No matter what kind of creator you are, you’ve probably heard of the NAB Show at some point in your career. Each year, some of the world’s most talented creatives head out to attend NAB. While there, they can discover new technologies, share knowledge, make new connections, and participate in workshops.
This year’s NAB Show celebrates its centennial at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 15th to the 19th. It is showcasing pioneering advancements in broadcasting, media, and entertainment with renowned brands unveiling their latest technologies. Let’s take a closer look at the major highlights from NAB 2023 so far.
Godox
Godox is in attendance at NAB and did a live tech demo on some of its newly released products. The main highlight was the MG1200Bi LED, which is an upgraded version of the M series of continuous lighting. This state-of-the-art technology is equipped with a robust 1200W draw that spans across all color temperature ranges. It enables precise CCT adjustments from 2800K to 6500K. What sets it apart is its ultra-low dimming capabilities — ranging from 0.1% to 100% — providing users with fine control over their lighting.
Only a few weeks ago, Godox also announced their series of Dive Lights for filmmaking and photography underwater. The compact WT Series tube lights come in 10, 15, and 25-inch sizes and are water-resistant up to 40 meters. They mount easily to cameras and accessories, offer CCT, HSI, GEI, and RGBWW modes, and come in a variety of colors for underwater use. All sizes are available in daylight and RGBWW models.
Lastly, Godox also recently announced their soon-to-be-released TP LED Tube Light Series, currently available for preorder. The lights in the lineup offer DMX, CRMX, RDM, and wireless control via the Godox Light 3.0 App. Internal batteries provide about two hours of runtime, or continuous AC power can be used. They are available as individual units, or in kits of 4 or 8 lights, with tube lengths ranging from 2 feet to 8 feet.
Sony
At NAB 2023, Sony announced the release of the RTK Real-Time Kinematic Kit designed for the Sony Airpeak S1 Drone. The kit includes a Real-Time Kinematic Global Navigation Satellite System, which is comprised of a base station that feeds GNSS signals to the Airpeak remote. This is then relayed to dual receiving antennas on the Airpeak. The Sony RTK Real-Time Kinematic Kit allows for precise hovering (down to the centimeter) to create accurate point cloud data and 3D models. This type of technology will greatly benefit industrial work such as inspections, construction, and surveying. Dual operating is even possible for those who need to connect a second remote controller to the base station.
The Sony Gremsy Gimbal PX1 for Airpeak S1 Drone will also come as a welcome addition for those looking to create cinematic aerial shots. This gimbal allows you to mount any Sony Alpha series camera to your drone to capture even more content. It also has an open port design to remove battery and memory cards without removing camera from gimbal. And for those in need of increased battery life, Sony has released its 3838mAh Lithium-Ion Enhanced Battery, which allows a flight time of up to 30 minutes without a payload.
Fujifilm
Frame.io stole the show last year at NAB and continues to build upon that legacy with its Camera to Cloud (C2C) firmware. What was primarily held for cinema cameras and filmmakers has now broken into the photography sphere — and it all starts with Fujifilm. The first cameras to receive the integration are the X-H2 and X-H2S models. The X-H2S is also a NAB Product of the Year nominee!
Sennheiser
Sennheiser is also in the mix with the official launch of their 5th generation Evolution Wireless microphone systems: the EW-DP for camera systems. This particular system is built for capturing dialogue which includes content creators, filmmakers, podcasters, and more.
The EW-DP line is a cutting-edge, fully digital UHF wireless microphone system in portable design with unrivaled audio quality. It’s made to save time on set with intuitive controls and fast set-up that anyone can operate. Experiencing the pinnacle of wireless audio performance with a state-of-the-art system has never been easier.
Depending on specific needs, you can choose to buy the EW-DP 835 Handheld Wireless System, just the wireless receiver, or one of the wireless lavalier microphone sets (ME-4 or ME-2). These come with your choice of a cardioid lavalier or omnidirectional lavalier.
DJI
DJI made a splash with cinematographers this weekend with its announcement of the Inspire 3. This is a fully-equipped drone boasting an 8K sensor that supports CinemaDNG at 25fps and Apple ProRes RAW at 8K 75fps. What’s more, it features a brand-new dual battery system that is lighter and more efficient.
Additionally, announced last month, the DJI 4D Flex was an early hit amongst filmmakers and certainly was at the early start of NAB. The latest update now allows Ronin 4D operators to separate the gimbal camera. This will reduce the overall weight of the Ronin 4D and transform it into a backpack camera. Plus, with a generous six-and-a-half foot tether cable, you’ll have the freedom to shoot in tight spaces like never before.
