Let’s look at the data mode (LAN/FW800). It is very interesting! Until now, we had to mount the Ki Pro drive to retrieve the footage, now it can be done remotely, quite fast using 1GHz Ethernet or FW800. Additionally the Playlist can be built and used for remote Play Back…
It opens Ki Pro to a wide use as the universal remote recorder and/or player. Controlled by web browser. With playlists available and with no limit on how many units can be used and controlled remotely, quite complex systems can be designed with Ki Pros at heart.

This is this menu which controls its local record/PB use versus remote controlled Record/PB and file transfer.
12.1 MEDIA STATE
-Record-Play (default) Use media to record and play video.
-Data-LAN  LAN data may be uploaded/downloaded from the Ki Pro.
-Data-FW  Firewire data may be transferred to or from the Ki Pro.

If the state is selected as Data, the Transport functions are locked. You can still access MEDIA menu parameters, however, so you can reset the parameter. If the you attempt to playback or record while in the Data mode, a “CHANGE MEDIA STATE” prompt alerts you that you cannot use the transport functions. Additionally, the front panel UI states that the unit is in a “DATA MEDIA STATE” in an obvious way as opposed to presenting the typical clip, reel, timecode, etc. usually seen on the front panel.
After you select the Data state, you can connect the Ki Pro to a host computer via the FireWire 800 or Ethernet connection. When using Data-FW, the Ki Pro mounts the selected volume, designated by the lit LED. In other words, if the Storage Module is selected on the Ki Pro, that would be the volume mounted by the host operating system.
The Data Media State allows valid media to be copied to or from the Ki Pro. These are the valid media files that can be copied to Ki Pro:
• QuickTime files that are full raster (720×486, 720×576, 1280×720 or 1920×1080)
• QuickTime files that are encoded as: Apple ProRes 422 Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy) Apple ProRes 422 (LT)
Apple ProRes422 (HQ)
Files must be Ki Pro supported frame rates and must use 24-bit 48kHz audio (2 or 8 channel), if audio is included. Files copied to Ki Pro that do not meet these criteria may not appear in the web UI or front panel UI when you review clips.
The DATA MEDIA STATE is canceled when the unit is powered down…

1.    Which would you buy for the price and usability?

2.    Is this an item that would be useful for Rule to stock?

3.    Which would you find yourself using the most?

I used the camera for approximately 4 hours on one of my Steadicam Flyer LE HD rigs for a Range Rover training video that I’m shooting.   The camera was originally going to be used for BTS shots, but our regular camera package did not have all the components ready to go, so the HPX250 quickly became the “A” camera for the shoot.   Without having time to read the manual, I was able to quickly get the camera set-up and ready to shoot as time was of the essence.  Panasonic has nicely laid out the key features with quick and easy access to buttons on the operator side of the camera.  Everything you need — like focus assist, ND, audio controls, scene file, waveform, etc., is nicely placed in plain view.

Once the shoot was done and it was time to edit, the AVC-Intra 100 footage easily loaded into all three of the edit systems I use (and tested it with).  Final Cut Studio, Premiere Pro CS5.5 and Avid MC5.5 and even FCP X worked nicely.  The AVC-Intra 100 held up a little better in post than a few samples I shot in DVCPRO 100, especially when cropping into the image.

If you are in the market for a DVCPRO HD or AVC-Intra 100 camcorder, the Panasonic HPX250 is affordable at under $6k.  It’s definitely worth checking out.

Mike Sutton, Senior Account Manager
Twitter: @MNS1974

As a matter of fact, I think we may be among the very first in the country to get our hands on it and we are happy to pass along our first impressions.

Working with Jason Potz, one of our engineers here at Rule, we setup the camera at one of our camera test stations.  We decided to throw the HPX170 camera next to it for comparison.

For those who may not be aware, the HPX170 essentially an HVX200A but without the DV tape mechanism.  The 170 / 200  share a lower effective resolution imager of 1.1 million active pixels with a spatial offset but the new HPX250 offers what is often called a Full HD imager of 2.2 million pixels!

It is also worth noting that packed inside this Compact HD styled camcorder is the very impressive 4:2:2 10-bit sampled  AVC-Intra 100 codec.   To date, this higher quality recording has been reserved for “full sized” ENG type camera bodies costing thousands of dollars more.

On the surface, you could consider the AG-HPX250 a replacement for the very successful and respected HVX200A but with several important improvements that I have outlined below.

