Oli at IBC 2011

This year was IBC’s highest level of attendance. To prepare for IBC, I like to plan in advance: circling “must see” company names on the floor plan. I had trouble with Sony not mentioning specifically where they were in Hall 12 until I arrived and found that Sony occupied the entire Hall.

Sony's exclusive Hall 12 at IBC 2011

Keynotes, conferences and seminars touched on broadcasting, web casting, social media, mobile phone applications, cable, satellite, broadband, wireless connectivity, 22 channel audio, ortho3D, live stereoscopic 3D broadcasting, 2D to 3D conversion, 3D fix in post, the cloud storage, social media interaction, HDTV, 2K, 4K, 8K, artificial intelligence, human sensory duplication, the internet, advertising, i-tablets, gaming, the environment, compression algorithms, nano technology, and other cutting edge technologies. It is impossible to cover even half of what IBC has to offer.

Cameras

Sony F65 camera.

Sony jumped to the head of the resolution class with the F-65 camera delivering specs previously unheard of, at a price point lower than many HD camera systems. Its 4K workflow is in place and supported by several popular post systems. In the previous 5 years, we saw resolution jump from SD to HD, 2K, 3.5K, 4K, 5K and now 8K. Sony appears aggressive in high end digital cinematography by offering a sophisticated system, with highest resolution, at a very attractive price.

Ted Schilowitz with Epic 5K on stage.

Red Digital’s 5K Epic X cameras are now shipping.

Footage from A-list high-budget studio films using Epic M or Red MX cameras were shown at the Big Screen auditorium, including “Pirates of the Caribbean 3D”, “Amazing Spider-Man 3D” and Peter Jackson’s LOTR prequel “The Hobbit 3D”, among many others.

 

Vince Pace, Franz Kraus, James Cameron and twin Alexa Ms on lightweight Cameron-Pace 3D rig.

ARRI’s new Alexa Studio joins Alexa and Alexa Plus.

The Studio model includes a rotating mechanical mirror shutter, optical viewfinder, built-in 120 fps high speed, etc.

The new Alexa M has a camera head that is separated from the body, making it much smaller and lighter, and ideal for 3D handheld or 3D Steadicam shots.

 

James Cameron with twin Alexa Ms and new rig

The first models are going to Cameron Pace Group’s James Cameron and Vince Pace.
ARRI screened a slew of A list big-budget films using the Alexa in the Big Screen Theater: “Hugo (3D)”, “The Three Musketeers 3D”, “Anonymous” and gravity defying “Cirque du Soleil 3D”.

JVC full 4K mini camera.

JVC’s 4K mini cam (1/2” sensor) showed gorgeous 4K shots of typical Amsterdam via 4 x 1.4A HDMI cables to a 4K “consumer” monitor.

It was just shot a few days before IBC opened.

Expect Q1/2012 sales announcements.

 

Jon Fauer with two IndieCams

IndieCam showed tiny HD and 2K RAW cameras. A pair of full HD (2/3” CMOS, 12 bit Raw, C mt lens) cameras — so small that a pair in Stereoscopic 3D mode with lenses fit in my pocket.

 

 

 

P+S Technik's new Freestyle 3D Rig.

P+S Technik’s X35 HD camera does normal speed as well as high speed cinematography, up to 450 FPS. Their Freestyle rig, currently on numerous features worldwide, has updates and improvements.

Sony, Panasonic & JVC showed very small portable 3D consumer camcorders with a fixed interocular distance, at affordable pricing.

 

Lenses

Cooke Optics showed the Cooke Panchro 135 mm T2.8 and Cooke 5/i 135 mm T1.4. Cooke Panchros, S4/i and 5i prime lenses were used interchangeably and indistinguishably on the film “Hugo”.

ARRI showed the new Arri Alura Zooms: 15.5 – 45 mm T2.8 and 30-80mm T2.8. This complements the existing 18-80 mm T2.6 and 45-250 mm T2.6 zoom lenses. All four zooms can be used on film cameras and digital cinematography cameras. ARRI introduced the Arri Master Prime 135 mm T1.3 prime lens, suggested for portraiture.

 

Lighting

Arri HMI with new reflectors.

ARRI showed the new AS 4K/2.5K and M4K/2.5K HMI head which replaces the Arrisun 4K/2.5K HMI heads. The M series uses the same type of reflector used on the Arrisun 18K and M1.8 or 1.8K HMI head. Also displayed were the various models of Arri L-7 LED lights, with the equivalent power of 650 watts, available in tungsten, daylight, and a variable color model. It comes in fan cooling or silent (no fan) models. ARRI’s new 2K tungsten Fresnel head can also take a new 3K tungsten bulb.