Finally, the DJI RS 3 Mini Gimbal was released earlier this year. It’s a mini version of the Pro model, designed for use with smaller mirrorless cameras. It’s a 3-axis gimbal with 4.4 lbs payload capacity, extreme portability, improved stabilization algorithm (+20%), and native vertical shooting while retaining professional quality.
Canon
Canon fans can rejoice with the news out of booth C3825 as they showcased two new Flex Series Cinema Lenses that have been added to the lineup that was announced last year: the CN-E 14-35MM T1.7 S/SP Lens and CN-E 31.5-95mm T1.7 L S/SP. The latest additions to the Flex Zoom Series is the inclusion of 8K cinema lenses designed for Super 35mm cameras with EF and PL mounts, adaptable for full-frame sensors. Canon also released, on April 20th, a new 100-300mm lens that will be especially beneficial to wildlife, sports, and events videographers. These lenses are versatile for film, commercials, and television projects.
Canon also released, on April 20th, a new 100-300mm lens that will be especially beneficial to wildlife, sports, and events videographers. This lens will perfectly pair with any Canon EOS R Series camera.
Additionally, Canon has announced that the CR-N500 has been updated and is now the CR-N700. This updated 4K PTZ camera is versatile enough for your broadcast needs. It can shoot 4K at 60fps resolution, 4:2:2 10-bit color output, 15x optical zoom in 4K and 30x zoom in Full HD.
It’s worth mentioning that Canon also released a firmware update for the R5 C, which now allows for faster switching between photo and video modes, a power saving mode, 2x zoom while shooting in 8K, and the highly requested support for EF-EOS R Adapter. Oh yeah, and the R5C is now a Netflix-approved camera!
RED
Just last month, RED announced the Super35 versions of their V-Raptor and V-Raptor XL 8K cameras. Both are built on REDs new DSMC3 platform, feature 4K 12g-SDI out (2x), and are capable of 8K live streaming. These new sensors still have the same scan time as their full-frame counterparts. Although, they are twice as fast as the last generation while still maintaining an impressive 16.5+ stops of dynamic range.
The V-Raptor and V-Raptor XL cameras are popular among wildlife filmmakers for the high resolution and long focal length capabilities. Both models feature a Super35 35.4 megapixel CMOS sensor for stunning image quality. The V-Raptor has an integrated RF mount for lens system versatility, while the V-Raptor XL comes with a standard PL mount for professional cinematographers.
Blackmagic
NAB isn’t complete without a slew of announcements from Blackmagic Design….
Hardware
The ATEM Television Studio 4K8 sees 4K upgrades from its HD versions. These new models are capable of running video and audio directly from the camera, are capable of live streaming, and still retain the USB webcam feature. Its 10g ethernet ports allow direct recording to external devices over a network. Simply updated, the ATEM 4 M/E Constellation 4K switcher adds an additional feature that allows you to connect multiple inputs into a single 8K source.
Four new DeckLink IP video series products that are based on the 2110 protocol include the DeckLink IP HD, DeckLink IP HD Optical, the DeckLink IP/SDI HD, and the Blackmagic 2110 IP Converter 3x3G. Some models are built to run on 10g ethernet and others on 10g ethernet over fiber, while the Decklink IP/SDI combines both into one unit for HD.
URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF Camera is a 12K version of the URSA Mini Pro which features a new Optical Low Pass Filter in front of the 12K Super 35 80MP sensor, wide dynamic range, G5 color science, revolutionary RGBW color, and in-sensor scaling.
Software
There’s exciting news for vertical shooters! An upcoming firmware update for all pocket cinema cameras will enable shooting in 9×16 vertical or 4×5 video formats by simply rotating the camera. The UI will also adjust accordingly, making for a seamless experience.
The 18.5 release of Davinci Resolve is currently in Beta testing and boasts 150+ new features, making the Studio Version upgrade worthwhile. Full release expected soon. Exclusive Studio updates include AI-powered text-based editing for transcribing audio and editing video and audio clip categorization. It also has a Super Scale function using AI for customizable footage upscaling with sharpness and noise reduction controls. You can expect the full release, most likely, in the next few weeks.
On the Fairlight Page, you can now easily modify keyframes during playback, create and mix groups, and activate all tracks for drawing and writing automation on multiple tracks at once. On the Color Page, missing LUTs are now identified, making it easier to locate them. Additionally, the new “Relight” feature in OFX allows you to fine-tune scenes with natural light sources.
To round things out, the Ursa Mini Pro 12K was added to the Netflix-approved camera list.