Here are some of the key improvements over the HVX200A or HPX170:

• Longer 22x lens but with the same 3.9mm wide angle as the HPX170
  

• Full HD 1920×1080 1/3” 3-MOS 2.2 Million pixel (times three) imager
  

• Timecode and Genlock connectors via BNC useful for multicam studio shooting
  

• 10-bit, 4:2:2 AVC-Intra 100, AVC-Intra 50, DVCPro HD & Standard Definition record options

• 720p or 1080i
  

• HD-SDI and HDMI outputs
  

• 2x P2 Card Slots
  

• Separate control connectors for remote Zoom and Focus
  

• Smaller form factor and lower cost battery system than HPX-370 but with many of the same capabilities

• List price of $5,995
  

After looking at the body size, lens, menu system, external connectivity and price, it seems to me that this is a very smart camera choice for Public Access, Education, and Government customers that desire a fairly low cost solution that can easily perform dual duty as both a studio camera by day and a roving compact HD camcorder by night.

Tom Talbot – Director of Technology

What’s also good about this upgrade is that it adds new functionality by enabling the RED Epic, RED One and certain Canon XF cameras to pass metadata directly to Ki Pro Mini via a single SDI cable.

The update is designed to streamline the workflow between Ki Pro Mini and REDs or Canon’s high-resolution imagery on set and in post.

Zbigniew Twarog, Chief Engineer, twarog@rule.com

What we have in stock and ready to go is exciting. We’ve got lots of new Sennheiser headphones, tons of SxS, CF, SDHC, and P2 Cards, plenty of different speeds to fit whatever camera/recorder you are working on, custom Zacuto rigs, Canon lenses and DSLR’s, and…ta da…the Sony FS100 and F3 cameras (which, yes, we do have in stock… just raring to go and definitely ready to be your latest experience!).

We’ll be running a sale on Ki Pro Mini’s, so if you attend any of our August Learning Labs, stop by the Showroom for a look-see!  This sale will only be running for a short time, so if this is something that you’ve been thinking about purchasing, please let us give you a quote.  We also have an interesting addition of Porta Brace bags. This is an experiment on my part–since it is easy to go online and see all sorts of bags that you are curious about, but, if you are like me and need to see it and touch it, well — now you can!  We have sack packs, Cable bags, small DSLR bags, airplane bags for traveling, backpacks, ect.  If there is something you’d really like to see in here, let me know!

I’ll make it happen.

Sincerely,

Your Neighborhood Salesperson,

Brooks

The most important new features for ALEXA and ALEXA Plus:
• Custom looks through ARRI Look Files
• Audio playback from SxS PRO cards
• Auto white balance
• Anamorphic de-squeeze in EVF-1 and on MON OUT (paid license feature)
• Peaking focus check in EVF-1 and MON OUT
• False color exposure check for Log C images
• EVF ZOOM target position
• Compare stored image from SD card with live image
• RETURN IN video
• Operating time counter
• SD card formatting in camera
• EVF ZOOM and EXP buttons are now latching
• SxS recording can be turned off
• More silent operation at higher ambient temperatures
• ‘Rec Low’ fan mode for silent operation in extremely hot environments
• V-mount battery adapter update

The most important new features for ALEXA Plus:
• Master/Slave lens motor control
• 3D lens sync
• Lens Data System (LDS) info display in EVF-1 and on MON OUT
• Lens Data Archive (LDA)
• Electronic level in EVF and MON OUT

Dave Kudrowitz, Senior Engineer

kudrow@rule.com

This year’s show focused on a few things that we at Rule Boston Camera already do well.  There was talk about the move in our industry away from providing products and towards providing services.  We go into most of our jobs assuming that all of your perspective installers can get you the same equipment that we can.  What sets us apart needs to be our attention to detail and the ongoing relationship that we have in providing not only the gear you want but the “Engineering Services” you need.

The product category that seemed to have some buzz behind it this year was digital signage.  I agree with many of the presenters at the show, that in the next year to three years, who is using digital signage, and how they are using it will change dramatically.  New products at a wide range of vertical markets and price points can meet this need.  It is our goal at Rule to ride this wave since we already started surfing it!  We will take what we have learned from our clients who are already running digital signage and from those running bulletin boards on their PEG stations in order to offer a full range of products along with our engineering expertise to find the right solution for each customer’s need.

Each year at this show, I learn more and more of what else is out there.  I am looking forward to implementing much of what I saw and to returning next year to learn more of what I have not even thought of yet.

Ian Tosh

Director of Engineering Services

Enter Production Outfitters, Rule Boston Camera’s resource for production and expendable needs.  At Production Outfitters–as a convenience to our customers–we strive to provide all of the little tools and supplies that might otherwise be overlooked.

Ranging from gaff and camera tape to gels, Assistant Camera equipment, Hard Drives and memory cards for the latest digital cameras, Production Outfitters aims to be an expanding resource to our customers and to the ever-growing local industry. If you have any suggestions on what’s hot or new in the industry, call or email me and I’ll work to make these options available to you.

Help us to help the Boston film community keep growing and shooting!

Nick Giannino, Production Outfitters Store and Rental Agent

giannino@rule.com.

Thank you Greg!

Behind the Scenes: Vol 19 Sony F3 Super35 Unboxing from Greg Hren on Vimeo.