The heritage heart of the LUMIX GH line of cameras is catering to the filmmaking community. Back in 2009, as an early adopter of the GH1, I clearly remember how astonished I was to be able to (almost) fit such a powerful filming tool into my pocket. The specs and quality were remarkable for those early days of mirrorless cameras. Fast forward, and like me, who has aged and gained some weight, LUMIX’s latest camera model is also a bit bigger and bulkier. Many (myself included) feel it’s time for a major facelift to introduce the next generation of camera bodies in a more modern housing. However, looks aside, it’s proving extremely capable in terms of video specification and general usage.

Its predecessor, the GH6, was a fine camera that was let down by not being good enough when it came to autofocus performance (you can read the review here). If you’re a Panasonic user, you’re likely familiar with the frustration of seeing an AF “green square” indicating focus, only to find the camera’s focus is actually elsewhere. Well, those days are long gone. First, Panasonic’s full-frame cameras, the S5II and S5II X, showed that AF could be treated differently, and then came the LUMIX GH7. The “trick” was moving away from contrast-based AF and implementing PDAF (Phase Detect Auto Focus).

LUMIX GH7 strengths

Part of testing the usage of such a versatile camera was to put it through its paces and shoot a mini-documentary with it. To do so, I found myself in an amazingly small and quiet Japanese fishing resort. In all my visits to the country, I had never witnessed such a calm place. Maybe it was the season or just the karma of the sea. Whatever it was, if you are ever in Japan, I suggest you explore this area if you are into down-to-earth vacationing next to spending endless hours at the sea.

Takeno is the town, Hitotomaru is the refurbished guesthouse, and Keisuke-san and his lovely wife Nozomi-san were my hosts. The couple has been running this place for the last 8 years, ensuring all guests witness Japanese hospitality at its best.

This little town is very picturesque, and the light during the afternoon was a dream come true for anyone who is into photography and filmmaking. Like with many of my mini-documentaries, I was looking for a very simple and basic autofocus zoom lens to work with, one that many might carry with them anyway. After a short search, I opted for the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4 MFT lens. This lens costs around $998 (now reduced to $798), but to enhance the overall picture aesthetic, I decided to use an anamorphic adapter on it – one that would still allow me to use the autofocus functionality of the camera. For that reason (and pure curiosity to see how it performs), I chose to work with BLAZAR’s NERO 1.5x anamorphic adapter.

LUMIX GH7 and lens setup in the field

LUMIX is great at giving us very capable filming tools. (Personally, I’m still wishing for a more simplified camera menu, one that is a bit more intuitive). When it comes to my lens choice for filming this mini-doc, the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm was fine. On “normal days,” this focal length zoom range was great, but when attaching the NERO 1.5x anamorphic adapter to this lens, I could only use it from 25mm onward (otherwise, you would see the adapter image circle). Also, as this is not a constant aperture lens, when zooming in to around 25mm, the aperture closes to f/3.7, which, of course, makes it less ideal for indoor use under lower light conditions. I was aware of all of these obstacles before going out to film, but was willing to bear the consequences in favor of having a relatively small setup.

The NERO, a 1.5x anamorphic adapter, looks very stylish and is very lightweight (399g/0.87lbs only), but please take into consideration that it is not a “cheap” product. In fact, $999 (the cost of this adapter) can buy you an entry-level anamorphic lens…However, this product’s build quality and overall look, next to allowing a 1.5x squeeze ratio, ignited my imagination. In my mind, I was prepared to achieve a BLAZAR Remus-like aesthetic, highly regarded within its price range. Unfortunately, this did not happen. One should take into account that when using such a lens/adapter combination, the center of the image will be sharp, but the edges of the picture will suffer. I would recommend not using any black pro mist filter in front of this lens as it will make the picture even softer. In the above documentary, I cut around 16% of the image’s edges to make the softness less obvious.

Regardless of the lack of a strong “anamorphic caricaturist,” one of the advantages of working with such an adapter is getting nice widescreen footage without throwing out sensor information.

One can’t have it all

With Panasonic’s LUMIX cameras, one of the things that I never got along well with is their flat picture profile. I’m aware that many get great results when using V-Log, but for me, at times, things look too red(ish), especially when skin tones are involved. This is why I was extremely curious to see how the collaboration between Panasonic and ARRI can benefit users when using this camera. For those who are not aware of this cooperation, Panasonic licensed LogC3 (ARRI’s third Log generation) to be used with this camera (and LUMIX GH6, too). To activate LogC3 in your LUMIX camera, you must obtain the license key here. (Say goodbye to $199.95). After activating the ARRI software in the camera, you can use the LogC3 picture profile. Now, one of the ways to benefit from using that picture profile is by downloading and using ARRI’s library of LUTs. As of June 2024, there are 87 looks to choose from. For the above mini-documentary, I mostly worked with those LUTs, and to be honest, I was really satisfied!

Now, of course, I wanted to use ARRI’s picture profile at the best available resolution/codec/data rate, but when diving into the different camera recording modes, one thing became apparent. Think of the camera menu as a blanket – cover your head, and your feet get cold; pull it down, and your nose freezes. This is how I felt when trying to dial the best available settings in each parameter for internal recording. Below are a few examples: (External recording to Atomos or Blackmagic-supported devices might cover a greater “blanket range,” though).

• Want to record in ProRes RAW internally? The 4:3 open-gate mode is not available (from 17:9 only). The resolution will suffer a bit (5.7K instead of 5.8K), and the ARRI LogC3 picture profile can not be used (V-Log only).

• Want to use ARRI LogC3? The highest recording resolution is 5.7K, in ProRes 422HQ at 17:9 only. (No 4:3 open-gate)

• Changing to MOV? Now, one can shoot in 5.8K, but in 4:2:0 color space and Long GOP codec only. (All-I at C4K).

So, I’m sure you get where I’m heading with these samples. At the end of the day, on a paid gig, one must come prepared and know what you need to deliver. For example, if you are on set to film green screen, maybe using Long GOP 4:2:0 is not the best choice.

BUT, after ranting about some of the camera’s shortcomings, I want to look at the half of the full glass. If you have a bit of time, just head to our Camera Databases and check out what the GH7 can do in terms of dynamic range, rolling-shutter, and latitude. As my colleague Gunther, who is in charge of doing our lab test, describes it: “Panasonic did it again – the LUMIX GH7 is in a class of its own considering the Micro Four Thirds sensor size! Not only does it show good rolling shutter values, also the dynamic range results don’t disappoint. They are quite similar to the recently tested Sony A9 III or the Canon EOS R5 C, for example. As mentioned, it plays in the league of recent consumer full-frame cameras with those results (a bit on the lower end, though).

Done exploring our lab test? Check out the camera recording modes.

Let’s talk IBIS and autofocus

In a recent production for the Austrian national broadcaster, Nino, my colleague, was asked to DP and choose the filming equipment that made the most sense for such a gig. Filming took place in a condensed-spaced van, and it wasn’t possible to interfere during the recording. Nino and the production team needed a mirrorless camera that could reliably focus on the participants’ faces inside the van while also offering good stabilization performance to smooth out “light driving bumps.” After multiple tests, Nino decided to work with a blend of LUMIX cameras, all from their latest generation, as those proved to be head-and-shoulders above their predecessors regarding AF reliability.

Speaking of cameras with “In Body Image Stabilization” (IBIS), the smaller sensor allows Panasonic to exceed expectations here. In general, the performance is rock solid.

In conclusion

The Panasonic LUMIX GH7 camera is a great option for anyone who needs versatility. On top of that, if you are filming nature, take full advantage of the Micro Four Thirds sensor. Meaning that one can travel with smaller zoom lenses and achieve the same focal length on the tele side as going with larger sensors, cameras, and larger lenses. I only wish a special addition, LUMIX GH7, for nature lovers (bird watchers in particular), would someday find its way to the market. I’m seeing too many people schlepping around much heavier cameras and lenses from other brands, unaware of the advantages of working with a Micro Four Thirds sensor camera.

If you are a full-time news cameraman or a solo documentary filmmaker, you will also learn to appreciate the 32-bit float XLR DMW-XLR2 audio module. Running and gunning with a camera that allows you a safety net in audio recording is a welcome thing. Last but not least. I hope future versions of the GH family of cameras will look more modern and stylish. Yes, we don’t make our purchasing decisions based entirely on looks, yet a nice-looking camera might feel nicer in our hands.

