2023 was arguably a much better year than the past 3! International travel and trade shows were back on and there was a strong sense that finally some normality had returned. Despite his sense of normality if you look at the big picture there are still wars, natural disasters, climate change, poverty, hunger, sadness, hope, joy, etc.
So what are our favorite products of 2023? Well, Erik and Matt have assembled a list of what most impressed them during 2023. Their picks are personal choices based on what gear is relevant and useful for the type of work they do. At least in our opinion, it is impossible to award best products, because people’s needs and requirements differ so much. What might be a great product for you won’t be a great product for someone else.
We would also love to hear from our readers as to what their favorite products of 2023 were. Feel free to tell us in the comments section what your personal favorites were.
Now, the criteria for these selections were as simple as following a few rules:
- The product needed to be officially announced for the first time in 2023
- You had to be able to purchase and have the item ship in 2023
Erik and Matt have both picked a winner and one or two honorable mentions. Just to be crystal clear, these selections are personal choices otherwise they may have still been debating (or arguing!) over the winner of each category.
The categories are:
- Digital Cinema Camera
- Budget Digital Cinema Camera
- Mirrorless Hybrid Camera
- Light
- Lighting Accessory
- Lens
- Audio Product
- Camera Accessory
- Camera Support Device
- Innovation
- Software
Favorite Digital Cinema Camera
MATT’S PICK: RED KOMODO-X
This was a hard decision, because we didn’t actually see that many digital cinema cameras announced in 2023. I went with the RED KOMODO-X, because I think it is a pretty decent offering that bridges the gap between the more affordable KOMODO and the higher-end V-RAPTOR. The KOMODO-X features an all new 6K global shutter sensor with better frame rate options and slightly higher dynamic range performance from the original KOMODO. It also has a lot better I/O than the KOMODO, including updated monitoring capabilities with support for DSMC3 Touch LCD. It also hafeatures built-in USB Type-C and newly engineered audio hardware, including locking +48V audio connector with an improved preamp.
While I personally think it still has some flaws and it doesn’t have built-in ND filters, the image performance and price point make it an appealing proposition.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Kinefinity MAVO S35 Mark 2 & MAVO LF Mark 2
Way back in January, Kinefinity announced the MAVO S35 Mark 2 & MAVO LF Mark 2. Both cameras utilize the MAVO Edge high-performance computing platform, and they feature integrated industry-standard ports like independent dual SDI outputs with metadata. You can also record Apple ProRes4444/XQ footage onto NVMe M.2 2280 SSD drives.
Both the MAVO S35 Mark 2 & MAVO LF Mark 2 offer a very good range of resolutions, frame rates, built-in ND, lots of good I/O and the ability to utilize the optional 7″ monitor and EVF.
Kinefinity has come a long way and you shouldn’t sleep on their cameras because they offer very impressive specifications, feature sets, and good usability. Most importantly, both cameras were very aggressively priced.
ERIK’S PICK: RED KOMODO-X
Cinema cameras dont usually get many releases every year as they are the main cameras for the manufacturers that are generally expensive. RED has done a great job offering up a more affordable smaller RED with the KOMODO and the KOMODO X adds more features but maintains a more compact design. I keep telling myself I need to pick one up and give it a go. Maybe 2024 will bring the RED experience into my life.
Favorite Budget Digital Cinema Camera
MATT’S PICK: Z CAM E2-F6 Pro
There is a lot to like about the Z CAM E2-F6 Pro. You would be hard pressed to find a better digital cinema camera for under $4K.
The Z CAM E2-F6 Pro Full-Frame Cinema Camera comes with a Canon EF lens mount and can also be used with separately available ARRI PL and Leica M mounts. The E2-F6 Pro captures up to 10-bit 6K60 full-frame video and offers both 12G-SDI and HDMI video outputs. It also comes with a 5″ touchscreen monitor that is detachable. The camera has a decent amount of dynamic range and it is very lightweight and compact. It also supports timecode and genlock, and incorporates four user-assignable buttons along the side of the camera.
ERIK’S PICK: Z CAM E2-F6 Pro
Z Cam, from the start, was on a mission to build an affordable cinema camera with great specifications, and each new model shows great improvements. The E2-F6 Pro’s sibling, the E2-F6 has ben used in big-budget films such as Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.
