After a Covid-induced, two-year hiatus, the NAB Show is back. The 2022 edition witnessed an explosion of new technologies and products designed for the massive increase in demand for high-quality video content that only a global event like a pandemic could bring. With only about half the number of exhibitors of previous years, the event was still a success according to every source we talked to.
Two things that did resemble previous NAB Shows. The first was the deluge of new product announcements that swamped our email in-boxes in the days prior to the event. And second, our appointment schedule during the show was packed solid with press events and appointments with exhibitors eager to reach the burgeoning house of worship market.
As with previous events, there was a long list of eligible products we could have included for mention, but our mandate for this article was to narrow it to just five. We hope you enjoy learning more about the following products which are listed in alphabetical order.
AJA Helo Plus
Most new products from NAB are reasonably easy to describe, many times with just one word. It’s a camera, a switcher, or a light fixture. The new Helo Plus from AJA is different, so bear with me. First, it encodes H.264 HD streaming content, but it will also record at the touch of a button. You can also schedule recordings and streamed playback via the web, without the need for an external computer or control system.
Want to add video and graphics from multiple inputs to create customized looks without the need for an external switcher? No problem. And of course, it will stream to multiple destinations.
What about inputs? It has 3G-SDI in and out, HDMI in and out, a 1 Gig network connection, stereo audio in and out, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, a Micro USB port for firmware updates, an SD slot for recording and playback, plus an external power supply with a locking connector.
Sound expensive? Try $1699 list. It will be available in June.
Blackmagic Design ATEM Constellation Switchers
Blackmagic could have had several new products in our Top 5 from NAB, including the Davinci Resolve 18 with cloud-based workflows, a killer suite of new storage solutions called Cloud Store, the new Hyperdeck Shuttle HD recorder/player, and the Hyperdeck Extreme 4K HDR, a broadcast-level recorder/player with more sophisticated features.
Their pre-NAB press conference was almost two hours long. It was very well done, as they did a fairly deep dive into at least half a dozen new products. Then at the show, they announced several more. Since there was no NAB Show for the past two years, clearly Blackmagic Design was keeping some of their powder dry, so people could see, feel and experience some of these new products with their own eyes and hands, rather than relying solely on virtual or video-based product release announcements.
So, in addition to the products mentioned above, on the first day of this year’s NAB, Blackmagic Design announced a new family of live production switchers with broadcast features and the latest electronics technology called the ATEM Constellation HD switchers. The new models include a single M/E model with 10 x 3G‑SDI inputs, a two M/E model with 20 x 3G‑SDI inputs, and a four M/E model with 40 x 3G‑SDI inputs. That’s pretty robust. All models include full standards conversion (720p 1080i and 1080p) on every SDI input, four ATEM advanced chroma keyers per M/E row, a DVE per M/E row, media players, a larger media pool, and more.
These new switchers are designed as a professional upgrade for ATEM Mini customers who need to expand, or for large productions that want an affordable upgrade. ATEM Constellation HD switchers are available immediately from Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide from $995.
Canon EOS R5 C Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
While technically, the EOS R5 C was introduced a few months before the show, this is the first time the camera was displayed at a trade show in North America. It’s a really interesting hybrid video/still camera with an RF lens mount that is capable of recording non-stop, uninterrupted at 8K/60p video due to its onboard, active cooling system. In addition to 8K capability, it packs some pretty hefty specs, including a full-frame 35mm sensor. That means better performance in low-light situations, better control over depth of field, the flexibility to get wider angle shots without specialty lenses, and just bigger, more detailed images than smaller sensors.
So, what do they mean by hybrid? “Gone are the days of only needing to be sufficiently equipped and skilled at video or stills,” says Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “The EOS R5 C squarely takes aim at providing end-users with a solution that can tackle all facets of the ever-demanding multimedia and content production landscape. Canon is confident this all-in-one solution can help improve the workflow for a variety of content creators.”
Don’t need the 8K capability? Well, consider that 8K video offers four times the resolution of 4K video, enabling 4K region-of-interest image cropping from 8K footage.
The EOS R5 C camera (starting at about $4,500) is also designed to record High Frame Rate (HFR) video up to 120P at 4K resolution in 4:2:2 10-bit without cropping the sensor, a feature that is useful when shooting scenes full of fast-paced action or when the camera is paired with a gimbal or drone.
Hitachi SK-UHD7000 4K Ultra HD Live Production Camera
Hitachi’s second-generation 4K Ultra HD broadcast and live production camera system, the SK-UHD7000 offers three 2/3-inch, global shutter CMOS image sensors with native 4K 3840x2160 Ultra HD resolution. The high-performance sensors and new prism design combine to enable full-range BT.2020 UHD Wide Color Gamut (WCG) capture and sensitivity of F11 at 59.94 fps for high-quality acquisition in limited lighting. A dual 4K and HDTV workflow supports separate controls for HLG profile HDR and standard dynamic range.
We can attest that the images are stunning and that it was designed with houses of worship in mind. Sean Moran, chief operating officer at Hitachi Kokusai says the new camera is designed for clients who want to future-proof their production capabilities, especially houses of worship that want to link multiple satellite locations with “life-like video.”
Sony HDC-3200 System Camera
For churches that want 4K capability, but aren’t ready to fully invest yet, the new Sony HDC-3200 offers flexible upgradability. You can start with less investment for HD shooting and can upgrade to 4K (2000TVL) without any hardware change. It’s simply a license.
The HDC-3200 is a fiber-based, cost-effective system camera that shares many of the features common to Sony’s HDC-series including a 2/3” type 3CMOS image sensor with global shutter, 4K, and HDR, plus support for numerous signal formats. In fact, it’s the same sensor as Sony’s robust HDC-F5500 and HDC-3500 cameras.
The HDC-3200 is compatible with the existing lineup of Sony viewfinders, large lens adapters, and IP transmission systems.
Availability is planned for May 2022.