Recording modes for the above video: ProRes HQ, 5.7K, 5728×3024, 24p

What do you think about the LUMIX GH7? Do you have any experience working with it? What is your favorite feature, and, on the other hand, what would you like to see changed? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

I’ve been aware of GVM (Great Video Maker) as an affordable lighting manufacturer for a while now, but this is my first chance to review one of their products. I’ve said this before, but we are in the midst of an LED lighting golden age, and the rapid pace of product launches from year to year means that sometimes things fall through the cracks!

There are many 300-watt Bowens mount options out there these days, but when we talk about 300-watt color-capable lighting, the field narrows quite a bit. Even so, the $549 GVM Pro SD300C does stand out on paper. Competitors include amaran and NANLITE — notably considered to be the more “pro-sumer” oriented brands of Aputure and NANLUX, respectively. In this segment, the pricing generally sits between $549 and $569.

GVM has made the SD300C part of their “Pro” lineup. What makes a lighting instrument “pro” or “not pro” is nebulous these days, but generally, the use of DMX has created some separation in LED lighting product categories. Notably, the SD300C has wired 512-DMX in and out.

Initial impressions

The GVM Pro SD300C arrives in a 17-lb semi-rigid soft case, and the first thing I noticed when removing the fixture was the use of aluminum in the lamp head. Usually, with this price point, I’m expecting something with a bit more plastic, so the aluminum was a surprise.

When you first power on the SD300C, the logo lights up. Look, I’m a sucker for this, and you can tell me in the comments how this doesn’t matter, etc., etc., but this glowing logo looks undeniably cool. The lamp head itself is primarily red, and when you pair that with a glowing logo, there is an argument to be made that this fixture is less, uh, invisible on a set when compared to a matte black lighting instrument. That argument doesn’t mean we can’t have cool things, though. Moving on.

The SD300C kit includes:

• Lamp Head (Bowens Mount)
• Reflector
• Power Adapter
• Power Cable
• Limited 1-Year Warranty

I wish the power cable was locking, but it does fit firmly into the power adapter.

The yoke for the lamp head locks on both sides. I’m not sure if this was an engineering requirement given the weight of the lamp head, but it does take a few more seconds to lock and unlock both sides of the yoke to tilt the lamp compared with a yoke that only has one lock.

Overall, the case is great, and enough padding suggests it could survive many trips in an owner/operator vehicle. Still, I don’t see this case checking on an airplane safely or being thrown into a rental vehicle surrounded by a bunch of heavy Pelican-style hard cases.

The kit doesn’t include a battery plate option, and you’ll have to source a $79 battery plate for V-mount if you need that functionality. HERE is the correct battery plate from B&H.

Glowing logo aside — this being my first time reviewing a GVM product, I am pleasantly surprised with the exterior build quality, the wired DMX, and the included case (given the price point).

Perfect user for the SD300C?

With a $549 price point, the Pro SD300C has a wide potential user base, and it is worth a quick note to know who might be the perfect user for this fixture.

A few quick specs:

• 2000K – 10000K in CCT Mode / RGB
• 300W / Bowens Mount
• +/- Green & Magenta Control
• 16 Lighting Effects
• 12 Matching Light Sources
• App Control
• Several Fan Modes
• Four Dimming Curves (Linear, Exponential, Log, S-Curve)

The ability to use color with a light like this without adding a gel is helpful. For me, the wide Kelvin range in CCT mode is the reason I’ll use the Pro SD300C.

We’ll dive into the testing specs in a moment, but the output here is enough for interior interviews or scene work and usage outside at night. This light won’t compete directly with the sun at noon, however.

The ability to match with 12 existing light sources is useful when you are in a location where you don’t have complete control of swapping out all the existing fixtures in the given shot.

Professional users will need the wired DMX functionality and will find the price point accessible enough to fill out large scenes. Journalists and content creators will also find much to like here, as will independent filmmakers.

Head to head with the amaran 300c

Let’s compare the GVM Pro SD300C directly with the amaran 300c, given the similar price points of $569 for the amaran 300C and $549 for the GVM Pro SD300C. Both also use a Bowens mount to add accessories.

The amaran 300c comes in two colors: gray or white. White is a fun choice if the light is going to appear on camera. When you compare the amaran 300c and the GVM Pro SD300C yokes, I prefer the amaran single-locking yoke for speed. The benefit of the GVM exterior build quality is that it uses more metal (which makes it slightly heavier) and, therefore, is more likely to survive an unexpected impact.

Unfortunately, the amaran 300c ships in a foam container that is not as easy to work with as the semi-rigid hard case for the SD300C. The foam container is less forgiving. You have to line up all the pieces, or the case won’t close. Any bump to the exterior of the foam is also permanent.

The amaran 300c CCT range of 2500K-7500K is also not as wide as the 2000K-1000K range out of the GVM fixture.

Overall, amaran as a brand has more accessories available versus GVM, although GVM seems to be rapidly rolling out additional compatible accessory options like a softbox, lantern, and spotlight.

Now, let’s turn to a quick head-to-head test using the C700-U Spectrometer with the amaran 300c versus the GVM Pro SD300C, starting with a 5600K target at 3ft. The columns on the left contain the SD300C data, and on the right is the amaran 300C test. Both fixtures were set to 100% output.

Keep in mind that the beam angle for the amaran 300C kit reflector is 65 degrees, and 45 degrees for the GVM Pro SD300C kit reflector.

The SD300C reads 5438K, and the amaran 300c reads 5354K—a slight edge to the SD300C here with resting in CCT mode. The GVM fixture shows a significant output number (27000 lx) compared with the amaran 300c (20900 lx). Based purely on numbers, the GVM SD300C is significantly brighter.

Finally, here is a test with a target of 3200K.

CCT accuracy is a bit closer here (3220K versus 3149K), but the GVM SD300C is significantly brighter overall when you compare a lx reading of 26700 from GVM’s fixture to the 17200 from amaran.

Control

Controlling the light over Bluetooth is done with the GVM LED II app (for iOS on iPhone 15, in my case, but also available on Android). App control has been a tricky area for lighting manufacturers in terms of the app’s design, but the GVM app connects quickly, and there is no delay between issuing a command and the light responding.

Green/Magenta can be changed using the four physical knobs on the back of the fixture itself or are easily accessible in the app itself. Intensity is dimmable down to 0.1% increments using the app or the rear control dials.

The app gives you easy control over CCT, HSI, and RGB settings, and dialing everything in is quick. You have access to a variety of effects we have become used to at this point, such as Cop Car and Lightning.

I did find that the GVM LED II app “held on” to previously connected fixtures well. Opening the app, finding the light again, and clicking “manage” to hop back into the light settings is easy and fast.

I don’t love the addition of banner ads for other GVM products in the app, and hopefully, those could be removed in future updates. When I’m working on a job, controlling lighting without distraction is the goal.

Generally, though, the app works, and the core functionality is all there — not always the case when it comes to lighting apps I’ve tried.

Additional testing

I again grabbed a few measurements on my Sekonic C-700U Spectrometer (now updated with the C-800U) to see how accurately the GVM Pro SD300C handles color temp measured in Kelvin and output (lx) from a distance of 3 ft. Here are my readings, this time with a target of 4700K (56K and 32K target results are above) and output set to 100%. This test was completed with the 45-degree kit reflector attached, and I measured at the center of the beam. The beam angle without the reflector attached is 180-degrees.

A result of 4644K with a target of 4700K is excellent. Now, let’s take a look at how accurate this fixture is at replicating colors with the light set back again to 5600K.

These are excellent CRI scores, and they continue through into the extended CRI range. All these results are very good and sit in the high 90’s, with a dip below 90 CRI only for R12 Blue.

Conclusion

GVM is now firmly on my radar. A solid exterior build, wired DMX, and an affordable price point should make the Pro SD300C a real purchase consideration for content creators and professionals alike. The test scores are also excellent, with impressive output for a 300-watt fixture.

I’d like to test some of the GVM accessories in a future review (obviously an important part of the equation). Hopefully, I’ll be able to update this post with some thoughts on those accessories, but for now, the Pro SD300C fixture itself is impressive.

If you want to learn more, make sure to visit GVM’s website.

Do you have any experience working with GVM fixtures? Will you be adding the GVM Pro SD300C to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

I like many things about the S5K Freefly Ember slow motion camera – the pricing of the body itself compared with a Phantom, the edit-friendly 10-bit ProRes codec, and the newly announced replaceable media module with SDI out. Still, I frankly didn’t love the initial batch of accessories that launched with it (with the exception of the Freefly wooden handle and monitor bracket).