ERIK’S HONORABLE MENTION: Apple iPhone 15 Pro
I never thought an iPhone would get an honorable mention, but it’s happening. The iPhone 15 Pro took the mobile device into a whole new place with the updated USB-C IO that allows the use of external drives and media cards to record with, plus the addition of ProRes Log. Combined the iPhone 15 Pro is very capable of creating good images. We are starting to see more support, such as cages and rigs, to make it easier to shoot with. While I wouldn’t want to shoot with one as a primary camera, I’m sure we will see many more productions using it.
Favorite Mirrorless Hybrid Camera
MATT’S PICK: Nikon Z8
Nikon’s Z8 mirrorless hybrid was designed to fit into the lineup between the Z7 Mark II and their flagship Z9. In a lot of ways, the Z8 is a Z9 on a diet at a lower price.
The Z8 packs in a lot of the same features and functionality as the Z9 which certainly does make it an interesting proposition for anyone who needs to shoot a mix of video and stills.
While people may well scoff at Nikon, they have released some very good camera over the last few years.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Panasonic S5 II & S5 II x
I will put this out there straight away. I have a love/hate relationship with Panasonic mirrorless hybrids. While they offer great specifications on paper, they do tend to have their quirks and caveats.
It is hard to argue that the Panasonic S5 II & S5 II x don’t offer excellent value for money, especially if you are shooting mainly video. Yes, there are better hybrid cameras if you taking a lot of stills, but for video the range of onboard recording options makes them hard to beat at this price.
ERIK’S PICK: FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Mirrorless Camera
Fujifilm skipped full frame entirely and jumped the shark with the medium format GFX 100II. This is not an ordinary medium format camera as they added many features and accessories to make it a powerhouse hybrid. The camera is capable of shooting in ProRes with 4K60 Video and 10-Bit Out.
You can record in 8K 17:9 up to 24p and 8K 16:9 at up to 29.97p and there is an 8K 8192 x 2968 2.76:1 mode. There is also 4.9K 16:9 and a 4.6K 4664 x 3380 (1.88:1) options. 5.8K 2.35:1 at up to 29.97p, and 5.5K 16:9 at up to 29.97p.
There is a 3:2 4.8K open gate anamorphic mode but you are limited to frame rates up to 24p. If you drop down to 4K DCI or UHD you can record in frame rates of up to 59.94p. You can shoot at up to 120p in 2K DCI or HD. All very impressive.
ERIK’S HONORABLE MENTION: Canon R5C
I’m going to cheat on this one. Sorry, Matt! The Canon R5C came out in mid-January 2022 and was available for sale in 2023, making it ineligible, but it’s really an excellent example of a true hybrid camera. This is a special camera for Canon as, in the past, they wouldn’t create such a diverse camera and wanted users to pick either a stills or cinema camera. I like that Canon has turned the corner with the RF offerings.
Favorite Lens
MATT’S PICK: Laowa Proteus 2x Anamorphic Lenses
There were a lot of lenses released in 2023 and like every year, this category was a hard one for me to pick. I ended up selecting the Laowa Proteus 2x Anamorphic Lenses.
The Laowa Proteus 2x Anamorphic series cover Super 35 sensors and they already have 6 focal lengths available that are all T2. The series will eventually consist of 8 lenses, with a 20mm and 135mm on the way.
At under $5,000 USD each, you may not classify these lenses as affordable, but for 2x anamorphic lenses, they are very affordable. To put the price in perspective, the Atlas Orion 2x anamorphic lenses cost from $8,999 USD up to $14,995 USD depending on the focal length.
I reviewed the lenses back in July and found them to strike a very good balance between affordability, image quality, and consistency.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: NiSi ATHENA Cine Primes
I reviewed these lenses a few months ago, and while they are far from perfect, they offer very good value for money if you after a set of full frame cine prime lenses.
While the NiSi ATHENA primes are hardly groundbreaking in terms of coming up with an affordable full frame cine prime lens set, the consistency in terms of build quality, mechanics, and all the lenses having the same weight is something we haven’t arguably seen before. If you have a stigma about affordable Chinese-made cine lenses not being any good, you should think again.
The Athena primes represent excellent value for money and optically, while certainly far from perfect, they can compete with much more expensive lenses in certain areas.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Laowa 28-75mm T2.9 & 75-180mm T2.9 Ranger Full Frame Zooms
I chose a second honorable mention in this category which was the Laowa 28-75mm T2.9 & 75-180mm T2.9 Ranger Full Frame Zooms.
