thought it would be. The 85mm is just a few ounces heavier than Canon's 85mm F/1.2L II.

    Rokinon XEEN Cine Prime Lenses

    Since I also have a Rokinon 85mm Cine, I decided to do a quick test. Nothing technical, just a side by side comparison between the common Rokinon 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens (non DS) vs the new Rokinon XEEN 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens. These tests were performed at ISO 800 on the A7RII in SLOG at 1080p.

    Under the same conditions the new XEEN lens has better color, contrast, and sharpness. I even tried stopping down the older Rokinon 85mm Cine as it seemed a bit washed out, but it didn't have much of a difference except to underexpose. I guess this has to be attributed to the new 'Nano Coatings' that are highlighted in the new XEEN specs.

    Now the only flaw with this test is that my Rokinon 85mm Cine is not the 'DS version' which is said to have better coatings than the 'Non DS' version of Rokinon Lenses. A true test would be to compare an actual DS version lens to the new XEEN lens. I'm going to try and get my hands on a set of DS version lenses to see how close they are to the XEEN, and if there's any difference between a DS Lens versus a Non DS Rokinon lens.

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    Rokinon 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens (non DS)

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    Rokinon XEEN 85mm T1.5 Cine Prime

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    Rokinon 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens (non DS)

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    Rokinon XEEN 85mm T1.5 Cine Prime

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    find-price-button Rokinon 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens (non DS)

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    find-price-button Rokinon 85mm T1.5 XEEN Cinema Prime

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    Can't afford the Atomos Shogun 4K HDMI Recorder? There's now a slightly more affordable product recently announced - the Atomos Ninja Assassin 4K HDMI Recorder / Monitor.

    atomos ninja assassin 4k recorder

    It's a slightly stripped down version of the Shogun, and the DVEStore has a fun and informative video with Top 10 Reasons why you'll want your own.

    Click through the banner below for more information about the new Ninja Assassin and the differences between the more expensive Atomos Shogun.

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    Learn-More-sm Atomos Ninja Assassin 4K Recorder / Monitor