One of the only large issues with the Ember (both the S5K and S2.5K version) out of the box is simply a lack of mounting points on a camera that really, really needs more of them for things like wireless transmission or an operating monitor. There are a couple of tiny M4 screw holes and two 1/4-20 threads on the exterior, but that’s the extent of it – oh, and the Record button isn’t in a great place either if your right hand is actively using the handle. There is also that pesky issue of cable management (some of them of the delicate 4-pin molex type) hanging all over the place that are prone to being snagged on something.

MUTINY Freefly Ember Accessories – the Cage

Given the box-like build of the Ember, the MUTINY team could have gone a bunch of different directions with the design of the cage, but I appreciate the modular system they created that gives the user the option of leaving open places on the camera to reduce the overall weight or cover the entire exterior with mounting points.

The cage is broken into a few interchangeable pieces named simply:

• Short Plate ($50/each)
• Long Plate ($80/each)
• Block ($25/each)

You can purchase a variety of different kits with different combinations of the above. Packages save you $10 if you go that route. In general, the pricing of the MUTINY Ember cage feels very reasonable for what you are getting in an industry rife with a film and TV upcharge pricing model.

The block pieces allow you to link either short plates or long plates together to form whatever configuration you wish. Each plate comes complete with a multitude of 1/4-20 and 3/8 – 16 tapped holes and Arri locating pin holes, too. Deciding where you want short plates and long plates gives the whole feel of building out this cage a kid-friendly building blocks vibe that I appreciate, and I would love it if MUTINY extends this system to other box-style cameras.

You also get the sense that you are paying only for what you need and not for additional plates that simply won’t be required for whatever build you have in mind. There also isn’t that annoying wiggle that you sometimes get when the cage is a separate piece from the camera without enough mounting points.

One small quibble – I didn’t mind the monitor mount that Freefly created, and you unfortunately won’t be able to use that on this cage. Plus, MUTINY doesn’t make a monitor mount, so you’ll have to source that elsewhere. In my case, I went with a monitor hinge originally designed for the Canon C70 from Wooden Camera that worked fine with my Ultra 5 Bolt 750 TX monitor.

Personally, I used the Freefly branded handle with the Freefly rail on the right side of the camera, but there are a wide variety of top handles and side handles that would work great with this cage system.

The cage gives plenty of space for all the various heat sinks on the Ember body, and the cage even has a gap at the base, which allows for additional airflow. You could also run a few FIZ motor cables through the gap at the base for a cleaner build if needed.

Keep in mind that you will still need to source a baseplate from another brand if you plan on using 15mm rods as part of your build for a matte box or a follow focus.

The Power + IO Module

My first introduction to MUTINY as a company was due to their RED KOMODO OG/X power modules, SDI isolators, and custom cables, and I appreciated their attempts to add solutions for filmmakers despite not being a KOMODO owner myself. They have since branched out to support all types of camera bodies from Sony to ARRI, Blackmagic, FUJI, and, of course, Freefly.

The $800 Power + IO feels like a return to MUTINY’s roots – instantly making a camera more useful while not getting in the way of what already worked. I also don’t want to discount the included custom MUTINY cables that are exactly the correct length to bridge the gap between the Power + IO on the back of the camera.

You need the rear Freefly brackets that are included with the Ember to mount the Power + IO to the rear of the camera, and I’ll admit that these brackets take a little finesse to line up correctly (the screws from MUTINY go through the Power + IO once the brackets are affixed to the camera).

The cables included by MUTINY are a 2pin 0B to MOLEX 4 power cable and a 6pin 0B GPIO cable. Extras will cost you $65 for another set.

Freefly, initially, only supported V-mount batteries with their battery plate, and MUTINY allows you to pick either native V-mount or Gold mount plates for your Power + IO. Core SWX makes these plates, and my Nano X Micro V-mounts fit snuggly on them.

Here is a list of all the ports on the Power + IO directly from MUTINY:

• 1x 6pin 1B DC input jack (uses same DC cable as DSMC2/ V-RAPTOR/KOMODO X) 11-17 volts (do not use higher than 17v)
• 2x D-Tap power output connectors,
• 2x 2pin 0B power outputs,
• 1x Fischer 3 power + R/S 3pin port (pin 1 ground, pin 2 +, pin 3 R/S)
• 1x 6pin GPIO 
• 1x 4pin 00b CTRL (RX/TX port for future expansion)

The Power + IO powers an additional Run / Stop button ($175) that I’ve placed on the left side of the camera (exactly where my hand falls when holding the Ember while shooting handheld). You could also mount the R/S button atop a handle on the right side or really anywhere else that works for you on the camera body. The R/S system is available a la carte from MUTINY and also works with a variety of other camera bodies, including the Canon cine line, which has been updated recently.

Oh, and you can remotely trigger the camera record with the R/S Trigger box that worked well when I tested it with my Teradek FIZ, but MUTINY promises it will also work fine with “every major FIZ on the market” from the likes of ARRI, RT Motion/Teradek, C-Motion, Preston and Tilta, too.

Conclusion

MUTINY is releasing new products at a rapid pace and their support of the Ember is making that camera much more user-friendly. The cage is excellent, but the impressive Power + IO is a standout as it cleans up the overall build and provides so many inputs and outputs. There also aren’t any competing alternative options on the market for the Ember with these features as of publishing.

Both the MUTINY cage and the Power + IO fit perfectly with the newly announced Ember Media Expander (see the above image), and the Media Expander removes the headache of losing the entire camera for media dumping while filming pauses. In fact, the quick pace of both firmware and hardware releases from Freefly suggests the Ember is here to stay. Good news for Ember owners and users who are considering purchasing MUTINY Ember accessories.

Beyond the Ember – a deep dive into MUTINY’s website shows a variety of different options for everything from a cage for the new Blackmagic PYXIS, different colored timecode cables to XLR cables, and even camera body caps where you can hide Apple AirTags. All useful stuff for filmmakers, and I’m a sucker for custom cables in different colors…

Hopefully, MUTINY will continue to make other accessories for other camera bodies as their cage solution here is affordable and works well. I can also think of several other cameras that would benefit from a solution like the Power + IO.

What do you think? Are you a Freefly Ember owner? Will you be adding the MUTINY Ember accessories to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

It seems there is a new market niche that companies are starting to compete in – autofocus anamorphic lenses. BLAZAR was the first to announce their plan of launching an autofocus anamorphic lens (in case you missed it, watch our APEX review here), but most likely SIRUI will be the first company to bring such a lens to the market.

Whoever “the first” may be, apart from being mentioned in books dealing with “anamorphic lenses on a budget”, we as customers, don’t care as long as we get an affordable option that can deliver as advertised.

In this regard, BLAZAR did really well with their APEX AF anamorphic lenses (35mm and 50mm), meaning, the sample products that we received seemed to be very promising for S35, 1.33x anamorphic lenses. But what about SIRUI, can their new lens compete?

SIRUI 40mm T1.8 AF anamorphic lens

By now, we have gotten used to SIRUI coming up with “family names” for their lenses. The last one that we reviewed was the spherical Aurora 85mm lens (review here). However, this SIRUI lens will be the first that won’t come with a name, so I’ll refer to it in my review as “SIRUI 40mm T1.8 AF anamorphic lens”…

Upon the announcement, the lens will come in three guaranteed mounts: Sony E, Nikon Z, and FUJIFILM X. The fourth, an MFT lens, is promised to see the light of day early next year. Like its only competitor in this AF anamorphic market, it is an S35 lens with a de-squeeze ratio of 1.33x.

What to expect

The new SIRUI 40mm lens is an “electronic lens”- meaning, it needs to be connected to the camera to power up. I’m mentioning this, so you are not surprised when your aperture doesn’t physically change when rotating the aperture ring. On top, unlike the BLAZAR APEX lens, don’t expect physical hard stops for minimum and maximum focus distance. In all honesty, this is a bit of a surprise when the manufacturer itself is referring to the lens as a “prime cine” lens. But there is more to that “fly-by-wire” lens phenomenon. It means that when changing between manual and autofocus, the lens elements will NOT drive back to the last registered manual focus point. I hope I’m explaining myself well here, as it might be a bit confusing to understand. For some, this feature (which is found in the BLAZAR APEX by the way), might be extremely important, while for others, it wouldn’t matter all all. So it is very much depending on the type of work you do. As a side note, this new 40mm AF anamorphic lens does have a nice focus ring which is begging for a follow focus to be connected, but as I mentioned before, the lens focus ring will rotate endlessly so this is of course not practical.