The focal ranges of 28-75mm and 75-180mm that the Ranger series offers are reasonably decent given their size and weight. Being able to build a full rame zoom set with a constant T2.9 aperture and a focal range from 16-180mm (with the addition of the 16-30mm T2.9) for less than $9K USD is impressive, especially given their compact size. The lenses are claimed to be parfocal and from my testing, I found that to be true.
It is good to see more competition in the affordable full-frame cine zoom space. If you are an owner/operator, lenses such as the Laowa Rangers make a lot of sense. They won’t empty your wallet and they provide decent results. No, they aren’t going to offer the same optical quality as more expensive offerings, but they still get the job done for far less money and that is their biggest appeal.
ERIK’S PICK: Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens
The RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z is the lens I’ve been waiting for! I use the F4 version a lot on the Cinema EOS cameras and having a version with 2.8 with zoom is truly great.
Favorite Light
MATT’S PICK: Intellytech Mega-8FC Litecloth 3.0 RGB LED Flexible Mat
Lighting is a very hard category. I reviewed a lot of lights this year and picking just two was a tall order. My winner was ultimately the Intellytech Mega-8FC Litecloth 3.0 RGB LED Flexible Mat. Its versatility, color accuracy, reasonably low power draw, and output make it hard to beat if you are looking for a large flexible lighting fixture.
I reviewed the light midway through this year.
If you are going to come out with a new version of a product, then it needs to be better. Intellytech has improved and changed so many elements of the fixture and its design, and it is more than just a worthy successor to the original.
It produces a beautiful soft light, especially with two layers of diffusion. The extra output it has over the previous version is a welcome addition, and it is the extra output that really helps when you want to create a more diffused lighting source, but you still require a decent amount of punch. The only downside with the increased output is that it comes with the caveat of an increased power draw. At 400W it is no longer able to be powered via two flight-safe batteries. This is something you need to consider.
The photometric scores across the board are impressive and the light has essentially the same output at almost all of its CCT settings. The biggest caveat is when it comes to using the diffusion. You need to be aware of how much it alters the CCT and adjust the fixture accordingly. If there is one thing I would like to see Intellyteh improve on it is to come up with some better diffusion material.
It is well made and designed, and Intellytech improved on all of the aspects that I had issues with when I reviewed the previous version. I like the new diffusion screen frame and the fact that you can now place the diffusion further away from the LEDs. The only downside to this new design is that it does take slightly longer to set up the light.
It is a highly versatile lighting solution that can be used in numerous different ways and that is one of its biggest appeals. Being able to create such a broad lighting source from a fixture that doesn’t require massive lighting stands and numerous people to move it around only adds to its versatility.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: ARRI SkyPanel X
The original ARRI SkyPanel was a hit when it was released back in 2015, and it has been used by countless productions over theist 8 years, but lighting technology has come a long way since then and a refresh was needed.
The SkyPanel X is a modular, all-weather, state-of-the-art LED light that is claimed to redefine industry standards in terms of dimming, color rendition, output, and beam quality. It is a modular system and configurable into different sizes (X21, X22, X23), and it is capable of offering native soft and hard light technology, setting a new bar not only in terms of dimming and color science, but also in lux output and beam quality for medium to long throws.
The fixture can provide superior low-end dimming with flicker-free operation from 100 to zero percent for direct, close-distance key lighting. It features a CCT range from 1,500 to 20,000K. Instead of RGBW like the original SkyPanels, the SkyPanel X utilizes an RGBACL full-spectrum light engine that is claimed to feature the best ARRI lighting color science to date.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Nanlite PavoSlim
Nanlite’s PavoSlim panel lights are a hybrid mix of a flexible panel light and a traditional panel light. They utilize a lightweight hard backing material that is very thin, but robust.
The Nanlite PavoSlim 60C and 120C are great fixtures that won’t break the bank. They are solidly made, well-thought-out lights with a good amount of output and good color rendering scores.
They produce a beautiful soft light, especially when used with their diffusion. The output is extremely impressive given the light’s small size and power draw. That high output really helps when you want to create a more diffused lighting source, but you still require a decent amount of punch.
Being able to run them via a single flight-safe battery only adds to their appeal.
