I’ve said before that BZB really nails it where aesthetics are concerned. The camera design world is painfully utilitarian, so much so that obscenely priced cinema rigs resemble something more like an uncowled Pratt & Whitney jet engine than a camera, but BZB really runs in the opposite direction with the BG-BSHAN. Steve Jobs himself might have fawned over the crushing aesthetic simplicity of this new build and its familiar predecessor, the BG-BSHA. The BSHAN appears to be encased in brushed aluminum, and even though it’s cubical, rounded corners give it a cylindrical feel. Nothing about it looks or feels harsh and mechanical. It almost beckons you to hold it.
You get the NDI|HX utility on top of PoE Lan capability, HDMI and 3G SDI outputs, and a stereo 3.5mm audio input for capturing high-quality sound.
At the same time, it resembles a miniaturized broadcast box lens, evoking a very “pro” feel when mounted in a studio with a few of its brothers. This is a slick camera that everyone will enjoy adding to their studio or production space.
Yet, looks aren’t everything, and it appears BZB knows this because this camera packs a wallop inside. The BSHAN offers us two optical zoom options—20x or 30x. Note I said optical. This is not pixelated digital zoom that nobody likes to see, but real-deal glass pulling us almost painfully close to our subject. All of this light is processed by a 1/2.8″ Sony Exmor CMOS Sensor, promising crisp detail despite the tiny size of this camera and its components.
Also, this little guy can stream all on its own if you like, no switcher or encoder needed.
Not to keep raving about BZB’s aesthetic choices, but they practically hid the mounting screw interface, so much so that I almost forgot to mention it here. It blends seamlessly with the chassis, creating a flush connection with any compatible mount or stand the user selects.
Now, if you’re looking, you’ll notice that not much has changed between the BSHA and the BSHAN, except for that one letter. Why the “N”? Well, this is the real kicker—BZB loaded up the BSHAN with NDI|HX, making this a fully video-over-IP camera. You get the NDI|HX utility on top of PoE Lan capability, HDMI and 3G SDI outputs, and a stereo 3.5mm audio input for capturing high-quality sound. Also, this little guy can stream all on its own if you like, no switcher or encoder needed.
The BG-BSHAN 20x and 30x clock in at $1099 and $1299 respectively, toting great value for small and larger productions alike. We’re looking forward to getting our hands on one of these cameras to see how it performs in a live situation. In the meantime, you can fully explore the BZB BG-BSHAN here.
