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Filed under: NAB 09 •Production •

NAB 2009 Impressions

2009 was almost the first NAB’s I’ve missed in a decade. In the fall, I looked at my schedule and declining conventions and wasn’t sure if I was even going to go. Interestingly enough, this year’s show actually turned out to be one of the most useful and interesting years in recent memory. For me, it was not about big news items but, rather, many small revolutions that, as an aggregate, were very exciting. In this article, I will cover the trends that seemed to emerge and the products that caught my eye.

Trends - Here are some of the trends that seemed to permeate the floor…

Still and Video Convergence - When you see Canon and others putting still cameras front and center at a largely video show… you get the idea that something is afoot. Still imaging has been slowly building in consumer cameras but more and more Pros are getting exciting about still cameras shooting video. Why?

Two reasons primarily:

1) Sensor size - Normally resigned to tiny imaging chips, many filmmakers are excited about the beautiful short depth of field afforded them through large sensor sizes. Coupled with cheap, high- quality lenses - the result are images that we normally only see in the film world. The output is, as many point out, marred by limited camera control and warping due to the rolling shutter…that said, it looks fantastic in many situations.

2) Two for one - For news reporters (especially those charged with B-roll acquisiton) – the idea of a great still camera coupled with even reasonably good video shrinks budging camera bags already stretched to fit “new media”. A surprising number still photographers roamed the halls uncomfortably trying to figure out where they fit into this new food change while others excitedly outfitted their new toys to look more like a classic 16mm film camera than an SLR.

In the end, it is apparent that within a year, maybe two…it will be very hard to buy a new SLR camera that doesn’t shoot video. As still photographers flood into the video market…the “look” of web and tv production is most likely going to take on a much more classic look. Exciting times for many…in the Chinese curse sort of way for some.

3D - If you’ve missed the memo…3D is a big deal and apparently getting bigger by the minute. Whether it’s colored glasses, polarized glasses or no glasses at all…everyone seems to be jumping into the mix. While tried and true methods (color and polarization) are being to mature into something beyond the experimental, many are trying to eliminate the need for any apparatus. Early attempts look more like early LCD screens (like early 90s versions) rather than something really watching. But…5 years from now…some of these may be usable in limited situations.

Viewing is, of course, only half the challenge. Getting two cameras close enough together to achieve the proper separation is also something many are tackling. From Mirrors to matching Red scarlets to custom cameras from Panasonic, many are trying to make 3D acquisition as smooth as standard shooting…though we’re probably still years from that goal.

High Resolution - While resolution has begun to give way to sensor sensitivity in the still camera world, image size still matters in the film world. Red’s 3k, 6k and even 28k sensors are breathing down everyone’s neck as projector companies show more and more 4k options…and above (there was a booth showing 8k projected images  which, in reality…hurt my eyes).

We can be fairly clear that SD is all-but-dead at this point…which is too bad since we’ve just finally figured out the proper resolution to use (see Chris Meyer’s excellent notes on this). For TV, we seem to be moving quickly to a 1920x1080 square pixel world (and slowly towards progressive scan).  Film is moving towards the larger 4k standard. To be honest, I’m not sure it’s not a case of diminishing returns. 4K is overkill for all but Imax, in my opinion.

Phantom Companies - While many of the excitement followed the companies that came…attention was also drawn by the companies that didn’t. Notably, Apple and Red did not field booths this year but through meetings, partnerships and promotions…they were definitely well represented. This is a testament to good marketing strategy and unconventional approaches these shows.

LED - Whether production is looking to be cooler, greener, or just efficient… the move to LED lighting became more apparent than ever. It wasn’t just new products but also the basic use of LEDs at many goods as simply a matter of course. The prices are still very high per lumen but they are beginning to drop and the ability to control color…and lower infrastructure requirements are tempting.

SD Card Storage - OK, SD isn’t new. What is new is shooting directly to SD cards in prosumer cameras. JVC HM-100 and 700 began to present the question “why are paying premium dollars for proprietary storage when we can get SD cards that are fast enough for 1/8 the price. As adapter cards for SxS cards roll out and JVCs direct attack continue…it looks like we may get to enjoy the efficiencies of mass production, for once.

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Just a quick note. The JVC HM100 sports 1/4” CCDs not 1/3”. Unfortunate for sure.

-gl

Posted by gloch  on  05/11  at  11:20 PM

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Awesome read men! I think every reason that are you give in this post totally perfect for getting exciting about still cameras shooting video. Thanks!

Posted by Rosshanry  on  03/15  at  08:36 AM

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