I guess what triggered me to start my review with this paragraph are the words “prime cine” lens. When you write “cine” on a product, there are certain expectations!

SIRUI 40mm AF anamorphic lens at a glance

Fast T1.8 aperture and sharpens

We tested the new lens together with the Sony FX30 (the same way we did the BLAZAR lens) and came up with the following findings: When fully open at T1.8, anything but the middle of the lens is very soft. Close the lens to T2.8 and the center gets much sharper while the frame edges get better sharpness, too. Close it farther to T4 and you get a good balance between sharpens and aperture setting.

Now, it is important to write that pointing a lens at a chart and checking its resolution capabilities is important, but when filming in the field, it can be that some of those weaknesses are not fully interacting depending on your subject of filming.

Fast accurate silent autofocus operation

Though we received only a pre-production lens, it performed rather well! I was again surprised at how silent the lens is (same as SIRUI’s Aurora 85mm)! When it comes to AF accuracy, the lens performed well around 90% of the time, mostly because the software is still being tweaked. I had no issues at all between close-distance objects and up to 5 meters away. It is an infinity that did not show consistency in accuracy. After talking to SIRUI, they promised that the final lens version would not have this issue.

Bokeh:

The bokeh this lens is exhibiting is nice (also wide-open), although not even. One can certainly expect an oval-shaped background rendering.

Chromatic aberration: 

Chromatic aberration is definitely visible! One should be aware of it when shooting against bright objects like the sky, for example.

Lens flares: 

The lens will be offered in two versions of flares, blue and neutral (meaning, depending on the color of the source light, the lens will respond). For our testing, we got the “neutral flare version”, and I have to say that I liked what I saw. The flair distribution across the frame looks even and not distracting at all.

Focus breathing: Well controlled.

Pincushion distortion:

SIRUI is continuing to manufacture anamorphic lenses with a pincushion distortion effect (unlike BLAZAR which is contacting their lenses with barrel distortion). With this particular lens, we are told by SIRUI that the distortion level is at around 4%. As you can see from the above image, it is not that visible on the chart itself.

Lens body design:

When taking a close look at the lens body design, it seems to be identical to the newly announced Aurora 85mm spherical lens. There are two clutch buttons on each side of the lens. One for switching between autofocus and manual focus, and the other, for “clicking” or “de-clicking” the lens aperture. There is an additional button marked with “AFL”. It is an assignable button, but I left it on “focus lock” as this proved very convenient while filming. To ensure that the lens is “up to date”, like with most SIRUI lenses, there is a USB-C input connector for updating firmware if needed. Last but not least, the new lens features weather-sealing at the barrel and mount for additional rain and dust resistance.

The new lens is very compact and weighs just above 600g. The minimum focus is 0.6m which is fine, but still for getting closer to objects, one will need some rings with dioptars.

Conclusion

The new 40mm T1.8 anamorphic autofocus lens is a decent offering from SIRUI. Considering its price point, I’m sure it will satisfy the needs of many. In general, autofocus for anamorphic lenses is a “small engineering miracle” and it’s good to see competition in this niche, too! It is a very different product from the BLAZAR APEX lens(es). With its hard stops focus ring construction the BLAZARs seem to be more “filmmaking-friendly” (next to the ability to go back to the last manual focus mark). Saying this does not mean that anything is faulty with SIRUI’s new offering, it is just aimed at a different crowd. I’m sure that those doing a variety of different types of work, such as filming and photography, will be quite happy with such a versatile lens.

In terms of picture aesthetics: Don’t search for anything beyond 1.33x. If you are using the entire 16×9 sensor, 1.33x is your best friend.

Pricing

SIRUI is offering the first 1,000 lenses on Indiegogo for $639. The next tier is the Early Bird price of $699, and then, the retail price will jump to $799. Lens availability is expected at present.

What do you think about SIRUI’s newest lens? Are you eager to test the new generation of anamorphic autofocus lenses? Please share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.

Many people keep using the same filters they know and love, but they often don’t realize that especially variable ND filters and circular polarizers often suffer from tinted images or a lack of sharpness. It’s time to look at a highly regarded set of filters, the Nano-Xcel Pro series from K&F Concept, and see in what regards – and if at all – they fare better and can be an “everyday set” of professional lens filters for filmmakers. I hope you enjoy a new filter review from CineD, it’s been a while!

Build quality – taking a closer look

K&F Concept’s filters stand out for their ultra-thin brass frames. CNC-machined for precision, these frames strike a perfect balance of rigidity and flexibility, ensuring smooth installation and a secure fit. The thoughtful design avoids vignetting even on wide-angle lenses, which is a common issue with many competing filters.
The inclusion of a handmade genuine leather pouch for each filter adds a touch of luxury and practicality, emphasizing the brand’s attention to detail. For the creative streak filters, aerospace-grade aluminum is used, with textured CNC trim patterns that enhance grip and usability.

Optical performance: how do they stack up?

The Nano-Xcel Pro Series utilizes advanced multi-layer nano-coating technology, with up to 36 layers on both sides of the glass. This coating ensures:

• Minimal reflectivity: Reflectivity as low as 0.15% reduces glare and ghosting.
• Neutral color fidelity: No visible color casts were observed, even under rigorous testing with a color-checker chart.
• Durability in harsh conditions: Scratch-resistant, waterproof, and smudge-proof coatings ensure that these filters can withstand heavy use.

Compared to other filters on the market, the Nano-Xcel Pro Series achieves a remarkable balance of maintaining optical clarity while protecting against environmental wear.

The lineup in the Nano-Xcel Pro Series

CPL Filter

Designed for landscape and outdoor photography, the CPL filter excels at eliminating reflections and enhancing contrast. In our tests, it delivered vivid skies and clearer water reflections without any noticeable distortion or softening of the image.

ND2-32 Variable ND Filter

The ND2-32 filter offers a versatile solution for controlling exposure, especially for video work in changing light conditions. Its smooth adjustment mechanism and lack of cross-patterning—a common issue in variable ND filters—make it a reliable choice for professional videographers.
However, a notable gap in the lineup is the absence of a stronger variable ND filter (6-9 stops) in the Nano-Xcel Pro Series. While the ND2-32 performs well for moderate light reduction, a higher range would be invaluable for photographers and videographers working in extremely bright environments, such as midday outdoor shoots or long-exposure photography. Including such an option would round out the series and make it even more competitive.

CPL & ND2-32 Hybrid Filter

This combined CPL and ND filter provides a convenient, all-in-one solution for filmmakers and photographers. During testing, the ability to manage both reflection and light intensity simultaneously proved invaluable in dynamic shooting scenarios, such as coastal landscapes or reflective urban environments.

A standout advantage of this combination is how it enhances the versatility of the variable ND filter. By design, variable ND filters are made from two polarizers stacked together, which means they can inadvertently affect reflections in the image. For example, when filming a subject looking at a smartphone screen, you may notice the screen becoming unnaturally dark or black due to the polarizing effect. This can be frustrating in scenarios where accurate reflections are essential. The CPL & ND2-32 hybrid filter addresses this issue by giving you precise control over reflections independently of light reduction. This added adjustability ensures that reflections, such as those on water, glass, or electronic screens, can be fine-tuned or neutralized as needed—an invaluable feature for both videographers and photographers.

By combining these two functionalities, this hybrid filter doesn’t just save space in your kit; it actively solves a common issue with traditional variable ND filters, making it an excellent choice for professionals who demand greater creative control.

Creative Streak Filters

The Blue Streak and Gold Streak filters cater to filmmakers and photographers looking for a touch of anamorphic magic. These filters produce linear flares that enhance cinematic visuals without degrading sharpness or detail in the underlying image. They are, of course, only giving you the “streak effect” typical for many anamorphic lenses, not the actual image squeezing or oval highlights, but that is a “nice to have” effect in some occasions that is not all that easy to mimic in post-production.

Durability and warranty: built to last

With a 10-year warranty, K&F Concept demonstrates confidence in the longevity of their products. The brass and aluminum frames, combined with robust coatings, ensure these filters endure heavy use without compromising performance. Each filter also features a unique identification code for warranty claims, underscoring the brand’s commitment to quality.

Who are these filters for?

Whether you’re a landscape photographer capturing vivid scenery, a videographer seeking control over exposure, or a filmmaker experimenting with creative flares, the Nano-Xcel Pro Series has something to offer. However, for those needing a stronger variable ND option, you may need to look beyond this lineup for now.