As they are on hard backing plates they are super quick to set up and use and I like the mounting system because it is substantially better than what you will find on most flexible LED panels.
The photometric scores across the board are impressive, however, the light doesn’t have consistent output across its CCT range. This is probably not a big deal for most people given the light’s high output.
ERIK’S PICK: Aputure Electro Storm CS15, XT26
It’s been fun watching Aputure grow into a powerhouse lighting company over the years with each new release. They are building higher-end lights that many can’t afford but will end up in more rental houses and on professional sets worldwide. The Electro Storm CS15, XT26 is an example of a well built high output light. The CS15 is a 1,500W high-output full-color point-source RGBWW LED fixture and the XT26 is a 2,600W high-output bi-color. The Electro Storm CS15 retails for $6,990 and the Electro Storm XT26 retails for $7,990.
The merger with Prolycht will bring even higher quality color and features with new products. The future looks bright!
ERIK’S HONORABLE MENTIONS: ARRI SkyPanel X
Just when I thought ARRI was moving on from the original industry standards SkyPanel, they went and updated it. I think it’s a great idea as ARRI basically was first with high quality LED lighting and ruled with the SkyPanel. Yes, there is still a need for panel lights even with so many COB fixtures with high output. You can’t beat a bright broud light when you want to fill a larger area, and with ARRI’s great color and feature set, it’s bound to be a popular light.
Favorite Lighting Accessory
MATT’S PICK: SWIT Bi-Voltage Light Stand Power Adapter
With a lot of high-voltage LED lighting products continuing to be released there is a real need in the market for better remote powering solutions. That’s where the SWIT Bi-Voltage Light Stand Power Adapter.
The TD-R230S takes two 28.8V V-mount batteries and then converts that to a 48V power source so you can run high-power draw lights remotely. The TD-R230S was designed to work well with SWIT’s HB-C420S batteries and it can provide up to 750W @48V which allows it to power quite a lot of high power draw lights remotely.
The caveat is that you can’t fly with high capacity Lithium-Ion batteries and that will certainly be an issue for anyone that travels a lot. However, for broadcasters, production houses, and owner/operators who have high-power draw lighting fixtures and don’t need to fly, the SWIT solution makes a ton of sense for those who don’t want to go down the route of using a generator or large portable power station.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Matthews Litemover
The Matthews Litemover is an automated, universal system for remote light adjustment. It is a clever solution that solves a real-world problem.
Litemover is the first off-the-shelf automated universal remote head made for adjusting light or reflector fixture positioning from the ground. It was designed with the sole purpose of increasing accessibility, saving time, and adding safety on set by eliminating the need to climb high ladders to adjust a light.
It was designed by working gaffer Erno Das, and it is a component-based system that can accommodate light fixtures and reflector boards weighing up to 220-lbs/100 kg from brands such as ARRI, Cineo, Creamsource, Lightbridge, FilmGear, K5600, etc.
ERIK’S PICK: Core SWX APEX 360
The Core SWX APEX 360 battery solutions are designed for high-power draw LED lights similar to the Aputure LS 300 and Nanlight 300. You can even power the Aputure LS 600 with a pair of APEX 360 LV batteries, but only at 50% output. To get full 100% output, the APEX 360 HV (high voltage) version is required, plus the plates will need to be updated.
With the 300-watt lights, you can get approximately two hours of use at 100% output setting. Yes! This is what I was waiting for. It’s great to see batteries with enough capacity for power-demanding lights finally.
Favorite Audio Product
MATT’S PICK: MID49 Audio and EXT Breakout Boxes
The MID49 Audio and EXT Breakout Boxes are great, lightweight and small sized audio interfaces that can be used with a variety of different cameras.
Essentially they allow you to convert the camera’s native audio plug to two standard, full-size XLRs.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: DPA Microphones 2017 Shotgun
If you are a working professional and you need to do your own audio, then it is worth investing in a good quality shotgun microphone, and other audio solutions for that matter. Your microphone with outlive any camera you own and it is a good long-term investment. Too often I see working professionals who have to do their own sound using really cheap audio gear. Sound is just as important as images, but often people think of it as an afterthought.
Because of the compact size of the DPA Microphones 2017 Shotgun, you could use it as both an onboard camera microphone and a shotgun microphone for sit-down interviews, etc. For sound recordists working in a variety of different fields, it is also a great option.
