While its predominantly the new shiny cameras that get front page news at a trade show like NAB, 4K recording devices & monitors make it possible to get the best out of most cameras and even turn cameras like the Sony FS700 into slow-motion raw beasts. Recently, Convergent Design announced they are increasing the out-of-the-box supported frame rates in 4K up to 60p in ProRes/DNxHD and 2K/240fps at no additional cost to users, but they didn’t just come to NAB for that.
As promised with their awesome 4K recorder/monitor Odyssey7Q+ and a ton of updates for it.
- Custom 3D-LUT Display and Routing to the Odyssey7Q+ and Odyssey7Q Monitor/Recorders
The much awaited update is coming later in April 2015 in the form of a free firmware update for the Odyssey7Q+ and Odyssey7Q recorder/monitors and will include fully integrated custom 3D LUT functionality. Cinematographers will be able to generate LUTs at no cost in DaVinci Resolve, load them into the Odyssey and match them perfectly in post.
3D LUTs allow viewing of material with sample colour, contrast and exposure corrections, while recording files in RAW or flat Log modes for the greatest range in post adjustment.
“Our implementation of 3D-LUTs is a first in the industry,” explained Mike Schell, President, Convergent Design. “We accept the most popular form of 3D-LUT. The Odyssey can not only display the LUT on its OLED screen, but it can send the LUT out to other monitors via SDI and HDMI. The Odyssey can also send the LUT to its Image Analysis Tools such as the waveform and histogram. And all of these outputs of the LUT are individually selectable, so that clients can tailor their use of the system however they like. That’s incredibly powerful, replacing an entire cart full of equipment. The Odyssey7Q+ is a LUT box, router, engineering scope, monitor and recorder all in one, and we are providing this added performance at no additional cost.”
The 3D LUT support for monitoring and routing to other monitors will be included for free in both the Odyssey7Q+ and 7Q in the upcoming April 2015 firmware update. The option to “burn in” a LUT into the ProRes recording will be included in future firmware updates.
- Support for Selected 3rd party SSDs
Odyssey monitor/recorders will support the use of two models of Samsung SSDs. The Samsung 850 EVO 500GB and Samsung 850 EVO 1,000GB SSDs will be allowed for use in the Odyssey7, Odyssey7Q, and Odyssey7Q+. This is really good news for both those on the fence between the Shogun and the Odyssey7Q and those currently using the Odyssey7Q recorders.
Even with the current offer for 2 x Free 256GB Convergent Design SSD drives towards a purchase of a new Odyssey7Q+, having the ability to use a cheaper, but yet, solid and reliable SSD is a great cost saving benefit. The Samsung 850 EVO 1TB SSD is about $400 compared to the Convergent Design own 1TB drive, which costs a whopping $1,395 more than 3 x the 3rd party SSD.
“Our own Odyssey SSDs offer levels of performance and reliability that were previously unavailable,” said Mike Schell, President, Convergent Design. “We had to spec our own high performance media directly from the SSD manufacturers. Our extensive testing has shown that Samsung now has made two consumer SSDs that meet the performance standards we require for the Odyssey monitor/recorders. We are happy to open the option of this inexpensive media to our clients.”
Access to the use of these two Samsung 850 EVO SSDs is expected to be made available with the May 2015 free Odyssey firmware update. Only the Samsung 850 EVO 500GB and EVO 1,000GB SSDs, along with the Odyssey 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB SSDs, will function in the Odyssey monitor/recorders. SSDs load and mount into the Odyssey monitor/recorders with a latching handle.
Odyssey SSD handles will be made available for purchase through the Convergent Design dealer network.
- Odyssey Raw Bundle includes all Raw licenses for (a lot) less money
As of April 13th, all of the five separately available RAW Record Options for the Odyssey7Q+ and Odyssey7Q will now be combined into the new Odyssey RAW Bundle. If one was to buy all the individual RAW Record Options they would have had to spend a massive $6,775 compared to the new Odyssey RAW Bundle which is only $995. A daily rental rate of just $99 is also available.
Supported Raw cameras in the Odyssey RAW Bundle:
- ARRI ALEXA
- Canon C500
- C300 Mark II
- Sony FS7 and FS700,
- I/O Industries Flare 2KSDI & 4KSDI
- Indiecam indieGS2K
- AJA CION and IO Industries Flare 4KSDI.
And the best news for this update is that as new RAW cameras are supported by the Odyssey monitor/recorders, they will be added to the Odyssey RAW Bundle.
Frame rates and recording options for cameras in the bundle:
Sony FS7/FS700
Cinema DNG RAW data recording:
4K (4096×2160) RAW 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
2K (2048×1080) RAW 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p, 100p, 120p, 200p, 240p
FS700 only: 4K RAW Burst (440 frames) 100p, 120p
Apple ProRes recording:
4K RAW->4K Apple ProRes 24p, 25p, 30p (50p & 60p coming soon)
4K RAW->UHD Apple ProRes 24p, 25p, 30p (50p & 60p coming soon)
4K RAW->2K Apple ProRes 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
4K RAW->HD Apple ProRes 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
FS700 only: 4K RAW Burst->2K or HD Apple ProRes 100p, 120p (4K and UHD coming soon)
(2K RAW->2K and HD Apple ProRes 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p, 100p, 120p, 200p, 240p coming soon)
ARRI ALEXA Classic (non-XT models)
16×9 ARRIRAW recording at all available frame rates
Canon C500/C300 Mark II
Canon Cinema RAW data recording:
4K RAW recording 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
QHD RAW recording 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
4K “half RAW” recording at 100p, 120p
Apple ProRes recording:
4K RAW->4K Apple ProRes recording 24p, 25p, 30p (50p and 60p coming soon)
QHD RAW->UHD Apple ProRes recording 24p, 25p, 30p (50p and 60p coming soon)
Note: C500/C300 MKII 2K 12-bit RGB video modes are supported without the Odyssey RAW Bundle
POV Cameras
Cinema DNG RAW data recording:
IO Industries Flare 2KSDI camera – 2K or HD 10-bit RAW 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
Indiecam IndieGS2K camera – 2K 10-bit RAW 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
Indiecam IndieGS2K camera – HD 10-bit RAW 100p & 120p
Indiecam IndieGS2K camera – HD 12-bit RAW 24p, 25p, 30p, 50p, 60p
The Odyssey RAW Bundle is available for purchase or daily rental exclusively on Convergent Design’s website. Note that the rental option means that the Sony FS7/FS700 RAW is now available for use without needing to make a full purchase. Click here for more information.
[via Convergent Design]
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