Conclusion

K&F Concept’s Nano-Xcel Pro Series delivers on its promise of high-quality optical performance and robust design. While not without competition, these filters stand out for their innovation, attention to detail, and exceptional value. Addressing the lack of a higher-stop ND filter would make this lineup even more versatile and appealing.

Black Friday Giveaway by K&F Concept

As Black Friday approaches, K&F Concept is already offering exciting giveaways—a perfect opportunity to invest in these outstanding tools. Apart from that, the company is also offering up to 50% off on many of their gear. For more info, please visit their Amazon store or website.

What variable ND and CPL filters do you use and trust? How does the K&F Concept Nano-Xcel Pro Series sound to you? Let us know in the comments below.

Keeping up with the latest trends, SIRUI, a reputable manufacturer of lenses, tripods, lights, and accessories, has now introduced their first-ever full-frame autofocus lens for Sony E, Nikon Z, and FUJIFILM X cameras. The Sony A1 II and the SIRUI 85mm lens arrived at our office more or less at the same time. After carefully examining the A1 II, we decided against doing a review on the camera alone, since video-wise it offers almost the same as its predecessor, the original A1. Instead, we decided to pair these two together!

Sony A1 II

Sony’s flagship mirrorless camera, the A1, was introduced over three years ago. Of course, when we heard about the upcoming Sony A1 II, our expectations were high. In case you missed it, you can check out our Sony A1 review here and our Lab Test here). When it comes to video, the original Sony Alpha 1 already performed well. About two years ago, it received a significant performance boost with a firmware update that added 8K XAVC HS, 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording option. So with the new camera, one can also expect 8K recording in up to 30fps, next to 4K/60 for normal recording and 4K/120 for high-frame-rate. (240 fps in full HD).

Fast forward to today’s announcement. Now we can share that the Sony A1 II keeps the same sensor (50,1PM) and processor as the older model, but includes new features and operability inherited from the a7R V and a9 III. For example, there is a new dedicated AI processing unit to help with enhanced autofocus and recognition performance, focus map, enhanced active mode electronic stabilization, and the ability to import up to 16 user LUTs.

When it comes to the A1 II camera body, it is EXACTLY the same as the Sony a9 III, featuring a 4-axis multi-angle LCD monitor and a similar button layout.

Summary

The Sony A1 II is a nice flagship camera, but for filmmaking, with the introduction of the 4-axis LCD screen and a9 III-like camera body, it brings a bigger increase in functionality rather than picture quality (see our rolling shutter test results above). Yes, video noise levels might be a bit better and S-Log compatibility with other higher-end cameras from Sony’s line might have improved, but all in all, the video picture quality of both cameras is rather the same. We haven’t tested the camera for photography, so I tend to believe that in this department the increments are greater. In a nutshell, we are talking about an “evolution”, not a “revolution”.

SIRUI Aurora 85mm Full-Frame f1.4 Autofocus lens

On the other hand, the new SIRUI Aurora 85mm full-frame autofocus lens, is a pleasant surprise! Taking into account that this is SIRUI’s first autofocus full-frame lens, they did very well.

What not to expect

Please allow me to align expectations first. The new Aurora 85mm is an “electronic lens”-meaning, it needs to be connected to the camera to power up. I’m mentioning this, so you are not surprised when your aperture doesn’t physically change when rotating the aperture ring. On top, don’t expect physically hard stops for minimum and maximum focus distance. As with many other AF lenses, this lens is designed to be suitable for photographers first, and videographers second.

The advantages of using the SIRUI Aurora 85mm lens

Fast F1.4 aperture

We tested the lens on the new Sony A1 II and found it to be surprisingly sharp even when being wide open at f1.4. Stopping it down a notch to F2 yields a slight improvement in sharpens.

Fast accurate silent autofocus operation

I was surprised to see how fast, quiet, and accurate focusing is (And we are talking about a pre-production lens.

“Brilliant image quality”

While the term “brilliant” usually belongs to marketing, we found the following when testing the lens:

• Bokeh: very nice and smooth, cat-eyes in the corners (no traces of “onion rings”).

• Chromatic aberration: visible but well controlled.

• Lens flares: well controlled.

• Focus breathing: well controlled.

• Sharpness: sharp even at f/1.4.

• Distortion: pincushion distortion is visible.

Top this with being lightweight (540g, thanks to using an aspherical lens), and very accessible price ($499 now, and $599 early next year), and you get a very versatile portrait lens that can easily be mounted on gimbals for example.

Lens body design

Next to being optically capable, there are two clutch buttons on each side of the lens. One for switching between autofocus and manual focus, and the other, for “clicking” or “de-clicking” the lens aperture. There is an additional button market with “AFL”. It is an assignable button, but I left it on “focus lock” as this proved to be very convenient while filming.

From my experience filming with this lens, the body seems to be solid. If there is anything I can criticize here, it is the lens cap (as it doesn’t keep the lens secure or stable when placed on a table.). I’m not sure what the issue is, and why such an elementary part of the lens is so difficult to produce effectively.

To complete this offering and ensure that the lens is “up to date”, like with most SIRUI’s lenses, there is a USB-C input connector for updating firmware if needed.

Conclusion

As a company that produces lenses, SIRUI went a long way from offering simple manual focus lenses to what we have here today. I truly believe that entering the full-frame autofocus lens market can contribute to their reputation and increase their customer base. This lens is the first of an entirely new product line and as such, I’m curious to see if the quality will stay consistent in further lenses to come. All in all, it has a solid modern sharp “look” that allows putting different kinds of filters in front of it for “look adaptation”. In fact, two 67mm filters are included with this lens. One is for UV protection, and the other is a 1/4 black mist which will be very helpful in “breaking” the sharp look that is much associated with such a lens.

In the future, I hope to see an evolution of the Aurora line to suit the needs of filmmakers even more. Taking such a lens, adding hard stops, and gears will make it very desirable. SIRUI already has experience using similar optical designs in their S35 line of lenses (Sniper/Nightwalker) so hopefully the same can be done here.

What do you think about SIRUI’s move to enter the ever-growing full-frame autofocus market? Do you think that such a lens is beneficial for your production? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

If you’ve been using image processing apps for a while, you will be well accustomed to Photoshop’s famous Magic Wand tool. It selects areas in an image with a similar color, and you can set it to be more or less “tolerant” towards similar colors. It’s not AI or machine learning based as it’s been around for much longer than we’ve known what “machine learning” even means, so it’s doing a pretty poor job at recognizing the borders of subjects – basically, it simply doesn’t “know” what a subject is, it only looks at similar color information.

Photoshop’s Magic Wand vs. “Select and Mask”

Chances are that you haven’t used the Magic Wand in Photoshop nearly as much as you used to, because of the “Select and Mask” tool that was introduced a while ago, which does a much better job at “understanding” the exact borders of objects, humans or animals. Very often it’s a one-click type of work, you click on it and boom – perfectly selected, no other steps required.

Final Cut Pro 11 introduces Magnetic Mask tools

On the video front, however, we haven’t been as spoiled with this technology over the last few years. Yes, DaVinci has a similar tool but it makes quite a few mistakes, which still means you’ll have to rotoscope quite a bit to get it right.

In comes Apple with a major update to Final Cut Pro, even going so far as to finally make the big jump from Final Cut Pro 10.8 to 11. (One could say they were simply running out of numbers behind the 10 … but they did skip the 10.9, maybe this is Apple’s unlucky number? We also never had an iPhone 9…). As its headlining main feature, Final Cut Pro 11 has the “Magnetic Mask” which works very similarly to Photoshop’s “Select and Mask”, but for video.

Are Magnetic Masks just pimped “Magic Wands”, or more?

When I first heard about Magnetic Masks, I didn’t expect too much because my first association was actually with that Magic Wand tool we’ve forever known from photo editors. But the first time I saw it in action, I was blown away. One-click on a subject will immediately color it red and show the automatically generated mask. Another click on “Analyze” will start tracking the mask automatically for the entire duration of the clip in the timeline, starting from the playhead position forward. When it’s at the end, it’ll continue going backward from that playhead position until it’s done. This is useful because subjects can get in and out of focus or frame, and this way you can start the subject tracking on a clean frame.

