Hello all! Wanted to let you know that as a result of our recent trip to meet with our manufacturing partners we can now confirm a few changes to the D16 specs based on backer and forum requests. We hope you like them!
#1 We are adding a Mini-HDMI port to the side of the camera that can output full 1920 x 1080! This makes it possible to use many of the popular Electronic View Finders on the market today!
#2 The monitor will no longer swivel up. We needed extra room to add the video electronics for the HD output so we are removing the swivel on the panel and the built in focus assist. Many of our buyers prefer to use an Electronic View Finder like the Zacuto EVF while shooting that already has focus assist and many other features built in. One of our goals with the D16 is to make the camera as accessories compatible as possible, so we think this will make a lot of people happy.
#3 We are adding a 12v DC output for accessories, so you can buy an EVF and power it directly from the camera, essentially integrating the systems. Plug the EVF into the camera along with microphones and other accessories and the camera into a 12v battery. 1 battery for your entire system!
#4 We will be changing from CF card to SD, many people complained about the ability to bend pins in CF card readers and Toshiba is doing some exciting things with the SD format, so we decided to make the switch.
#5 We will allow full frame capture at 2336 x 1752 for people who want the maximum resolution the sensor can offer. This is a 4:3 format, but could also be used with Anamorphic lenses for a widescreen look.
#6 The body frame will be made from a magnesium aluminum alloy instead of steel, this will allow for a easier manufacturing and lighter weight while retaining almost all of the strength characteristics.
We’re also working on making the audio on the D16 the best it can be, and as soon as we can confirm those changes, you’ll be the first to know.
There are still a few cameras available at the $3500 reward level! So if you want one I would grab it now, before the campaign closes in a few hours.
The estimated $3299 retail price may change by the time we start our limited production run in the fall, and getting the D16 now on Kickstarter not only guarantees a great price and an early delivery date, but the camera will come with a gorgeous leather carrying case and your choice of an additional lens mount. So if you want to get a camera this year we would highly recommend grabbing one on Kickstarter!
Is output via the HDMI port still black-and-white?
Yes. We’d rather not give you crap color that looks bad in comparison to what the raw files actually look like. The hd-sdi box we’re working on will have actual color.
By year 2012 there will be Zacuto EVF 2.. Steve Weiss will say something like With out first z-finder now we have this new with so and so much more rstolueion and this and this feature. It’s a bit of a shame that the product is not something like 499$ since to be honest those screens cost probably 30$ or so for Zacuto. Philp did they say wheter it’s wheater proof to a point ? I did notice the battery department at the back so that point cannot be.
When recording at 1080p will it crop the sensor to 1920×1080, or just crop a little bit then scale, or what?
Also you spelt steel wrong in point 6
Blame Joe!!!
redhavoc, it’s “spelled”, spelt is not a word. Just thought I’d correct your correction.
‘Spelt’ is indeed a word. It is a hexaploid species of wheat.
Ha!
Is the reward level not $2500?
I just found out about you guy’s work just a few hours ago. This seems very interesting. I have one question: how will SD cards handle the 48-72 MB/s data requirement?
Sandisk Extreme can handle that no problem. I have a hacked GH2 pushing 88 MB/s without a hiccup.
Are you sure your GH2 is pushing 88MB and not 88Mb? The difference is 8x.
How can you say that users will like better a Zacuto EVF than an integrated one? I assume it’s not users but Zacuto themselves who think so!
Those external viefinders often condense, and they are just making always more accessories needed (magic arm, never perfeclty stable, shoulder rig… etc.) and are not even full HD…
I thought you were part of the utopy of a RAW camera with a single and handy body, for shooting without taking care of stupid screws and cables, but you’re already leaving that nice idea to the market…
i have seen the zacuto evf in perosn and it was incredible. I have not seen the Redrock one. It sounds very good but am vary wary as they don’t have good history when it comes to bringing stuff out on time or the same price or specs. We have to wait and see I think
Hi Delphine,
We looked into the cost of making a screen as nice as the SmallHD and Zacuto monitors built into the camera, but it would have added a lot of cost to the camera. We decided instead to fully support these monitors and allow integration methods that will hopefully make them feel like an integrated part of the camera.
I understand your desire, and would love to make a camera like that one day, but it would have put this camera out of the price range of the people that I think really need it.
Thanks for your comments, Joe
The Black Magic Cinema Camera will be out soon and has comparable specs for $3000! That’s not even a “reward” price! No offense meant, but this tech is moving so fast I hope you guys can come up with something better soon at this price range. Smaller manufacturers like you have the current advantage because you (and Black Magic Design) truly listen and have less corporate BS or agendas than the “big boys”. But you’ll need to move fast to establish your products in the market before your bigger competitors finally wise up.
Our camera is for a different kind of filmmaker than the BMD cam. Just because there are two cams at a similar price point doesn’t mean one cancels out the other–there are some very important spec differences that will suit different needs. That being said, we’re always looking for ways to make the camera as innovative as possible.
Please NO mini-hdmi.. I really hate it on the canon 7d and alike. Plz add a fullsiez hdmi. The minihdmi is flimsy and the cable falls out of the connection just blowing on it.
Thanx
HI Jo and Elle!
Have you considered to add the PRO REZ compression to the camera as well?
It would be nice to have that option as well for quick workflows! Will the monitor have any features like peeking and histograms for correct exposures?
How bout the handle, will it be classic like the old Bolex ?