The microphone sounds really good and it has excellent off-axis performance. DPA Microphones certainly knows what they are doing and the 2017 is a great addition to their lineup.
The DPA Microphones 2017 is competitively priced if you look at what its direct competition is. If you are in the market for a very versatile shotgun microphone that could be used for a lot of applications then it certainly comes highly recommended.
ERIK’S PICK: Deity THEOS
Deity has come a long way since the audio division from Aputure was spun off into the Deity brand. The THEOS wireless system is the best product Deity has released. They have created an ecosystem with the TC-1 timecode box and the Deity Slate to give us a proper timecode solution and wireless UHF audio transmission. Looking forward to what’s coming next.
ERIK’S HONORABLE MENTIONS: RØDE Wireless Pro
This has been a good year for wireless audio systems, and the RØDE Wireless Pro offers a lot for your money, including 32-bit float. In the US, you can’t record and transmit at the same time due to a Zaxcom-owned patent, but with the RØDE Wireless Pro, you can. The 2.4 GHz system is such a great price at $399 and includes everything you need in a compact form factor. I reviewed the system and was impressed.
Favorite Camera Accessory
MATT’S PICK: MOFAGE POCO PL to E/RF/L/Z Mount Adapter with Drop-in Filters
This is a really hard category because there are so many choices to choose from. I ended up choosing the MOFAGE POCO PL to E/RF/L/Z Mount Adapter with Drop-in Filters.
The MOFAGE POCO PL to E/RF/L/Z Mount Adapter combines rear filters with adapters. The POCO is compatible with most PL mount lenses, but there are certain lenses that will not work due to clearance issues.
I found this to be an excellent product and what is very interesting and quite unique to the POCO adapter is that it utilizes interchangeable mounts. This means that you only need to buy one adapter because it can be used on multiple camera platforms. You do need to choose which mount you want when you purchase the adapter, however, you can buy additional mounts for $17 USD.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: ARRI CCM-1
Back in May, ARRI announced the Camera Control Monitor CCM-1. The CCM-1 is made in collaboration with SmallHD as ARRI felt that they were the best company to team up with when it came to making an on-camera monitor. The CCM-1 is much more than a monitor as it offers full camera control for the ALEXA 35 and ALEXA Mini LF.
Yes, it is expensive, but if you own an ALEXA 35 or ALEXA Mini LF, I personally found it to be a fantastic product that allowed me to control and operate all of the parameters of my camera directly from one device.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: Tilta Nucleus Nano II
The Tilta Nucleus Nano II improves on the original while still maintaining the same affordable price. The functionality and feature set you get for under $300 USD is remarkable.
The Tilta Nucleus Nano II is a significant update with an all-new touchscreen display FIZ controller, a much more powerful high-torque motor, a long-lasting battery, and multi-channel communication.
ERIK’S PICK: Tilta Nucleus Nano II
The Nucleus-Nano-II is an impressive wireless follow-focus kit, and the price is just insane. I don’t know how Tilta can get the price so low at only $299 for a motor and controller kit. The system also has room for more updates that adds a hand grip controller for multiple motors and integration with the original Nucleus. I reviewed the system, and it’s impressive.
Favorite Support Device
MATT’S PICK: Steadicam Zephyr Volt
In June this year Steadicam unveiled a new Volt system for their Zephyr. This was a pretty significant announcement as the more affordable Zephyr can now utilize technology that was only previously available for much more expensive Steadicams.
The Steadicam Volt System is a tool that provides Steadicam operators with horizontal stabilization, giving them the ability to easily transition between fully manual and auto assist modes. The Volt System seamlessly integrates into an existing sled, providing greater opportunity for content creation without jeopardizing stability. The new Volt system for the Zephyr is a completely new re-design. Previous Volt systems only worked for 2-axis (tilt and roll), but the new system works on all three axes so you get the ability to stabilize pan, tilt, and roll.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: ARRI Monitor Arm for Camera MAC-1
This comes as part of the ARRI CCM-1 kit, but you can buy it on its own and use it with any monitor or non ARRI camera as long as the monitor has ARRI 1/4″-20 Pin Lock or SmallHD mounting holes and your camera has ARRI 3/8″-16 Pin Lock threads
This isa brilliantly designed product and the 2-Axis Bracket tilts and swivels for optimal viewing without affecting the monitor horizon relevant to your camera. A friction lock also enables you to easily adjust your monitor’s position using one hand.