Real-world testing of Magnetic Masking with drones, humans, and forests

I went through dozens of clips from recent shoots and decided to select some really difficult ones, starting with b-roll from my review of the DJI Air 3S. The drone flying in mid-air, turning, sometimes leaving the shot, and flying back in. It’s doing a simply remarkable job even with one-click selection. On some very rare occasions, it will miss a few frames of one of the drone arms coming back into shot when it’s turning, but this was easy to fix with two more clicks. The foreground-background separation works amazingly well, and even when the drone quickly exits the frame and comes back in, it “catches” it again. There are very few times when parts of the background are also selected, and even if they are, it’s almost invisible portions of it.

Moving on to the next shot, me flying the drone. Same story: one click and I have a perfect selection that even does a great job separating fine hair from the background. Tracking works well even if I am not filling the frame when the camera is tilting down and back up to my head again. No complaints, manual rotoscoping wouldn’t have looked any better on this shoot.

The last shot I tested was a drone shot where the drone was flying towards a hut inside a forest full of colorful trees in fall. The big challenge here is the changing perspective with tree branches and leaves moving in front of the hut. On this shot, the first selection click wasn’t enough and some further additions to the mask with additional clicks were necessary, as you can see in the review video. Yet still, it took two minutes or so, and the mask was done, and, again, the automatic tracking did a great job. It’s not perfect and some of the foreground leaves are too detailed, but it’s better than what even manual rotoscoping would look like on this occasion as well.

When working with Magnetic Masks, you can either make a separate mask and stack effects that you want to apply to that mask below the mask in the Effects tab. Or if you want a mask specifically for one effect, you select the mask symbol from inside the effect and track it from there – however if you do that, keep in mind that there doesn’t seem to be a way to copy that effect-specific mask to another effect, you’ll have to track the subject again. Here I would love to see Apple add an option that allows you to copy a mask from within an effect onto another effect, or paste it even as a global mask to the clip.

Render speed of Magnetic Masks in Final Cut Pro 11

I am using an M2 Max MacBook Pro 16″ with 64GB of RAM and rendering Magnetic Masks (on footage on a fast external SSD) was probably around 70% realtime (UHD footage at 25 frames per second). In other words, remarkably fast considering the complexity of the work. We don’t have access to an M4 Pro / Max machine right now, but it can only get better on those of course.

Conclusion

The Magnetic Mask feature is one of the most intuitive, best-working masking tools I’ve ever used and it will propel selective color grading and effects placement into the hands of a whole new generation of creators and filmmakers. It simply works very reliably and it’s leaped over the quality of tracking currently available in other NLEs.

To upgrade to Final Cut Pro 11 from any prior version of Final Cut Pro (since the relaunch over 13 years ago, that is – 13 years!! Can you believe it?!), you can download the free update from the App Store. It’s amazing that they still are not charging for an upgrade as long as you purchased Final Cut Pro for $299 once before. There is also a free 30-day trial if you haven’t used it before. Other features in Final Cut Pro 11 are well worth an upgrade (even if it would cost money), including Transcribe to Captions and Spatial Editing, smooth Slo-Mo, and much-enhanced voice isolation, but nothing will convince you more to use Final Cut Pro as your daily editing application than the Magnetic Mask function. Well done!

We already wrote about the Trexo Converta Video Slider when it first became available. If you are interested in all the specs before diving into my review, you can quickly catch up in this article.

Now, let’s get started: First, since this is my first time working with a Trexo product, let’s start by breaking down the various configurations you can build with the Converta Video Slider. The Converta packs a lot of features into two core packages with an optional upgrade and a variety of additional accessories for various tasks:

• Converta 600 – 23.6″ (0.6m) Operation Length ($495 for the ‘Lite Package’)
• Converta 400 – 15.7″ (0.4m) Operation Length ($395 for the ‘Lite Package’)

The ‘Standard’ optional upgrade adds an additional $100 to the overall cost and adds a turntable plate to either the 600 or 400 and the necessary mounting point for the turntable. Beyond that, you have the choice of several a la carte accessories that are all compatible with the Converta and the Trexo Converta phone app.

Those optional additional accessories include:

• 3-Axis Kit ($795)
• Carry Case ($100)
• L-Brackets ($70)
• Pan Tilt V2 Module ($395)
• Phone Holder ($25)

Initially, I was confused as to whether I needed the L-brackets and the 3-Axis Kit, so I want to define the above list a bit – if you purchase the 3-Axis Kit, it includes two V2 Pan/Tilt modules and both the needed L-Brackets for motion pan and tilt moves.

Do you need the 3-Axis Kit? It depends. If you are only interested in creating a roving B-angle on interviews (a common use case) you will only need one Pan Tilt V2 module that is panning with your subject and connected to the Converta and app. However, if you want to create diagonal 3-axis moves or a timelapse (perhaps of a statue to the sky), you’ll need the 3-Axis Kit.

There is one accessory that Trexo does not provide: a timelapse trigger cable. For that, you’ll need a 2.5mm timelapse cable, and I purchased one made by Vello from B&H for my Sony a7RV. It wasn’t expensive.

First impressions

The soft case for the Converta contains different spots for each of the various components and a few pieces of pre-cut foam. Unfortunately, this is not something I would check on an airplane, and I would be cautious about transporting this kit. Exploring some kind of hard case option is definitely needed here unless you plan to keep this slider in a studio without transporting it around.

Packaging aside, one of the more impressive things that struck me when first diving into the Converta is what a Swiss army knife this slider truly is, and the fact it isn’t many thousands of dollars to purchase is pretty incredible. It’s one of those products that is tricky to talk about because I only have the space to cover a few use cases, and there are so many other options beyond what I discuss here – including stop motion!

My introduction to motion control started years ago, working on motion time-lapses and other normal slide moves for a Discovery show in Utah, and those initial experiences weren’t too fun. Tons of cables hanging everywhere, low weight capacity, motor belts that always seemed to be slipping, a tiny speck of dust seemed to make the motion of the move bumpy, and the whole rig required expensive batteries that only worked on that one rig and didn’t work on any of the other camera systems I had with me. It was, in short, a bummer.

The team at Trexo has clearly worked hard to alleviate many of the pain points of other motion control products. For one, the general weight capacity is great, and because of this, you can use a wide range of camera systems with the Converta. Here are the weight limits broken down by how you have the slider and turntable oriented:

• 22 lbs (9.98 kg) in Horizontal Mode
• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) while in Inclined Mode (defined as a 22.5-degree incline by Trexo)
• 17.6 lbs (7.98 kg) while descending in Vertical Mode
• 11 lbs (5 kg) capacity for the optional turntable

A few more weight limits to keep in mind when using the 3-axis rig and V2 module in conjunction with the Converta:

• 11lbs (5 kg) weight capacity in 3-axis mode (two V2 modules + brackets)
• 6.6lbs (3 kg) weight capacity if only using one pan/tilt V2 module

Note: Rigging the Sony a7RV on the top tilt module required me to add a Wooden Camera baseplate to move the camera back and forth to perfectly balance. It doesn’t like having a lens forward too far, or it will give you an “obstacle detected” warning in the phone app. I didn’t receive this warning when using the iPhone.

Okay, moving away from weight capacity…

The design of the slider itself is matte black with the occasional red accent point – one of the main spots painted red is a series of 1/4-20 mounting points that seem perfectly placed for a small monitor to view the camera angle during operation.

There is a warning label telling you not to touch the screw system inside the opening in the slider, and indeed, I would be careful of letting anything fall into the slider opening that could cause unwanted bumpy spots.

My main takeaway from opening the Converta box for the first time is that it seems like this whole kit should be more expensive, but who am I to complain? You have to keep in mind I just came off two shows back to back where I used a motion slider for roving wide shots, and that whole system was much, much more expensive, but I didn’t have access to the Converta at the time.

Operation

The biggest point of failure I see in the operation of motion sliders is right at the end of the track when the move stops and shifts direction – that’s where things usually start to go downhill. I’ve worked with systems where you see a noticeable shift at that point in the move, and it shows up in the footage.

Somehow, the $495 Converta shines here, and the camera slides to the end of the track and shifts direction smoothly in a way that is very, very hard for a human operator or other motion sliders to replicate. This, right here, is a reason to add the Converta to your kit. This makes it incredibly useful as a roving B-angle in an interview because you can use 100% of the motion in the edit and not have parts of your shot that are too jumpy. Also, the face tracking feature keeps the subject centered and in focus, making it ideal for filming a moving presenter. With built-in mounting ports, you can use your smartphone as a monitor or for easy setup and control.