Litepanels introduced the new Sola 4 fresnel light (equivalent output to 250W tungsten), the Hilio flat array daylight LED (equivalent to 1000W tungsten output), and the Croma small Obie-style LED unit with variable color temperature 5600-3200K.

Accessories

LitePanels' new Sola 4 LED fresnel light.

ARRI’s latest line of  camera accessories included bridge plates, risers, follow focus, matte box, etc. These are offered for various HD cameras such as the Sony PMW-F3, Panasonic AF-AF-101, JVC.

Sony’s new OLED monitors are in a class all their own with true black blacks, wider color spectrum, wide dynamic range, and fast response time. Available in 7”, 17” and 25”.

AJA was all about data recorders, efficient PCB cards, and mini converters that aid high quality digital recording, conversion and data ingest. New products introduced:

  • Ki Pro Mini with DNxHD, firmware for Avid codec coming soon
  • Ki Pro v3.0 firmware for Ki Pro Mini available next month.
  • Io XT portable Thunderbolt I/O
  • Kona LHe Plus, AJA Control Apps, UDC Mini-Converter and more

Trends

– We’re moving Beyond HD, as Sony proclaimed on their banners. 4K is minimum today, as 8K heralds its arrival.

– Broadcasting will generate more viewers over the internet rather than over the air.

– 48 or 60 FPS filming, post and projection in 4K 3D or even higher resolution.

Holography. 3D

– James Cameron said movies will someday be in 3D without having to say so, just like color.

– 3D depth map will be a regular part of metadata.

– Many good old 2D movies will be converted to 3D. Like colorizing Black & White.

– Multitasking, multi activity and multi viewing will take on a whole new level of complexity.

– Available “free” materials to watch, hear, play or rate from multiple sources will soon exceed 10,000 choices simultaneously.

– Viewers will watch desired programs anytime, anywhere they want it.  This done while in close contact with top 1000 friends simultaneously.

– Our home TV console will also analyze our viewing patterns, eye tracking patterns, buying patterns, and private activities.

– The iPad and personal tablets will replace TV sets.

– Future kids will have no clue about many antiquated items: rotary clocks, watches, newspapers, magazines, TV, etc.

– Media consumers do not care about the methodology or technology, they just care about the content.

-Social network will take over TV sets.

-Social networks will address our individual needs, tastes, patterns and wants.

-4G, thunderbolt, and the like will be our minimum speed data pipeline

-Virtual BG environment and real BG will become indistinguishable.

-HDIP and 4KIP will replace VOIP and satellite transmission

– Ultimate survival tactic: Adapt to change, innovate and reinvent.

The Future seen today

NHK 8K camera and zoom lens.

NHK of Japan showed a complete line of 8K camera to projection systems with the camera, zoom lens, switcher, storage, slow motion, post production, CGI, editing, archiving, 22 channel sound, live satellite transmission, 85” LCD, and large screen projection–all in glorious 8K.

 

 

Fraunhofer 3x HD cam with instant depth map metadata.

Fraunhofer showed a 3 camera 3D system wherein the main center camera is the primary camera, while the smaller 2 cameras on the sides capture depth information where depth map can be extracted in post production, to render additional virtual views.

NICT (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology) of Japan casually asked me to hold a pen, and look thru a stereoscopic 3D viewer as I “scratched” the pen over various surfaces like a piece of paper, stone tablet, unpolished Carrara marble and sand. I could clearly see, hear and feel the different textures as I moved the pen across the surfaces. However, as I looked around, the pen was simply floating in empty space. What I saw (3D visual cognition), heard (auditory cognition) and felt (multi-sensory tactile interaction) was not real. The pen simply transmitted and recreated, using a force-feedback device, human touch sensations.

Next, I was asked to look again into the viewer where I saw some balloons on the “ground”. I was asked to touch, push and pop the balloons. Not pointing and pushing with the pen enough was not sufficient to pop the balloons, as the balloons “resisted” my not-so-sharp pen, a clear and obvious sensation from my hand. But at the right pressure, the balloons suddenly popped loudly and burst, revealing the scent hidden inside the balloon. I smelled lavender in one balloon, eucalyptus in the other. But this was all virtual, as there was nothing there, and my hands and the “pen” was simply floating in mid air.

I imagine that someday, in addition to the virtual pen, we may add tasting virtual food in CGI restaurants while browsing Zagat dining guides (recently acquired by Google). Can you imagine dining at El Bulli, French Laundry or Noma daily without reservations,  expense and calories?

FDTimes foreign correspondent Oli Laperal Jr. also runs a production and rental facility in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. He also line produces TV spots, feature films and reality shows. Oli is also a 3D stereographer.

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