Exciting Pre-NAB 2019 Announcements

With NAB 2019 just a few days away, we’ve begun to see some companies releasing their new product(s) in advance of the show. By the time it kicks off on April 6 we’ll see even more exciting products announced, but until then here’s all the new gear we’ve seen.

G-Technology ArmorATD Rugged Hard Drives

Hard drives are a lot cheaper than solid state drives, but due to their moving parts they often are also far less durable. G-Technology looks set to fix that with their new line of ArmorATD rugged hard drives. Featuring IP54 rain and dust resistance, 1000 pound crush rating, and triple-layer shock resistance that allow them to survive drops from up to 3.9′ these hard drives can survive most anything you put them through. The new drives come in 1TB, 2TB & 4TB varieties ($90, $120 & $170 respectively) with all offering 140 MB/s data transfer speeds and USB 3.1 type C connectivity.

Five New 4K Canon Camcorders

Mirrorless cameras tend to get all the attention nowadays, but Canon’s latest camcorders are sure to turn some heads. All five new models (one for the consumer market & four for the professional market) are 4K capable and have dual card slots, a 3″ tilting touchscreen, 5-axis stabilization and Canon’s DIGIC 6 Processor.

Continuing Vixia’s tradition of pushing the bounds of consumer camcorders toward professional quality, the Vixia HF G60 features a 1″ 4K UHD CMOS sensor with 8.29MP resolution and a 15x Optical zoom lens. New additions also include the 9-blade iris, which reduces the streak or star effect on specular highlights for a more natural-looking image, and the Dual Pixel CMOS AF functions originally developed for Canon’s professional cameras.

The four new professional cameras are built around two different sized sensors. The XA50 and XA55 feature a 1.0″ CMOS sensor and 15x optical zoom while the cheaper XA40 and XA45 have a smaller 1 2/3″ sensor and 20x optical zoom. In addition to different sensors between the two series of cameras, autofocus capabilities differ, too. The XA50/55 offers Dual Pixel AF and Contrast AF, while the XA40/45 feature Hybrid AF, Normal AF, Face Only AF, Manual Focus Hybrid AF Controls, Instant AF, and Canon’s Medium AF. (The XA45 and XA55 also incorporate a 3G-SDI output jack, making them more suited for SDI productions than the XA40 and XA50, which only have HDMI capability).

Sony RX0 II

The follow-up to the original RX0, the new RX0 II adds the specs and features which go a long way towards justifying its $698 price tag. Sony has added 4K30 internal video recording, up to 1000fps HFR mode for slow motion, 15.3MP 1″ CMOS sensor and a 180° tilting LCD — putting the RX0 II well ahead of the GoPro 7 Black and even most point-and-shoots. Rugged enough to handle almost anything, the RX0 II is waterproof to 33′, shockproof to 6.5′ and crushproof to 440 pound. It also features Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, 3.5mm audio input and various picture profiles including S-Log2.

New FOCUS Camera Monitors from SmallHD

SmallHD has almost become synonymous for high quality on-camera monitors for indie filmmakers. The monitors’ interactive OS3 touchscreen interface in addition to the premium build quality sets them well ahead of most competition. However, with the price tag for most of SmallHD’s more premium models between $750-$1500, they aren’t exactly what most people would call affordable.

Now SmallHD is focusing on their base monitors. Featuring the new 5″ FOCUS LCD HDMI, the 5″ FOCUS LCD SDI, the 5.5″ FOCUS OLED HDMI, and the 5.5″ FOCUS OLED SDI, these models might be more affordable but they don’t skimp on the features. The 5″ LCD monitors offer 1280×720 resolution while the 5.5″ OLED versions up the ante with 1920×1080. All run off of one L-Series battery and feature a 160° viewing angle and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Hollyland Mars 300 Dual HDMI Wireless Video Transmitter & Receiver Set

Being able to wirelessly monitor what you or your camera operator are filming is the dream, albeit usually a very expensive one. Shenzen based Hollyland Technology is looking to change that with their new Mars 300 Dual HDMI Set. This affordable and portable HDMI set includes a transmitter and receiver capable of sending a 1080p60 signal up to 300′ away with clear line of sight. It uses L-Series batteries which is nice, but no word on how much use you will get per charge.

Stay tuned for more exciting product announcements coming out from NAB 2019 over the next week. B&H Photo’s Explora section also does a good job at keeping up to date with the latest news so check them out as well.