I find both the app and the control panel to be intuitive and user-friendly. Gone are 3D representations of hundreds of keyframes and nebulous names for different features – everything is easy to navigate, making triggering time-lapses or setting moves or overall speed very simple. One thing to note is you’ll need to set your keyframes before you can move over to select the interval in the timelapse menu in the app.

Of course, you are going to still need to think about all the things you normally would when shooting a timelapse, such as star tracking or an ND filter to allow you to drag your shutter more during the day, etc. The slider is really just doing the work of moving your camera and triggering your shutter at whatever interval you decide.

Everything in the app is built around a “Timeline” tab that serves as a representation of the move you are trying to create. Simply hit the plus button at the top to add a keyframe, or use the joystick to move to a different keyframe while clicking the speed button to make it a slow or fast move. If you use the 3-axis accessory, you will suddenly be able to use the joystick to set keyframes in any direction you can think of. Cool.

Worried you might bump your tilt when panning to your preferred framing? You can lock your tilt or vice versa to allow you to focus on moving one axis at a time. All of this made a ton of sense to me (not someone who has built a career in motion control), and I appreciate how I’m not being overwhelmed by various menu options – Trexo has kept the system streamlined.

Oh, and you can even save your programmed move and use it again in the future.

Power for the Trexo Converta

Trexo has made the decision to go with USB-C chargeable internal batteries for both the Converta and the pan/tilt modules.

Battery life per charge will vary heavily with how much you are using the slider and the modules, but I found I was getting about five hours with the Pan/Tilt V2 modules running fairly often with a 3.2lbs Sony a7RV camera and smaller SIGMA lens. The slider itself lasted several hours for me before I noticed the battery indicator getting low. Still, I’ll admit it is slightly tricky to judge the overall time for this because I am constantly using it in all sorts of different modes with different rigs and lens changes.

Using my Apple Macbook Pro charger to charge the modules and slider is incredibly useful because I’m often on smaller crew travel jobs internationally, and taking fewer chargers and battery types with me means less carrying from airport to airport. Built-in batteries are a small but meaningful feature to me, and of course, you could always take a camera battery with USB out and charge the slider up that way, too, in the field.

However, lithium-ion battery technology only has a set number of recharge cycles (often measured in the hundreds and thousands, but you will have to swap out an internal battery someday, and that means a shipment back to Trexo for service at their European or US location) so, that is something to keep in mind.

Final thoughts about the Trexo Converta

For my first time working with a Trexo product, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed using the Converta Video Slider. It’s easy to control, has a weight limit that fits most of my cameras, and is small and simple enough to bring along and add production value without the headache of multiple re-takes.

I don’t think this would make a great rental unit because of the soft case, internal components, and relatively affordable price tag, but for owner-operators, the Converta makes a lot of sense. It also takes only a minute or two to set up this slider as a B-angle on an interview, and then you can literally back away and concentrate on operating the A-camera. The fast setup time may be one of the biggest draws with the Converta.

Whether or not you need the additional cost of the 3-Axis Kit or the turntable will be up to you, but there is a case for buying the slider in your preferred length and building the kit slowly over time as you become more comfortable with its usage. In short, the Converta punches way above its weight and is worth a look.

What do you think? Will you be adding the Trexo Converta Video Slider to your kit? Let us know in the comments below!

Some weekends ago, I was away from home attending Sony’s Kando event in the Austrian Alps. You may ask, what does a Sony event have to do with BLAZAR APEX 1.33x autofocus anamorphic lenses? Well, the lenses we got to test are E-mount, so the invitation to this happening couldn’t have come at a better time. Before concentrating on these interesting lenses, a few words about the Kando event itself.

“Kando”

“Kando” is a Japanese word that means ’emotional involvement’ or ‘deep impression’. The gathering in the Austrian Alps reflects this meaning well, uniting creators to foster enjoyment and inspire creativity. These Kando events are global and usually exclusive to selected photographers and filmmakers who are working closely with Sony. This specific Kando event I attended on behalf of CineD was open to Sony ambassadors, imaging creators, photographers, and selected media. I have to mention that I seldom attend an event where the participants have ZERO ego. Friendliness and ambition to learn were very noticeable. The dedicated, knowledgeable Sony staff managed to put on an impressive event and bring together EXTREMELY talented Austrian and Swiss creators. This three-day event was translated into astonishing stills and short videos. (Watch this space for a link summarizing the Sony Kando event). 

I was also astonished to see the endless Sony cameras and lenses that the attendees were offered to work with. I chose the Sony FX30 for filming this weekend for numerous reasons. One was that the BLAZAR AF anamorphic lenses are suitable for APS-C sensors, and the other was the ability to (theoretically) de-squeeze the anamorphic image in the camera (more on this little fiasco later). Last but not least, the Sony FX30 is a nice little camera, and it was a good opportunity to bring it to the center of attention again.

Sony FX30 – an underrated gem

In September 2022, when the FX30 was announced, I had a friendly conversation with Kosuke-san, the product planner for this camera. Even then, we recognized that the FX30’s main competitor could very well be Sony’s own FX3…. Both cameras look identical, but the FX30 features an APS-C sensor, whereas the FX3 has a full-frame sensor. Somehow, as the market shifted to larger sensors, the FX3 became a user’s favorite camera while the FX30 seemed to be left in the shadows. In this regard, I was very happy to work with it again and be reminded of just how capable this camera is, especially when it comes to picture quality and high frame rate recording. The “Cine Line” badge on this camera makes it the most affordable product in that family ($1,798), bringing 4K recording resolution up to 120 fps. (The last firmware update brought a true 24p next to shutter angle to this camera, which was very helpful, too).

Back to my roots

For those who have been following my work, you know how much I like to approach filming in the most simple way possible. The fewer accessories, the better. I always try to make the camera as much a “part of my body” as I can so it is easy for me to work with it. This is why I prefer to work with cameras that have a built-in EVF and not use external monitors, for example. An EVF helps me to judge exposure easily and supplies an essential additional point of camera support (old fashioned or not?)…

This brings me back to the FX30. Unfortunately, both the FX30 and FX3 do not have a built-in EVF, and while for many, it is not an issue, for me, it is. To “combat” the absence of an EVF, I dug an old Kinotechnik LCDVF viewfinder from our attic and fitted it to work on the Sony FX30. (This one can be fitted with diopters, which is perfect for people who wear glasses or contact lenses). The results were very satisfying, although I was not able to swipe the LCD screen anymore (there was too much gaffer tape to secure the LCDVF frame on as I did not have a viewfinder spare frame with “fresh glue”).

Anyway, when this was done, my head was free to check how well the APEX anamorphic lenses behaved on the FX30. Although these are early sample lenses, both the 35mm and 50mm 1.33x adjusted well, and autofocusing with them was pretty much a breeze. The thing is that when attaching an anamorphic lens to the FX30 (or FX3) and setting the menu to de-squeeze the image, the following occurred:

• You lose any autofocus functionality
• You lose any SteadyShot capabilities

With this in mind, of course, I had to give up my plan to de-squeeze the image in the camera and leave it “as is” so that I had full autofocus and SteadyShot functionality.

Two other notes before concluding the Sony FX30 part of my review:

• There are only two in-camera de-squeeze options, 1.33x and 2.0x. It would be nice if Sony could consider adding additional de-squeeze options like 1.5x, 1.6x, and 1.8x to start with.

• This is a matter of ergonomics, but having the “multi selector” button on top of the camera and not where the thumb is was challenging, especially when trying to navigate where I want my focus point to be.

BLAZAR APEX 1.33x lenses

As I stated before, the samples we have at the office are pre-production units, and as such, things can change by the time they’re released. Moreover, these lens samples had slight mechanical issues that will be fixed before release.

The first thing I want to highlight is the possibilities that autofocus in anamorphic lenses are offering to many types of users. For example, photographers who are looking to capture still images that are a bit different than the ones they usually produce will feel right at home with the autofocus functionality of such a lens. And I don’t want to say “we,” but for me as a solo shooter, solid autofocus in general and particularly in an anamorphic lens is a “game-changer” feature. Top this with the optical quality of the lens, and you have a true winner. I have to warn you that while the images don’t feature extreme flares or intense distortion, you will notice natural flares that vary depending on the angle of the light source, along with a subtle bokeh effect.

The overall feeling when looking at the image is that the squeeze ratio is greater than 1.33x. “How much greater?” you might ask. Well, I will let you guys decide. Overall, these lenses are very balanced, in my opinion, and the result is pleasant imagery that uses the full 16×9 sensor size. (Can we now say goodbye to masking images on top and bottom with black bars when using spherical lenses and throwing away data?)

