By technical editor Matt Allard:
If your after a HD monitor/recorder there has never been a better time to buy. With the recent release of the Assassin and the industries push towards 4K, Atomos have dropped the prices on their HD monitor/recorders. The Ninja 2 price is now $295 US, down from $695 US and both the Ninja Blade and Samurai Blade have seen their price fall from $995 to $495.
Atomos have also released version AtomOS6.5 firmware for the Shogun and Assasin, that contains 8 free features including Canon Raw to ProRes/DNxHR recording for the C500 and C300MKII. AtomOS6.5 like all Atomos OS updates is a free download for existing users and adds significant functionality. You can download the firmware here.
Key updates include:
– Motion Blur added to Time-lapse, blurring up to 64 continuous frames together in one sequence
– New and improved frame guides added for 16:9, 2.40:1, 2.35:1, 1.9:1, 1.85:1, 4:3
– 1:1 and 2:1 zoom can now be selected when anamorphic de-squeeze is enabled
– Shogun will benefit from all of the above features as well as the following SDI and Raw based functionality;
– Canon C500 Raw and C300 Mk II Raw to ProRes and DNXHR recording, giving C500 users a viable 4K recording solution and
C300MKII users a cost effective alternative to CFast recording media.
– New 3D LUT’s preloaded onto the unit specifically for C500 and C300 MkII
– Start/stop trigger for JVC and Ikegami camera triggers
– Added LTC input via the Genlock input
Ninja Assassin was released just prior to IBC as the 4K upgrade to Atomos’ long running Ninja line-up. Ninja Assassin delivers 325ppi monitoring functionality and the 7″ size needed to truly master 4K along with the only true 10-bit 4:2:2 professional recording solution for Apple, AVID & Adobe workflows and all with a price & weight the lowest on the market. This firmly targets 4K DSLM & video cameras such as the Sony a7s and a7RII, Canon XC-10, Panasonic GH4, Sony FS7 and Panasonic DVX-200 Assassin bypasses known camera limitations such as compressed MPEG/h.264 recording, 4:2:0 color compression, 30-minute time limits and the disadvantage of monitoring on a small 3″ screen.
The Ninja Assassin is available in stores now (September 1) for a MSRP of:
US: $ 1295 ex. TAX
EU: € 1295 ex. VAT
GBP: £ 899 ex. VAT
Atomos were also demonstrating for the first time the 4K 3RU Shogun Studio for Broadcast & Live events. Shogun Studio is the world’s first all-in-one 4K & HD, 2ch, dual 7″ 3RU rack recorder, monitor and playback deck. The dual record channels provide the ability to simultaneously record 2 separate inputs in your choice of resolution up to 4K 30p or HD 120p or 2 versions of the same input for parity.
The dual 7″ calibrated SuperAtom IPS monitors allows for collaboration on set, have built in scopes for shot setup and 4K to HD down scaling for connection with existing HD infrastructure or multi resolution master/proxy recording. From a control perspective, the Shogun Studio features 9 pin Sony RS422 machine control, AMP over Ethernet or start/stop trigger over both HDMI and SDI.
The Shogun Studio will be available in Q4, 2015 for a MSRP of:
US: $ 3495 ex. TAX
EU: € 3495 ex. VAT
GBP: £ 2595 ex. VAT
“IBC is as diverse as Europe itself and our 4 announcements deliver exciting news for every workflow and customer segment.” said Jeromy Young, CEO of Atomos. “From cinema and broadcast upgrading to 4K through to HD filmmakers unlocking faster, cheaper, better workflows for the first time with a sub $300 Ninja – ProRes is now for the masses.”
