New Cooke lenses and a new mic from RØDE in this week's news roundup

A new microphone from RØDE, new Cooke lenses, and Mac mini expansion in this week's news roundup.

RØDE Lavalier II Unveiled

RØDE has introduced the new Lavalier II, which features a very nice low-profile design. The sound is, of course, broadcast quality, and the microphone features an omnidirectional polar pattern and a flat frequency response.

The RØDE Lavalier II easily connects via a 3.5mm TRS locking connector and you can fasten it to your subject's clothing with the small mounting clip. The mic is small enough that it can be easily concealed. 

The Lavalier II comes with a premium accessory kit, which includes a mini furry windshield, mic clip, pop filter, colored ID rings, and a zip case.

Priced at only $99 USD (£82.50), there is really no excuse not to add this to your kit, no matter if you're a travel vlogger, YouTuber, content creator, or filmmaker. Great sound is always important. Learn more at RØDE's site.

OWC miniStack STX Adds More Thunderbolt Ports, Storage to the Mac mini

The new OWS miniStack STX fits perfectly under the M1 Mac mini and gives the computer 3 additional 40 GB/S Thunderbolt 4 ports (there are 4, but you connect one). It also features both a SATA HDD/SSD bay and an NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD slot, allowing more storage to be added.

While the design fits perfectly with the Mac mini, you can use the miniStack STX with just about any Mac or PC to expand the Thunderbolt ports and storage. The device is in pre-order now and priced at $299 USD to start (around £224.12), with delivery expected in mid-December 2021. OWC also says quantities will be limited. Learn more here.

OWC Fast Forward Introduced 

If you're running a post house and need plenty of storage for all the projects your team is working on, take a look at the new OWC Fast Forward. It is an all-inclusive, hardware-as-a-service program that can grow with you and your company.

OWC says it's one monthly payment that will include a Jellyfish Mobile unit — to start, as more options are coming soon — support coverage, software, onboarding, training, and more. You can trade in for another option when the contract is up. 

It's as simple as this: You select the proper storage solution for your company, talk to an OWC consultant to complete the order, receive the solution within 2 weeks, and OWC will then provide onboarding and training for you and the team.

Learn more about OWC Fast Forward on its site. 

Cooke Announces Varotal/i Zoom and Panchro/i Classic Full-Frame Lenses 

Cooke Optics is a legendary cine lens manufacturer, and their glass is highly regarded and sought after. They have announced Varotal/i Zoom and Panchro/i Classic full-frame lenses, which are terrific options for filmmakers.

The two Cooke Varotal/i zoom lenses are at 30-95mm and 85-215mm, feature a PL or LPL mount, and have that beautiful 'Cooke Look'. Meanwhile, the Panchro/i Classic primes feature 18mm, 21mm, 25mm, 27mm, 32mm, 40mm, and 50mm, plus cover the 46.31mm image circle.

Another excellent feature is the /i Technology, which will record data such as T-stop value, focus settings, and depth-of-field.

The price of each of these lenses is very steep (along the lines of a brand new Tesla), but if you're a high end rental house or in-demand cinematographer, the new Cooke lenses are worthwhile. For the rest of us, renting a set of the lenses for a shoot is perfect. Get more information on Cooke Optics' site.