I can hardly wait for the camera!
Regards
Hey Valon!
We think workflows will be moving away from ProRes and we want to facilitate that
the monitor will come with histograms definitely, and peaking will show up in the firmware updates at some point.
Actually, I also like to work with ProRes files and would like to have integration, somehow, of files generated by the Digital Bolex with “older” versions of Final Cut Pro (like ver. 6 or 7).
(BTW, film and video labs like DuArt and Alpha Cine still offer transfers/conversions to ProRes files for the industry.)
Agreed about SD cards – I don’t know them to be as stable as CF cards. I’ve used CF cards for a very long time – and had no problem with them. Also with 4.3 gb/minute – don’t you think maybe SD card can’t quite handle the bandwidth as well as for instance SSD drives?
I’m curious to see how this project turns out.
I am very impressed with your end goal. the price point can not be beat. I took a long look around NAB this year and was unhappy with just about every camera I saw. There were a few but not in this price point, and the style that comes along with it. I commend you guys for taking on this build. You have just made my day and picked up a new customer! Thank You!
-Adam
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Have you guys looked into increasing the frame rate at 1080p, this would be a huge feature for many. I have no idea what the cost would be to incorporate it, but if we are talking few hundred $$ then many would be willing to pay that as it would not be way out of price range, and would make it stand out compared to the competition.
(The comment I made on May 10 beginning with “I agree” was actually in response to Ken’s here, just to clarify. I know this project is still just getting started and it is exciting. But I just wanted to ask you to consider down the road (maybe in a year or two) adding the capability of 120fps at 1080p to a future camera model.
Thanks.
agree about the mini HDMI falling out easily, BUT, maybe you don’t need to change it, … just build something into the design that stops the cable plug from falling out as easily as the one on the 7D. Some kind of rubber widget that grips the plug as it’s incerted, a sort of plug “lock” that constrickts and reales with a press of the finger. Like an XLR but not a mechanical device more just a very snug rubber gromit surrounding the top of the plug that is soft enough to press to release the plug when needed. It would also make that connection water proof and be relativly inexpensive to manufacture.
If you’re shooting RAW do you need a colour monitor? Surely all we need to see is framing, exposier and composition. if you want to know if the set works colour wise, snap a couple of stills off anf look at them in photoshop.
could someone clue me up please with regard to powering the D16 through the XLR inputs. I know it requires a 12V battery and that it can run off mains but what batter and cables would I need to get up and running. is there a product out there already made up or do we need to get creative. DIY
Yes, I agree!
I had once been interested in, well, a camera of a certain color, but once the specs were unveiled in November 2011, I was rather disappointed in the image size for the slow-motion frame rate I wanted.
I am REALLY interested in a camera that can shoot 120fps at 1080p and hope one can be available at a reasonable price within a year or two…
Thanks for your consideration….
- – and by “reasonable price”, with my above mentioned specification, I’m looking at something like $5,000 to $7,500.
(That’s my 2 cents, thanks.)
Sony FS700
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/853273-REG/Sony_NEX_FS700_4K_Ready_High_Speed.html
Thanks, Doc for letting me know about this Sony camera! I will look into it….
please no mini HDMI It is the weakest link in the canon 5D cameras
I see that this will have a C mount. Have you tested it with Kern RX mount lenses? As you may know the all of the reflex Bolex models (REX 3,4,5,EBM or EL) have to use RX mount lenses to compensate for the refractive index introduced by the beam splitter. Also I would recommend that you add a BNC output that provides HDSDI in whatever format the camera is set for. This would allow recording on an outboard device such as the PIX 240 therefore negating the argument about future proofing and format compatibility. Any how that’s my 2 cents. Good luck, and if you want to hear more from someone who has been at this for 30 plus years and worked for Bolex in the late 70s hit me with an email.
Best Regards,
Congrats to that ambitious project!
Will get toasted for this, but I just have to note: I did some research on CinemaDNG, and as it seems, there is presently only one single program/plug-in to import it into well, more or less also one single program, i.e. Adobe Premiere Pro. I found no info on Premiere Elements, nor on iMovie or FCP. So, in principal, an open standard, in practice however, pretty restricted.
And since you mentioned an audience that included amateurs, wouldn’t Premiere Pro be a bit too complex (including the required colour grading)? Maybe the situation will change (after all, interest in using the format now appears to get bigger), and everything will turn out fine, but maybe, you should also consider a different format, though I am not sure which one that could be.
May I retreat this remark? I had overlooked that you plan an own software. That makes sense, since in the meantime, I also found out that Adobe’s Importer will limit imports to 8 bit per colour. Though the main issue remains: While the camera is not very expensive, the further accessories required my add up quite a bit. I Movie can only use a format with 8 bits as well, right?
SD cards are far more prone to failure then CF. I had several SDHC cards die on a shoot (usually at the most critical moment). I shot over 500 hours on Canon XF100 and about 200-250 hours on 7D, plus I have over 15000 shutter actions on 7D and had over 25 000 on Nikon D300. Yet with all this use I never had issue with a single CF card.
I would rather pay more for a camera and have a good LCD integrated. Having external LCD/VF is not always the best option while filming documentaries. On the top HDMI has no lock for the cable, so the cable can get disconnected.
I agree with Robert on both points but I’m sure you guys have looked into this and have your reason for the change. Very excited camera and a real boon to documentary filmmakers like me. I hope I can grab one in Australia soon.