2 minute read
January 2022 got off to a flying start with CES, and a revolutionary new camera from DJI.
Is the DSLR dead?
One of the first articles we published in 2022 was perhaps also one of our most controversial. The viewing numbers alone showed us how much emotion could be stirred when we proclaimed that "The DSLR is now dead".
The story stemmed from Canon's announcement that it was no longer going to produce any new flagship DSLRs. To say this got people talking would be an understatement. But it wasn't all doom and gloom for the technology. We did note: "Should we lament the disappearance of the DSLR? Well, you'll still be able to purchase existing models for a good while yet, and Canon maybe keeping its more affordable DSLR ranges going for the time being . The question is with cameras like the Z 9, Canon's upper tier EOS R range, and Sony's Alpha range available, why on earth would you want to buy a new professional DSLR outside of a very specific professional application?
Monster televisions
January also brought us CES, and that meant new televisions. Very large ones at that. Amongst the new computer monitor announcements, Samsung announced a range of MicroLED TVs that could be bought in sizes up to 101-inches along with extremely high precision colour.
We wrote: "Samsung's 2022 MICRO LED range will be available in 110", 101", and 89" sizes and can reproduce a 20-bit greyscale range, a gradation of 1 million steps. Impressive, although with no current camera being capable of being able to record such precision, the usefulness of this may be up for debate."
However, while huge new screens are one thing, perhaps the most curious announcement was that the company was including an NFT platform. Just what you always wanted. We said at the time, "However, the most, shall we say, curious addition to the apps list is an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) Platform that gives you the freedom to buy and sell digital artwork. Fancy spending $200k on an animated GIF to display on your wall-mounted Frame TV whilst claiming that you own the 'original'? Well, quite possibly you can fulfil your indulgences here."
Read Monster new TV tech at CES 2022.
DJI Ronin 4D
DJI's revolutionary Ronin 4D camera
Although it had been announced before last Christmas, we finally got our hands on the Ronin 4D for testing in January. The camera was in huge demand, and it's safe to say it's the most revolutionary design for a new system we've come across so far.
The Ronin 4D combined a gimbal with a camera body, which gave the system some very unique abilities. With features like LIDAR focussing and AI tracking, the camera gave us a glimpse of the future. It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly interesting! We wrote: "Because the Ronin 4D solves some practical issues, combined with its sheer versatility at an incredibly attractive price point, I can see this being a new genre of camera that is here to stay. I think other manufacturers will be keeping a very close eye on how the market performs for it."
Read Ronin 4D Review: It's the beginning of an entirely new camera genre.
Canon EOS R5C
The Canon R5C
Other camera manufacturers weren't resting on their laurels. Canon unveiled a very video focussed variation on its R5 mirrorless camera, the R5C. Building on a very similar model to Panasonic's S1H, the R5C addressed the thermal issues of the R5 by installing a new fan cooling system, allowing it to record 8K at up to 60fps for an indefinite time.
Uniquely, the R5C featured two different user interfaces. Put the camera into stills mode and users were shown the traditional Canon stills camera menu interface. Boot up in video mode, on the other hand, and you'd see the same menu interface found on Canon's other cinema cameras.
Tags: Technology Production Cameras
Comments