F31fd and S5 Pro from Fuji

Today, Fujifilm annouced two new digital cameras. The FinePix F31fd and the FinePix S3 Pro.

FinePix F31fd:
The F31fd is a minor update to the FinePix F30. Nearly everything is the same except for two minor updates: Infrared connectivity and face detection. No the camera cannot see infrared like the S3 Pro UVIR. But it does detect faces in the pictures. It goes all the way up to ISO 3200, just like the F30.

FinePix S5 Pro:
Likely due to the number 4 sounding like the word for death, there was no S4 Pro, as with a great deal of other Japanese, Chinese and Korean products. The S5 Pro has 12.34 million effective pixels. And no it cannot see infrared or ultra violet like the S3 Pro UVIR. I will have more information in later days.

If I had a DSLR, I'd want a camera from Fuji's F series to carry around with me all the time. I will have more info on the F31fd soon. I will also have info on some things that I missed. Such as the update to the Photoshop RAW and the update to FCP, also a few cameras too.

RED ALERT

It appears there was a break-in at the RED office on Saturday night. They stole prototypes, computers and files. Jim Jannard, the company founder said that the RED team would not be slowed down by this incident. I would expect that RED Digital Cinema will be working on heightened security from now until the project is finished. They are offering a fifty thousand dollar reward for "for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those that did this".

Nobody really knows who broke in. Maybe it was a rival company or just somebody anxious to get a RED. Keep in mind, if you hear any unofficial information on the Red One, it is just a prototype. Anyway, I would think that even if they do catch the theif, they will never recover the prototypes.

The North American Sony HVR-V1U

Nearly two weeks ago, at IBC, Sony introduced the HVR-V1E. The HVR-V1E being a 3 CMOS 1080 25p/50i HDV camcorder. It's obvious that it is intended for European use. And yesterday, Sony introduced us to the HVR-V1U.

The HVR-V1U features 1080 24p/30p/60i based HDV recording. The resolution of the CMOS sensors is actualy 960x1080 but the pixels are placed in a diaganol pattern. By placing extra pixels in between the actual pixels, you get a more efficient way of interpolation. The signal is interpolated to 1920x1080, then downsized to 1440x1080 for recording (see here).

While this camera actualy shoots 24p, it records it as 60i by using the 2:3 pulldown. It shows one 24p frame in two 60i fields, then the next 24p frame in the next three 60i fields. With 30p it is much the same way, it records one 30p frame in two 60i fields and then again for the next frame. The 60i actualy is shot in 60i and shows half of one frame in one field, then half of the next frame in the next field, at 60Hz. Now here's how the progressive scan works: If you record 30p it records one half of the frame in one field and the other half of the frame in the next field. The field rate is alway 60Hz. It is much the same way with 24p, only using the 2:3 pulldown.

And finally the HDD recorder. Sony has an optional HDD recorder for the V1U (HVR-DR60). It features a 60GB hard disk, which can hold four and a half hours of HDV or DVCAM video. You can actually use the same batteries that power your camcorder to power your HDD recorder. Files are saved as M2T(HDV) or AVI(DVCAM).

I would really like to get this camera. It is only $4,800. It has all the features I could ever want in a camera that price. It records in 1080i60 HDV, so you can edit in pretty much any NLE.

Olympus E-400

The E-400 offers a 10.0MP DSLR in a smaller and lighter body. Like the Canon EOS 400D, it is small, light, and pixel packed. It also features a Super Sonic Wave Filter to protect against dust. Olympus also makes an underwater case for the E-400, which is waterproof for 40m. And features a 2.5" LCD monitor with 215,000 pixels.

The Olympus E-400 releases in November.

Disney digicams?

Disney announced 3 digital cameras and a camcorder, aimed at kids. It consists of a 3 megapixel Pix Max with a 1.5 inch LCD, a VGA Pix Click with a 1 inch LCD and a video out port, a CIF Pix Micro with an LCD only used for settings and status. The camcorder is the Princess Digital Movie Maker, a 640x480 camcorder that includes editing software.

Pix Max Digital Camera: $79.99
Princess Digital Movie Maker camcorder: $79.99
Pix Click Digital Camera: $49.99
Pix Micro camera: $19.99

I would say that kids would appreciate a 3MP digital camera more than a CIF camera. And parents would too if it's only $79, but $26 more would buy you a Fuji FinePix S3000. A Pix Micro is probably for any 3 year old photo enthusiast

This is a weird move for Disney. But they have made weird products in the past. This will probably make them a lot of money though.

Two prosumer Sony camcorders and Vegas 7

Sony announced at IBC today, two prosumer camcorders and software for editing the video.

HDR-FX7:
A higher end version of the HDR-FX1 of 2004, the FX7 records at the same resolution as the FX1: 1080i. It 3 CMOS sensors, rather than the 3CCD system that the FX1 uses. It has a more powerful zoom of 20x, compared to the 12x of the FX1. Sony decided not to include the CineFrame feature of the FX1, which was used to simulate the look of video shot at 24fps.

HVR-V1E:
A 1080p HDV camcorder from Sony. The HVR-V1E records 1080p25 and 1080i50. It is actually European. As it's frame rates might suggest.

Vegas 7:
And lastly, Sony Vegas 7. Which features AVCHD editing, DVD-R DL support and 5.1 surround sound compatibility

Sony has yet to build an HD 24p prosumer camcorder. Maybe the will announce the HVR-V1U? If they do, it will most likely be 30p. Never the less, I can't wait to see footage from these cameras.

Extremely exciting RED info to come tomorrow!

JVC HDV HDD 3CCD camcorder announced.

I haven't writen anything in a while. Photokina was just too much for me. I'm guessing IBC won't be any better.

JVC announced a new addition to the Everio line of hard disk based camcorders. Their new camcorder records in full 1920x1080 but in interlaced scan. This will be JVC's first consumer HDV camcorder. This camera actually records at a higher resolution than their professional and prosumer camcorders, such as the GY-HD100U, GY HD110U and the GR-HD1, which record in 720p(this one records in 1080i). It is to be released spring of 2007. No word on hard disk space or recording times.

This camera was not announced at IBC.

Great move by JVC. Finally 4 years after developing the HDV format, after the competition nearly killed them do they release a high definition camera that is made for the consumer.