ERIK’S PICK: Core SWX Renegade & Renegade XL Power Stations
Batteries are a necessity, and we have so many different versions for cameras, devices, and lights. I love that we are seeing more power stations or Battery Blocks now that can power a camera or light for hours without having to swap out the battery on the device constantly.
The Renegade is a 777wh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LIFEPO4) power station encased in polycarbonate housing, offering a lighter option to the Maverick and new Renegade XL. It can simultaneously deliver 15v, 28v, and 48v with up to a 1200w output. The included PFQ8 external charger can recharge the Renegade in less than 3.5 hours from a fully discharged state. A runtime LCD, similar to that found on our Maverick power station, provides up-to-the-minute runtime/charge time and percentage capacity and an approximate runtime when in standby.
Innovation
MATT’S PICK: Affordability
This was a hard one to pick. Innovation can come in a lot of forms and I spent a lot of time trying to think of what to choose. Eventually I settled on an observation rather than a single product.
I am still constantly amazed at how much affordable kit is out there, that is more than capable of getting the job done. Back in my day to go freelance you would have to spend at least $100K to obtain the kit that was required. Today, I would argue that you could come up with a reasonably decent kit (well at least the essentials) for $10-15K.
Every year we are seeing more and more affordable products hitting the market, and the quality of those affordable products continues to improve. From lenses, to lighting, to camera accessories I reviewed a lot of products this year that pleasantly surprised me.
I don’t think anyone can complain too much theses days about gear, because you can certainly get a lot without having to spend a ton of money.
ERIK’S PICK: Accsoon CineView Nano
Accsoon cracked the code getting IOS devices to work as monitors, plus they did it at an affordable price with wireless as well. The Accsoon CineView Nano is only $125.
The tiny HDMI wireless transmitter has a range of 500ft using 5Ghz Wi-Fi. It can connect up to four devices simultaneously and be used on top of your camera using an included clamp.
Favorite Software
MATT’S PICK: Blackmagic Camera App
Blackmagic Design has a habit of surprising us with new products, and I think this one came as a bit of a shock. The Blackmagic Camera App, which you need to keep reminding yourself is completely free, is a fantastic iOS app that utilizes the full capabilities of the latest iPhones.
You can adjust settings such as frame rate, shutter angle, white balance and ISO with a single tap. What is also interesting is that you can record directly to Blackmagic Cloud in 10-bit Apple ProRes files up to 4K. By recording to Blackmagic Cloud Storage you can also collaborate on DaVinci Resolve projects with editors anywhere in the world, all at the same time.
You could well argue that this app was largely responsible for the demise of Filmic Pro.
MATT’S HONORABLE MENTION: DaVinci Resolve
The gift that keeps giving. It is truly remarkable what Blackmagic Design has done with DaVinci Resolve. It is continuously updated and improved and the capabilities and functionality that it possesses must make other software go and hide in a dark corner and start shivering uncontrollably.
This has to be almost an annual occurrence that I pick DaVinci Resolve!
ERIK’S PICK: Blackmagic Camera App
Blackmagic Design has been an industry disruptor for a long, and the Blackmagic Camera App is one product I didn’t see coming. It truly fits in the disruptor category, as it basically crushed Filmic pro the most popular mobile device video capture app. When they went with the subscription base, it upset a lot of users, and the door was wide open for alternatives.
Now, the Blackmagic Camera app is good, and not just because it’s a free app, out of the gate it is very usable, and the app adds to their ecosystem of capture and editing in the cloud. While I’m not one that needs this process, having an app that is very well designed from the first release will continue to improve over time as BMD is consistent with updates. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect with Filmic Pro sub issue and the release of the iPhone 15 Pro and ProRes Log capture.
ERIK’S HONORABLE MENTION: DaVinci Resolve
While it’s not new, it sure gets a lot of updates, and the NLE is becoming more popular every year. The free version for many is plenty, and if you want the extra features, it will only be a one-time fee. That alone is a big deal as BMD and Apple with Final Cut Pro seem to be the last of the nonsubscription model software.
So there you have it; there are Matt and Erik’s favorite products of 2023. Again, these are very much personal choices and not products of the year. Please let us know what your favorite products of 2023 were in the comments section below.
Happy Holidays to all our readers and their families.