Nanlux
Nanlux has released the Evoke 900C LED Video Spotlight. It’s a full-color LED spotlight with 940W of power that’s built for virtual productions. The 900C utilizes a six-color mixing system known as RGBLAC. This gives you more color options and a wider CCT range of 1800K to 20000K and a CRI/TLCI of 96.
The Evoke 900C comes equipped with 4 buttons for menu selection and 3 dials for controlling the output and colors. It features an upgraded 3.5-inch full-color TFT screen, providing users with an intuitive interface and an enhanced operating experience. Additionally, it offers a wide range of wired and wireless control options for filmmakers, giving them ultimate operational control.
Rode
Rode recently made a major product announcement at NAB, unveiling its Wireless ME Compact Microphone System. This is a highly portable wireless system that’s incredibly easy to use with minimal adjustments required. Compatible with computers, cameras, and mobile phones, the ME system boasts new features like automatic gain adjustment and a built-in microphone in the receiver for true stereo capture, addressing limitations of the Wireless Go II.
Speaking of, Wireless Go II users can expect a firmware update for onboard recordings saved as .wav files, start/stop recording control, and expanded camera compatibility, along with a dual-purpose case for protection and charging.
Rode also introduced an iOS video app called Rode Capture. This offers in-app control of Rode microphones and dual camera modes for interviews, field reporting, and social media content creation.
Rode is also working on a firmware update for Rode Procaster II to connect any Rode wireless microphone system seamlessly, and introduced a Procaster Backpack for podcasters on the move.
Additionally, the compact Rodecaster DUO (an update to Rodecaster Pro II) will have two inputs — ideal for limited desk space. And the soon-to-be Streamer X will combine an audio interface and video capture card for podcasts, presentations, or streaming.
Finally, Rode unveiled the Pod Mic USB, a professional-grade dynamic microphone with XLR and USB connectivity options. This will provide advanced DSP, high-quality conversion, and compatibility with smartphones, tablets, Rodecaster Pro II, and Rodecaster DUO for versatile recording setups. Rode certainly has a lot in the works that give users something to look forward to!
Aputure
Aputure is introducing the Amaran 150c/300c — Amaran’s first-ever full-color LED light with a powerful 150W/300W output and Bowens Mount versatility. The innovative fixture delivers stunning color quality across its expanded bi-color CCT range of 2,500K to 7,500K. This is complete with GM adjustment and 360° HSI color control. With high CRI/TLCI 95+, SSI D56, and SSI Tungsten ratings, the Amaran 150c/300c ensures accurate color reproduction.
The Amaran Spotlight SE is Amaran’s first-ever projection lens modifier designed to enhance your 150c or 300c’s performance. This compact optical modifier for Bowens Mount point-source fixtures (up to 300W) transforms your light into a powerful spotlight, extending your illumination reach and allowing for shapeable output. The Spotlight SE comes with two lens options — 19º and 36º — for flexibility to customize your lighting to your specific needs.
Amaran Light Dome Mini SE is its first-ever Bowens Mount octabox soft light modifier. With its 8-sided deep parabolic design and reflective silver inner lining, it transforms point-source fixtures like the Amaran 150c and 300c into efficient and directional soft light sources.
Tilta
The Tilta Gravity Motorized Lighting Control System (coming soon) will be showcased at NAB but there’s no official price or timeline for the release as of yet. Essentially, it’s a wireless control mounting system on a light stand that allows remote adjustment of lighting fixture angle and height. It provides time-saving and precise control from anywhere. You can check out a preview video on Tilta’s YouTube.
An upgraded version of the highly successful Nano wireless lens control system has been announced: Tilta Nucleus Nano II Wireless Lens Control System. Unlike the previous system with just one motor, this new system boasts two, providing separate control for focus and zoom.
The handheld unit features iris control on the back. Meanwhile the handle’s other side offers convenient controls for DJI gimbals and modes on the RS2 and RS3 Pro. With an internal battery, you can expect approximately seven hours of continuous use or up to 12 hours with intermittent breaks on set. The system currently supports Canon R5, R6, and Blackmagic cameras.
Learn about these products (and more) in the AdoramaTV video below:
Final Thoughts
The 2023 NAB Show is abuzz with exciting news and updates. Stay in the loop with the latest developments by keeping an eye on the 42 West Blog and Adorama’s YouTube channel. From cutting-edge products to industry trends and insights, we’ve got you covered to ensure you stay up to date. Don’t miss out on the latest happenings at NAB Show!
Featured image from NAB 2023 Press Kit
