Sticky: Traveling with batteries, Pro Apps Updaters, etc.

• FAA rules on lithium battery transport
• Apple Pro Apps - save those updaters!
• PMW-EX1: XDCAM Transfer 2.5.1 for Mac Released; fixes CLOCK-mode timecode import bug.

RED Day

On Saturday 16 January, RED hosted three open-house sessions in Hollywood, for CML (cinematography mailing list) members, ASC (American Society of Cinematography) members, and for RED ONE owners. I attended the CML session, and here’s a quick writeup on what we learned. [updated 10:15pm PST: M-X performance details]

Update: the “NXCAM Prime” is the Sony HXR-NX5U

Sony officially rolled out the HXR-NX5U today, which I had been calling the “Prime” in my preview article. Now, the remaining puzzle pieces can be revealed…

[Update 7 Jan 2010: FMU price is $800, not $500; AX2000 price uncertain.]

Preview: Sony HXR-NX5U 1/3” 3-CMOS AVCHD Camcorder

Sony’s HXR-NX5U, the first in the “NXCAM” line, is a close cousin of the HDV HVR-Z5U, but it records full-resolution AVCHD to Memory Sticks and/or a snap-on 128 GB Flash Memory Unit. I’ve put a prototype NXCAM NX5U through its paces; let’s see how it does, and what it suggests for the future. [Updates: 6 Jan 2010: model #s, prices, availability, SDHC cards, commentary; 7 Jan 2010: FMU price is $800.]

Band Pro Presents Three Days in LA

Band Pro Film & Digital is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, and they put on three days of free events in Los Angeles to mark the occasion: F35 training with Jeff Cree, a 3D Symposium, and an Open House with gear, food, and conversation—and some new PL-mount primes, too.

Review: Panasonic AG-HMC40 1/4” 3-CMOS HD Camcorder

Two kilobucks, two pounds, and two megapixels: the Panasonic AG-HMC40 sits squarely in the gap between palm-sized consumer camcorders and pro-level handheld cameras with pro-level price tags. While it lacks some of the amenities of its larger cousins, it provides no-excuses, full-resolution HD imaging, 24 Megabit/sec AVCHD recording, and native 24fps frame rates for a street price around US$2000.

Preview: Sony PMW-350 2/3” 3-CMOS XDCAM EX Camcorder

Sony has announced the PMW-350, the first 2/3” camcorder in the EX series of solid-state memory-based MPEG2 camcorders. It’ll ship in January 2010. Sony kindly lent me a pre-production prototype for a week, and this preview is the result: not an all-out review, because the PMW-350 isn’t finished yet, but a good “first look” that’s probably 90% accurate regarding the final product.

Something BIG from Sony—XDCAM EX Grows Up.

Today Sony announced the PMW-350, a 2/3”, 3-CMOS shoulder-mount camcorder shooting XDCAM EX and DVCAM on dual SxS cards. The camera, shipping in January, will come with a new Fujinon f1.9, 8-128mm zoom patterned after the 1/2” EX-series zooms: it offers full autofocus as well as full manual focus, a first in 2/3” interchangeable zooms as far as I can tell.