Digital Video - November 2007 - (Page 10) DV UPDATE SHORTS and product manager Matthew Brohn if there had been any crossover between the two products. Surprisingly, they confirmed that Vegas Pro 8 also contains an in-depth help function adapted from the interactive tutorials in Movie Studio—making the system, Chaimson said with a smile, “easier to learn for people who just don’t like instruction manuals.” STAGE PRESENCE: ICONIX AND JT ifteen of Iconix’s diminutive HD-RH1 cameras were used to help shoot Justin Timberlake’s recent “FutureSex/LoveShow” HBO solo concert special, strategically positioned around the stage in New York’s Madison Square Garden to help capture the high-energy performer in action. “We have made a lot of progress in getting people to understand how the camera can be utilized in unique ways,” says Iconix EVP Charles Rotbart, referencing the HD-RH1’s use in special sequences Timberlake of Ocean’s 13 (shot by Steven “Peter performs Andrews” Soderbergh) and the Spike TV for HBO. crime drama The Kill Point (shot by Bert Dunk, ASC). “But what users want is portability as well. So while the camera is right size, we have some work to do in developing a recorder to allow that. It has to be smaller and lighter, and it’s something we’re working on.” Rotbart reports that major manufacturers have taken notice of the niche Iconix has carved out, “but our advantage is that we can work faster than they can. We can identify a need in the market or have an great idea, engineer it, and get a —D.E.W. product out faster.” F VINTEN: TAKING A STANCE ON TRIPODS eter Harman, Vinten’s enthusiastic product manager, is effusive about the company’s new entry-level, lightweight Protouch PRO-6HDV tripod, which made its debut at NAB and is now shipping. Designed for cameras up to 6 kg, the PRO-6HDV is positioned to bring Vinten’s higher-end manufacturing quality within the price point of “top-end” independent videographers. “Some people will budget all their money around their camera and other gear before they even think about a quality tripod,” Harman explains. “They settle for something that they think will get the job done. So often, though, they have to spend a lot of extra time editing around footage that’s shaky or jerky and essentially reduced in effectiveness because of a cheap tripod. The images look great, but in short, that first tripod will get replaced within a year because it’s compromising the work.” Vinten’s hope is that the quality of the PRO-6HDV-which arrives with Pozi-Loc aluminum legs, a mid-level or floor spreader and a soft system case-will compel indies to think twice about their tripod purchase. Also, Harman says, “since the legs and spreader are the same as what’s on our more expensive models, one could just replace the head to take another step up in quality.” Harman notes that one should “not buy a tripod off a spec sheet or base the decision purely on price. It’s a tactile piece of gear, and the only way to make a real decision is to try one out.” —D.E.W. P As important as Sony’s release of the EX camera itself were several related announcements. Sony Media Software is offering new support for XDCAM with the IBC-timed release of Vegas Pro 8, its inhouse NLE software. From across the IBC hall floor, Apple noted that Final Cut Studio 2 would offer updates later this year to support XDCAM as well. And, finally, Grass Valley/Thomson announced that Edius Pro 4.5, coming in December, would also support Sony’s format. Perhaps this will help put to rest any premature speculation from user groups about weak workflow support for early EX adopters. Also at IBC, Sony offered a sneak peek of an HDV interchangeable-lens, 1080/25p progressive camcorder based on its 1/3-in. 3ClearVid CMOS sensor. Said to be available in early 2008, the unit boasts a 1/3 in. bayonet-type mount, Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar optics, HDV/DVCAM/DV recording and playback, HVD 1080/50i and 25p native progressive recording, two XLR mic inputs and two years’ worth of Sony’s SilverSupport. Curiously, the camera is DVCAM tape-based, while the noninterchangeable optics on the tapeless 10 dv november 2007 XDCAM PDW-EX1 are less impressive. One hopes some Sony engineer will soon combine the best of both worlds. VEGAS IN AMSTERDAM Boasting a 32-bit floating point video engine, Sony Media Software’s Vegas Pro 8 arrived at IBC with a series of updates and upgrades—including a new pointand-click multicam editing workflow offering up to 32 simultaneous sources of video, extensive new audio mixing and routing capabilities and a new ProType titling system that facilitates creating digital signage. In addition, the package comes with DVD Architect 4.5. Vista-compatible and supporting Sony AVCHD read/write, Vegas Pro 8 also includes a Thought Equity Motion Footage Search, which allows users to seek out, download and incorporate stock footage from a rotating library of clips from Sony Pictures, National Geographic, HBO and other suppliers. As DV had been recently been given a lengthy demo of the Vegas Movie Studio consumer-grade NLE, we asked VP of worldwide marketing Dave H. Chaimson Vinten’s PRO-6HDV. www.dv.com http://www.dv.com
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