Every year’s NAB Show somehow seems bigger than the last, with more gear, media, and technology to gawk at than ever. As always, Pond5 was on the ground in Vegas last month, along with the tens of thousands of other broadcast and media professionals soaking in the activity of the most well-known event of its kind. Of course, it was almost impossible to see everything we wanted to see and meet everyone we wanted to meet, but when it came to gear, at least, there were a few things that really stood out. Below, check out our top picks from NAB 2017 — some more affordable than others — but all very much worth looking into.
Canon Log
In one of the most exciting DSLR announcements at this year’s event, Canon introduced Canon C-Log. Now you can shoot video on your Canon 5D mark IV DSLR camera with increased latitude and minimal losses in highlights and shadows. The upgrade will cost $99, but you’ll have to send your mark IV to the Canon factory for installation. Canon will also be selling 5D mark IVs new with C-Log installed and the $99 upgrade factored into the sale price.
Core SWX Fleet Micro Charger
As of last April, standalone lithium ion batteries (UN 3480) can only be shipped by air with a state of charge of 30% or less. In response to this regulation, Core SWX has developed some very cool airline compliant batteries. The Fleet Micro chargers include a “SafeFly” mode — with one touch of the onboard button console, the charger will either charge the connected packs to up to 30% or discharge to under 30%, depending on the state of charge of those connected. The one-touch operation allows you to quickly prepare all packs for air travel or shipment. You’ll have TSA-compliant batteries charged to their maximum capacity of 30%, which comes in handy if you have to start shooting immediately upon arrival without time to charge your batteries.
Jaunt ONE
The VR space is ever-expanding, and this high-end VR camera seems to match up with the best of them. Following more than two years of intensive research and development, the Jaunt ONE features custom optics and high-quality, 360-degree capture. By combining images from a total of 24 2K imager modules, the camera system yields a coverage area of 360 x 110 degrees. It’s also capable of recording in several frame rates, including 25p, 29.97p, 50p, 59.94p, and 120p. During post, you can stitch the separate images and render using Jaunt Cloud Services, which supports transcoding to a variety of widely supported spherical VR formats.
DJI Ronin 2
DJI have outdone themselves again with the release of the Ronin 2, a massive update to their popular 3-axis camera stabilizer. The larger, single carbon-fiber ring structure provides excellent support for cameras up to 30 lbs, and the internal cabling for data, power, and SDI signals means less cable wrangling. It’s a robust and professional grade stabilization system. The Ronin 2 will be available in June.
Google Jump/YI HALO
Jump is Google’s professional VR system. Jump cameras are designed to work with the Jump Assembler to enable seamless VR video production and automated stitching. The Jump platform has been around since 2015, but they just released their next generation Jump camera, the YI HALO, in partnership with YI Technology. It’s made up of of 17 unit cameras, simultaneously recording stereoscopic video in 8K resolution at 30 frames per second, or 5.8K at 60 frames per second. Automated stitching works extremely well and creates a seamless experience, with very little manual editing required. The HALO will be available later this summer, but you can register your interest now.
Syrp Genie II
We’ve been fans of New Zealand based Syrp for a while now, so we were excited to see them introduce the Genie II motion-stabilizing system. The Genie is already loved by many as one of the most advanced and versatile solutions for timelapse and real-time video recording. The slider-mounted Genie II is the next evolution, with even longer battery life then its predecessor. The Genie II is also much quieter and stronger, and most importantly, can be mounted on any type of slider or DIY gear.
ARRI TRINITY System
ARRI is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, and the German cinema-camera manufacturer had a few exciting announcements. Our focus was definitely on their flagship TRINITY system — a state-of-the-art 5-axis stabilizer able to carry 66 lbs by evenly distributing the camera body and lens weights. TRINITY combines 32-bit ARM-based gimbal technology with mechanical stabilizing to create perfectly smooth and fluid support, even for cameras like the ALEXA 65.
DJI Goggles
DJI makes the list yet again for its new FPV Goggles. An 85-degree field of vision with 3840 x 1080 resolution gives you a fully immersive experience. FPV goggles traditionally sacrifice latency for video quality, but using their OcuSync technology, DJI goggles don’t need to compromise. The patented transmission system allows the goggles to receive long-range 720P 60fps video, and in close range, 1080P 30 video, for an unparalleled flight experience. These will be available at the end of May for $449.
Will you be buying anything on this list? What other new gear releases are you excited about? Tell us in the comments!