A bit more in-depth

BLAZAR does not create anamorphic lenses with pincushion distortion but rather concentrates on producing lenses with barrel distortion only. Personally, I prefer that method for image aesthetics, allowing lines to distort outward from the center rather than inward.

What else do we have here?

Flares: These are very modest. Nothing is being “thrown in your face.” Also, the flare color is neutral (silver), meaning the lens will take the color of the light aimed at it. As a side note, it is not that I was trying hard to “flare the lens.” I shot “normally,” intending to compose the frame the way I like it rather than looking for lights that would create streaks.

Bokeh: I find the bokeh shape to be pleasant with a narrow oval shape. Further testing might be needed against a larger amount of lights in the background.

Sharpness: The center of both lenses is insanely sharp. When looking at the edges, like with other lenses, it all depends on the T stop you are working with. As expected, at T1.8, the edges are quite soft, but by stopping down to around T2.8, you’re already on “safer ground.” I find T.4 to be the best for balancing edge-to-edge sharper images across the frame.

Focus breathing: Well maintained!

Minimum focus: It seems as if diopters for closer, more casual shots might not be needed as the minimum focus distance of the 35mm lens is 0.56cm (1.1”). For the 50mm lens, we measured 0.65cm (2.2”).

It is worth noting that both lenses have metric and imperial distance readings on them. Also, both lenses have a USB-C terminal for future firmware updates.

No lens is perfect

Of course, no lens is perfect…but the feedback I have for the BLAZAR APEX anamorphic autofocus lenses is limited to minor points, nothing fundamental or beyond the scope of their current design. I would have loved the AF/MF switch to be reversed, with AF positioned at the front. Why? Just because most AF lenses I’m working with are built that way, so it makes it somehow easier to operate instinctively. Other than that, as many of you guys indicated when we first released the news, many users have been wanting a full-frame autofocus anamorphic lens. Other than that, there is really not much to criticize here. The lens is sharp where it is supposed to be (center), and of course, the more you close it down, the sharper the edges get, too.

All in all, I would like to salute this young company for coming up with a very desirable lens and for closing the gap in terms of “ease of use” between spherical and anamorphic lenses. It is worth noting that the 50mm lens will be released first, and it will come in E-mount. Additional mounts are planned for early next year.

Final notes

For the above sample clips, I used the Sony FX30, BLAZAR APEX 35mm and 50mm. Circular ND filter provided by K&F. Viewfinder: Kinotechnik LCDVF. Please note that this loop comes in various sizes, and it wasn’t easy for me to determine which one would best fit the FX3/FX30. (The one I used was slightly smaller than I would have liked). For additional support, I used the Gitzo Mini Traveler Tabletop tripod. Yes, it is not cheap, but it has become my trusted travel companion for many years now.

The video above was edited using the latest version of Adobe Premiere, with LUTs custom-made using CineD’s LUT builder powered by fylm.ai. You can try it out yourself here.

BLAZAR did well with these anamorphic autofocus lenses, and I applaud them for being innovative and listening to what users want. Oh, and the color to match the Sony mount is a nice touch, too…

Pricing and availability

The release date of both APEX lenses is not set yet. We will update this review when we get some additional information. Price-wise, the 50mm lens will set you back $799.

What do you think about the release of the first-ever autofocus anamorphic lenses? Do you see this as a breakthrough? And in regards to their look, these lenses have a 1.33x squeeze factor, but in your opinion, do they have a 1.5x squeeze look? Please share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Let me state right at the beginning that this is in no way a fully comprehensive review. It’s a first look the DJI Air 3S which I took to a series of beautiful maiden flights, and my first impressions with the drone, as someone who’s flying various DJI drones multiple times per week (especially the Mavic 3 Pro Cine).

Drone confusion – where does the DJI Air 3S fit into DJI’s lineup?

Before we dive into the specifics of the Air 3S, let’s look at DJI’s lineup of “foldable” drones and how they are positioned with regards to their capabilities, and where the new Air 3S will fit in. 

At the bottom end, there’s the still-new DJI Neo which is clearly an entry-level drone that delivers “okay” quality video for amateurs and can be flown in lots of places due to its ultra-low weight of 135 grams. Next is the DJI Mini 3 which shoots better video and photos and can also be flown in many places without permissions because it weighs only 249 grams. However, I think the Mini 3 might be discontinued eventually as we actually have a DJI Mini 4 Pro, but no normal Mini 4 drone. I guess the Neo is taking that entry-level spot now, and the weight and size differences between the Mini 4 Pro and the Neo actually give them a better separation in the market between the two entry-level drones than the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro had before. 

Confused? Me too. But wait, I am only getting started …

DJI Air 3 vs. Air 3S vs. Mavic 3 Pro

In the middle of DJI’s lineup of foldable drones, up until now, there’s the DJI Air 3 sitting right above the Mini 4 Pro. In case you missed the great review of the Air 3 by my colleague Jakub, check it our here.

The Air 3 has the beautiful 70mm telephoto camera as the second option, but what’s funny is that main 24mm camera is the same 1-over-1.3 inch CMOS camera that we have in the Mini 4 Pro. And I guess it didn’t sit well with DJI and many of their users, that essentially all of their drones except the high-end Mavic 3 Pro uses the same main camera. The gap between that tiny sensor to the exceptionally good 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera that is the main camera in the Mavic 3 Pro, which has been my main drone since it was released, was just too big. In comes the 1-inch sensor for the main camera of the new Air 3S, which offers considerably better low-light capabilities and overall image quality and rendition. 

Image quality delivered by DJI Air 3S cameras

Video from both cameras look exceptional, and it’s great that 10-bit D-Log M and full manual camera controls are available on both cameras. While I didn’t have a chance yet to really test the low-light capabilities of the Air 3S, it’s clear that it will be a lot better in this regard than its sibling, the Air 3, with its much smaller sensor. The new 1-inch sensor offers 50 megapixels in photo mode and up to 4K with 60 frames per second in HDR and 4K 120 for high-speed recordings.

New LiDAR enables better low-light flying and obstacle-sensing technology

A first in a DJI drone is the forward-facing LiDAR sensor in addition to camera sensors around the drone and the downward-facing infrared sensors. With the LiDAR, the drone is less dependent on good ambient light to manoeuvre around obstacles, it now can also do this in low light and near darkness. 

This better obstacle-sensing technology also enables a “Smart” return-to-home feature that actually avoids obstacles and shows you the return path while the drone lands itself. 

Built-in storage, H.265 compression

When taking off for my maiden flight with the drone, I didn’t even bother putting a micro SD card inside because the Air 3S now comes with 42 GB of built-in storage, which gave me about 1 hour and 20 minutes of recording time in H.265 4K at 25 frames per second. And now you don’t even have to power the drone up anymore when connecting it to a computer, the internal drone storage will show up as an external drive.

Talking about codecs, the DJI Air records in the very efficient H.265 codec at a maximum of 130 MBps, and the maximum resolution is 4K. I’ve gotten spoilt recording ProRes in the Mavic 3 Pro Cine, which comes with a built-in 1TB SSD, but I have to say that the H.265 out of the Air 3S is beautiful too and absolutely broadcast-ready. I’ve yet to test how the compression holds up in low light environments but I have a feeling that H.265 is doing a lot better here than much older drones that were only recording the less efficient H.264 at a similar bitrate. 

DJI Air 3S review conclusion – a more affordable allrounder drone

To conclude this first-look review of the DJI Air 3S, I have to point out that this drone will definitely serve you well if you want to produce professional-grade video images with a drone even in low-light situations, but don’t need all the bells and whistles of the high-end Mavic 3 Pro.

DJI Air 3S falls in C1 category / A1 subcategory

One very important thing you need to consider is the fact that in Europe, the Air 3S with its 724 grams falls in the C1 category and the A1 subcategory which is much less restrictive than the C2 category of drones. The Mavic 3 Pro is a C2 category drone because it weighs more than 900 grams, and that means a considerable amount of regulations need to be followed and more permissions need to be obtained you want to fly that drone in a lot of spaces. Apart from a comparatively low price of just around 1100 Euros or dollars, this for me is the main reason why the Air 3S with its 1-inch sensor and low-light shooting and flying capabilities will definitely find its market even among professional video shooters and filmmakers. 

What do you think about DJI’s newest addition to their drone lineup? Are you looking to upgrade from an older model, or finally get into the drone game? Let us know in the comments below.